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i 


THE 


WORKS 


OF  THE 


EV.  JOHN  NEWTON, 

LATE  PASTOa  OF  THE  UNITED  PARISHES  OF  ST.  MARY  WOOLNOTH  AND  ST.  MARY  WOOL- 
CHURCH-HAW,  LOMBARD  STREET,  LONDON. 


CONTAINING, 


AN  AUTHENTIC  NARRATIVE,  ETC.  LETTERS  ON  RELIGIOUS  SLBJECTS,  CARDIPHOMA,  DISCOURSES 
INTENDED  FOR  THE  PULPIT,  SERMONS  PREACHED  IN  THE  PARISH  CHURCH  OF  OLNEY, 
A  REVIEW  OF  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY,  OLNEY  HYMNS,  POEMS,  MESSIAH, 
OCCASIONAL  SERMONS,  AND  TRACTS. 


TO  WHICH  ARE  PREFIXED, 

MEMOIRS   OF  HIS   LIFE,  &c 

BY  THE  REV.  RICHARD  CECIL,  A.  M. 


COMPLETE  IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 
VOL.  II. 


NEW  YORK; 
ROBERT  CARTER,  58  CANAL  STREET 

PITTSBURG:— THOMAS  CARTER. 


1844. 


( 

CONTENTS  OF  THE  SECONr>  VOLUME. 


A  REVIEW  OF  ECCLESIASTICAL 
HISTORY. 

Pope 

introduction  1-5 


BOOK  I.— OF  THE  FIRST  PERIOD  OF  CHRIS- 
TIANITY. 

Chap. 

1.  Tlie  general  State  of  the  Heathens  and  Jews  be- 

fore and  at  the  Time  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  17 

2.  The  Character  and  Genius  of  the  Gospel,  as 

taught  and  exemplifieil  by  Christ     .    .    .    •    .  21 

3.  The  true  Grounds  of  the  Opposition  he  met  with 

in  the  Course  of  his  Ministry,  and  the  Objec- 
tions and  Artifices  Iiis  Enemies  employed  to 
prejnJiofl  the  people  against  him,  and  prevent 
Ihi'  lli  ception  of  his  Doctrine  27 

4.  On  the  Calliiif;  and  Characters  of  the  Apostles 

and  Disciples  previous  to  our  Lord's  Ascension  32 


BOOK  11.— OF  THE  SECOND  PERIOD  OF  CHRIS- 
TIANITY. 

1.  Of  the  Profrress  of  the  Gospel  from  our  Lord's 

Ascension  to  the  Close  of  the  first  Century  .    .  40 

2.  Of  the  Life  and  Character  of  St.  Paul,  considered 

as  an  Exemplar  or  Pattern  of  a  Minister  of  Je- 
sus Christ  ftJ 

3.  Of  the  Irregularities  and  Olfences  which  appear- 

ed in  the  Apostolical  Churches  ^14 

4.  Of  the  Heresies  propagated  by  fiilse  Teachers  in 

the  Apostles'  days  100 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 

BOOK  I.— ON  SELECT  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE. 

Hymn  GENESIS.  C!mp.  Page 

L  Adam  3  ...  Ill 

2.  tJaiu  and  Abel  4  .    .    .  ib. 

^- j  Walking  with  God  5  .   .   .  112 

5.  Lot  in  Sodom  13  .    .    .  ib. 

C.  Mehovah  Jireh ;  or.  The  Lord  will 

7.  j     provide  22  .    .  112- 13 

R  Esau  25  .   .    .  ib. 

9.  Jacob's  Ladder  28  ...  114 

JO.  My  name  is  Jacob  32  .    .    .  ib. 

11.  Plenty  in  Deartii   41  .    .    .  ib. 

12.  Joseph  made  known  to  his  Brethren  45  .    .   .  ib. 

EXODUS. 


13.  The  bitter  Wafers  

15  . 

.  115 

14.  Ji  hiivah  Rophi  ;  or.  The  Lord  my 

llcaler  

15  . 

.  ib 

11)  . 

IG  .  . 

.  m 

17.  Jehovah  Nissi;  or.  The  Lord  my  Ban- 

ner  V    .    .  . 

17  . 

.  ill. 

18.  The  Golden  Calf  

32  . 

.  ib. 

LEVITICUS- 

NUMBERS. 

20.  Balaam's  Wish  

23  . 

.  ib. 

JOSHUA. 

JUDGES. 

22.  Jehovah  ShJllom  ;  or.  The  Lord  is 
Peace  


Ilijmn  Chap.  Paire 

23.  Gideon's  Fleece  0  ...  118 

24.  Sampson's  Lion  14  .   .   .  ib. 

I.  SAMUEL. 

2.5.  Hannah  ;  or.  The  Throne  of  Grace  .  1.  .  .118 
2(i.  Dagon  before  the  Ark  5  ...  119 

27.  Milch  Kine  drawing  the  Ark   ...   5  ...  ib- 

28.  Saul's  Armour  17  .   .   .  ib. 

II.  SAMUEL. 

29.  David's  Fall  12  ...  120 

30.  Is  this  thy  Kindness  to  thy  Friend  ?    IG  .   .   .  ib. 

I.  KINGS. 

31.1 

32.  i-Ask  what  I  shall  give  you  .  . 

33.  J 

.34.  The  Uueen  of  Sheba  .... 
35.  Elijali  fed  by  Ravens  .... 
3G.  The  Jleal  and  Cruse  of  Oil  .  . 

II.  KINGS. 

37.  Jericho ;  or,  The  Waters  healed    .   .  2  .   .   .  ib 

38.  Naamaii    5  ...  123 

39.  Th<^  borrowed  Axe   6  .   .    .  ib. 

40.  More  with  us  than  with  them  .    .   .  G  .   .    .  ib. 


3  . 

{iS 

I  ib. 

17  . 

.  122 

17  . 

.  ib. 

L  CHRONICLES. 
41.  Faith's  Review  and  E.vpcctation  . 


17  . 


NEHEMIAH. 

42.  The  Joy  of  the  Lord  is  your  Strength   9  . 

JOB. 

43.  O  that  I  were  as  in  months  past  .   .  29  , 


44.  The  Change 


29 


ib. 


124 


ib. 
ib. 


PSALMS. 


45. 

.   .   6  . 

.  125 

40. 

None  upon  earth  besides  thee  . 

.    .  73  . 

.  ib. 

47. 
48. 

j  The  Believer's  Safety  .... 

.    .  91  . 

i  ib. 
j  ib. 

49. 

He  led  them  by  a  right  Way 

.    107  . 

.  126 

50. 

.     IIG  . 

.  ib. 

51. 

Dwelling  in  Meshech  .... 

.    120  . 

.  ib. 

PROVERBS. 

52.  Wisdom  8  .   .   .  ib. 

53.  A  Friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a 

Brother  18  ...  127 

ECCLESIASTES. 

51.  Vanity  of  Life   1  .  .  .  ib. 

55.  Vanity  of  the  World   1  .  .  .  ib. 

5G.  Vanity  of  Creatures  sanctified  .   .    .  1  .  .  .  128 

SOLOMON  S  SONG. 
57.  The  Name  of  Jesus  1  .   .   .  ib. 

ISAIAH. 


58. 

O  Lord,  I  will  praise  thee     .    .    .  . 

12  . 

.  ib. 

59. 

The  River,  Refuge,  and  Rock  of  the 

32  .  . 

.  ib. 

(iO. 

33  . 

123 

(il. 

Look  unto  me,  anil  be  ye  saved    .  . 

45  . 

.  ib. 

G2. 

The  Good  Physician  

45  .  . 

.  ib. 

03. 

(;4. 

57  . 

.  ib. 

05. 

The  future  Pence  and  Glory  of  the 

JEREMIAH. 

06. 

Trust  of  the  Righteous  and  Wicked 

IT  . 

.  ill. 

67. 

Jehovah  Tsidkenu  ;  or.  the  Lord  our 

righteousness  

23  . 

.  131 

W, 

3 

CONTENTS. 


ffymn  LAMENTATIONS.  Clinp. 
OS).  Tlie  Lord  is  my  I'orlioii  3  . 


Page  Hymn  PHILIPPXANS.  Cliap. 
.  131    13J.  Contentment  4 


EZEKtEL. 

70.  Humbled  and  .silenced  h)'  Meicy  .    .  16  . 

71.  The  Covenant  3G 

72.  Jeliovali  Sliauinmli ;  or,  The  Lord  is 

lliera  48  . 


DANIEL. 

73.  The  Power  and  Triunii)h  of  Faith  3,  G 

74.  Belsliazzar  5 


75.  The  Gourd  . 


JONAH. 


ZECHARIAII. 

76.  Prayer  for  the  Lord's  Presence  . 

77.  A  Brand  plucked  out  of  the  Fire  . 

78.  On  one  Stone  sliall  he  seven  Eyes 

79.  Praise  fur  the  Fountain  oixMied  . 


3 
3 
13  . 


MALACMI. 
80.  They  shall  be  mine,  saith  the  Lord  .  3 


MATTHEW. 

81.  The  Bejjgar  

82.  The  Leper  

83.  A  sick  Soul  

84.  Satan  returning  

85.  The  Sower  

86.  Wheat  and  Tares  .... 

87.  Peter  walking  on  the  Waters 

88.  The  Woman  of  Canaan  .  . 
8'J.  Wiiat  think  ye  of  Christ  . 

90.  Tiie  foolish  Virgins    .    .  . 

91.  Peter  sinning  and  repenting 


.  9  . 
.  12  , 
.  13  . 
.  13  . 
.  14  . 
.  15  . 

22 
".  25  '. 
.  26 


ib. 
133 


ib. 
ib. 

i:m 

ib. 


ib. 


MARK. 

92.  Legion  dispossessed  5  .   .   .  ib. 

93.  The  Ruler's  Daughter  raised  ...   5  ...  ib. 

94.  But  one  Loaf  8  ...  139 

95  Bartinii  us   .  10  .    .    .  ib 

9U.  'J'hr  Hons,,  of  Prayer  11  .    .    .  ib! 

97.  Tlie  blasted  Fig-tree  11  .    .    .  ib. 


98. 

09. 
100. 
101. 
102. 
103. 
104. 
105. 
10(1. 
107. 
J(W. 
lOJ. 
110. 


111. 
112. 
113. 
114. 
115. 
116. 
117. 
118. 
119. 


LUKE. 
The  two  Debtors  .... 
Tile  good  Samaritan  .    .  . 
Martha  and  Mary  .... 
The  Heart  taken  .... 

The  Worldling  

The  barren  Fig-tree    .    .  , 

Tiie  Prodigal  

The  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus 
The  importunate  Widow 

/accheus   

The  Bcdiever's  Danger  and  Safety 
Father,  forgive  them  .  . 
The  two  Malefactors  .  . 


.  10  .  . 

.  ib. 

.  10  . 

.  ib. 

.  12  .  . 

.  ib. 

.  13  . 

.  ib. 

.  15  . 

.  142 

.  16  . 

.  ib. 

.  18  . 

.  ib. 

.  19  . 

.  143 

.  22  . 

.  ib. 

.  23  . 

.  ib. 

JOHN. 
The  Woman  of  Samaria 

I  The  Pool  of  Bethesda  . 


The  Disciples  at  Sea  .  . 
Will  ye  also  go  away .  . 
The  Resurrection  and  the  Life 
Weeping  Mary  .... 

1  Lovest  thou  me    .   .  . 


,  6  . 
,   0  . 

11  . 

20  . 

.  21 


144 
(ib. 
jib. 
145 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
I  14C 
ib. 


ACTS 

120.  The  Death  of  Stephen     .   .    .  . 

121.  The  Rebel's  Surrender  to  Grace  . 

122.  Petrr  released  from  Prison  .    .  . 

123.  Tlie  iriMiiIiling  Gaoler     .    .   .  . 

124.  Th'<  Exorcist  

125.  Paul's  Voyage  

ROMANS. 

126.  The  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not . 

127.  Salvation  drawing  nearer  .   .  . 

I.  CORINTHIANS. 

128.  The  Rock  was  Christ     .   .   .  . 


II  CORINTHIANS. 

129.  My  Grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  . 

GALATIANS. 

130.  The  inward  Warfare  


7  . 

.  ib. 

9  . 

.  147 

12  . 

.  ib. 

16  . 

.  ib. 

19  . 

.  148 

27  .  . 

.  ib. 

7  .  . 

.  ib. 

13  .  . 

.  ib. 

12  . 

.  ib. 

5  . 

.  ib. 

Paffe 
.  150 


HEBREWS. 

132.  Old  Testament  Gospel  4 

133.  The  Word  i|iiick  and  powerful    .    .  4 

134.  Looking  unto  Jesus  12 

135.  Love  Tokens  12  . 


ib. 
ill, 
151 
ib. 


REVELATION. 

130.  Ephesus   2  .  .  .  ib. 

137.  Smyrna   2  .  .  .  ib. 

138.  Sardis   3  ...  152 

139.  Philadelphia   3  .  .  .  ib. 

140.  Laodicca   3  .  .  .  ib. 

141.  The  Little  Book   10  .  .  .  ib. 


BOOK  II.— ON  OCCASION.\L  SUBJECTS. 

1.  SEASONS. 
JV'eaj-  Year  Hymns. 

1.  Time  how  swift  153 

2.  Time  how  short  ib. 

3.  Uncertainty  of  Life  ib. 

4.  A  New-year's  Thought  and  Prayer  ib. 

5.  Death  and  War  154 

6.  Eartlily  Prospects  deceitful  ib. 


Sffore  .Annual  Sermons. 

Prayer  for  a  Blessing  l.'iS 

Another  ib. 

Another  ib. 

Casting  the  Gospel-net  ib. 

Pleading  for  anil  with  Youth  158 

Prayer  for  Children  -  .    .  ib. 

The  Sliunamite  ib. 

Elijah  s  Prayer  ib. 

Preaching  to  the  dry  Bones  ib. 

The  Rod  of  MO.SQ?  157 

God  Speaking  from  Mount  Zion  ib. 

Prayer  for  Power  on  the  Means  il>. 

Elijah's  Mantle  128 

Jifter  Jinvunl  Sermons. 

David's  Charge  to  Solomon   ib. 

The  Lord's  Call  to  his  Children   ib. 

The  Prayer  of  Jabcz   ib. 

Wailing  at  Wisdom's  Gates   159 

.Askiiiir  the  Way  to  Zion   ib. 

W'l-         Pharaoh's  Bondmen   ib. 

'i'i.i\  .[iliiig  in  Birth  for  Souls   ib. 

We  are  Ambassadors  for  Clirist   160 

Paul's  farewell  Charge   ib. 

How  shall  I  put  thee  among  the  Children    .  .  ib. 

Winter   161 

Waiting  for  Spring   ib. 

Spring   ib. 

Another   ib. 

Sumuicr  Storms   162 

Hay-Time   ib. 

Harvest   ib. 


Christmas. 

37.  Praise  for  the  Incarnation  163 

38.  Jehovah  Jesus  ib. 

39.  Man  honoured  above  Angels  il). 

40.  Saturday  Evening  ib. 

41.  Close  of  the  Year,  Ebenezer  164 

42.  Another  ib. 

II.  ORDINANCES. 

43.  Opening  a  Place  for  social  Prayer  ib. 

44.  Another  165 

45.  The  Lord's  Day  ib. 

4ti.  Giispel-privileges  ib. 

47.  Another  166 

48.  Praise  for  their  Continuance  ib. 

49.  A  Famine  of  the  Word  ib. 

50.  Prayers  for  Ministers  ib. 

51.  Prayer  for  a  Revival  167 

52.  Hoping  for  a  Revival  ib. 

Sacramental  Hymns. 

53.  Welcome  to  the  Table   ib. 

.^4.  Christ  crucified   ib 

5.5.  Jesus  hasting  to  suffer   168 

.56.  It  is  good  to  be  here   ib. 

.57.  Looking  at  the  Cross   ib. 

58.  Sujiplies  in  the  Wilderness   ib 


CONTENTS. 


5 


Hymn 

69.  Communion  with  Saints  in  Glory 
Prayer. 

60.  Exhortation  to  Prayer  

61.  Power  of  Prayer  

Srripfure. 

62.  Liiht  and  Glory  of  the  Word  .  . 

63.  Word  more  precious  than  Gold  . 


Patre 
.  11)9 


nr.  PROVIDENCES. 
61.  On  the  Commencement  of  Hostilities 


Fast- Day  Hymns. 

65.  Confession  and  Prayer    .   .  . 

66.  Moses  and  Auialek  

67.  The  Hiding  Place  

68.  On  llic  Earthquake,  1775    .  . 

69.  Fire  at  Olney,  1777  

70.  Welcome  to  Christian  Friends 

71.  At  PartinL'  


ib. 
170 


ib. 


ib. 
171 
ib. 
ib. 


17-2 
ib. 


Fuveral  Hymns. 
71J.  On  the  Death  of  a  Believer  .  . 

73.  Death  of  a  Minister  .... 

74.  The  Tolling  Bell  

75.  Hope  beyond  the  Grave  .    .  . 

76.  There  the  weary  are  at  rest  .  . 

77.  The  Day  of  Judgment  .  .  . 
7S.  The  Dav  of  the  Lonl  .... 
79.  The  Great  Tribunal  .... 


ib. 
173 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
174 
ib. 


rV.  CREATION. 


80. 

HI. 
82. 

r.i 

f-'4. 
8.5. 
81;. 
87. 
8S. 
89. 
BO. 
91. 
9'2. 
93. 
94. 
95. 
96. 
97. 
98. 
99. 
100. 


Til- 

'I'll '  I 


id  \"ew  Creation 


ib 
175 
ib. 


Ecu 
Mo< 
The 
Th- 
■I'll" 
'I'h" 
The 
The 
The 


itrims  in  the  Nijht 
|i.<c  of  the  Moon,  177 
in-Light  .... 
Sea  


Pheep  . 


Flood   

Tliaw  

Loadstone  

Spider  and  Bee  

Bee  saved  from  the  Spider 
tamed  Lion  


ib. 
ib. 
176 
ib. 
ib 
177 
ib. 


ib. 
178 


The  Garden  

For  a  Garden-Scat,  or  Siimmer-House  . 
Creatures  in  the  Lord's  Hands    .   .  , 

On  Dreamirig  

The  World  

The  Enchantment  dissolved  .    .   .  . 


ib. 
ib. 
179 
ib. 
ib. 


180 
ib. 


BOOK  IlL— ON  THE  RISE,  PROGRESS,  CHANGES, 
AND  COMFORTS  OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  LIFE. 

I.  SOLEMN  ADDRESSES  TO  SINNERS. 

1.  Expostulation  180 

2.  Alarm  181 

3.  We  were  once  as  you  are  ib. 

4.  Prepare  to  meet  God  ib. 

5.  Invitation  182 


II.  SEEKING,  PLEADING,  AND  HOPING. 

6.  The  burdened  Sinner  ib. 

7.  Behold  I  am  vile  183 

8.  The  shining  Light  ib. 

9.  Encouragement  •   .  ib. 

Jt).  The  waiting  Soul  184 

11,  12.  The  Effort  ib. 

13.  Seeking  the  Beloved  ib. 

14.  Rest  for  weary  Souls  185 

III.  CONFLICT. 

15.  Light  shining  out  of  Darkness   ib. 

16.  Welcome  t.ross   ib. 

J7.  Afflictions  sanctified  by  the  Word   ib. 

18.  Ti'inplation   186 

10.  I.ciokirig  Upwards  in  a  Storm   ib. 

2).  Vallev  of  thi!  Sh.-idow  of  Death   ib. 

21.  The  Hlorm  Hushed  ib. 

22.  Help  in  Time  of  Need  187 


Hymn  Pagt 

23.  Peace  after  a  Storm  187 

24.  Mourning  and  Longing  ib. 

2.1.  liejoiie  ilii' Siiil  of  thy  Servant  ib. 

21).  Sril' a(  (|ii.iiiilarice  188 

27.  Bitter  and  Ssveet  ib. 

28.  Prayer  for  Patience  ib. 

23.  Submission  189 

30.  Why  should  I  complain  ib. 

31.  Return,  O  Lord!  how  long  ib. 

32.  Cast  down,  but  not  destroyed  ib. 

33.  The  benighted  Traveller  190 

34.  The  Prisoner  ib. 

.'{.5.  Perpli  .xity  relieved  ib. 

36.  Praver  answered  by  Cro.sses  ib. 

37.  I  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid  191 

38.  Questions  to  Unbelief  ib. 

39.  (Jreat  Effects  by  small  Means  •  192 

40.  Why  art  thou  cast  down  ?  &c  ib. 

41.  The  Way  of  Access  ib. 

42.  The  Pilgrim's  Song  ib. 


IV.  COMFORT. 

43.  Faith  a  new  Sense  •   .   .  193 

44.  The  happy  Change  ib. 

45.  Retirement  ib. 

46.  Jesus  my  All  ib. 

47.  The  hidden  Life  194 

48.  Joy  and  Peace  in  Believing  ib. 

49.  True  Pleasure  ib. 

50.  The  Christian  ib. 

51.  Lively  Hope  and  gracious  Fear  195 

52.  Confidence  ib. 

53.  Peace  restored   .   .  ib. 

54.  Hear  what  he  has  done   .  ib. 

55.  Freedom  from  Care  196 

5B.  Humiliation  and  Praise  ib. 

57.  For  the  Poor  ib 

58.  Home  in  View  197 


V.  DEDICATION  AND  SURRENDER. 
59.  Old  things  passed  away  ib. 


60.  Power  of  Grace  ib. 

01.  My  Soul  thirsleth  for  God  ib. 

02.  Love  constraining  to  Obedience  198 

63.  The  Heart  hf-aleil  and  changed  by  Mercy  .   .    .  ib. 

IM.  Hatreil  of  Sin  ib. 

(;5.  The  Child  ib. 

06.  True  Happiness  ib. 

07.  The  happy  Debtor  199 


VI.  CAUTIONS. 

The  new  Convert   .  ib. 

True  and  False  Comforts  ib. 

True  and  False  Zeal  ib. 

Living  and  Dead  Faith  200 

Abuse  of  the  Gospel  ib. 

The  Narrow  Way  ib. 

Depeiirlence  ib. 

Not  of  Works  201 

Sin's  Deceit  ib. 

Are  thi're  few  saved  ib. 

The  Sluieard  ib. 

Not  in  Word  but  in  Power  202 


VII.  PRAISE. 

80.  Praise  for  Faith  ib. 

81.  Grace  and  Providence  ib. 

82.  Praise  for  Redeeming  Love  ib. 

83.  I  will  praise  the  Lord  at  all  times  203 

84.  Perseverance  ib. 

85.  Salvation  ib. 

86.  Reigning  Grace  ib. 

87.  Praise  to  the  Redeemer  204 

88.  Man  by  Nature,  Grace  and  Glory  ib. 

VIII.  SHORT  HYMNS. 

89—95.  Before  Sermon   204-5 

96—103.  After  Sermon   205-6 

104—107.  Gloria  Patri  107 


POEMS. 

The  Paper  Kite;  or.  Pride  must  have  a  Fall  .   .   .  207 

A  Thought  on  the  Sea  shore  ib. 

The  Spider  and  the  Toad  ib 


6 


CONTENTS. 


A  TABLE 

BY  WHICH  TO  FIND  ANY  HYMN  FROM  THE 
FIRST  LINE. 


A  Page 

A  Bclinver  free  from  care  147 

Afllicrioiis  do  not  come  alone  1.51 

Afflutioiis,  tlioiii;h  they  seem  severe  14'2 

A  {jarilrii  coiiteinplatiuii  suits  ITS 

A  glaiicH  from  Iwavpn,  with  sweet  effect   ....  175 

A  slk'ltfr  from  tlie  rain  or  wind  17it 

Ah!  wliat  can  I  do  li->2 

Alas!  Elislia's  servant  cried  l'J3 

Alas !  by  nature  jjow  dejtraved  Kit) 

A  lion,  though  by  nature  wild  178 

Almighty  Kins !  whose  wondrous  hand    .   .   .   .  20'2 

Although  on  massy  pillars  built  171 

Amazing  grace  I  (how  sweet  the  sound !)  ....  YZW 

Appioacli,  my  soul,  the  iiK^rcy-seal  1h4 

As  birds  their  infant  brood  protect  132 

As  needles  point  towards  the  pole  177 

As  once  for  Jonah,  so  the  Lord  ...       ,    *   .    .  133 

As  parched  in  the  barren  sands  130 

As  some  tall  rock  amidst  the  waves  146 

As  the  serpent  raised  by  Moses  12SI 

As  the  sun's  enlivening  eye  172 

As  when  the  weary  traveller  gains  Iil7 

A  word  from  Jesus  calms  the  sea  .......  136 

A  worlding  spent  each  day  142 

B 

Before  Elisha's  gate  123 

Begone,  unbelief  Ifll 

Behold  the  throne  of  grace  121 

Beneath  the  tyrant  Satan's  yoke  1.59 

Beside  the  gospel-pool  144 

Bestow,  dear  Lord,  upon  our  youth  1.55 

Be  ^tiil,  my  heart!  these  anxious  cares  li'2 

Bitter,  indeed,  til?  waters  are  115 

Bleak  winter  is  subdued  at  length  llil 

Blinded  in  youth  by  Satan's  arts  IHO 

Breathe  from  the  gentle  south,  O  Lord  1S4 

By  various  maxiuis,  forms,  and  rules  151 

By  faith  in  Christ,  I  walk  with  God  112 

By  til"  poor  widow's  oil  and  meal  122 

By  whom  was  David  taught  116 

C 

Cheer  up,  my  soul,  there  is  a  mercy-seat   ....  184 

Cliii'f  slirplierd  of  thy  chosen  sheep  Hi6 

C\,m'\  my  soul,  thy  suit  prepare  120 

Conrtrni  the  hope  thy  word  allows  204 

Constrained  by  their  Lord  to  embark  145 

Could  the  creatures  help  or  ease  us  138 

Courage,  my  soul!  behold  the  prize  173 

D 

Darkness  overspreads  us  here  148 

Day  of  Judgment,  day  of  wonders  173 

Dear  Lord!  accept  a  sinful  heart  188 

Destruction's  dangerous  road  201 

Does  it  not  grief  and  wonder  move  150 

Does  the  gospel  word  proclaim  185 

E 

Elijah's  example  declares  122 

Elisha,  struck  with  grief  and  awe  158 

Eucourag'd  by  thy  word  135 

Ensnared  too  long  my  heart  has  been  159 

Ere  God  had  built  the  mountains  126 

P 

Far  from  the  world,  O  Lord,  I  flee  193 

Father,  forgive  (the  Saviour  said)  143 

Father  of  angels  and  of  men  206 

Fervent  persevering  prayers  147 

Fierce  passions  discompose  the  mind  150 

Fix  my  heart  and  eyes  on  thine  198 

Forest  beasts,  that  live  by  prey  190 

For  mercies  countless  as  the  sands  126 

From  Egypt  lately  freed  192 

From  pole  to  pole  let  others  roam  131 

From  Sheba  a  distant  report  121 

G 

Gladness  was  spread  through  Israel's  host    .   .   .  160 

Glorious  things  of  thee  are  spoken  129 

Glory  to  God  the  Father's  name  206 

God  gives  his  mercieu  to  be  spent  127 


Pagi 

God,  with  one  piercing  glaivce,  looks  through    .   .  174 

God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way  185 

fJod  of  my  life,  to  thee  1  call  186 

Grace  triumphant  in  the  throne  201 

Gracious  Lord,  our  children  see  ISti 

II 

Happy  are  they,  to  whom  tlie  Lord  166 

Hark,  my  soul!  it  is  the  Lord  146 

Hark!  how  time  s  wide-sounditfg  bnll  154 

Happy  the  birth  wliere  grace  presides  197 

Heal  us,  Emmanuel,  here  we  are  115 

Hear  what  God  the  Lord  hath  spokSB  J30 

Hear  what  the  Lord,  tlfe  great  Amen  1.52 

He  who  on  earth  as  man  was  known  128 

Here  at  Bethesda's  pool,  the  poor  M-1 

His  master  taken  from  his  head  173 

Holy  Lord  God!  I  love  thy  truth  198 

Honour  and  happiness  unite  194 

Honey  though  the  bee  jirepares  128 

How  West  tlie  righteous  are  117 

How  blest  thy  creature  is,  O  Lord  193 

How  David,  wlien  by  sin  deci-ived  120 

How  hui  tt'ul  was  the  choice  of  Lot  112 

How  kinil  the  good  Samaritan  140 

How  lost  was  iny  condition  129 

How  soon  the  Saviour's  gracious  call  202 

How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds  128 

How  terlious  and  tasteless  the  hours  125 

How  welcome  to  the  saints  when  pressed  ....  165 
Hungry,  and  faint,  and  poor  205 

I 

I  ain,  saith  Christ,  your  glorious  head  145 

I  ask'd  the  Lord  that  I  might  grow  190 

If  for  a  time  the  air  be  calm  176 

If  Paul  in  Ca'sar's  court  must  stand  148 

If  Solomon  for  wisdom  prayed  121 

If  the  Lord  our  leader  be  114 

If  to  Jesus  for  relief  191 

Incarnate  God!  the  soul  that  knows  125 

In  evil  long  I  took  delight  168 

In  mercy,  not  in  wrath,  rebuke  125 

In  theniseUes,  as  weak  as  worms  169 

In  vain  my  fancy  strives  to  paint  172 

Israel  in  ancient  days  150 

I  thirst,  but  not  as  once  I  did  197 

I  was  a  grovelling  creature  once  IBS 

I  will  praise  thee  every  day  128 

I  would,  but  cannot  sing  148 

J 

Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord's  anointed  134 

Jesus,  to  what  didst  thou  submit  144 

Jesus,  who  bought  us  with  his  blood  158 

Jesus,  whose  blood  so  freely  streamed   .  .  117 

Jesus,  vvlii'ie  er  thy  people  meet  1(1,5 

Jesus  i.s  mine!  I'm  now  prepared  205 

John,  in  a  vision,  saw  the  day  174 

Joy  is  a  fruit  that  will  not  grow  124 

K 

Kindle,  Saviour,  in  my  heart  188 

Kindled  in  Christ,  for  his  dear  sake  172 

L 

Legion  was  iny  name  by  nature  138 

Let  liearts  and  tongues  unite    ...  ...  164 

Let  us  adore  the  grace  that  seeks  158 

Let  tne  dwell  on  Golgotha  168 

Let  us  love,  and  sing,  and  wonder  202 

Let  worldly  minds  the  world  pursue  197 

Lord,  my  soul  with  pleasure  springs  194 

Lord,  thou  hast  won,  at  length  I  yield  147 

Lord,  who  hast  siitfer'd  all  for  me  188 

Lord,  what  is  man !  extremes  how  wide  .    .   .  .204 

M 

Manna  to  Israel  well  supplied  •  115 

Martha  her  love  and  joy  expressed  140 

Mary  to  her  Saviour's  tomb  145 

May  the  grace  of  Christ  our  Saviour  206 

Mercy,  O  thou  Son  of  David  139 

My  barns  are  full,  my  stores  increase  141 

My  former  hopes  are  fled  183 

My  God  I  how  perf-ct  are  thy  ways  131 

My  God!  till  I  received  thy  stri>ke  ib 

My  harp  untuned,  and  laid  aside  167 

My  song  shall  bless  the  Lord  of  all  103 

My  soul  once  had  its  plenteous  years  114 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

My  soul  this  curious  house  of  clay  173 

Sly  soul  is  beset  183 

My  soul  is  sad  and  much  dismayed  186 

N 

Nay,  I  cannot  let  thee  go  114 

No  strength  of  nature  can  suffice  198 

No  words  can  declare  180 

Not  to  Sinai's  dreadful  blaze  205 

Now,  gracious  Lord,  thine  arm  reveal  155 

Now  let  us  join  with  hearts  and  tongues  ....  163 

Now  may  fervent  prayer  arise  155 

Now  may  the  Lord  reveal  his  face  203 

Now,  Lord,  inspire  the  preacher's  heart  ....  205 
Now  may  he  who  from  the  dead  206 

O 

Of  all  the  gifts  thine  hand  bestows  202 

Often  thy  public  means  of  grace  205 

Oft  as  the  bell,  with  solemn  toll  173 

Oft  as  the  leper's  case  I  read  135 

Oft  in  vain  the  voice  of  truth  154 

O  God,  whose  favourable  eye  199 

O  David's  Son,  and  David's  Lord  158 

O  Lord,  our  languid  souls  inspire  164 

O  Lord,  how  vile  am  I  183 

O  Lord,  my  best  desire  fulfil  189 

O  thou,  at  whose  almighty  word  157 

O  happy  they  who  know  the  Lord  165 

O  sp'jak  that  gracious  word  again  195 

Oh!  for  a  closer  walk  with  God  112 

Oh !  may  the  power  which  melts  the  rock  ....  170 

O  how  I  love  thy  holy  word  185 

Once  a  woman  silent  stood  140 

Once  perishing  in  blood  I  lay  131 

Once,  while  we  aimed  at  Zion's  songs  166 

On  man,  in  his  own  image  made  Ill 

On  the  same  flower  we  often  see  177 

One  awful  word  which  Jesus  spoke  139 

One  glance  of  thine,  eternal  Lord  192 

One  there  is  above  all  others  127 

Oppress'd  with  unbelief  and  sin  149 

Our  Lord,  who  knows  full  well  142 

P 

Pensive,  doubting,  fearful  heart  130 

Physician  of  my  sin-sick  soul  135 

Pleasing  spring  again  is  here  161 

Poor  Esau  repented  too  late   113 

Poor  sinners!  little  do  they  think  133 

Poor,  weak,  and  worthless  though  I  am    ....  120 

Prayer  an  answer  will  obtain  137 

Preachers  may,  from  Ezekiel's  case  156 

Precious  Bible!  what  a  treasure  170 

Prepare  a  thankful  song  204 

a 

Quiet,  Lord,  my  froward  heart  198 

R 

Refresh'd  by  the  bread  and  wine  169 

Rejoice,  believer,  in  the  Lord  203 

Remember  us,  we  pray  thee.  Lord  205 

Return  to  bless  my  waiting  eyes  189 

S 

Safely  through  another  week  163 

Salvation!  what  a  glorious  plan  203 

Saved  by  blood,  I  live  to  tell  195 

Saviour,  shine,  and  cheer  my  soul  124 

Saviour,  visit  thy  plantation  107 

See  Aaron,  God  s  anointed  priest  117 

See!  another  year  is  gone  153 

See!  how  rude  winter's  icy  hand  161 

See!  the  corn  again  in  ear  162 

See  the  gloomy  gathering  cloud  171 

See  the  world  for  youth  prepares  IHO 

Shall  men  pretend  to  pleasure  181 

Sight,  hearing,  feeling,  taste  and  smell  193 

Simon,  beware!  the  Saviour  said  143 

Sin,  when  viewed  by  scripture-light  201 

Sinner,  art  thou  still  secure  IHI 

Sinners,  hear  the  Saviour's  call  182 

Sin  enslaved  me  many  years  198 

Sin  has  undone  our  wretched  race  156 

Sometimes  a  light  surprises  194 

Son  of  God!  lliy  p-uple  shield  133 

Sovereign  grace  has  power  alone  143 

Stop,  poor  sinner!  stop  and  think  181 


Page 

Strange  &nd  mysterious  is  my  life  149 

Supported  by  the  word  138 

Sweet  was  the  time  when  first  I  felt  124 

Sweeter  sounds  than  music  knows  163 

T 

Ten  thousand  talents  once  I  owed  199 

That  was  a  wonder-working  word  174 

That  man  no  guard  or  weapons  needs      ....  125 

The  church  a  garden  is  141 

The  God  who  once  to  Israel  spoke  157 

The  grass  and  flowers  which  clothe  the  field     .    .  162 

The  Lord,  oar  salvation  and  light  164 

Tlie  Spirit  breathes  upon  the  word  169 

The  gathering  clouds  with  aspect  dark  170 

The  book  of  nature  open  lies  175 

The  moon  in  silver  glory  shone  17() 

The  moon  has  but  a  borrowed  light  ib. 

The  ice  and  snow  we  lately  saw  177 

The  subtle  spider  often  weaves  178 

The  Saviour  calls  his  people  sheep  ib. 

The  water  stood  like  walls  of  brass  179 

The  billows  swell,  the  winds  are  high  IBG 

The  Saviour  hides  his  face  187 

The  new-born  child  of  gospel-grace  199 

The  Lord  receives  his  highest  praise  200 

The  wishes  that  the  sluggard  frames  201 

The  saints  Emmanuel's  portion  are  206 

The  peace  which  God  alone  reveals  ib 

The  Father  we  adore  ib. 

The  castle  of  the  human  heart  141 

The  evils  that  beset  our  path  127 

The  kine  unguided  went  119 

The  Lord  will  happiness  divine  130 

The  Lord  proclaims  his  grace  abroad  132 

The  lion  that  on  Samson  roared  118 

The  manna,  favoured  Israel's  meat  116 

The  message  first  to  Smyrna  sent  151 

The  prophets'  sons,  in  times  of  old  123 

The  Saviour!  what  a  noble  flame  168 

The  saints  should  never  be  dismayed  112 

The  Shunamite  oppressed  with  grief  156 

The  signs  which  God  to  Gideon  gave  118 

The  word  of  Christ  our  Lord  150 

There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood  134 

This  is  the  feast  of  heavenly  wine  167 

Though  Jericho  pleasantly  stood  122 

Though  in  the  outward  church  below  138 

Though  cloudy  skies,  and  northern  blasts  ....  161 

Though  troubles  assail  113 

Though  the  morn  may  be  serene  162 

Though  small  the  drops  of  falling  rain  177 

Though  sore  beset  with  guilt  and  fear  189 

Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  Epliesus  151 

Thus  saith  the  Holy  One  and  true  1.52 

Thy  mansion  is  the  Christian's  heart  139 

Thy  message,  by  the  preacher,  seal  160 

Thy  promise.  Lord,  and  thy  command  205 

Time,  with  an  unwearied  hand    .   1.53 

Time,  by  moments,  steals  away   ib. 

'Tis  a  point  I  long  to  know  .   .   146 

'Tis  my  happiness  below  1?5 

'Tis  past, — the  dreadful  stormy  night  186 

To  keep  the  lamp  alive  200 

To  tell  the  Saviour  all  my  wants  194 

To  thee  our  wants  are  known  206 

To  those  who  know  the  Lord  1  speak  184 

Too  many,  Lord,  abuse  thy  grace  200 

U 

Unbelief  the  soul  dismays  IP3 

Uncertain  how  the  way  to  find  190 

Unless  the  Lord  had  been  my  stay  187 

W 

Wearied  by  day  with  toils  and  cares  171 

We  seek  a  rest  beyond  the  skies  205 

What  a  mournful  life  is  mine  129 

What  contradictions  meet  159 

What  thousands  never  knew  the  road  200 

What  think  you  of  Christ?  is  the  test  137 

What  various  hindrances  we  meet  169 

When  Adam  fell  he  quickly  lost  Ill 

When  first  to  make  my  heart  his  own  119 

When  first  my  soul  enlisted  ib. 

When  Hannah,  pressed  with  grief  118 

When  Jesus  claims  the  sinner's  heart  136 

When  Joseph  his  brethren  beheld  114 

When  Isiael,  by  divine  command  168 


8 


CONTENTS. 


Pa^e 

When  Israel's  tribes  were  parch'd  with  thirst    .   .  14J 

WHion  Israel  heard  the  fi^ry  law  116 

VVh  '11  Israel  was  from  Egypt  freed  Via 

Wli  n  Joshua,  by  God's  coininaiid  117 

Wh  11  I'eter  boasted,  soon  he  fell  l^S 

Wh  n  Sinn  rs  utter  boastin!;  words  I;i4 

Wli  11  tliL'  ilisciples  crossed  the  lake  13!* 

U'h'ii  tli.j  apostles  wonders  wrought  148 

When  desct'iiilini;  from  the  sky  137 

When  any  turn  Irom  Zion's  way  145 

When  the  h.'loved  disciple  took  1.52 

When  {"eti-r  throuL'li  the  t!Mlious  night  155 

When  Hoses  uavril  his  mystic  rod  157 

When  Paul  was  parted  from  his  friends    ....  160 

When  on  the  cross  my  Lord  I  see  11)7 

When  the  sun  with  cheerful  beams  175 

When  a  black  o'eispreading  cloud  ib. 

When  slumber  seals  our  weary  eyes  17!) 

Whi'ii  darkness  long  has  veiled  my  mind  ....  187 
When  my  prayers  are  a  burden  and  task  .  .  .  .  ib. 
■When  my  Saviour,  my  Shepherd,  is  near  ....  18;* 

When  the  poor  prisoner  through  a  gate  1!I0 

When  the  wounded  spirit  hears  196 

When  Hagar  found  the  bottle  spent  ib. 

W'hile  with  ceaseless  course  the  sun  153 

While  Joshua  led  the  armed  bands  171 

^Vhile  I  lived  without  the  Lord  196 

AVhy  should  I  fear  th?  darkest  hour  193 

Winter  has  a  joy  for  me  203 

With  Satan,  my  accuser  near  133 

With  Israel's  God  who  can  compare  205 

Write  to  Sardis,  saith  the  Lord  152 

Y 

■ye  saints  on  earth,  ascribe  with  heaven's  high  host  206 

Ye  sons  of  earth,  prepare  the  plough  136 

Yes!  since  God  himself  has  said  it  195 

Z 

Zaccheus  climbed  the  tree  143 

Zeal  is  that  pure  and  heavenly  flame  199 

Ziou  I  the  city  of  our  God  159 


MESSL4H,  &c. 

PART  I. 

SERMON  \-—The  Consolation.—"  Comfort  ye, 
comfort  ye  my  people,  saith  your  God.  Speak 
j  e  comfortably  to  Jerusalem,  and  cry  unto  her, 
that  her  warfare  is  accomplished,  that  her  iniqui- 
ty is  pardoned:  for  she  hath  received  at  the 
Lord's  hand  double  for  all  her  sins,"  Isaiah  xl. 
1,  2  213 

SERMON  U.—The  Harbinger.— The  voice  of 
him  that  crieth  in  the  wilderness.  Prepare  ye  the 
way  of  the  Lord,  make  straight  in  the  desert  a 
highway  for  our  God.  Every  valley  shall  be  e.^- 
alted,  tind  every  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  made 
low,  and  the  crooked  shall  be  inaile  straight,  and 
the  rough  places  plain.  And  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it 
together,  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken 
it,"  Isaiah  .\1.  3—5  217 

SERMON  III— The  Shaking  of  the  Heavens  and 
Earth. — "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  lio.=ts.  Yet  once, 
it  is  a  little  while,  and  I  will  shake  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the  dry  land : 
And  I  will  shake  all  nations,  and  the  desire  of 
all  nations  shall  come,  and  I  will  fill  this  house 
with  glory,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,"  Haggai,  ii. 
6,  7  222 

SERMON  IV.— The  Lord  coming  to  his  Temple.— 
"  The  Lord  whom  ye  seek,  shall  suddenly  come 
to  his  temple ;  even  the  messenger  of  the  cove- 
nant in  w  horn  ye  delight :  Behold,  he  shall  come 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  But  who  may  abide  the 
day  of  his  coming  ?  and  who  shall  stand  when  he 
appeareth?  for  he  is  like  a  refiner's  fire,  and  like 
fuller's  soap — and  he  shall  purify  the  sons  of  Le- 
vi— that  they  may  otfer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering 
in  righteousness,"  Malachi,  iii.  1 — 3  225 

SERMON  V. — Immanucl. — "  Behold  a  virgin  shall 


conceive,  and  bear  a  son,  and  shall  call  his  name 
Inimanuel"  (God  with  us,)  Isaiah  vii.  14.    .   .    .  230 

SER]\ION  VI.— Sanation  published  from  the  Moun- 
tains — "  ()  Zion,  that  bringest  goo<l  tidings,  get 
thee  up  into  the  high  mountains.  O  Jerusalem, 
that  bringi>st  good  tidings,  lift  up  thy  voice  with 
strength,  lift  it  up.  he  not  afraid:  say  unto  the 
cities  of  Judah,  Behold  your  God!"  Isaiah  xi.  9.  234 

SERMON  VII.— rA«  Morning  Light..—''  Arise, 
shine,  for  thy  light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  is  risen  upon  thee.  For  behold,  the  dark- 
ness shall  cover  tlie  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the 
people;  but  the  Lord  shall  arise  upon  tlioc,  and 
his  glory  shall  be  seen  upon  thee,  and  the  Gen- 
tiles shall  come  to  thy  light,  and  kings  to  the 
brightness  of  thy  rising,"  Isaiah  Ix.  1 — 3.  .   .  .237 

SERMON  VIII.— T-Ac  Sun  rising  upon  a  dark 
World — "  The  p>ople  that  walked  in  darkness 
have  seen  a  great  light;  they  that  dwell  in  the 
land  of  the  shadow  of  death,  upon  them  hath  the 
light  shined,"  Isaiah  ix.  2  249 

SERMON  IX. — Charaetcrs  and  J^ames  of  Messiah. — 
"  For  unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  child  is 
given;  and  the  government  shall  be  upon  his 
shoulder:  and  his  name  shall  be  called  VVonder- 
fiil.  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Everlasting 
Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace."  Isaiah  ix.  6. .   .   .  344 

SERMON  X.— TViC  ^ingeVs  Message  and  Song.— 
"  There  w'ere  in  the  same  country  shepherds,  abid- 
ing in  the  field,  keeping  watch  over  their  flocks 
by  night.  .•Vnd  lo,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came 
upon  them,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  slione  round 
about  them,  and  they  were  sore  afraid.  And  the 
angel  said  unto  them.  Fear  not:  for  behold  I 
bring  unto  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which 
shall  ha  unto  all  people.  For  unto  you  is  born 
this  day,  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which 
is  Christ  the  Lord.  And  this  shall  be  a  sign  unto 
you ;  ye  shall  find  the  babe  wrapped  in  swaddling- 
clothes,  lying  in  a  manger.  And  suddenly  there 
was  with  the  angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly 
host,  praising  God,  and  saying,  Glory  be  to  God  in 
the  highest,  on  earth  peace,  good-will  towards 
men,"  Luke  ii.  8—14  243 

SERMON  XI. — Messiah's  Entrance  into  Jerusalem. 
— "  Rejoice  greatly,  O  daughter  of  Zion !  shout,  O 
daughter  of  Jerusalem,  behold  thy  king  coraeth 
unto  tliee'  he  is  just  and  having  salvation,  lowly 
and  riding  upon  an  ass,  and  upon  a  coll  the  foal 
of  an  ass. — And  he  shall  speak  peace  unto  the 
heathen,"  Zech.  ix.  9,  10  251 

SERMON  Xll.— Effects  of  Messiah's  Appearance.— 
"  Then  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall  be  opened,  and 
the  ears  of  the  deaf  shall  be  unstopped :  Then 
shall  the  lame  man  leap  as  an  hart,  and  the 
tongue  of  the  dumb  sing,"  Isaiah  xxxv.  5,  li.  .   .  255 

SERMON  XIII.— r/ic  Great  Shepherd,— "  lie  shall 
feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd ;  he  shall  gather  the 
Iambs  in  his  arm,  and  carry  them  in  bis  bosom; 
and  shall  gently  lead  those  that  arc  with  young," 


Isaiah  xl.  11  253 

SER.'MON  XlV  —Kestforthe  tVeary.—"  Come  unlo 
me,  all  ve  that  labour  and  are  Ireavy  laden,  aitd 
I  will  give  you  rest,"  Matt.  xi.  28   262 

SER.MON  XV.—Mes.^iah's  easy  yoke.—"  Take  my 
yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek 
and  lowly  in  heart ;  and  ye  shall  find  rest  to  your 
souls.  For  my  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is 
light,"  Matt.  xi.  29,  30   263 

PART  II. 

SERMON  XVX.—The  Lamb  of  God.  the  Great 
Atonement. — "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  (Jod,  which 
taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world  1  John  i.  29.   .  2Stf 


SERMON  XVII.— "  Jlfosiut  despised  and  rejected 
of  Men. — "  He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men:  a 


CONTENTS. 


9 


Page 

ftian  of  sorrows  and  acquaititeil  with  grief,"  Isa. 
liii.  :i  273 

SERMO\  XWll.—  yoluntanj  Suffering.—"  I  pave 
my  i)ack  to  the  sinitors,  and  my  cheeks  to  them 
that  plucked  otfthe  hair:  I  hid  not  my  face  from 
shame  and  spitting,"  Isaiah  1.  0  276 

SERMON  XW.—Mi'ssiak  svffering  and  wounded 
for  us. — "  Surely  he  hath  home  our  grief  and  car- 
ried our  sorrows.— He  was  wounded Ynrour  trans- 
gressions, lie  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities  ;  the 
chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him,  and 
with  iiis  stripes  we  are  healed,"  Isaiah  liii.  4,  5.  279 

SEU.MOiV  XX.— Sin  charged  upon  the  Surety.— 
"All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray:  we  have 
turneil  every  one  to  his  own  way,  and  the  Lord 
hath  laiilupou  hiiu  tlie  iniquity  of  us  all,"  Isaiah 
liii.  G  252 

SERMON  XXI.— Messiah  derided  upon  the  Cross. 
— "  All  they  that  sec  me,  laugh  me  to  scorn  ;  they 
shoot  out  the  lip,  they  shake  the  head,  saying.  He 
trusteil  in  Ihj  Lord  that  he  would  deliver  him; 
let  him  deliver  him,  seeing  he  delighted  in  him," 
Psalm  .\xii.  7,  8  286 

SERMON  XXII — Messiah  unpitied  and  uiilhout 
Comforter. — "  Reproach  (rebuke)  hath  broken  niy 
heart,  and  I  am  full  of  heaviness:  and  I  looked 
for  some  to  take  pity,  but  there  was  none;  and 
for  comforters,  but  I  found  none,"  Psal.  Ixix.  20.  283 

SERMON  XXIII.— JV'o  Sorrow  like  Messiah's  Sor- 
row.— "  Is  it  nothing  to  you,  all  ye  that  jiass  by  ? 
Behold,  and  see  if  there  be  any  sorrow  like  unto 
my  sorrow,"  Lam.  i.  12  292 

SERMON  XXIV.— Messiah's  Innocence  vindicated. 
—  ■  He  was  taken  from  prison  and  from  judgment, 
and  who  shall  declare  his  generation  ?  For  he 
was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living ;  for  the 
transgression  of  my  people  was  he  stricken,"  Isa. 
liii.  S  295 

SERMON  XXV.— Jt/cwiff//,  rising  from  the  Dead — 
"  For  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell,  nei- 
ther wilt  thou  suff  r  thine  Holy  One  to  see  cor- 
ruption," I'salm  xvi.  lU  298 

SERIMON  XXVI.— r/i«  Ascension  of  Messiah  to 
Olorij. — '■  Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gales,  and  he 
ye  lifted  up,  ye  everlasting  doors,  and  the  King 
of  Glory  shail  come  in.  Who  is  this  king  of 
Glory  ?  The  Lord  strong  and  mighty,  the  Lord 
mighty  in  battle.  Lift  upyour  lieads,  O  ye  gales, 
even  lift  up.  ye  everlasting  doors,  and  the  King 
of  Glory  shall  coino  in.  Who  is  this  King  of 
Glory?  The  Lord  of  hosts,  lie  is  the  King  of 
Glory,"  Psalm  xxiv.  7—10  301 

SERMON  \X\U  —Messiah  the  Son  ofOod.—"Vn\- 
unto  wliii  li  of  the  angels  said  he  at  any  time, 
Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee  ?" 
Hjb.  i.  5  304 

SERMON  XXVIII— jtfc.M!n/i  worshipped  by  .An- 
gels.— "  Lei  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him," 
Heb.  i.  0  308 

SERMON  XXIX.— «//;.9  received  for  the  rebel- 
lions.— "  ']'1k)ii  hast  ascended  on  high,  thou  hast 
led  captivity  captive:  Thou  hast  received  gifts 
for  men:  yea,  for  the  rebellious  also,  that  the 
Lord  God  might  dwell  among  them,"  Psalm 
Ixviii.  18  311 

SERMON  XXX —rAe  Publication  of  the  Gospel. 
— "  The  Lord  gave  the  word,  great  was  the  com- 
pany of  those  that  published  it,"  (or  of  the 
preachers,)  Psalm  Ixviii.  11  314 

SERMON  XXXI.— The  Oospel  Message,  glad  Tid- 
ings.— I  As  it  is  written,]  "How  beautiful  are 
the  feet  of  them  that  preach  the  gosp.d  of  peace, 
and  bring  glad  tidings  of  good  things!"  Rom.  x. 
15  318 

SERMON  XXXW.— The  Progress  of  the  Oospel.— 

Vol.  II.  B 


Page 

"Their  sound  went  into  all  the  earth,  and  their 
words  unto  the  end  of  the  world,"  Rom.  x.  18.    .  32i 

SERMON  XXXIII. — Opposition  to  Messiah  unrea- 
sonable.— "  Why  do  the  heathen  rage,  and  the 
people  imagine  a  vain  thing?  The  kings  of  the 
earth  set  tliemselves,  and  the  rulers  take  coun- 
sel together,  against  the  Lord,  and  against  his 
Anointed  ;  saying,  I/et  us  break  their  bands  asun- 
der, and  cast  away  their  cords  from  us,"  Psalm  ii. 
1—3.     .  324 

SERMON  XXXW  .—Opposition  to  Messiah  in  vain. 
— "He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh: 
the  Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision,"  Psalm  ii.  4.  328 

SERMON  XXX\ .—Opposition  to  Messiah  ruin- 
ous.— "  Thou  Shalt  break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron, 
tiiou  Shalt  dash  thein  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  ves- 
sel," Psalm  ii.  9  331 

SERMON  XXX\l.—  The  Lord  reigneth.—"  Halle- 
lujah, for  the  Lord  God  Omnipotent  reigneth," 
Rev.  xix.  0  334 

SERMON  XXXVII.— TAc  Extent  o/JVfosia/i's  Spi- 
ritual Kingdom — "The  kingdoms  of  this  world 
are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his 
Christ,  and  he  shall  reign  forever  and  ever,"  Rev. 
xi.  15  337 

SERMON  XXXVIII.— iHn-r  of  Kings  and  Lord  of 
Lords — f.\nd  he  hath  on  his  vesture,  and  on  his 
thigh,  a  name  written,  1  "  Kino  of  Kings  and  Lord 
OF  Lords,"  Rev.  xix.  16  341 


PART  III. 

SERMON  XXXIX.— Faith  and  Eipectatton. 
—  'I  know  that  my  Redeemer livetli,  and  that  he 
shall  stand  in  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth.  And 
though  after  my  skin,  wonns  destroy  this  body, 
yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God,"  Job  xix.  25,  26.  344 

SERMON  XL.— 77;e  Lord  is  risen  indeed.— "  But 
now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become 
the  first  fruits  of  them  that  slept,"  1  Cor.  xv.  20.  348 

SERMON  XJA.— Death  by  Mam,  Life  try  Christ.— 
"For  since  by  man  came  death,  by  man  came 
also  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  For  as  in  Adam 
all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive," 
ICor.  XV.  21,22   351 

SERMON  XIA\.—  The  General  Re.'!urrection.— 
"Beliidd,  I  show  you  a  mystery.  We  shall  not 
all  sleep,  but  we  sliall  all  be  chanced.  In  a  mo- 
ment, in  the  tvviiikliuK of  an  eye, at  the  last  trump, 
for  the  trumpet  shall  .sound,  ajrd  tin'  dead  shall  be 
raised  incorruplible,  and  we  shall  bechanged.  For 
this  corruptible  must  put  on  incorruptioii,  and 
this  mortal  must  put  on  immortality,"  1  Cor.  xv. 
31,  52   334 

SERMON  XIAW.— Death  swallowed  up  in  Vietm-y. 
— "Then  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the  saying  that 
is  written.  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory!" 
1  Cor.  XV.  54   358 

SERMON  XLIV.— Triumph  over  Death  and  the 
Grnre. — "  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  ()  grave, 
where  is  thy  victory  ?  The  sting  of  death  is  sin  ; 
and  the  slreri!;th  of  sin  is  the  law.  But  thanks 
be  to  (Jod,  whieii  (;l vi  lli  lis  the  victory,  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  1  Cor.  xv.  55 — 57.  .    .   .  361 

SERMON  XhV .—Divine  Support  and  Proterlion. 
—"  What  shall  we  say  then  to  the.se  things  ?  If 
God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us?"  Rom. 
viii  31  305 

SERMON  XI. \'l.— .Accusers  challenged.-"  Who 
sliall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  I 
It  is  God  that  justitieth,"  Rom.  viii.  33   303 

SERMON  XIAIL— TAe  Intercession  of  Christ.— 
"  Who  is  he  that  condemneth?  It  is  Christ  that 
died,  yea,  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even 


10 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh  inter- 
cession for  us,"  Rom  viii.  34   372 

SERMON  XLVIII  — r/ie  Sovg  of  the  Redeemed.— 
"  Thou — hast  rodeenieil  us  to  God,  by  thy  blood" 
font  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people, 
and  nation,]  Kev.  v.  9  376 

SERMON  XLIX  — rAc  Chorus  of  Jingels.—"Wor- 
thy  is  ilie  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to  receive  power, 
and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  ho- 
nour, and  glory,  and  blessing!"  Uev.  v.  12. .   .    .  381 

BERM<1!V  h.—T/ie  Universal  Chorus  — { AnA  every 
creature  whicli  is  in  hf;aven,  and  on  the  earth, 
and  uinlor  the  earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea, 
and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  [,  saying,]  "  Bless- 
ing, and  honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto 
him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the 
Lamb  for  ever  and  ever,"  Rev.  v.  13  


385 


OCCASIONAL  SERMONS. 


The  Subject  and  Temper  of  the  Gospel  Ministry. — 

 "Sjieaking  the  truth  in  love,"  

Ephesians  iv.  15  300 

7'he  Guilt  and  Davger  of  such  a  JVation  as  this. — 
"  Shall  I  not  visit  for  these  things,  saith  the 
Lord  ?  And  shall  not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  such 
a  nation  as  this  ?"  Jeremiah  v.  29   393 

On  the  Death  of  Dr.  Conyers. — "  So  being  affection- 
ately desirous  of  you,  we  were  willing  to  have 
imparted  unto  you,  not  the  gospel  of  God  only, 
but  also  our  own  souls,  because  ye  were  dear  unto 
us,"  1  Thess.  ii.  8  i  402 


Pagi 

The  Best  Wisdom.—  '  He  that  winneth  bouIs  is 
wise,"  Proverbs  xi.  30.   .  409 

The  Great  Advent. — *'  For  the  Lord  himself  shall 
descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice 
of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  God:  and 
the  dead  in  ('hri.>:t  shall  rise  first:  then  we  which 
are  alive  and  remain,  shall  be  caught  up  together 
in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air ;  and  so 
sliall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord,"  1  Thess.  iv.  lb,  17.  419 

The  imminent  Danger,  and  only  sure  Resource  of 
this  Motion. — "Who  can  tell  if  God  will  turn 
and  repent,  and  turn  away  from  his  fierce  anger, 
that  we  perish  not  ?"  Jonah  iii.  9  4S6 

Motives  to  Humiliation  and  Praise. — "  How  shall  I 
give  thee  up,  Ephraini  ?  How  shall  I  deliver 
thee  Israel?  How  shall  1  make  thee  as  Admah? 
How  shall  I  set  thee  as  Zeboim?  My  heart  is 
turned  within  me,  my  repentings  are  kindled  to 
gether.  I  will  not  execute  the  fierceness  of  mine 
anger,  I  will  not  return  to  destroy  Ephraim ;  for 
I  am  God,  and  not  man,  the  Holy  One  in  the 
midst  of  thee,"  Hosea  xi.  8, 9  433 


TRACTS. 

Apologia ;  or  four  Letters  to  a  Minister,  &c.  .   .   .  442 

A  Plan  of  Academical  Preparation  for  the  Ministry,  400 

A  Monument  to  the  Lord's  Goodness,  and  to  the 
Memory  of  Miss  Eliza  Cunningham  473 


/ 


REVIEW 


OF 


ECCIiESIASTICAIi  HISTORY. 


INTRODUCTION. 

Though  the  actions  of  mankind  appear  greatly  diversified  from  the  influence 
of  particular  circumstances,  human  nature  has  been  always  the  same.  The  his- 
tory of  all  ages  and  countries  uniformly  confirms  the  scriptural  doctrine,  that  man 
is  a  depraved  and  fallen  creature  ;  and  that  some  selfish  temper,  ambition,  avarice, 
pride,  revenge,  and  the  like,  are,  in  effect,  the  main  springs  and  motives  of  hij 
conduct,  unless  so  far,  and  in  such  instances,  as  they  are  corrected  and  subdued 
by  divine  grace. 

Therefore,  when  St.  Paul  speaks  of  the  most  dreadful  degree  of  impiety  that 
can  be  imagined,  enmity  against  God,  he  does  not  consider  it  as  the  fault  of  the 
particular  time  in  which  he  lived,  or  impute  it  singly  either  to  the  idolatrous 
Heathens,  or  the  obstinate  Jews,  but  he  affirms  universally,  that  the  carnal  mind 
(t5  erf'.!/'"  T,s  r«(v<o;,)  the  wisdom,  the  most  spiritual  and  discerning  faculty  of  man, 
is  enmity  against  God.  Men  differ  consideral)ly  in  capacity,  rank,  education,  and 
attainments  ;  they  jar  in  sentiments  and  interests  ;  they  mutually  revile,  hate,  and 
destroy  one  another :  but  in  this  point  they  all  agree  ;  whether  Greeks  or  Barba- 
rians, wise  or  ignorant,  bond  or  free,  the  bent  and  disposition  of  their  minds,  while 
unrenewed  by  grace,  is  black  and  implacable  enmity  against  the  blessed  God. 

To  those  who  acknowledge  the  authority  of  scripture,  St.  Paul's  express  asser- 
tion should  be  suflicient  proof  of  this  point,  if  we  could  produce  no  other ;  but  be- 
sides the  many  other  passages  in  the  book  of  God  to  the  same  effect,  it  may  be 
demonstrated  by  the  most  obvious  proofs,  experience  and  matter  of  fact.  The 
history  of  the  Old  Testament  from  the  death  of  Abel,  the  nature  and  grounds  of 
the  opposition  which  Jesus  and  his  apostles  met  with,  and  the  treatment  of  the 
most  exemplary  Christians  that  have  lived  in  succeeding  ages,  are  indisputable 
evidences  of  this  offensive  truth  ;  for  what  can  be  stronger  marks  of  enmity  against 
God,  than  to  despise  his  word,  to  scorn  his  favour,  to  oppose  his  will,  to  caress  his 
enemies,  and  to  insult  and  abuse  his  servants,  for  no  other  offence  than  their  at- 
tachment to  his  service  1 

But  when,  from  these  premises,  the  apostle  infers,  "  so  then  they  that  are  in  the 
flesh  cannot  please  God,"  though  the  consequence  is  evident,  it  may  seem  at  first 
view  unnecessary;  for  can  it  be  supposed  that  the  carnal  mind,  which  breathes  a 
spirit  of  defiance  and  enmity  against  God,  will  have  any  desire  or  thought  of 
pleasing  him?  Yet  thus  it  is. — The  carnal  mind  is  not  only  desperately  wicked, 
but  deeply  deceitful;  it  deceives  others,  and  often  it  deceives  itself.  As  the  ma- 
gicians of  Egypt,  though  enemies  to  Moses,  attempted  to  counterfeit  his  miracles, 
and  as  Balaam  could  say,  "  The  Lord  my  God,"  though  he  was  wickedly  en- 
gaged against  the  Lord's  people ;  so  it  has  been  usual  with  many  who  have  hated 


12 


INTRODUCTION. 


and  denied  the  power  of  godliness,  to  value  themselves  higlily  upon  the  form  of  it, 
and  wiiile  they  are  alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in 
them,  they  affect  to  be  thought  his  best  servants,  and  make  the  most  confident 
claims  to  his  favour. 

The  pure  religion  of  Jesus  cannot  but  be  despised  and  rejected  by  the  carnal 
mind:  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  God;  they  are  beyond  his 
sphere  ;  he  docs  not  apprehend  them,  and  therefore  cannot  approve  them ;  nay,  he 
is  averse  and  unwilling  to  meddle  with  them,  and  therefore  it  is  impossible  he 
should  understand  them.  But  the  fiercest  opposition  arises  from  the  complication 
of  presumption  and  hypocrisy  we  have  spoken  of;  when  men,  destitute  of  tlie 
Spirit  of  God,  from  a  vain  conceit  of  their  own  wisdom  and  goodness,  arrogate  to 
themselves  an  authoritative  decision  in  religious  concerns,  and  would  reduce  the 
judgment  and  practice  of  others  to  their  own  corrupt  standard. 

Such  was  eminently  the  character  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  who,  with  un- 
wearied malice,  persecuted  our  Lord  to  the  death  of  the  cross  ;  and  he  forewarned 
his  disciples  to  expect  the  like  treatment;  he  sent  them  forth  as  lambs  in  the 
midst  of  wolves,  and  assured  them  that  their  attachment  to  him  would  draw  on 
them  the  hatred  of  mankind,  so  iar  as  even  to  deprive  them  of  the  rights  of  civil 
society,  and  the  pleasures  of  relative  life.  A  man's  foes  shall  be  those  of  his  own 
household :  his  parents  shall  forget  their  affection,  his  children  their  duty,  his  ser- 
vants their  reverence,  and  even  the  wife  of  his  bosom  shall  despise  him,  when  he 
boldly  professes  the  gospel;  nay,  the  most  amiable  qualities,  joined  to  the  most 
endearing  connections,  are  not  sufficient  wholly  to  suppress  the  enmity  which  fills 
the  hearts  of  the  unregenerate,  against  those  in  whom  they  discern  the  image  of 
Christ ;  and  that  this  enmity  would  sometimes  assume  a  religious  form,  and  under 
that  appearance,  proceed  to  the  greatest  extremities,  he  informed  thcni,  in  another 
place:  "The  time  cometh,  that  whosoever  killeth  you,  will  think  that  he  doeth 
God  service." 

If  a  faith  and  practice,  agreeable  to  the  New  Testament,  were  not  always  at- 
tended witii  a  measure  of  this  opposition,  we  should  want  one  considerable  evidence 
that  the  gospel  is  true  ;  and  infidels  woidd  be  possessed  of  one  solid  objection 
against  it,  namely.  That  our  Lord  was  mistaken  when  he  predicted  the  reception 
his  doctrine  would  meet  with.  But  the  scriptures  cannot  be  broken  :  the  word  of 
Christ  is  fulfilling  every  day,  and  especially  in  this  particular.  Many,  perhaps,  will 
be  ready  to  object  here,  and  to  maintain,  that,  in  our  nation,  and  at  this  present  time, 
the  charge  is  invidious  and  false.  It  will  be  pleaded,  that  when  Christianity  had  to 
struggle  with  Jews  and  Pagans,  it  could  not  but  be  opposed ;  but  that  with  us, 
under  the  guard  of  a  national  establishment,  an  opposition  to  Christianity  (unless  by 
the  feeble  efforts  of  Deists  and  Libertines)  is  impracticable  and  inconsistent  by  the 
very  terms  ;  and  that  if  the  delusions  of  a  few  visionary  enthusiasts  are  treated  with 
that  contempt  and  indignation  which  they  justly  deserve,  this  should  not  be  styled 
an  opposition  to  Christianity,  but  rather  a  warrantable  concern  for  its  vindication, 
especially  as  no  coercive  methods  arc  used ;  for  though  some  attem[)ts  have  been 
made  to  restrain  the  leaders  from  poisoning  the  minds  of  the  people,  yet  no  person 
is  injured,  eitiier  in  life  or  property,  on  account  of  his  opinions,  how  extravagant 
soever  they  may  be. 

To  this  extenuation  it  may  be  replied, 

1.  I  do  not  assert  that  persecution  and  reproach  must  necessarily  attend  the 
name  of  a  Christian,  or  that  it  is  not  possible  to  make  a  high  profession  of  religion 
under  that  name,  and  at  the  same  time  preserve  or  acquire  a  large  share  of  the 
honours,  riches,  and  friendship  of  the  world  ;  but  I  maintain  with  the  apostle,  that 
"  all  who  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution."  The  distinc- 
tion he  makes  in  these  words,  is  observable  : — So  much  godliness  as  may  be  pro- 
fessed without  a  peculiar  relation  to  Jesus,  the  world  will  bear;  sobriety  and 
benevolence  they  will  applaud ;  nay,  even  prayers,  fastings,  and  other  external 
acts,  may  be  commended  : — but,  to  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus, — so  as  to  profess  our 
whole  dependence  upon  his  free  salvation  ;  to  seek  all  our  strength  from  his  grace  • 


INTRODUCTION. 


13 


to  do  all  expressly  for  his  sake  ;  and  then  to  renounce  all  trust  or  confidence  in 
what  we  have  done,  and  to  make  mention  of  his  righteousness  only  : — tliis  the 
world  cannot  bear;  this  will  surely  provoke  the  contempt  or  hatred  of  all  wlio 
have  not  the  same  s|)irit,  whether  accounted  Christians  or  Infidels,  Papists  or  Pro- 
testants. That  nothing  less  than  what  1  liave  mentioned  can  be  the  import  of  liv- 
ing godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  I  shall  in  due  time  prove  by  a  cloud  of  witnesses. 

2.  I  acknowledge,  with  thankfulness  to  God,  and  to  those  whom  he  has  placed 
in  just  authority  over  us,  that  the  interposition  of  stripes,  imprisonment,  tortures, 
and  death,  in  matters  pertaining  to  conscience,  has  no  place  in  our  happy  land  : 

 jacet  (semperque  jaceat  I) 

Divini  imag'o  zeli  et  pestis. 

The  spirit  of  persecution  is  repressed  by  the  wisdom  of  our  laws  and  the  clemency 
of  our  princes,  but  we  have  no  ground  to  believe  it  is  extinct,  or  rather  we  have 
sufficient  evidence  of  the  contrary.  Not  to  mention  some  recent  instances  in 
which  power  has  been  strained  to  its  full  extent,  it  is  notorious  that  scorn,  invective, 
and  calumny  (which  can  act  unrestrained  by  human  laws,)  are  employed  for  the 
same  ends  and  purposes,  which,  in  other  countries,  are  more  speedily  effected  by 
anathemas  and  sanguinary  edicts. 

3.  The  opposition  I  am  speaking  of  is  not  primarily  between  men  and  men,  sim- 
ply considered,  but  between  the  spirit  of  the  world  and  the  Spirit  that  is  of  God, 
and  therefore  the  manifestation  of  each  will  be  in  mutual  proportion.  The  Lord 
Jesus  himself  sustained  the  fiercest  contradiction  of  sinners,  because  his  character 
was  superlatively  excellent:  his  apostles,  though  far  inferior  to  their  Lord,  ex- 
pressed so  much  of  liis  temper  and  conduct,  that  they  were  counted  worthy  to  suf- 
fer shame  in  the  next  degree  to  him :  As  he  was,  so  were  they  in  the  world.  St. 
Paul,  who  laboured  more  abundantly  than  his  brethren,  experienced  a  larger  share 
of  dishonour  and  ill  treatment.  Though  educated  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  and  no 
stranger  to  Grecian  literature,  when  he  showed  himself  determined  to  know  nothing 
but  Jesus,  and  to  glory  only  in  his  cross,  he  was  accounted  by  Jew  and  Gentile,  as 
the  filth  and  oft-scouring  of  all  things  ;  and  thus  it  will  hold  universally.  If,  there- 
fore, any  who  sincerely  espouse  the  gospel,  meet  with  little  disturbance  or  censure, 
it  is  not  because  the  carnal  mind  is  better  reconciled  to  the  truth  than  formerly  in 
the  apostle's  days,  but  because  our  zeal,  faith,  and  activity  are  so  much  inferior  to 
theirs,  and  our  conduct  more  conformable  to  the  prevailing  taste  around  us. 

4.  I  confess,  that  (as  our  Saviour  has  taught  us  to  expect  by  the  parable  of  the 
tares)  revivals  of  religion  have  been  generally  attended  with  some  incidental 
offences,  and  counterfeited  by  many  false  appearances.  It  has  been  so  in  times 
past ;  it  is  so  at  present;  and  we  are  far  from  justifying  every  thing,  and  in  every 
degree,  what  the  world  is  ready  to  condemn.  However,  we  cannot  but  complain 
of  a  vv'ant  of  candour  and  ingenuousness  in  this  respect  also.  Many  who  bring  loud 
charges  against  what  is  irregidar  and  blameable,  are  evidently  glad  of  the  oppor- 
tunity to  ijrejudice  and  alarm  weak  minds.  They  do  not  confine  their  reproof  to 
what  is  erroneous  and  unscriptural,  but  endeavour,  by  ambiguous  expressions,  in- 
vidious names,  and  indiscriminate  censures,  to  obscure  the  state  of  the  question, 
and  to  I)rand  error  and  truth  with  the  same  mark  of  infamy :  they  either  cannot,  or 
will  not  distinguish  between  evangelical  principles  and  the  abuse  of  them;  and 
when  the  distinction  has  been  pointed  out  to  them  again  and  again,  they  refuse  at- 
tention, and  repeat  the  same  stale  misrepresentations  which  they  know  have  been 
often  refuted :  they  will  not  allow  a  grain  for  infirmity  or  inadvertence  in  those 
whom  they  oppose,  while  they  demand  the  largest  concessions  for  themselves  and 
their  adherents  :  they  expect  strict  demonstrations  from  others,  while,  in  their  own 
cause,  they  are  not  ashamed  to  produce  slanders  for  proofs,  and  jests  for  argu- 
ments : — tnus  they  triumph  without  a  victory,  and  decide  ex  cathedra,  without  so 
much  as  entering  upon  the  merits  of  the  cause.  These  methods,  however  success- 
ful, are  not  new  inventions  :  by  such  arts  and  arms  as  these,  Christianity  was  op- 


14 


INTRODUCTION. 


posed  from  its  first  appearance:  In  this  way  Lucian,  Celsus,  and  Julian  employed 
their  talents,  and  made  themselves  famous  to  future  times. 

I  judge  it  therefore  a  seasonable  undertaking  to  attempt  the  apology  of  Evan- 
gelical Christianity,  and  to  obviate  the  sophistry  and  calumnies  which  have  been 
published  against  it ;  and  this  I  hope  to  do,  without  engaging  in  any  controversy, 
by  a  plain  enumeration  of  facts.  I  propose  to  give  a  brief  delineation  of  Eccle- 
siastical History  from  our  Saviour's  time ;  and,  tliat  the  reader  may  know  what  to 
expect,  I  shall  here  subjoin  the  principal  points  I  have  in  view. 

1.  I  shall  consider  the  genius  and  characteristic  marks  of  the  gospel  which 
Jesus  taught,  and  show  that,  so  long  as  this  gospel  was  maintained  in  its  purity,  it 
neither  admitted  or  found  a  neutrality,  but  that  all  who  were  not  partakers  of  its 
benefits  were  exceedingly  enraged  against  it.  I  shall  make  it  appear,  that  the 
same  objections  which  have  attended  any  reformations  in  later  ages,  were  equally 
strong  against  Christianity,  as  taught  by  Christ  and  his  first  disciples  ;  and  that  the 
offences  and  irregularities  which  have  been  known  to  attend  a  revival  of  evangeli- 
cal doctrine  in  our  time,  were  prevalent,  to  a  considerable  degree,  under  the 
preaching  and  inspection  of  the  apostles. 

2.  When  I  come  to  the  lives  and  conduct  of  those  called  the  Fathers,  whose 
names  are  held  in  ignorant  admiration  by  thousands,  I  shall  prove,  on  the  one 
hand,  that  the  doctrines  for  which  the  fathers  were  truly  commendable,  and  by 
which  many  were  enabled  to  seal  their  profession  with  their  blood,  were  the  same 
which  are  now  branded  with  the  epithets  of  ahsitrd  and  enthusiastic  ;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  the  fathers,  however  venerable,  were  men  like  ourselves,  subject 
to  mistakes  and  infirmities,  and  began  very  soon  to  depart  from  the  purity  and  sim- 
plicity of  the  gospel. 

3.  The  progress  of  our  history  will  manifest  that  the  accession  of  wealth  and 
power  to  the  christian  profession  proved  greatly  detrimental  to  the  faith,  discipline, 
and  manners  of  the  churches ;  so  that,  after  the  emperors  publicly  espoused  the 
cause  of  Christ,  the  power  and  beauty  of  the  gospel  was  gradually  eclipsed.  Yet, 
in  the  most  degenerate  times,  God  had  a  spiritual  people,  who,  though  partaking 
in  some  degree  of  the  general  declension,  retained  so  much  of  the  primitive  truth 
and  practice  as  to  incur  the  hatred  and  persecution  of  (what  is  called)  the  chris- 
tian world. 

4.  I  shall  treat  of  the  means  and  instruments  by  which  the  Lord  supported  and 
revived  his  declining  cause  during  several  centuries: — 1.  In  the  valleys  of  Pied- 
mont, Provence,  &:c.  by  Berangarius,  Waldo,  and  others.  2.  In  England,  by 
Wickliff  and  his  followers.  3.  In  Bohemia,  by  John  Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague. 
4.  In  Germany,  by  Luther.  Here  I  shall  take  occasion  to  observe,  (1.)  That  these 
successive  reformations  were  all  projected  and  executed,  so  far  as  God  was  pleased 
to  give  success,  upon  the  same  principles  which  are  now  so  industriously  exploded 
by  many  who  would  be  thought  champions  of  the  Protestant  faith ;  and  (2.)  That 
Luther's  reformation,  the  most  extensive  and  successful,  and  of  which  we  have  the 
best  accounts,  was  soon  followed  by  errors,  heresies,  and  a  numerous  train  of  abo- 
minations (as  had  been  the  case  with  primitive  Christianity)  which  the  Romanists, 
in  imitation  of  their  Pagan  predecessors,  joyfully  laid  to  the  charge  of  the  doctrine 
which  Luther  preached. 

5.  As  it  was  not  long  before  the  reformed  countries  needed  a  second  reforma- 
mation,  I  shall  give  some  account  of  the  endeavours  of  many  good  men  in  Germa- 
ny and  other  places,  in  this  view  ;  their  principles,  suc(;ess,  and  the  treatment  they 
met  with  from  those  who  ought  to  have  supported  them,  and  then  I  shall  briefly 
take  notice  of  the  similar  occurrences  in  our  own  country,  from  the  end  of  Queen 
Mary's  reign  to  the  present  time,  together  with  what  has  been  most  remarkable  in 
the  history  of  the  gospel  in  our  American  settlements. 

6.  I  shall  occasionally  consider  the  character  and  conduct  of  those  persons  whom 
God  has  honoured  with  eminent  usefulness,  in  the  difl^erent  periods  of  his  church, 
point  out  the  defects  of  their  plan,  and  the  mistakes  which,  through  infirmity,  in 
some  degree  blemished  their  undertakings. 


INTRODUCTION. 


15 


7.  Finally,  to  make  it  evident  that  the  spiritual  worshippers  of  God  have  al- 
ways been  a  sect  every  where  spoken  against,  I  shall  enumerate  some  of  the  re- 
proachful names  that  have  been  successively  fixed  on  them,  as  the  mark  of  gene- 
ral contempt  and  abhorrence,  such  as  Patarienes,  Lollards,  Hiiguenots,  Gospellers, 
Puritans,  Pietists,  dec. 

These  particulars  will  be  illustrated  in  the  course  of  our  history,  not  exactly  in 
the  order  here  laid  down,  but  as  the  series  of  the  narration  shall  require  or  suggest. 
I  shall  not  confine  myself  to  a  nice  uniformity  of  method,  or  a  dry  detail  of  facts, 
but  shall  endeavour  to  illustrate  and  apply  the  several  incidents  to  the  use  and 
edification  of  common  readers,  and  with  a  view  to  my  primary  design,  which  is, 
(as  I  have  already  said)  to  vindicate  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation,  or  in  other 
words,  the  main  doctrines  taught  in  the  Articles  and  Homilies  of  the  Church  of 
England,  from  those  unjust  and  disingenuous  invectives,  which  are  every  day  cast 
upon  them,  by  not  a  {h\v  who  owe  all  their  distinction  and  authority  to  their  hav- 
ing solemnly  engaged  to  defend  them. 

Whoever  considers  the  intricacy  and  variety  of  ecclesiastical  history,  and  that 
the  best  collections  of  that  sort  have  swelled  to  a  number  of  folios,  will  not  expect 
to  find  every  thing  that  might  have  deserved  a  place.  The  life  of  man  would 
hardly  suffice  to  furnish  a  work  of  this  sort  in  its  just  extent. 

I  must  content  myself  with  selecting  a  competent  number  of  the  most  authentic 
and  interesting  topics,  from  the  voluminous  materials  already  published,  but  which, 
either  from  the  size  or  scarceness  of  the  books,  or  the  languages  in  which  they  are 
written,  are  little  more  known  to  the  generality  of  readers,  than  if  they  had  never 
appeared  in  print. 

I  shall  avoid,  as  far  as  possible,  interfering  in  the  controversies  on  church- 
government  ;  reserving  to  myself,  and  willingly  leaving  to  others,  the  rights  of 
private  judgment,  the  just  privilege  of  Christians,  Protestants,  and  Britons. 

It  must  be  confessed,  that  the  bulk  of  ecclesiastical  history,  as  it  is  generally 
understood,  is  little  more  than  a  history  of  what  the  passions,  prejudices,  and  inter- 
ested views  of  men,  have  prompted  them  to  perpetrate,  under  tiie  pretext  and  sanc- 
tion of  religion.  Enough  has  been  written  in  this  way ;  curiosity,  nay,  malice 
itself,  need  desire  no  more.  I  propose  to  open  a  more  pleasing  prospect ;  to  point 
out,  by  a  long  succession  of  witnesses,  the  native  tendency,  and  proper  influence 
of  the  religion  of  Jesus ;  to  produce  the  concurring  suffi-age  of  difi'ercnt  ages,  peo- 
ple, and  languages,  in  favour  of  what  the  wisdom  of  the  world  rejects  and  reviles  ; 
to  bring  unanswerable  proofs,  that  the  doctrine  of  grace  is  a  doctrine  according  to 
godliness  ;  that  the  constraining  love  of  Christ  is  the  most  powerful  motive  to  obe- 
dience ;  that  it  is  the  property  of  true  faith  to  overcome  the  world ;  and  that  the 
true  church  and  people  'of  Christ  have  endured  his  cross  in  every  age.  The 
enemy  has  thrust  sore  at  them  that  they  might  fall,  but  the  Lord  has  been  their 
refuge  and  support ;  they  are  placed  upon  a  rock  that  cannot  be  shaken ;  they  are 
kept  (yeovesu^ivo.,)  guarded  and  garrisoned  by  the  power  of  God ;  and  therefore  the 
gates  of  hell  have  not,  cannot,  shall  not,  prevail  against  them. 

Per  damna,  per  caedes,  ab  ipso 
Ducit  opes  animumque  ferro. 

Olney,  November,  1769. 


A  REVIEW  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  upon  the  plan  proposed 
in  this  Introduction,  was  a  subject  the  Author  had  very  much  at 
heart ;  so  much  so,  that  he  had  begun  to  prepare  materials,  and  en- 
tered some  Uttle  way  upon  it,  several  years  before  his  admission  into 


16 


INTRODUCTION. 


the  ministry.  From  the  extent,  however,  and  unforeseen  difficulties 
of  the  undertaking,  as  well  as  from  the  many  interruptions  he  met 
with  in  the  discharge  of  his  professional  duties,  and  the  occasional 
occurrences  of  every  day,  he  had  proceeded  only  the  length  of  the 
two  first  Books,  when  he  relinquished  his  design,  and  afterwards 
laid  it  entirely  aside.  However  much  the  prosecution  of  this  suhject 
might  have  been  wished,  either  by  his  friends  or  the  public  at  large, 
it  is  presumed  the  omission  will  be  the  more  readily  excused,  when 
it  is  considered,  that  the  observations  made  with  respect  to  the  first 
century,  seem  to  have  been  originally  intended,  and  with  very  little 
variation  will  be  found,  to  apply  to  every  succeeding  period. 

2 


c 


A 


REVIEW 

OF 

ECCL.ESIASTICAI.  HISTORY. 


BOOK  L 

ON  THE  FIRST  PERIOD  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


CHAPTER  1. 

The  Wisdom  and  Goodness  of  God  conspi- 
cuous in  the  Period  assigned  for  Christ's 
Appearance.  Illustrated  by  a  Svmmary 
View  of  the  State  of  Mankind,  before  and 
at  the  time  of  his  birth. 

When  the  first  man  had  fallen  from  the 
happiness  and  perfection  of  his  creation,  had 
rendered  himself  corrupt  and  miserable,  and 
was  only  capable  of  transmitting  depravity 
and  misery  to  his  posterity,  the  goodness  of 
God  immediately  revealed  a  remedy  adequate 
to  his  distressed  situation.  The  Lord  Jesus 
was  promised  under  the  character  of  the  seed 
of  the  woman,  as  the  great  deliverer,  who 
should  repair  the  breach  of  sin,  and  retrieve 
the  ruin  of  human  nature.  From  that  hour 
he  became  the  object  of  faith,  and  the  author 
of  salvation,  to  every  soul  that  aspired  to 
communion  with  God,  and  earnestly  sought 
deliverance  from  guilt  and  wrath.  This  dis- 
covery of  a  Saviour  was,  in  the  first  ages, 
veiled  under  types  and  shadovi's ;  and,  like 
the  advancing  day,  became  brighter  and 
brighter,  as  the  time  of  his  manifestation 
drew  near:  but  it  was  always  sufficient  to 
sustain  the  hopes,  and  to  purify  the  hearts  of 
the  true  worshippers  of  God.  That  the  patri- 
archs and  prophets  of  old  were,  in  this  sense. 
Christians,  that  is  to  say,  that  their  joy  and 
trust  centred  in  the  promised  Messiah,  and 
that  the  I'aith,  whereby  they  overcame  tlie 
world,  was  the  same  faitli  in  the  same  Lord 
witli  oars,  is  unanswerably  pi-ovcd  by  8t.  Paul 
in  several  passages  (Rom.  iv. ;  Gal.  iii.  16, 
17;)  particularly  in  Heb.  xi.,  where  he  at 
large  insists  on  the  characters  of  Abel,  Enoch, 
Vol.  n.  C 


Noah,  Abraham,  and  Moses,  to  illustrate  this 
very  point. 

At  length,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  as  the 
apostle  speaks,  (Gal.  iv.  4,)  the  time  marked 
out  by  the  ancient  prophecies,  the  time  to 
which  all  the  previous  dispensations  of  Divine 
Providence  had  an  express  reference  and  sub- 
ordination, and  which  was  peculiarly  suited 
to  place  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God,  and  the 
truths  of  divine  revelation,  in  the  clearest 
light;  the  long-expected  Messiah  appeared 
as  the  surety  and  Saviour  of  sinners,  to  ac- 
complish the  great  work  of  redemption.  For 
these  purposes,  he  was  born  of  a  virgin  of 
the  family  of  David,  at  the  town  of  Bethle- 
hem, as  the  prophets  had  foretold.  This  great 
event  took  place  in  the  twenty-seventh  year 
of  the  reign  of  Augustus  Ctesar,  computing 
from  the  battle  of  Actium  ;  and,  according  to 
the  most  received  authorities,*  almost  1920 
years  from  the  calling  of  Abraham,  and  about 
4000  from  the  creation. 

The  pride  and  vanity  of  man,  which  prompt 
him  to  cavil  with  his  Maker,  and  to  dispute 
when  he  ought  to  obey,  have  often  objected 
to  the  expedience  and  propriety  of  this  ap- 
pointment. It  has  been  asked.  If  Christ's 
appearance  was  so  absolutely  necessary,  why 
was  it  so  long  deferred  1  Or,  if  mankind  could 
do  without  him  ibr  so  many  thousand  years, 
why  not  longer,  or  for  ever  !  In  attempting 
a  solution  of  this  difficulty,  some  well-mean- 
ing persons,  Irom  a  too  earnest  desire  to 
render  the  counsels  of  God  more  acceptable 
to  the  narrow  apprehensions  of  unsanctified 
reason,  have  given  up  the  ground  they  ought 
to  have  maintained,  and  made  such  conces- 


♦  Bossuet,  Univ.  Hist.  Frideauz,  Connect. 
17 


19 


STATE  OF  MANKIND 


[book  I. 


sions,  as  (if  extended  to  their  just  conse- 
quence) would  amount  to  all  tliat  the  most 
hardened  infidel  can  desire.  The  most  direct 
and  proper  answer  is  suggested  by  St.  Paul 
(Rom.  i.\.  20,)  on  a  similar  occasion,  Who 
art  tliou,  O  man,  that  repliest  against  God  ?* 
That  the  will  and  wisdom  of  the  Creator 
should  direct  and  limit  tlie  inquiries  of  his 
rational  creatures,  is  a  principle  highly  con- 
sonant to  right  reason  itself  And  there  can 
hardly  be  a  stronger  proof  of  Imman  depra- 
vity, tiian  that  this  argument  is  so  generally 
esteemed  inconclusive.  But  waving  this,  a 
sufficient  answer  may  be  made  from  the  pre- 
mises already  advanced. 

God  was  not  a  debtor  to  sinful  men.  He 
might  have  left  them  all  to  perish,  as  he  left 
the  sinning  angels,  without  the  least  im- 
peachment of  his  goodness ;  but  his  mercy 
interposed,  and  he  spared  not  his  own  Son, 
that  sinners  might  be  saved  in  a  way  con- 
sistent with  his  perfections.  But  though,  in 
compassion  to  us,  he  provided  the  means  of 
salvation,  we  cannot  wonder  that,  in  justice 
to  himself,  he  laid  the  plan  in  such  a  manner 
as  might  most  clearly  illustrate  the  riches  of 
his  own  grace,  and  most  effectually  humble 
and  silence  the  pardoned  offenders,  to  prevent 
their  boasting  and  trusting  in  themselves, 
and  to  give  them  the  most  affecting  views 
of  his  unmerited  goodness.  We  may  there- 
fore humbly  conceive  one  reason  why  Christ 
was  no  sooner  manifested  in  the  flesh,  to  have 
been,  that  the  nature,  effects,  and  inveteracy 
of  sin,  might  be  more  evidently  known,  and 
the  insufficiency  of  every  other  means  of 
relief  demonstrated  by  the  universal  expe- 
rience of  many  ages. 

What  is  the  history  of  mankind  but  a  dif- 
fusive exemplification  of  the  scripture-doc- 
trines concerning  the  dreadful  nature  and 
effects  of  sin,  and  the  desperate  wickedness 
of  the  heart  of  manl  We  are  accustomed 
from  our  infancy  to  call  evil  good  and  good 
evil.  We  acquire  an  early  prejudice  in  favour 
of  heroes,  conquerors,  and  philosophers.  But 
if  we  consider  the  facts  recorded  in  the  annals 
of  antiquity,  divested  from  the  false  glare  and 
studied  ornaments  with  which  the  vanity  of 
writers  has  disguised  them,  they  will  aflbrd 
but  a  dark  and  melancholy  review.  The  spi- 
rit of  the  first-bom  Cain  appears  to  have  in- 
fluenced the  whole  human  race.  The  peace 
of  nations,  cities,  and  families  has  been  con- 
tinually disturbed  by  the  bitter  effects  of  am- 
bition, avarice,  revenge,  cruelty,  and  lust. 
The  general  knowledge  of  God  was  soon  lost 


*  It  is  observable  in  this  passage,  that  the  apostle  fore- 
sees and  states  the  great  objection  which  would  be  made 
to  his  doctrine,  but  does  not  attempt  to  answer  it  any 
farther,  than  by  referring  all  to  the  will  of  him  who 
formed  the  whole  mass,  and  has  a  right  to  dispose  of  it. 
Had  succeeding  writers  and  teachers  imitated  liis  exam- 
ple, declared  the  plain  truth  in  plain  words,  and  avoid- 
ed vain  and  endless  reasonings,  how  many  offences 
would  have  been  prevented ! 


out  of  the  worU ;  and  when  his  fear  was  set 
aside,  the  restraints,  dictated  by  the  interests 
of  civil  society,  were  always  too  weak  to  pre- 
vent the  most  horrid  evils.  In  a  word,  the 
character  of  all  ages  and  countries  before  the 
coming  of  Christ  (a  few  excepted,  where  the 
light  of  revelation  was  afforded)  is  strongly, 
though  briefly,  drawn  by  St.  Paul : — Foolish 
and  infatuated  to  the  highest  degree,  disobe- 
dient to  the  plainest  dictates  of  nature,  rea- 
son, and  conscience,  enslaved*  to  divers  dis- 
honourable lusts  and  pleasures,  living  in 
malice  and  envy,  hateful  and  abominable  in 
themselves,  and  incessantly  hating  and  wor- 
rying one  another,  Titus  iii.  3. 

It  would  be  more  easy  than  pleasant  to 
make  out  tliis  charge  by  a  long  induction  of 
particulars ;  and,  without  having  recourse  to 
the  most  savage  and  uncultivated,  the  proof 
might  be  rested  on  the  character  of  the  two 
most  celebrated  and  civilized  nations,  and  at 
the  time  of  their  greatest  refinement,  the 
Greeks  and  the  Romans.  St.  Paul  (Rom.  i. 
21 — 32,)  has  given  us  the  result  of  their 
boasted  improvements  in  arts  and  sciences, 
in  war  and  commerce,  in  philosophy  and  lite- 
rature ;  and  he  says  no  more  than  is  abundant- 
ly confirmed  by  their  own  poets  and  histori- 
ans.! Notwithstanding  the  marks  and  fruits 
of  fine  taste  and  exalted  genius  which  were 
found  amongst  them,  they  were  habitually 
abandoned  to  the  grossest  vices.  Devoted  to 
the  most  stupid  idolatry,  they  worshipped  the 
works  of  their  own  hands,  nay,  erected  altars 
to  their  follies  and  passions.  Their  moral 
characters  were  answerable  to  their  princi- 
ples. Without  natural  affection,  they  fre- 
quently exposed  their  helpless  infants  to 
perish.  They  burned  with  lusts,  not  to  be 
named  without  horror,  and  this  not  the 
meaner  sort  only,  or  in  secret,  but  some  of 
their  finest  spirits  and  most  admired  writers^ 
were  sunk  so  low  as  to  glory  in  their  shame, 
and  openly  avow  themselves  the  disgrace  of 
humanity.  In  their  public  concerns,  not- 
withstanding their  specious  pretences,  they 
were  covenant-breakers,  implacable,  unmer- 
ciful, and  unjust.  Guilty  of  the  severest 
oppression,  while  they  boasted  highly  of 
equity  and  moderation,^  as  was  particularly 
manifested  on  the  destruction  of  Carthage 


*  Enslaved.  So  the  original  term  may  be  emphati 
cally  rendered — At  thecontroul  of  various  and  opposite 
passions,  hurried  about  by  them  all  in  their  turns,  and 
incapable  of  resisting  or  refusing  the  motions  of  any. 

t  An  affecting  comment  on  this  passage  might  be  col- 
lected from  Horace,  Juvenal,  Sallust,  and  Suetonius. 

i  See  Virgil,  Eclog.  2. 

5  See  Acts  xxvii.  42.  The  soldiers  would  have  killed 
all  the  prisoners,  right  or  wrong,  rather  than  one  of 
tlieir.  should  have  a  possibility  of  escaping;  and  in  this, 
without  doubt,  they  consulted  their  own  safety,  and  the 
spirit  of  their  laws.  Why,  then,  were  the  Romans  so 
much  admired?  Could  there  be  a  greater  proof  of 
cruelty  and  injustice  found  amongst  the  most  barbarous 
nations,  than  to  leave  prisoners,  who  might  possibly  be 
innocent,  exposed  to  Ibe  wanton  caprice  of  their  keep- 
ers? 


CHVP.I.] 


AT  THE  INCARNATION. 


19 


an.-!  Corinth ;  two  memorable  instances  of 
the  spirit  of  a  government  so  undeservedly 
admired  in  after  times.  And  as  the  Roman 
power,  so  tlie  Grecian  eloquence,  was  per- 
verted to  the  worst  purposes, — to  palliate 
crimes,  to  consecrate  folly,  and  to  recom- 
mend falsehood  under  the  guise  and  sem- 
blance of  truth. 

Such  was  the  character  of  the  people  re- 
puted the  wisest  and  the  best  of  the  heathens, 
and  particularly  so  at  the  birth  of  Christ, 
when  the  Roman  empire  was  at  the  summit 
of  authority  and  splendour.  A  long  expe- 
rience had  shown  the  general  depravity  to  be 
not  only  inveterate,  but  incurable.  For 
during  several  preceding  ages,  a  reformation 
had  been  desired  and  attempted.  The  prin- 
■  cipal  leaders  in  this  commendable  design 
were  called  philosophers,  and  many  of  their 
writings  are  still  extant.  It  must  be  ac- 
!  knowledged  that  some  of  them  had  a  faint 
I  view  of  several  important  truths ;  but  as  they 
i  neither  knew  the  cause  and  extent  of  the 
disorder,  nor  the  only  effectual  remedy,  they 
met  with  little  success.  Their  schemes  were 
various,  inconsistent,  and  even  opposite,  and 
each  party  more  successful  in  opposing  the 
fallacy  of  other  sects  than  in  maintaining 
their  own.  Those  who  came  nearest  the 
truth,  and  wpre  in  earnest  to  promote  it,  were 
very  few.  Even  these  were  ignorant  of  some 
things  absolutely  neces.sary  to  the  attainment 
of  the  desired  end.  The  best  of  them  were 
restrained  by  the  fear  of  men  and  a  regard 
to  established  customs.  What  they  could 
and  did  propound,  they  had  no  sufficient 
authority  or  influence  to  impress  upon  the 
consciences  of  men.  And  if,  in  a  few  instan- 
ces, they  seemed  to  succeed,  the  advantage 
was  only  imaginary.  Where  they  prevailed 
on  any  to  relinquish  intemperance,  they  made 
them  full  amends  by  gratifying  their  pride. 
The  business  passed  from  hand  to  hand,  from 
sect  to  sect,  but  all  to  no  purpose.  After 
innumerable  disputations,  and  volumes  con- 
cerning the  supreme  good,  the  beauty  of 
virtue,  the  fitness  of  things,  and  other  high- 
sounding  topics,  they  left  matters  as  bad  or 
worse  than  they  found  them.  They  could 
not  effectually  inculcate  their  doctrine  upon 
a  single  village  or  family.  Nay,  they  were 
but  half  persuaded  themselves,  and  could 
not  act  up  to  their  own  principles,*  when 
they  most  needed  their  support. 

A  still  more  affecting  view  of  the  degene- 
racy of  human  nature  we  have  in  the  history 
of  the  Israelites,  whom  God  was  pleased  to 
set  apart  from  the  rest  of  mankind,  lor  several 
important  purposes.  He  revealed  himself  to 
this  people  when  they  were  groaning  under 
a  heavy  bondage  in  Egypt,  from  which  they 
had  neither  spirit  nor  power  to  deliver  them- 


*  Witness  the  prevarication  of  Socrates,  and  the  ir- 
resolution of  Cicero,  towards  the  close  of  their  lives. 


selves ;  he  freed  them  from  their  captivity  by 
a  series  of  illustrious  miracles;  he  led  them 
through  the  sea  and  the  de.sert ;  he  honoured 
them  with  the  symbols  of  his  immediate 
presence ;  was  a  wall  of  fire  round  about 
them,  and  a  glory  in  tlie  midst  of  them ;  he 
spoke  to  tliem  with  an  audible  voice,  and  fed 
them  with  manna  from  heaven ;  he  put  them 
in  possession  of  a  good  land,  and  fought 
against  all  their  enemies.  Might  it  not  have 
been  expected  that  a  people  so  highly  favour- 
ed and  honoured,  should  have  been  obedient 
and  thankful !  Some  of  them  were  so ;  his 
grace  always  preserved  a  spiritual  people 
amongst  them,  whose  faith  in  the  Messiah 
taught  them  the  true  meaning  of  the  Levi- 
tical  law,  and  in.spired  them  with  zeal  and 
sincerity  in  the  service  of  God.  But  the  bulk 
of  the  nation  was  always  refractory  and  dis- 
obedient. While  in  the  wilderness  they 
murmured  against  the  Lord  upon  every  new 
difficulty.  Within  a  few  days  after  the  law 
had  been  delivered  in  flames  and  thunder 
from  the  top  of  Sinai,  they  formed  a  molten 
calf  to  worship,  and  would  have  made  a 
captain  who  might  lead  tliem  back  to  Egypt. 
They  despised  the  good  land,  therefore  their 
carcases  fell*  in  the  wilderness,  1  Cor.  x.  5. 
Their  posterity  retained  the  same  spirit; 
they  learned  the  ways  of  the  Heathen,  whom 
the  Lord  cast  out  before  them ;  they  adopted 
every  idolatrous  practice ;  they  transgressed 
every  divine  command.  During  a  long  suc- 
cession of  warnings,  chastisements,  and  de- 
liverances, they  became  worse  and  worse,  so 
that,  in  Jeremiah's  time,  they  equalled  or 
exceeded  the  Heathens  around  them  in  igno- 
rance and  wickedness.  They  mocked  the 
messengers  of  God,  despised  his  words,  and 
misused  his  prophets,  till  his  wrath  rose 
against  them,  and  there  was  no  remedy.  At 
length  their  land  was  laid  waste,  Jerusalem 
burnt,  the  greater  part  of  the  people  des- 
troyed, and  the  remainder  carried  captives 
into  Chaldea. 

Upon  their  return  from  captivity,  they 
seemed  for  a  little  while  to  retain  a  sense  of 
their  duty  and  of  the  judgments  they  had 
suffered.  But  all  was  soon  forgot.  Their 
wickedness  now  put  on  a  new  form,  and  dis- 
covered the  evil  of  the  heart  of  man  in  a  new 
point  of  view.  They  were  no  longer  prone 
to  idolatry.  They  avoided  the  most  distant 
appearance  of  it  with  scrupulous  exactness, 
and  professed  the  highest  attachment  to  God. 
They  boasted  themselves  in  his  law;  and, 


*  They  were  ovei  lhrown  (y.xTKrTf  xjSyin-xv^)  they  fell  in 
heaps,  like  crass  hpfure  the  scythe,  in  the  u-ildcrness ; 
and  tliis.  fier  all  the  great  things  they  had  seen  and 
been  partakers  (if.  Of  the  many  hiindreri  thousands 
w  ho  were  above  twenty  years  (dd  when  they  were  deli- 
vered from  Epypt.  only  two  persons  were  spared  to  en- 
ter the  prnniiseil  land;  a  »trikin)>  admonition  to  us  not 
to  rest  in  the  participation  of  external  privileges  of  any 
kind,  for  these  people  had  seen  the  Lord  s  wonders  at 
the  Red-Sea,  had  rejoiced  in  the  rleslruclion  of  the  Egyp 
tians,  and  been  fed  with  manna  from  heaven. 


20 


STATE  OF 


MANKIND,  &c. 


[boos  I. 


from  a  presumption  that  they  were  Iiis  pe- 
culiar people,  they  despised  and  hated  the 
rest  ofmankind.  It  is  not  our  present  concern 
closely  to  follow  their  history.  Let  it  suffice 
to  say  that,  by  substituting  a  regard  to  the 
letter  of  the  law  in  the  place  of  spiritual  obe- 
dience, and  by  presuming  to  multiply  their 
own  inventions  and  traditions,*  and  to  hold 
them  no  less  binding  than  the  positive  com- 
mands of  God ;  they,  by  degrees,  attained 
to  a  pitch  of  impiety  unknown  to  former 
times,  and  which  was  so  much  the  more  of- 
fensive and  abommable,  as  it  was  covered 
with  the  mask  of  religion,  and  accompanied 
with  a  claim  to  superior  sanctity. 

Pride,  hypocrisy,  and  interest,  divided  them 
into  sects ;  and  the  contests  of  each  party  for 
superiority  threw  tlie  state  into  frequent  com- 
motions. Their  intrigues  at  length  brought 
upon  them  the  Roman  power.  The  city  was 
taken  by  Pompey;  and  though  they  after- 
wards retained  a  shadow  of  liberty,  their  go- 
vernment was  determined  from  that  time  by 
the  will  of  the  conquerors.  At  length  He- 
rod, a  foreigner,  obtained  it.  In  his  reign 
Christ  was  born. 

Thus  the  state  of  mankind,  before  the 
coming  of  Christ,  proved,  with  the  fullest 
evidence,  the  necessity  of  his  interposition. 
And,  in  the  mean  time,  the  world  had  not 
been  left  utterly  helpless  and  hopeless.  His 
future  advent  had  been  revealed  from  the 
beginning;  and  by  faith  in  that  revelation 
a  remnant  had  subsisted  in  every  age,  who 
had  triumphed  over  the  general  evil,  and 
maintained  the  cause  of  God  and  truth.  It 
was  not  necessary  to  the  salvation  of  these, 
that  he  should  have  been  manifested  sooner ; 
for  they  beheld  his  day  afar  off,  and  rejoiced 
in  his  name.  With  respect  to  others,  desti- 
tute of  divine  faith,  his  incarnation  would 
have  had  the  same  effect  at  any  period  as  it 
had  on  multitudes  who  actually  saw  him  in 
the  flesh,  but,  offended  with  the  meanness  of 
his  circumstances,  and  the  great  honours  he 
vindicated  to  hhiiself,  rejected  him  with  dis- 
dain. 

But  farther,  the  late  appearance  of  Christ 
in  the  world  gave  room  lor  the  full  accom- 
plishment of  the  prophecies  concerning  him, 
which  had  been  repeated  at  different  times, 
with  increasing  clearness  and  precision ;  inso- 
much that  the  time,  place,  and  every  circum- 
stance of  his  birth,  life,  and  death,  had  been 
distmctly  foretold.    Thus  the  truth  and  au- 


*  See  one  instance,  Matt.  xv.  5.  The  expression  is 
rather  obscure,  but  the  sense  is :  "  WTiat  you  might  ex- 
pect from  me  for  your  support,  I  have  put  out  of  my 
own  power;  it  is  devoted  to  the  service  of  God  and  the 
temple."  And  teachers  allowed  this  to  be  a  legal  ex- 
emption. Any  man  who  would  pay  handsomely  to  the 
priests  and  the  temple,  might  treat  hia  parents  as  he 
pleased.  Thus  they  set  aside  the  express  command  of 
God,  by  their  own  authority,  and  for  their  own  advan- 
tage. The  same  dispensing,  commuting,  engrossing 
has  too  often  appeared  in  the  Christian  chuisb. 


thority  of  the  Old  Testament  were  confirmed, 
and  the  wisdom,  power,  and  providence  of 
God,  overruling  and  directing  the  contingen- 
cies of  human  affairs,  to  produce  tliis  grand 
event  in  its  determinate  period,  were  display- 
ed to  the  highest  advantage.  And  as  the 
state  of  the  moral  world  made  his  presence 
highly  necessary,  so  God,  in  due  time,  dis- 
posed the  political  state  of  mankind  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  prepare  the  way  for  a  speedy 
and  general  publication  of  the  gospel  tlirough 
the  world. 

It  would  be  pleasing  to  consider  how  the 
rise  and  fall  and  change  of  empires  were 
made  successively  subservient  to  introduce 
the  kingdom  of  Jesus.  But  this  would  lead 
me  beyond  my  present  bounds.  I  can  only 
just  hint  at  two  or  three  events,  which  had  a 
more  general  influence.  The  first  is,  The 
rapid  progress  of  Alexander,  whose  exten- 
sive conquests,  divided  amongst  his  succes- 
sors, laid  the  foundation  of  four  powerful 
monarchies,  and  opened  an  intercourse  be- 
tween countries  till  then  unknown  to  each 
other.  By  this  means  the  Greek  tongue  be- 
came familiar  and  common  to  many  nations ; 
and,  soon  after,  the  Hebrew  scriptures  were 
translated  into  that  language,  and  the  pro- 
phecies concerning  the  Messiah  were  laid 
open  to  the  Gentiles.  To  this  may  be  added 
the  several  dispersions  of  the  Jews,  who, 
upon  various  occasions,  had  been  settled  in 
almost  every  considerable  city  under  the 
heathen  governments.  By  their  traditions 
and  prophecies,  imperfectly  understood,  a 
general  expectation  had  been  raised  of  some 
extraordinary  deliverer,  who  would  shortly 
appear.  Lastly,  by  the  growth  of  the  Roman 
empire,  many  nations  and  people,  who  were 
before  acquainted  by  means  of  one  common 
language,  became  more  closely  united  under 
one  dominion.  Every  province  had  a  neces- 
sary connection  with  Rome,  and  Rome  was 
the  centre  and  resort  of  the  greatest  part  of 
the  then  habitable  world. 

As  to  the  Jews,  many  things  concurred  to 
animate  their  wishes  and  expectations  of  the 
Messiah's  approach.  The  prophecies  were 
in  their  hands.  Many  of  their  wise  men 
were  apprised,  that  the  term  of  seventy 
weeks,  spoken  of  by  Daniel,  was  drawing  to 
a  period.  The  sceptre  seemed  departing 
from  Judah:  they  groaned  under  a  foreign 
yoke,  from  which  they  vainly  imagined  the 
Messiah  would  set  them  free,  and  give  them, 
in  their  turn,  a  temporal  dominion  over  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  Though  this  mistake 
prompted  them  to  reject  Christ,  when  he 
preached  a  deliverance  unsuitable  to  their 
worldly  notions,  yet  it  made  them  solicitous 
and  eager  for  the  appearance  of  the  person 
on  whom  their  hopes  were  fixed.  A  few 
amongst  them,  however,  better  instructed  in 
the  true  meaning  of  the  prophecies,  were 
secretly  waiting  in  the  exercises  of  faith  and 


CHA.P.  II.] 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL,  &c. 


91 


piM3'cr  for  the  consolation  of  Israel,  Luke 
ii.  o. 

From  this  general  view  of  the  moral  and 
political  state  of  mankind,  and  the  leading 
designs  of  divine  revelation  and  providence, 
jirevious  to  the  birth  of  Christ,  we  may  con- 
clude, that  the  time  fixed  on  from  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  for  his  actual  exhi- 
bition amongst  men,  was  not  an  arbitrary, 
but  a  wise  and  gracious  appointment;  a  de- 
termination admirably  suited  to  place  the 
most  important  truths  in  the  strongest  light, 
lu  this  way  the  depravity,  misery,  and  help- 
lessness of  man,  the  mercy  of  God,  and  the 
t.'-utli  of  the  scriptures,  were  unquestionably 
proved  to  all  succeeding  times.    The  neces- 
sity of  a  Saviour  was  felt  and  acknowledged ; 
and  the  suitableness,  all-suiEciency,  and  con- 
d'osccnsion  of  Jesus,  when  he  undertook  and 
accomplished  the  great  designs  in  which  his 
l.ivo  engaged  him,  were  more  strongly  illus- 
trated by  the  preceding  contrast.    He  Icnew 
the  whole  human  race  were  sinners,  rebels, 
enemies  against  God.    He  knew  the  terms, 
the  price  of  our  redemption,  that  he  must 
obey,  suffer,  weep,  and  die.  Yet  he  came. 
Pie  emptied  himself  of  his  glory  and  honour, 
Oiid  took  on  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  to 
ig  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  to  men.  In 
n.-ct,  the  gospel  of  Christ  soon  appeared  to 
be  the  great  desideratum,  and  completely  re- 
dressed the  evils  which  philo.^^ophy  had  given 
up  as  desperate.  The  genius  and  character- 
istic marks  of  this  gospel  will  be  considered 
in  the  following  chapter. 


CHAPTER  n. 

The  Character  and  Genius  of  the  Gospel, 
as  taught  and  exemplified  by  Christ. 

A  SUCCINCT  history  of  the  life  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  is  no  part  of  our  plan.  This  tlie 
inspired  evangelists  have  performed  with  the 
highest  advantage  and  authority ;  and  their 
writings  (through  the  mercy  of  God)  are  ge- 
nerally known  and  read  in  our  own  tongue. 
It  will  be  sufficient  for  me  to  select  a  few 
passages  from  them,  to  explain  and  confirm 
the  several  points  I  have  proposed  to  treat  of 
in  this  book,  as  principles  whereon  to  ground 
our  observations  on  the  spirit  and  conduct  of 
aftertimes. 

At  present  I  propose  to  state  the  true  cha- 
racter and  genius  of  his  doctrine.  This  may 
seem  a  digression  from  my  main  design.  But 
as  I  shall  often  have  occasion  to  speak  of  the 
gospel,  and  the  opposition  it  has  met  with,  it 
will  not  be  improper,  in  the  first  place,  to  ex- 
hibit a  general  idea  of  what  we  mean  by  the 
gospel,  especially  as  the  professed  followers 
of  Christ  have  been,  and  still  are,  not  a  little 
divided  uoon  the  point. 


We  may  describe  the  gospel  to  be — "  A 
divine  revelation  in  the  penson  of  Jesus 
Christ,  discovering  the  misery  of  fallen  man 
by  sin,  and  the  means  of  his  complete  reco- 
very by  the  free  grace  of  God,  tlirough  faith, 
unto  holiness  and  happiness."  The  explana- 
tion and  proof  of  these  particulars,  from  our 
Lord's  express  declarations,  and  the  tenor  of 
his  conduct,  will  sufficiently  point  out  the 
principal  marks  and  characters  of  his  gospel. 
But,  before  we  enter  upon  this,  two  things 
may  be  premised. 

1.  Though  I  confine  myself  to  the  writings 
of  the  evangelists  in  this  disquisition,  yet  it 
should  be  reraembered,  that  wliilst  our  Lord 
was  visibly  conversant  with  men,  he  did  not 
ordinarily  di.^cover  the  whole  system  of  his 
doctrine  in  express  terms.  He  spoke  to  the 
multitude,  lor  the  most  part,  in  parables, 
(Matt.  xiii.  10,  11,)  and  was  not  forward  to 
proclaim  himself  the  Messiah  upon  every 
occasion.  Matt.  xvi.  20.  And  even  in  his 
more  mtimate  discourses  with  his  disciples 
(John  xvi.  12 — 2.5,)  he  taught  tliem  with  a 
wise  and  gracious  accommodation  to  their 
circumstances  and  weakness.*  The  full  ex- 
planation of  many  things  he  referred  to  the 
time  when,  having  accomplished  his  wish, 
and  returned  victorious  and  triumphant  into 
heaven,  he  should  send  down,  according  to 
his  promise,  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  enlighten 
and  comfort  his  people.  Then,  and  not  be- 
fore, they  fully  understood  the  meaning  of 
all  they  had  seen  and  heard  while  he  was 
with  them,  Mark  ix.  10 ;  John  ii.  22. 

2.  The  doctrine  of  the  gospel  is  not  like  a 
mathematical  problem,  which  conveys  pre- 
cisely the  same  degree  of  truth  and  certainty 
to  every  one  that  understands  the  terms.  If 
so,  all  believers  would  be  equally  enlight- 
ened, who  enjoy  the  common  privilege  of 
the  written  word.  But  there  is,  in  fact,  an 
amazing  variety  in  this  respect.  Wiiere  this 
doctrine  is  truly  understood,  though  in  the 
lowest  degree,  it  inspires  the  soul  with  a 
supreme  love  to  Jesus,  and  a  trust  in  him  for 
salvation.  And  those  who  understand  it  best, 
have  not  yet  received  all  the  evidence,  com- 
fort, and  mfluence  from  it,  which  it  is  capable 
of  affording.  The  riches  of  grace  and  wis- 
dom in  this  dispensation  are  unsearchable 
(Eph.  iii.  8,)  and  immense,  unparted  in  dif- 
ferent measures,  and  increased  from  time  to 
time,  according  to  the  good  pleasure  (1  Cor. 
xii.  11,)  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  furnishes 
his  people  with  light  and  strength  propor-  ■ 


*  Our  Lord  taught  hisdisciples  gradually ;  their  know- 
ledge advanced  as  Ihe  light,  or  according  to  his  own 
beautiful  simile)  first  the  blaile,  then  the  ear;  first  preen 
corn,  then  fully  rjiie.  He  considered  their  difficuities, 
he  made  allowances  for  their  infirmities.  It  is  lo  be 
wished  his  example  was  followed  by  all  who  teach  in 
his  name.  Some  are  so  hasty,  they  exjwct  to  teach  to 
others,  in  one  discourse  or  interview,  all  that  they  have 
attained  themselves  by  the  study  and  experience  of 
many  years. 


22 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


[book  I. 


tioned  to  their  exigences,  situation,  and  the 
services  or  trials  he  calls  them  to ;  not  with- 
out respect  to  the  degree  of  their  diligence, 
obedience,  arid  simplicity,  in  waiting  upon 
hiin.  For  these  reasons,  it  is  not  to  be  expect- 
ed, that  every  one  who  serves  God  with  his 
spirit  in  the  gospel  of  his  Son,  should  have  ex- 
actly the  same  views  of  this  sublime  subject. 
Neither  do  I  presume  to  think  myself  capa- 
ble of  displaying  it  in  its  full  light  and  beauty. 
I  desire,  therefore,  to  write  with  candour, 
and  entreat  a  candid  perusal,  as  conscious  of 
my  infirmities,  and  the  imperfections  neces- 
sarily attending  the  human  mind,  in  this 
present  state  of  things.  Yet  I  am  not  afraid 
to  express  my  just  confidence,  that  I  shall 
advance  no  principle,  as  a  part  of  the  gospel- 
doctrine,  which  does  not  assuredly  belong 
to  it. 

I  now  proceed  to  explain  and  confirm  the 
definition  I  have  given  of  the  gospel. 

1.  It  is  a  divine  revelation,  a  discovery  of 
truths,  which,  though  of  the  highest  moment, 
could  have  been  known  no  other  way.  That 
God  will  forgive  sin,  is  beyond  the  power  of 
unassisted  reason  to  prove.  The  prevailing 
custom  of  sacrifices,  is  indeed  founded  upon 
such  a  hope ;  but  this  practice  was,  without 
doubt,  derived  from  revelation,  for  reason 
could  not  have  suggested  such  an  expedient. 
And  those  among  the  Heathens,  whether 
priests  or  philosophers,  who  spoke  of  forgive- 
ness of  sin,  knew  but  little  what  sin  was. 
Revelation  was  needful  to  discover  sin,  in  its 
true  nature  and  demerit ;  and  where  this  is 
•  known,  the  awakened  and  wounded  con- 
science is  not  easily  persuaded,  that  a  just 
and  holy  God  will  pardon  iniquity ;  so  like- 
wise the  immortality  of  the  soul,  after  all  the 
fiiie  things  said  upon  the  subject,  remained 
a  problematical  point  among  the  Heathens. 
Their  best  arguments,  though  conclusive  to 
us,  were  not  so  to  themselves.  When  they 
laid  aside  their  books,  and  returned  to  the 
common  affairs  of  life,  they  forgot  the  force 
of  their  own  demonstrations.*  But  the  gospel 
of  Christ  is  an  express,  complete,  and  infal- 
lible revelation,  as  he  himself  often  assured 
his  hearers,  John  vii.  16,  and  viii.  26. 

And  as  the  subject-matter  of  the  gospel 
contained  in  the  New  Testament  is  a  revela- 
tion from  God,  so  it  is  only  by  a  divine  reve- 
lation, that  what  is  there  read  or  heard,  can 
be  truly  understood.  This  is  an  offensive 
assertion,  but  must  not  be  omitted  when  the 
question  is  concerning  the  marks  and  charac- 
ters of  Christ's  doctrine.  Thus  when  Peter 
made  that  noble  confession,  "  Thou  art  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  livuig  God,"  our  Lord  an- 
swers, "Blessed  art  thou  Simon,  for  flesh 
and  blood  hath  not  revealed  this  to  thee,  but 


*  Cicero  frankly  confesses  this:  "Nescio  quoitiodo, 
rium  lego,  assentior;  cum  posui  libriim,  et  mecum  ipse 
de  immortalitale  aniinorum  ccepi  cogitare,  assentio  om- 
Dis  ilia  elabiture."  Tusc.  Uxst.  lib.  1. 


my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,"  Matt.  xvi. 
16,  17.  If  Peter  could  read,  and  had  the 
scriptures  to  peruse,  these  were  advantages 
derived  from  tlesh  and  blood,  from  his  birth, 
parents,  and  teachers ;  advantages  which  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  our  Lord's  most  inve- 
terate enemies,  enjoyed  in  common  with  him. 
The  difference  lay  in  a  revelation  of  the  truth 
to  his  heart.  As  it  is  said  in  another  place, 
"  Tliou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise 
and  prudent,  and  revealed  them  unto  babes."* 

2.  It  is  a  revelation  in  the  person  of  Jesus 
Christ.  As  a  revelation,  it  stands  distinguish- 
ed from  all  false  religions ;  and  as  revealed  in 
the  person  of  Jesus,  it  is  distinguished  from 
all  former  dispensations  of  tlie  true  God, 
who,  in  time  past,  had  spoken  by  the  pro- 
phets, but  was  pleased  in  those  last  days  to 
speak  unto  us  by  his  Son.  The  law  was 
given  by  Moses,  both  to  enforce  the  necessity 
of  a  universal  sinless  obedience,  and  to  point 
out  the  efficacy  of  a  better  Mediator;  but 
grace  and  truth,  grace  answerable  to  the  sin- 
ner's guilt  and  misery,  and  truth,  and  the 
full  accomplishment  of  all  its  typical  services, 
came  by  Jesus  Christ.  All  the  grand  pecu- 
liarities of  the  gospel,  centre  in  this  point,  the 
constitution  of  the  person  of  Christ,  Col.  ii, 
3,  9;  John  xvii.  3.  In  the  knowledge  of 
him  standeth  our  eternal  life.  And  though 
our  Lord,  on  some  occasions,  refused  to  an- 
swer the  captious  questions  of  his  enemies, 
and  expressed  himself  so  as  to  leave  his  hear- 
ers in  suspense,  yet  at  other  times,  he  clearly 
asserted  his  own  just  rights  and  honours,  and 
proposed  himself  as  the  supreme  object  of 
love,  trust,  and  worship,  the  fountain  of  grace 
and  power,  the  resurrection,  life,  and  happi- 
ness of  all  believers. 

That  he  vindicated  to  himself  those  charac- 
ters and  prerogatives  which  incommunicably 
belong  to  God,  is  evident  from  the  texts  re- 
ferred to.  He  was  a  judge  of  the  thoughts 
and  intents  of  the  heart,  (Matt.  ix.  2,  3;) 
he  forgave  sins ;  he  adopted  the  style  of  Su- 
preme Majesty  :f  his  wonderful  works  were 
proof  of  an  almighty  power;  he  restored 
sight,  health,  and  life,  with  a  word ;  (Matt, 
viii.  3,  9,  30;  John  iv.  53;)  he  controlled 
the  elements,  (Matt.  xiv.  25 ;  Mark  iv.  39,) 
and  showed  himself  Lord  of  quick  and  dead, 
angels,  and  devils,  (John  xi.  25,  44;  Luke 


*  Tliat  babes  should  be  admitted  to  this  knowledge, 
and  express  a  certainty,  where  the  wise  are  all  per- 
plexity and  darkness,  is  extremely  mortifying  to  hu- 
man pride.  But  are  not  these  the  words  of  Christ  ?  How 
arrogant,  how  dangerous,  must  it  be  to  be  displeased 
with  that  dispensation  at  which  he  rejoiced! 

t  John  viii.  38;  xiv.  9.  "He  that  hath  seen  me 
hath  seen  my  Father."  Which  of  all  the  creatures  of 
God  dare  use  these  words?  God,  in  the  strict  sense,  is 
invisible  and  inaccessible;  but  iie  communicates  wilh 
his  creatures,  through  Christ  his  Son,  without  whom 
he  cannot  be  seen,  or  known  at  all.  We  cannot  enjoy 
any  spiritual,  clear,  and  comfortable  views  of  God.  iin- 
less  our  thoughts  fix  upon  the  Man  Christ  Jesus;  he  ia 
the  door  and  the  vail  to  the  holy  of  holies;  and  there  is 
no  coming  to  the  Father  by  any  other  way. 


CHAP.  II.] 


AS  TAUGHT  BY  OUR  LORD. 


23 


iv.  34;  Matt.  iv.  11,  26,  53;)  and  both 
his  enemies  and  his  friends  understood  his 
claim.  The  Jews  attempted  to  stone  him  for 
making'  himself  equal  to  God  (John  v.  18; 
X.  33 ;)  and  he  received  from  Tliomas  the 
most  express  and  solemn  ascription  of  deity 
that  can  be  oifered  from  a  creature  to  his 
Creator,  John  xx.  28. 

Yet  all  this  glory  was  veiled.  The  Word 
was  made  flesh:  he  assumed  the  human  na- 
ture, and  shared  in  all  its  infirmities,  sin  ex- 
cepted. He  was  born  of  a  woman ;  he  pass- 
ed through  the  states  of  infancy,  childhood, 
and  youth,  and  gradually  increased  in  wis- 
dom and  stature,  Luke  ii.  52.  He  was  often, 
yea,  always  afflicted;  he  endured  hunger, 
thirst,  and  weariness;  (Markxi.  12;  John  iv. 
6,  7 ;)  he  sighed,  he  wept,  he  groaned,  he 
bled,  he  died  ;  (Mark  vii.  34 ;  John  xi.  35,  38 ; 
Luke  xxii.  44;)  but,  amidst  all,  he  was  spot- 
less and  undefiied.  He  repelled  the  tempta- 
tions of  Satan,  (Matt.  iv.  1,  10 ;)  he  appealed 
to  his  most  watchful  enemies  for  his  integ- 
rity ;  he  rendered  universal,  unceasing  obe- 
dience to  the  will  of  God,  and  completely 
fulfilled  the  whole  law,  John  viii.  46;  xiv. 
30 ;  xvii.  4.  In  him  the  perfection  of  wisdom 
and  gofxiness  shined  forth.  He  burned  witli 
love  to  God,  with  compassion  to  men ;  a  com- 
passion which  he  freely  extended  to  the  most 
necessitous,  and  the  most  unworthy.  He 
returned  good  for  evil,  wept  for  his  enemies, 
(Luke  xix.  41,)  prayed  for  his  murderers, 
Luke  .xxiii.  34.  Such  was  his  character,  a 
divine  person  in  the  human  nature,  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh,  1  Tim.  iii.  16.  And 
from  this  union,  all  he  did,  and  all  he  said, 
derived  a  dignity,  authority,  and  etficacy, 
which  rendered  him  every  way  worthy  to  be 
the  Teacher,  Exemplar,  Lord,  and  Saviour 
of  mankind. 

3.  In  the  person  and  sufferings  of  Christ, 
there  is  at  once  a  discovery  of  the  misery  of 
fallen  man,  and  the  means  of  his  complete 
recovery.  It  has  already  been  observed,  that 
the  full  explication  of  these  truths  was  defer- 
red till  after  his  resurrection ;  and  the  subse- 
quent writings  of  his  apostles  are  useful  to 
give  us  a  complete  view  of  the  cause,  design, 
and  benefits  of  his  passion.  At  present  we 
confine  ourselves  to  his  own  words.  He  fre- 
quently taught  the  necessity  and  certainty 
of  his  stiff'erings,  (Matt.  xvi.  21 ;  x.x.  28 ;)  he 
spoke  of  them  as  the  great  design  of  his  in- 
carnation, that  it  was  by  this  means  he  should 
draw  all  unto  himself,  (John  xii.  32 ;  x.  17 ;) 
that  he  v/as,  on  this  account,  especially,  the 
object  of  his  Father's  complacency,  because 
lie  voluntarily  substituted  himself  to  die  for 
his  people.  He  enforced  the  necessity  of 
believing  on  him  in  this  view,  (Jolin  iii. 
14 — 18 ;)  and  applied  to  himself  the  prophe- 
cies of  the  Old  Testament,  (Luke  xxiv.  2-5 — 
27 ;  Isa.  liii.)  which  speak  to  the  same  pur- 
pose.   Isaiah  had  foretold,  tliat  the  Lord 


would  lay  upon  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all ; 
that  he  was  to  be  wounded  for  our  tran.sgres- 
sions,  and  by  his  stripes  we  should  be  healed. 
Here  then  we  see  the  manifold  wisdom  of 
God ;  his  inexpressible  love  to  us  commend- 
ed, his  mercy  exalted,  in  the  salvation  of  sin- 
ners ;  his  truth  and  justice  vindicated,  in  the 
full  satisfaction  for  sin  exacted  from  the 
Surety ;  his  glorious  holiness,  and  opposition 
to  all  evil ;  and  his  invariable  faithfulness  to 
his  threatenings  and  his  promises.  Consi- 
dered in  this  light,  our  Saviour's  passion  is 
the  most  momentous,  instructive,  and  com- 
fortable theme  that  can  affect  the  heart  of 
man.  But  if  his  substitution  and  proper 
atonement  are  denied,  the  whole  is  unintel- 
ligible. We  can  assign  no  sufficient  reason 
why  a  person  of  his  excellence  was  abandoned 
to  such  miseries  and  indignities :  nor  can  we 
account  for  that  agony  and  distress  which 
seized  him  at  the  prospect  of  what  was 
coming  upon  him.  It  would  be  highly  in- 
jurious to  his  character  to  suppose  he  was 
thus  terrified  by  the  apprehension  of  death  or 
bodily  pain,  when  so  many  frail  and  sinful 
men  have  encountered  death,  armed  with 
the  severest  tortures,  with  far  less  emotion. 

Here,  as  in  a  glass,  we  see  the  evil  of  sin, 
and  the  misery  of  man.  The  greatness  of 
the  disorder  may  be  rationally  inferred  from 
the  greatness  of  the  means  necessary  to  re- 
move it.  Would  we  learn  the  depth  of  the 
fall  of  man,  let  us  consider  the  depth  of  the 
humiliation  of  Jesus  to  restore  him.  Behold 
the  beloved  of  God,  perfectly  spotless  and 
holy,  yet  made  an  example  of  the  severest 
vengeance ;  prostrate  and  agonizing  in  the 
garden;  enduring  the  vilest  insults  from 
wicked  men ;  torn  with  whips,  and  nails, 
and  thorns ;  suspended  naked,  wounded,  and 
bleeding  upon  the  cross,  and  there  heavily 
complaining  that  God  had,  for  a  season,  for- 
saken him.  Sin  was  the  cause  of  all  his 
anguish.  He  stood  in  the  place  of  sinners; 
and  therefore  was  not  spared.  Not  any,  or 
all  the  evils  which  the  world  has  known, 
afixjrd  such  proof  of  the  dreadful  effects,  and 
detestable  nature  of  sin,  as  the  knowledge 
of  Christ  crucified.  Sin  had  rendered  the 
case  of  mankind  so  utterly  desperate,  that 
nothing  less  than  the  blood  and  death  of 
Jesus  could  retrieve  it.  If  any  other  expe- 
dient could  have  sufficed,  his  prayer,  that 
the  bitter  cup  might  pass  from  him,  would 
surely  have  been  answered.  But  what  his 
enemies  intended  as  the  keenest  reproach, 
his  redeemed  people  will  for  ever  repeat  as 
the  expression  of  his  highest  praise:  "He 
saved  others,  himself  he  cannot  save,"  Luke 
xxiii.  35.  Justice  would  admit  no  inferior 
atonement :  love  would  not  give  up  the  cause 
of  fallen  ruined  man.  Being  therefore  deter- 
mined to  save  others,  he  could  not,  consistent- 
ly with  this  gracious  design  and  undertak- 
ing, deliver  himself. 


24 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


[book  I. 


Again,  the  means  and  certainty  of  a  salva- 
tion proportioned  to  the  guilt  and  misery  of 
sinners,  and  a  happiness  answerable  to  the 
utmost  capacity  of  the  soul  of  man,  are  reveal- 
ed in  the  same  astonishing  dispensation  of  di- 
vine love.  When  Jesus  was  baptized,  he  was 
pointed  out  by  a  voice  from  heaven  :  "  This 
is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  (or  for  whose 
sake)  I  am  well  pleased,"  Matt.  iii.  17.  He 
afterwards  proclaimed  his  own  authority  and 
Eufliciency,  that  all  things  were  delivered  in- 
to his  hands,  and  invited  every  weary,  heavy- 
laden  soul  to  seek  to  him  for  refreshment 
and  peace.  Matt.  xi.  27 — 29.  He  gave  the 
most  express  assurances  that  whoever  applied 
to  him  should  in  no  case  be  rejected,  John  vi. 
37.  He  mentioned  his  death  and  sufferings 
(John  xii.  'S2,  33,)  as  the  principal  circum- 
stance that  should  engage  the  hearts,  and 
confirm  the  hopes  of  sinners.  He  gave  re- 
peated promises,  that  those  who  believe  in 
him  shall  never  perish,  (John  x.  38;)  that 
iieitlier  force  nor  fraud  should  frustrate  Jiis 
intentions  in  their  favour ;  that  after  his  as- 
cension, he  would  send  the  Holy  Spirit  (John 
xvi.  7,  13, 14,)  to  supply  his  bodily  presence ; 
and  that  his  power,  grace,  and  providence, 
should  be  with  iiis  people  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  (Matt,  xxviii.  20:)  finally,  that  he 
would  manage  their  concerns  in  heaven, 
(John  xiv.  3,  13,  14,)  and  at  length  return 
to  take  them  to  himself,  that  they  might  be 
with  him  for  ever' to  behold,  and  to  share  his 
glory. 

4.  In  this  revelation,  God  has  illustriously 
displayed  the  glory  of  his  free  grace.  The 
miserable  and  guilty,  who  find  themselves 
without  either  plea  or  hope,  but  what  the 
gospel  proclaims  by  Clirist,  are  invited  with- 
out exception,  and  received  without  condi- 
tion. Though  they  have  been  the  vilest  of- 
fenders, they  are  freely  accepted  in  the  Be- 
loved ;  and  none  of  their  iniquities  shall  be 
remembered  any  more ;  on  the  contrary,  the 
most  respectable  characters  amongst  men  are 
declared  to  be  of  no  avail  in  point  of  accept- 
ance with  God ;  but,  in  this  respect,  all  the 
race  of  Adam  arc  upon  equal  terms,  and 
must  be  involved  in  the  same  ruin,  without 
an  absolute  dependence  on  the  great  Media- 
tor. This  is  an  illustrious  peculiarity  of  the 
gospel,  which  the  proud  fallen  nature  of  man 
cannot  but  resist  and  find  fault  with,  till  tlie 
conscience  is  truly  affected  with  the  guilt 
and  demerit  of  sin.  The  whole  tenor  of  our 
Saviour's  ministry  was  suited  to  depreciate 
the  most  specious  attainments  of  those  who 
trusted  in  themselves  that  they  were  righte- 
ous, and  to  encourage  all  who  felt  and  con- 
fessed themselves  to  be  miserable  sinners : 
Parcere  subjectis,  et  dehullare  superbos. 
This  was  a  chief  cause  of  the  opposition  he 
met  with  in  his  own  person,  and  has  awaken- 
ed the  hatred  and  dislike  of  the  bulk  of 
mankind  against  his  doctrine  ever  since.  It 


is  necessary,  therefore,  to  confirm  it  by  proofs 
which  cannot  be  evaded  by  any  who  profess 
to  aciaiowledge  him  to  be  a  teacher  sent 
from  God. 

He  was  daily  conversant  with  many  who 
were  wise  and  righteous  in  their  own  eyes; 
and  we  find  he  omiits  no  opportunity  to  expose 
and  condemn  their  pretensions.  He  spake 
one  parable  purposely  to  persons  of  this 
stamp,  (Luke  xviii.  9 — 14,)  and  describes  a 
Pharisee  boasting  of  his  observance  of  the  law : 
He  paid  tithes,  he  fasted,  he  prayed;  he  was 
not  chargeable  witli  adultery  or  extortion ; 
he  could  say  more  for  himself  than  many 
can  who  affect  to  be  thought  religious ;  but 
the  poor  publican  (though  despicable  in  his 
sight,)  who,  conscious  of  his  unworthiness, 
durst  not  lift  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  but  smote 
upon  his  breast,  and  cried  for  mercy,  was  in 
a  happier  and  safer  condition  than  the  other 
with  all  his  boasted  obedience. 

Another  remarkable  instance  is  that  of  the 
ruler  (Matt.  xix.  16,  Luke  xviii.  18,)  who 
accosted  our  Lord  in  a  respectful  manner, 
asking  him,  What  he  should  do  to  inherit 
eternal  lifel  His  address  was  becximing:  his 
inquiry  seemed  sincere ;  and  the  character  he 
gave  of  himself  was  such  as  men,  who  see 
not  the  lieart,  might  have  judged  exemplary 
and  praise-worthy.  Wiien  our  Lord  refer- 
red him  to  the  precepts  of  the  law,  he  answer- 
ed that  he  had  kept  them  all  from  his  youth. 
Yet  one  thing,  we  read,  was  wanting.  What 
could  this  one  thing  be,  which  rendered  so 
fair  a  character  of  no  value  !  We  may  collect 
it  from  the  event.  He  wanted  a  deep  sense 
of  his  need  of  a  Saviour.  If  lie  had  been 
possessed  of  this  one  tiling,  he  would  willing- 
ly have  relinquished  all  to  follow  Jesus.  But, 
ignorant  of  the  spirituality  of  the  law,  he 
trusted  to  a  defective  obedience  :  and  the  love 
of  tlie  world  prevailing  in  his  heart,  he  chose 
rather  to  part  with  Christ  than  with  his  pos- 
sessions. 

On  the  other  hand,  how  readily  our  Lord 
received  sinners,  notorious  sinners,  who  were 
vile  to  a  proverb,  appears  from  the  remarka- 
ble account  given  by  St.  Luke  (chap.  vii.  37,) 
of  a  woman  whose  character  had  been  so  in- 
famous, that  the  Pharisee  wondered  that 
Jesus  could  permit  her  to  touch  him.  But 
tliough  a  great  sinner,  she  found  great  for- 
giveness; therefore  she  loved  much,  and  wept 
much.*  She  had  nothing  to  say  for  herself; 
but  Jesus  espoused  her  cause,  and  pronounced 
her  pardon.  He  likewise  silenced  the  proud 
caviller  by  a  parable,  that  sweetly  illustrates 
the  freeness  and  genuine  effect  of  the  grace 
of  God,  which  can  only  be  possessed  or  prized 
by  those  who  see  they  must  perish  without  it. 


*  She  washed  his  feet  with  tears;  i^eJuTO  ieixi"',  she 
began  to  rain  tears  upon  his  feel :  her  head  was  waters, 
and  her  eyes  fountains ;  to  receive  a  free  pardf)n  of  many 
sins,  a  pardon  bought  with  bbrnd,— it  is  this  causes  the 
heart  to  melt,  and  the  eyes  to  flow. 


CU  VP.  II.] 


AS  TAUGHT  BY  OUR*  LORD. 


35 


And  this  was  the  general  effect  of  liis 
preaching.  Publicans  and  sinners  throng-ed 
to  hear  liim,  received  his  doctrine,  and  found 
rest  for  their  souls.  As  this  discrimination 
gave  a  f^eneral  offence,  he  took  occasion  to 
deliver  the  parable  of  the  prodit^al,  (Luke  xv. 
11 ;)  in  the  former  part  of  which  he  gives  a 
most  endearing  view  of  the  grace  of  God,  in 
panloning  and  accepting  the  most  undeserv- 
ing. He  afterward.s,  in  the  close,  shows  the 
pride,  stubbornness,  and  enmity  of  the  self- 
righteous  Pharisees,  under  the  character  of 
tJie  elder  brother.*  While  his  language  and 
deportment  discovered  the  disobedience  and 
malice  of  his  heart,  he  pretended  that  he  had 
never  broke  his  father's  commands.  The  self- 
condemned  sinner,  when  he  first  receives 
hope  of  pardon,  experiences  a  joy  and  peace 
in  believing.  This  is  represented  by  the 
feast  and  fatted  calf  But  the  religious  order- 
ly l)rother  had  never  received  so  much  as  a 
kid :  he  had  found  no  true  comfort  in  all  his 
formal  round  of  duties;  and  therefore  was 
exceedingly  angry  that  the  prodigal  should 
at  once  obtain  those  marks  of  favour  which 
he,  who  had  remained  with  his  father,  had  al- 
ways been  a  stranger  to. 

But  the  capital  exemplification  of  this,  and 
indeed  of  every  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  is  con- 
tained in  the  account  given  of  the  thief  upon 
the  cross,  (Luke  xxiii.  39 — 42;)  a  passage 
vvliich  has  perhaps  been  more  mistaken  and 
rI^i^represented  by  commentators,  than  anjr 
other  in  the  New  Testament.  The  grace  of 
God  Ins  shone  so  bright  in  this  instance,  that 
it  has  dazzled  the  eyes  even  of  good  men. 
They  have  attempted  to  palliate  the  offender's 
crime,  or  at  least  to  suppose  that  this  was  the 
first  fault  of  the  kind  he  had  committed;  that 
perhaps  he  had  been  surprised  into  it,  and 
miglit,  in  other  respects,  have  been  of  a 
fairer  character.  They  conjecture,  that  this 
was  the  first  time  he  had  heard  of  Jesus ;  and 
that  there  was  not  only  some  sort  of  merit 
in  his  faith  and  confession  under  these  cir- 
cumstances, but  that  the  death  of  Jesus  hap- 
pily coinciding  with  liis  own,  afforded  him 
an  advantage  peculiar  to  himself;  and  that, 
therefore,  this  was  an  exempt  case,  and  not 
to  he  drawn  into  a  precedent  to  after  times. 

If  it  was  my  professed  design  to  comment 
upon  this  malefactor's  case,  I  should  consider 
it  in  a  *lifterent  light.  The  nature  of  his  pun- 
ishment, which  was  seldom  inflicted  but  on 
those  who  were  judged  the  most  atrocious 
criminals,  makes  it  more  than  probable  that 


*  It  may  be  objected  to  this  interpretation,  Tliat  the 
fathsr  spi'aks  to  the  elder  brother  in  terms  of  compla- 
cence :  "Son,  thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all  lliat  I 
have  is  thine.  But  this  is  not  the  only  place  whpro  our 
Lord  addre.s9es  the  Pharisees  in  their  own  style,  accord- 
ing to  the  opinion  they  conceived  of  them^elvey.  Thus 
(Malt.  viii.  12,)  he  says,  "The  children  of  the  kingilom 
shall  be  cast  out  into  outer  darkness. — He  does  not 
mean  those  who  were  truly  the  children  of  the  kingdom, 
but  those  who  pretended  to  be  so. 

Vol.  H,  D 


he  did  not  suffer  for  a  first  offence.  Nor  wag 
he  simply  a  thief  The  history  of  those  limes 
abounds  with  the  mischiefs  comnutted  by  pub- 
lic robbers,  who  used  to  join  in  considerable 
bands,  for  rapine  and  murder,  and  commit 
the  greatest  excesses.  In  all  likelihood,  tlie 
malefactors  crucified  with  Jesus  were  of  this 
sort,  accomplices  and  equals  in  guilt ;  and 
therefore  judged  to  die  together,  receiving 
(as  appears  by  the  criminal's  own  confession 
on  the  cross)  the  just  reward  of  their  deeds.* 
Here  was  indeed  a  fair  occasion  to  show  the 
sovereignty  and  triumph  of  grace,  contrasted 
with  the  most  desperate  pitch  of  obdurate 
wickedness.  To  show,  on  the  one  hand,  that 
the  compassion  and  the  power  of  Christ  were 
not  diminished  when  his  sufferings  were  at 
the  height,  and  he  seemed  abandoned  to  his 
enemies ;  and,  on  the  other,  the  insufficiency 
of  any  means  to  change  a  sinner's  heart, 
without  the  powerful  efficacy  of  divine  grace. 
The  one  malefactor,  brought  at  length  to 
deserved  punishment,  far  from  repenting  of 
his  crimes,  regardless  of  his  immediate  ap- 
pearance before  God,  thought  it  some  relaxa- 
tion of  his  torments,  to  join  with  the  barbarous 
multitude  in  reviling  Jesus,  who  hung  upon 
a  cross  by  his  side.  He  was  not  ignorant  that 
Jesus  was  put  to  death  for  professing  himself 
the  Messiah ;  but  he  upbraided  him  with  his 
character,  and  treated  him  as  an  impostor. 
In  this  man  we  see  the  progress,  wages,  and 
effects  of  sin.  His  wickedness  brought  him 
to  a  terrible  end,  and  sealed  him  up  under  a 
fatal  hardness  of  heart;  so  that  he  died  des- 
perate, though  Jesus  Christ  was  crucified  be  • 
fore  his  eyes.f  But  his  companion  was  im- 
pressed by  what  he  saw  ;  his  heart  relented ; 
he  observed  the  patience  of  the  divine  suf- 
ferer ;  he  heard  him  pray  for  his  murderers ; 
he  felt  himself  miserable,  and  feared  the  God 
with  whom  lie  had  to  do.  In  this  distress  he 
received  faith  to  apply  to  Jesus;  and  his 
prayer  was  granted,  and  exceeded.  He  who 
sent  the  fair-spoken  ruler  away  sorrowful, 
answered  the  first  desire  of  a  malefactor  at 
the  point  of  death :  "  To-day  shalt  thou  be 
with  me  in  paradise."  This  certainly  was 
an  instance  of  free  distinguishing  grace. 
Here  was  salvation  bestowed  upon  one  of  the 
vilest  sinners,  through  faith  in  Jesus,  without 
previous  works,  or  a  possibility  of  performing 
any.    And  as  such,  it  is  recorded  for  the  en- 


*  It  seems  probable,  from  history,  that  these  were  of 
Barabbas'sgang.  They  had  made  an  insurrection,  com- 
mitted murder,  and  were,  with  their  ringleader,  con- 
victed and  condemned.  He,  in  dishonour  to  Jesus,  was 
spared,  whilst  these,  liis  accomplices,  were  e.xecuted  with 
him. 

t  Compare  Matt,  xxvii.  39.  How  can  it  be  e.\pected 
that  no  more  than  a  constant  repetition  of  Christ's 
death  should  be  an  invincible  means  of  changing  the 
heart,  when  the  actual  sight  of  his  su  tie  rings  was  attend- 
ed with  so  little  effect !  Sin  must  be  felt  as  the  disease 
and  ruin  of  the  soul,  and  the  sufferings  of  Jesus  ac- 
knowledged as  the  only  possible  remedy,  before  we  can 
truly  sympathize  with  him,  and  say,  "lam  cruciliert 
with  Christ. " 


20 


CHARACTER  OF 


THE  GOSPEL,  &c. 


[book  I. 


encouraofement  of  all  who  see  themselves 
destitute  of  rig-hteousiiess  and  strength,  and 
that,  like  the  thief  on  the  cross,  they  have 
no  refuge  or  hope,  but  in  the  free  mercy  of 
God  through  Christ. 

5.  The  medium  by  which  the  gospel  be- 
comes the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  is 
faitli.  Byfaith  we  do  not  mean  a  bare  as- 
sent, founded  upon  testimony  and  rational 
evidence,  that  the  facts  recorded  in  the  New 
Testament  are  true.  A  faitli  of  tliis  sort  ex- 
perience proves  to  be  consistent  with  a  wick- 
ed life ;  whereas  the  gospel-faith  purifies  the 
heart,  and  overcomes  the  world.  Neither  do 
we  mean  a  confidence  of  the  forgiveness  of 
sin,  impressed  upon  the  mind  in  a  sudden 
and  instantaneous  manner.  Faith  is  indeed 
founded  upon  the  strongest  evidence,  and 
may  often  be  confirmed  by  ineffable  mani- 
festations from  the  fountain  of  light  and 
comfort ;  but  the  discriminating  property  of 
true  faith  is,  "  a  reliance  upon  Jesus  Christ  for 
all  the  ends  and  purposes  for  which  the  gospel 
reveals  him ;"  such  as  the  pardon  of  sin, 
peace  of  conscience,  strength  for  obedience, 
and  eternal  life.  It  is  wrought  by  the  opera- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  presupposes  a 
knowledge  of  him,  and  of  ourselves ;  of  our 
indigence,  and  his  fulness ;  our  unworthi- 
ness,  and  his  merits ;  our  weakness,  and  his 
power.  The  true  believer  builds  upon  the 
person  and  word  of  Christ  (Matt.  vii.  24; 
xvi.  18)  as  the  foundation  of  his  hope.  He 
enters  by  him  as  the  only  door  (John  x.  9) 
to  the  knowledge,  communion,  and  love  of 
God :  he  feeds  upon  him  by  faith  in  his 
heart,  with  thanksgiving,  as  the  bread  of 
life  (John  vi.  54 — 57  ;)  he  embraces  his  righ- 
teousness as  the  wedding-garment  (Matt, 
xxii.  11 ;  Rom.  xiii.  14)  whereby  alone  he 
expects  admission  to  the  marriage-feast  of 
heaven :  he  derives  all  his  strength  and 
comfort  from  his  influence,  as  the  branch 
from  the  root  (John  xv.  4,  5 :)  he  entrusts 
himself  to  his  care,  as  the  wise  and  good 
shepherd  of  his  soul,  John  x.  14.  Sensible 
of  his  own  ignorance,  defects,  and  his  many 
enemies,  he  receives  Christ  as  his  teacher, 
priest,  and  king  (John  vi.  68 ;)  obeys  his 
preceptor,  confides  in  his  mediation,  expects 
and  enjoys  his  powerful  protection.  In  a 
word,  he  renounces  all  confidence  in  the  flesh 
(Phil.  iii.  3,)  and  rejoices  in  Christ  Jesus  as 
his  Saviour;  and  thus  he  attains  to  worship 
God  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  is  supported 
through  all  the  conflicts  and  trials  of  life, 
possesses  a  stable  peace  in  the  midst  of  a 
changing  world,  goes  on  from  strength  to 
strength,  and  is  at  length  made  more  than 
conqueror,  through  him  that  has  loved  him. 
This  is  the  life  of  faith.  The  degree  and  ex- 
ercise of  it  is  various  in  difl^erent  persons, 
and  in  the  same  person  at  different  times,  as 
has  been  already  hinted ;  but  the  principle 
itself  is  universal,  permanent,  and  effica- 


cious in  all  that  truly  believe;  and  nothing 
less  than  this  faith  is  sufficient  to  give  any 
man  a  right  to  the  name  of  a  Christian. 

6.  The  final  cause  or  great  ends  of  the 
gospel,  respecting  man,  are  holiness  and 
happiness  (Matt.  i.  21 ;  xxv.  34 ;  John  xvii. 
24 ;)  the  complete  restoration  of  the  soul  to 
the  favour  and  image  of  God,  or  eternal  life 
begun  here,  to  be  consummated  in  glory. 
What  has  been  already  said  renders  it  need- 
less to  enlarge  upon  this  head ;  nor  shall  we 
concern  ourselves  here  to  vindicate  the  doc- 
trine we  have  laid  down  from  the  charge  of 
licentiousness :  because  it  is  our  professed 
design,  in  the  progress  of  this  work,  to  prove, 
from  the  history  of  the  church,  not  only  that 
these  principles,  when  rightly  understood, 
will  infallibly  produce  obedience  and  submis- 
sion to  the  whole  will  of  God,  but  that  these 
only  can  do  it.  Wherever  and  whenever 
the  doctrines  of  free  grace  and  justification 
by  faith  have  prevailed  Ln  the  Christian 
church;  and  according  to  the  degree  of 
clearness  with  which  they  have  been  en- 
forced, the  practical  duties  of  Christianity 
have  flourished  in  the  same  proportion. 
Wherever  they  have  declined,  or  been  tem- 
pered with  the  reasonings  and  expedients  of 
men,  either  from  a  well  meant,  though  mis- 
taken fear,  lest  they  should  be  abused,  or 
from  a  desire  to  accommodate  the  gospel, 
and  render  it  more  palatable  to  the  depraved 
taste  of  the  world,  the  consequence  has  al 
ways  been,  an  equal  declension  in  practice. 
So  long  as  the  gospel  of  Christ  is  maintain- 
ed without  adulteration,  it  is  found  sufficient 
for  every  valuable  purpose ;  but  wlien  the 
wisdom  of  man  is  permitted  to  add  to  the 
perfect  work  of  God,  a  wide  door  is  opened 
for  innumerable  mischiefs : — the  divine  com- 
mands are  made  void,  new  inventions  are 
continually  taking  place,  zeal  is  diverted 
into  a  wrong  channel,  and  the  greatest  stress 
laid  upon  things  either  unnecessary  or  un- 
warrantable. Hence  perpetual  occasion  is 
given  for  strife,  debates,  and  divisions,  till  at 
length  the  spirit  of  Christianity  is  forgot,  and 
the  power  of  godliness  lost,  amidst  fierce 
contentions  for  the  form. 

To  sum  up  this  inquiry  in  a  few  words: 
the  gospel  is  a  wise  and  gracious  dispensa- 
tion, equally  suited  to  the  necessities  of  man, 
and  to  the  perfections  of  God :  it  proclaims 
relief  to  the  miserable,  and  excludes  none 
but  those  who  exclude  themselves :  it  con- 
vinces a  sinner,  that  he  is  unvi'orthy  of  the 
smallest  mercy,  at  the  same  time  that  i* 
gives  him  a  confidence  to  expect  the  great- 
est ;  it  cuts  off"  all  pretence  of  glorying  in 
the  flesh,  but  it  enables  a  guilty  sinner  U 
glory  in  God  :  to  them  that  have  no  might, 
it  increases  strengtli;  it  gives  eyes  to  th<. 
blind,  and  feet  to  the  lame ;  subdues  the  en« 
mity  of  the  heart ;  shows  the  nature  of  sin, 
the  spirituality  and  sanction  of  the  law,  with 


CHAP.  III.] 


GROUNDS  OF  THE  OPPOSITION  TO,  &c. 


27 


the  fullest  evidence;  and,  by  exhibitinj^ 
Jesus,  as  made  of  God,  wisdom,  righteous- 
ness, sanctification,  and  redemption,  to  all 
who  believe,  it  makes  obedience  practicable, 
easy,  and  delightful.  The  constraining  love 
of  Christ  engages  the  heart,  and  every  fa- 
culty in  his  service.  His  e.xample  illustrates 
and  recommends  his  precepts ;  his  presence 
inspires  courage  and  activity  under  every 
pressure ;  and  the  prospect  of  the  glory  to 
bo  revealed  is  a  continual  source  of  joy  and 
peace,  which  passeth  the  understanding  of 
the  natural  man.  Thus  the  gospel  filleth  the 
hungry  with  good  things ;  but  it  sendeth  the 
rich  and  self-sufficient  empty  away,  and 
leaves  the  impenitent  and  believing  in  a 
state  of  aggravated  guilt  and  condemnation. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Concerning  the  true  grounds  of  the  opposi- 
tion our  Lord  met  with  in  the  course  of 
his  ministry :  and  the  objections  and 
artifices  his  enemies  employed  to  preju- 
dice the  people  against  him,  and  prevent 
the  reception  of  his  doctrine. 

If  our  knowledge  of  the  history  of  Jesus 
was  confined  to  the  excellence  of  his  cha- 
racter, and  the  diffusive  goodness  that  shone 
forth  in  all  his  actions,  we  should  hardly  con- 
ceive it  possible,  that  any  people  could  be 
so  lost  to  gratitude  and  humanity  as  to  op- 
pose him.  He  went  about  doing  good :  he 
raised  the  dead,  healed  every  disease,  and 
relieved  the  distresses  of  all  who  applied  to 
him,  without  any  difference  of  cases,  cha- 
racters, or  parties,  as  the  sun,  with  a  rich 
and  unwearied  profusion,  fills  every  eye 
with  his  light.  Wisdom  flowed  from  his  lips, 
and  his  whole  conduct  was  perfect  and  in- 
culpable. How  natural  is  it  to  expect,  that 
a  person  so  amiable  and  benevolent,  so  blame- 
less and  exemplary,  should  have  been  uni- 
versally revered.* 

But  we  find  in  fact  it  was  far  otherwise. 
Instead  of  the  honours  he  justly  deserved,  the 
returns  he  met  with  were  reproach,  persecu- 
tion, and  death.  The  wonders  of  his  power 
and  goodness  were  maliciously  ascribed  to 

*ThP  Heathen  moralists  have  supposed  that  there  is 
something  so  amiable  in  virtue,  that  coiihi  it  be  visible, 
it  would  necessarily  attract  the  love  and  admiration  of 
all  beholders.  This  sentiment  has  been  generally  ad- 
mired :  and  we  need  not  wonder,  since  it  flatters  the 
pride  of  man  without  thwarting  his  passions.  In  the 
Lord  Jesus  this  great  (/^.•J7'/frrtf«m  was  voiich.^afed  ;  vir- 
!ue  and  goodness  were  pleased  to  become  visible,  were 
manifest  in  the  flesh.  But  did  the  e.tperiment  answer 
to  the  ideas  of  the  philosophers?  Alas!  to  the  reproach 
of  mankind.  Jews  and  Ocntiles  conspired  to  treat  him 
with  the  utmost  contempt.  They  loveil  darkness,  and 
therefore  could  not  bear  the  light.  They  had  m  re  com- 
passion and  alT'Clion  for  the  most  infamous  malefactor; 
therefore,  when  the  alternative  was  proposed  to  them, 
they  released  Barabbas,  a  robber  and  a  murderer,  and 
nailed  Jesus  aud  virtue  to  tiu  cross. 


Satan ;  he  was  branded  as  an  impostor,  mad- 
man, and  demoniac ;  he  was  made  the  sport 
of  servants  and  soldiers;  and,  at  length, 
fwblicly  executed  with  every  possible  cir- 
cumstance of  ignominy  and  torture,  as  a 
malefactor  of  the  worst  sort. 

What  could  be  the  cause  and  motives  of 
such  injurious  treatment  ^  This  is  the  sub- 
ject of  our  present  inquiry.  It  might  indeed 
be  answered  very  briefly,  as  it  has  been,  by 
ascribing  it  to  the  peculiar  wickedness  and 
perverseness  of  the  Jews.  There  is  not  a 
fallacy  more  frequent  or  pleasing  to  the 
minds'  of  men,  than,  while  they  act  contrary 
to  present  duty,  to  please  themselves  with 
imagining  how  well  they  would  have  be- 
haved in  another  situation,  or  a  difi'erent 
age.  They  think  it  a  mark  of  virtue  to  con- 
demn the  wickedness  of  former  times,  not 
aware  that  they  themselves  are  governed  by 
the  same  spirit.  Thus  these  very  Jews 
spoke  highly  of  the  persons  of  the  prophets, 
while  they  rejected  their  testimony,  and 
blamed  their  fxjrefathers  for  shedding  inno- 
cent blood,  at  the  time  they  were  thirsting 
for  the  blood  of  Jesus,  IMatt.  xxiii.  29,  30. 
It  is  equally  easy  at  present  to  condemn  the 
treachery  of  Judas,  the  cowardice  of  Pilate, 
the  blindness  of  the  people,  and  the  malice 
of  the  priests,  who  were  all  personally  con- 
cerned in  the  death  of  Christ.  It  is  easy  to 
think,  that  if  we  had  seen  his  works,  and 
heard  his  words,  we  would  not  have  joined 
with  the  multitude  in  crying,  Crucify  liim  ; 
though,  it  is  to  be  feared,  many  who  thus 
flatter  themselves  have  little  less  enmity 
against  his  person  and  doctrine  than  his 
actual  mnrderers.  On  this  account,  I  shall 
give  a  detail  of  the  true  reasons  why  Christ 
was  opposed  in  the  flesh,  and  of  the  measures 
employed  against  him,  in  order  to  show,  that 
the  same  grounds  of  opposition  are  deeply 
rooted  in  the  fallen  human  nature ;  and  how 
probable  it  is,  that  if  he  was  to  appear  again 
in  the  same  obscure  manner,  in  any  country 
now  called  by  his  name,  he  would  meet  with 
little  better  treatment,  unless  when  the  con- 
stitution and  laws  of  a  civil  government 
might  interpose  to  prevent  it. 

But  it  may  be  proper,  in  the  first  place, 
briefly  to  delineate  the  characters  of  the  sects 
or  parties  mentioned  by  the  evangelists, 
whose  leaders,  jointly  and  separately,  both 
from  common  and  distinct  motives,  opposed 
our  Saviour's  ministry,  and  cavilled  at  his 
doctrine.  These  were  the  Pharisees,  Sad- 
ducees,  and  Herodians.f 

The  Pharisees,  including  the  Scribes  (who 
were  chiefly  of  this  sect,)  were  professedly 
the  guardians  of  the  law,  and  public  teachers 
of  the  people.  They  were  held  in  high  vene- 
ration by  the  common  people,  for  the  aus- 


t  See  Matt,  xxiii ;  Mark  vii.  13  ;  and  Luke  xviii. 
9— H. 


28 


GROUNDS  OP  THE  OPPOSITION  TO, 


[book  r. 


terity  of  their  deportment,  the  frequency  of 
their  devotions,  and  tlicir  exactness  in  tlie 
less  essential  parts  of  tlio  law.  They  ob- 
served the  traditions  of  the  elders,  were  still 
adding  to  them ;  and  the  consequence  was 
(as  it  will  always  be  in  such  a  case,)  that 
they  were  so  pleased  with  tlieir  own  inven- 
tions, as  to  prefer  them  to  the  positive  com- 
mands of  God ;  and  their  studious  punc- 
tuality in  trifles,  withdrew  their  regard 
from  tiie  most  important  duties.  Their  spe- 
cious sliow  of  piety  was  a  fair  outside,  under 
which  the  grossest  abominations  were  con- 
cealed and  indulged.  They  were  full  of 
pride,  a  nd  a  high  conceit  of  their  own  good- 
ness :  tliey  fasted  and  prayed  to  be  seen  and 
esteemed  of  men ;  they  e.xpected  reverence 
and  homage  from  all,  and  challenged  the 
highest  titles  of  respect,  to  be  saluted  as 
doctors  and  masters,  and  to  be  honoured 
with  the  principal  seats  in  all  assemblies. 
Many  of  them  made  their  solemn  exterior  a 
cloaii  for  extortion  and  oppression ;  and  the 
rest,  if  not  hypocrites  in  the  very  worst 
sense,  yet  deceived  both  tliemselves,  and 
others,  by  a  form  of  godliness,  when  they 
were  in  effect  enslaved  by  tiieir  passions, 
and  lived  according  to  the  corrupt  rule  of 
their  own  imaginations. 

The  ^(tdducces,  their  antagonists  and  ri- 
vals, were  equally,  tliough  differently,  remote 
from  the  true  knowledge  and  worsliip  of 
God.  They  not  only  rejected  the  tradition 
of  the  elders,  but  a  great  part  of  the  scrip- 
tures likewise ;  and  admitted  only  the  five 
Dooks  of  Moses  as  of  divine  authority.  From 
this  circumstance,  together  with  the  dif- 
ficulty (Matt.  xxii.  23)  they  proposed  to  our 
Lord,  and  the  answers  he  gave  tliem,  it 
appears,  that  they  were  persons,  who,  pro- 
fessing in  general  terms  to  acknowledge  a 
revelation  from  God,  yet  made  their  own 
prejudices  and  mistakes,  under  the  dignified 
name  of  reason,  the  stjindard  to  determine 
what  books  should  be  received  as  autlientic, 
and  in  what  sense  they  should  be  under- 
stood. The  doctrine  of  a  resurrection  did 
not  accord  with  their  notions ;  therefore  they 
rejected  it  (Acts  xxiii.  8,)  together*  with 
those  parts  of  scripture  which  asserted  it 
most  expressly.  Their  question  concerning 
the  seven  brethren  seems  to  have  been  a 
trite  objection,  which  they  had  oflen  made, 
and  which  had  never  been  answered  to  satis- 
faction till  our  Lord  resolved  it.  But  the 
whole  difficulty  was  founded  upon  false  prin- 
ciples ;  and  when  these  were  removed,  all  fell 


*  That  the  Sadchicoes  rocoivprt  only  the  law  of  Moses, 
is  the  aoneral  opinion  ;  thou{!h  I  do  not  say  that  it  has 
been  either  inilubitably  proved,  or  universally  held. 
That  they  put  their  own  sense  upon  the  seriptures 
(whether  in  whole  or  in  part,)  which  they  did  prole.=;.s  to 
receive,  is  nianife.st,  from  their  a.^serling  that  there  is 
no  resurrection,  neither  aneel  nor  spirit.  A  tenet  which 
contradicts  not  one  or  a  few  texts,  Imt  the  whole  strain 
and  tenor  both  of  the  law  and  the  prophets. 


to  the  ground  at  once.  From  this,  however, 
we  may  learn  their  characteristic ;  they 
were  the  cautious  reasoners  of  those  times, 
who  valued  tliemselves  on  examining  every 
thing  closely,  refusing  to  be  influenced  by 
tlie  plausible  sounds  of  antiquity  and  au- 
thority. 

The  Herodians  (Matt.  xxii.  16 ;  Mark  iii. 
6)  were  those  who  endeavoured  to  ingratiate 
themselves  with  Herod.  It  is  most  probable 
that  they  received  their  name  and  distinc- 
tion, not  so  much  from  any  peculiar  senti- 
ments, as  from  attempting  to  accommodate 
their  religion  to  the  circumstances  of  the 
times.  The  Pharisees,  boasting  of  their 
privileges  as  the  children  of  Abraham,  could 
liardly  brook  a  fiireign  yoke ;  but  the  Hero- 
dians, from  motives  of  interest,  were  advo- 
cates for  Herod  and  the  Roman  power.  Thus 
they  were  opposite  to  the  Pharisees  in  politi- 
cal matters,  as  the  .Sadducees  were  in  points 
of  doctrine ;  and  therefore  the  question  con- 
cerning tribute  was  proposed  to  our  Lord 
jointly  by  the  Pharisees  and  Herodians,  the 
former  designing  te  render  liim  obnoxious  to 
the  people,  if  he  allowed  of  tribute,  tlie  latter 
to  accuse  him  to  the  government,  if  he  re- 
fused it. 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  is  evident  the 
leading  principles  of  these  sects  were  not 
peculiar  to  tliemselves.  They  may  rather 
be  considered  universally  as  specimens  of 
the  difi^erent  appearances  a  religious  profes- 
sion assumes  where  tlie  heart  is  not  divinely 
enlightened  and  converted  to  the  love  of  the 
truth.  In  all  such  persons,  however  high  the 
pretence  of  religion  may  be  carried,  it  can- 
not proceed  from  a  nobler  principle,  or  aim 
at  a  nobler  object  than  self  These  di.sposi- 
tions  have  appeared  in  every  age  and  form 
of  the  christian  church,  and  are  always  ac- 
tive to  oppose  the  self-denying  doctrines  of 
the  gospel  upon  different  pretences.  The 
man,  who,  fond  of  liis  fancied  attainments 
and  scrupulous  exactness  in  externals,  des- 
pises all  who  will  not  conform  to  his  rules, 
and  challenges  peculiar  respect  on  account 
of  his  superior  goodness,  is  a  proud  Phai-i- 
see.  His  zeal  is  dark,  envious,  and  bitter ; 
his  obedience  partial  and  self-willed ;  and 
while  he  boasts  of  the  knowledge  of  God, 
his  heart  rises  witli  enmity  at  the  grace  of 
the  gospel,  wliich  he  boldly  charges  with 
opening  a  door  to  licentiousness.  The  mo- 
dern Sfidducce  (like  those  of  old)  admits  of 
a  revelation,  but  then,  full  of  his  own  wis- 
dom and  importance,  he  arraigns  even  the 
revelation  he  seems  to  allow  at  the  bar  of 
his  narrow  judgment;  and  as  the  sublime  ^ 
doctrines  of  truth  pass  under  his  review,  he 
affixes  without  hesitation,  the  epithets  of 
absurd,  inconsistent,  and  blasphemous  to 
whatever  thwarts  his  pride,  prejudice,  and 
ignorance,  and  tliose  parts  of  scripture  which 
cannot  be  warped  to  speak  his  sense,  he  dis- 


CHAP.  III.J 


AND  OFFENCES  AGAINST  OUR  LORD. 


29 


cards  from  his  canon  as  interpolated  and 
supposititious.  The  Herodian  is  the  man, 
however  denominated  or  dignified,  who  is 
governed  hy  interest,  as  tlie  others  by  pride, 
and  vainly  endeavours  to  reconcile  the  in- 
compatible services  of  God  and  the  world, 
Christ  and  Belial.  He  avoids  the  excesses 
of  religious  parties,  speaks  in  terms  of  mo- 
deration, and  is  not  unwilling  to  be  account- 
ed the  pattern  and  friend  of  sobriety  and 
religion.  He  stands  fair  witli  all  wlio  would 
be  religious  upon  cheap  terms,  and  fair  in  his 
own  esteem,  having  numbers  and  authority 
on  his  side.  Thus  he  almost  persuades  him- 
self he  has  carried  his  point,  and  that  it  is 
not  so  impossible  to  serve  two  masters  as 
our  Lord's  words  seem  to  import ;  but  the 
preaching  of  the  pure  gospel,  which  enforces 
tlie  one  thing  needful,  and  will  admit  of  no 
compliances  with  worldly  interests,  inter- 
feres with  his  plan,  and  incurs  his  resent- 
ment likewise,  though,  perhaps,  he  will 
show  his  displeasure  by  more  refined  and 
specious  methods  than  the  clamorous  rage 
of  hot  bigotry  has  patience  to  wait  for. 

We  now  proceed. — The  first  great  cause 
why  Jesus  was  rejected  by  those  to  whom  he 
appealed,  may  be  deduced  from  the  tenor  of 
his  doctrine,  a  summary  of  which  has  been 
given  in  the  former  chapter.  It  offended  the 
pride  of  the  Pharisees,  was  repugnant  to  the 
wise  infidelity  of  the  .Sadducees,  and  con- 
demned the  pliant  temper  of  the  Herodians. 
The  doctrines  of  free  grace,  faith,  and  spi- 
ritual obedience  were  diametrically  opposite 
to  their  inclinations.  They  must  have  parted 
with  all  they  admired  and  loved  if  they  had 
complied  with  him ;  but  this  is  a  sacrifice  too 
great  for  any  to  make  who  had  not  deeply 
felt  and  known  their  need  of  a  Saviour. 
These,  on  the  contrary,  were  the  whole,  who 
saw  no  want  of  a  physician,  and  therefore 
treated  his  offers  with  contempt. 

Besides,  their  dislike  to  his  doctrine  was 
increased  by  his  manner  of  enforcing  it.  He 
spoke  with  authority,  and  sharply  rebuked  the 
hypocrisy,  ignorance,  ambition,  and  avarice 
of  those  persons  who  were  accounted  the 
wise  and  the  good,  who  sat  in  Moses's  chair, 
and  had  hitherto  been  heard  and  obeyed  with 
reverence.  But  Jesus  exposed  their  true 
characters:  he  spoke  of  them  as  blind  guides; 
he  compared  them  to  painted  sepulchres,* 
and  cautioned  the  people  against  them,  as 
dangerous  deceivers,  Matth.  xxiii.  27.  It  is 
no  wonder,  therefore,  that  on  this  account 
they  hated  him  with  a  perfect  hatred. 


*  Nothing  is  more  loathsome  to  our  senses  than  a 
corpse  in  the  state  of  putrefaction,  or  a  more  striking 
contrast  to  the  outside  of  a  sumptuous  ornamented 
monumr^nt.  Perhaps  the  visible  creation  does  not  afford 
any  other  imaie  that  would  so  strongly  express  the 
true  character  of  hypocrisy,  and  how  liatefiil  it  appears 
in  the  sight  of  God,  who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold 
iniquity,  and  before  whom  all  things  are  naked  and 
open. 


Again,  they  were  exceedingly  offcndea 
with  the  high  character  he  assimied  as  the 
Son  of  God,  and  the  Messiah.  On  this  ac- 
count, they  condemned  him  to  die  for  blas- 
phemy. They  expected  a  Messiah  indeed, 
who  they  professed  was  spoken  of  in  the 
scriptures ;  but  they  understood  not  wliat  the 
scriptures  had  revealed,  either  concerning 
his  divine  nature  or  his  voluntary  humilia- 
tion, that  he  was  to  be  the  Son  and  Lord  of 
David,  yet  a  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted 
with  grief  They  denied  his  di\  inity,  and 
themselves  unwittingly  fulfilled  the  prophe- 
cies that  spoke  of  his  suflerings;  affording, 
by  their  conduct,  a  memorable  proof  how 
fatally  persons  may  mistake  the  sense  of  the 
word  of  God,  while  they  profess  highly  to 
esteem  it. 

What  farther  increased  their  contempt  of 
his  claims,  and  contributed  to  harden  their 
hearts  more  implacably  against  him,  was  the 
obscurity  and  poverty  of  his  state.  While 
they  were  governed  by  worldly  wisdom,  and 
sought  not  the  teaching  of  God's  Spirit,  they 
could  not  but  suppose  an  utter  repugnance 
between  the  meanness  of  his  condition  and 
the  honours  he  vindicated  to  himself  They 
expected  a  Messiah  to  come  in  pomp  and 
power,  to  deliver  them  from  the  Roman  yoke. 
For  a  person  truly  divine,  who  made  himself 
equal  with  God,  to  be  encompassed  with 
poverty  and  distress,  seemed  such  profane 
contradiction,  as  might  justify  every  mark 
of  indignity  they  could  offer  him.  And  this 
difficulty  must  equally  affect  every  unen- 
lightened mind.  If  man  had  been  left  to  de- 
vise in  what  manner  the  Lord  of  the  universe 
would  probably  descend  to  dwell  awhile  with 
poor  mortals  in  a  visible  form,  they  would 
undoubtedly  have  imagined  such  a  scene,  if 
their  thoughts  could  have  reached  it,  as  is 
described  by  the  prophets  on  other  occasions : 
the  heavens  bowing,  tlie  earth  shaking,  the 
mountains  ready  to  start  from  their  places, 
and  all  nature  labouring  to  do  homage  to  her 
Creator.  Or,  if  he  came  in  a  milder  way, 
they  would  at  least  have  contrived  an  assem- 
blage of  all  that  we  conceive  magnificent, — 
a  pomp  and  splendour  surpassing  all  the 
world  ever  saw.  Expecting  nations  crowding 
to  welcome  his  arrival,  and  thrones  of  gold, 
and  palaces  of  ivory,  would  have  been  judged 
too  mean  to  accommodate  so  glorious  a  guest. 
But  the  Lord's  thoughts  and  ways  are  dif- 
ferent from  man's.  Tlie  beloved  Son  of  God, 
by  whom  all  things  were  made,  was  born  in 
a  stable,  and  grew  up  in  an  obscure  and  mean 
condition.  He  came  to  suffer  and  to  die  for 
sin,  to  sanctify  poverty  and  affliction  to  his 
people,  to  set  a  perfect  example  of  patience 
and  submission;  therefore  he  made  himself 
of  no  reputation,  but  took  upon  him  the  form 
and  offices  of  a  servant.  This  was  the  ap- 
pointment of  divine  wisdom;  but  so  incredi- 
ble in  the  judgment  of  blinded  mortals,  thaf 


30 


GROUNDS  OF  TIIE  OPPOSITION  TO, 


[book  I. 


the  apostle  assures  us,  "  no  man  can  say  that 
^  Jesus  is  the  Lord"  (1  Cor.  xii.  3,)  can  per- 
ceive and  acknowledge  his  inherent  excel- 
lence and  authority,  through  the  disgraceful 
circumstances  of  his  humiliation,  "  but  by  the 
Holy  Ghost."  His  enemies,  therefore,  thought 
they  sufficiently  refuted  his  assertions  by  re- 
ferring- to  his  supposed  parents,  and  the  re- 
puted place  of  his  nativity. 

Their  envy  and  hatred  were  still  more 
inflamed,  by  observing  the  character  of  his 
followers.  These  were  chiefly  poor  and 
illiterate  persons,  and  many  of  them  had  been 
notoriou.sly  wicked,  or  accounted  so;  publi- 
cans and  sinners,  whose  names  and  profes- 
sions were  vile  to  a  proverb.  And  for  such 
as  these,  and  almost  these  only,  to  acknow- 
ledge the  person  whom  they  refused,  and  by 
professing  themselves  his  disciples  (John  vii. 
49;  ix.  34,)  to  set  up  for  being  wiser  than 
their  teachers;  this  was  a  mortification  to 
their  pride,  which  they  could  not  bear, 
especially  when  they  found  their  number 
daily  to  increase,  and  therefore  could  not  but 
fear  their  own  influence  would  proportion- 
ably  decline. 

Once  more:  Mistaking  the  nature  of  his 
kingdom,  which  he  often  spoke  of,  they  op- 
posed him  from  reasons  of  state.  They  feared, 
or  pretended  to  fear,  that  if  they  suflfered  him 
to  go  on,  the  increase  of  his  disciples  would 
give  umbrage  to  the  Romans,  who  would 
come  and  take  away  both  their  places  and 
their  nation,  John  xi.  49.  Some  perhaps 
really  had  this  apprehension ;  but  it  was  more 
generally  a  pretence,  which  the  leaders  made 
use  of  to  alarm  the  ignorant.  They  were  in 
truth  impatient  of  the  Roman  yoke,  prone  to 
tumults,  and  ready  to  listen  to  every  de- 
ceiver who  promised  them  deliverance,  under 
pretence  of  being  their  expected  Messiah. 
But  from  enmity  and  opposition  to  Jesus, 
they  became  loyal  at  once.  So  they  might 
accomplish  their  designs  against  him,  they 
were  content  to  forget  other  grievances,  and 
openly  professed,  they  would  have  no  other 
king  but  Cffisar. 

These  were  some  of  the  chief  motives 
which  united  the  opposite  interests,  and  jar- 
ring sentiments  of  tlie  Jewish  sects  against 
our  blessed  Lord.  We  are  next  to  consider 
the  methods  they  employed  to  prejudice  the 
multitudes  against  him.  The  bulk  of  the 
common  people  seldom  think  for  themselves 
in  religious  concerns,  but  judge  it  sufficient 
to  give  up  their  understandings  and  con- 
sciences to  their  professed  teachers.*  They 
are,  however,  for  the  most  part,  more  un- 
prejudiced and  open  to  conviction  than  their 


*  This  is  much  to  be  lamented  ;  for  if  the  blind  lead 
the  blind,  shall  they  not  both  fall  into  the  ditch?  Matth. 
XV.  14.  When  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  how  indeed  can 
it  be  otherwise,  if  the  former  imagine  they  see,  and  the 
latter  are  content  to  be  led!  Alas  for  the  people  that  are 
in  such  a  case  I  alas  for  their  guides 


guides,  whose  reputation  and  interest  are 
more  nearly  concerned  to  maintain  every 
established  error,  and  to  stop  up  every  ave- 
nue by  which  truth  and  reformation  might 
enter.  The  Jewish  people,  uninfluenced  by 
the  proud  and  selfish  views  of  the  priests  and 
rulers,  readily  honoured  the  ministry  of 
Christ,  and  attended  him  in  great  multitudes. 
If  they  did  not  enter  into  the  grand  design 
of  his  mission,  they  at  least  gave  him  testi- 
monies of  respect.  When  Jesus  caused 
(Matth.  XV.  31;  Luke  vii.  16)  the  dumb  to 
speak,  the  maimed  to  be  whole,  the  lame  to 
walk,  and  the  blind  to  see,  they  glorified  the 
God  of  Israel,  saying,  "  A  great  prophet  is 
risen  up  amongst  us,  God  has  visited  his 
people."  Now,  what  was  to  be  done  in  this 
case !  would  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  stand 
unconcerned  ]  No ;  it  is  said  in  several  places, 
they  were  filled  with  indignation,!  and  es- 
sayed every  means  to  bring  his  person  and 
miracles  into  disrepute.  The  methods  they 
used  are  worthy  of  notice,  having  been  often 
repeated  since  (as  to  their  substance)  against 
the  servants  of  Christ. 

1.  They  availed  themselves  of  a  popular 
mistake  concerning  his  birth.  Jesus  was  born 
in  Bethlehem,  according  to  the  scriptures; 
but  being  removed  from  thence  in  his  infancy 
to  avoid  Herod's  cruelty,  and  his  parents 
afterwards  living  at  Nazareth  in  Galilee,  he 
was  supposed  by  many,  to  have  been  born 
there.  Even  Nathaniel  was  prejudiced  by 
this  mistake,  but  happily  yielded  to  Philip's 
advice  to  examine  for  himself.  But  it  pre- 
vented many  from  inquiring  much  about 
Jesus,  and  therefore  his  enemies  made  the 
most  of  it,  and  confidently  appealed  to  the 
scripture,  when  it  seemed  to  decide  in  their 
favour.  Search  and  look  (John  vii.  42.  52) 
for  out  of  Galilee  ariseth  no  prophet.  It  is 
probable  many  were  staggered  with  this  ob- 
jection, and  thought  it  sufficient  to  invalidate 
all  his  discourses  and  miracles;  since,  let 
him  say  and  do  what  he  would,  he  could  not 
possibly  be  the  Messiah,  if  he  was  born  in 
Galilee. 

2.  They  urged,  that  he  could  not  be  of 
God,  because  he  infringed  the  law  of  Moses, 
and  broke  the  Sabbath,  John  ix.  16.  This, 
though  it  may  seem  a  groundless  objection 
to  us,  was  not  so  to  many  at  that  time,  who 
knew  not  the  spiritual  design  and  meaning 
of  the  law,  and  perhaps  had  not  the  oppor- 
tunity to  hear  our  Lord  vindicate  himself. 
They  urged  this  vehemently  against  the  force 
of  a  notorious  miracle,  and  not  without  some 
colour,  from  the  words  of  Moses  himself 
(Deut.  xiii.  2)  who  had  warned  them  to  be- 
ware of  false  teachers,  though  they  should 
confirm  their  doctrine  by  signs  and  wonders. 

3.  They  reproached  the  freedom  of  his 

t  It  is  a  strong  symptom  of  hypocrisy  and  enmity  to 
the  gospel,  to  be  offended  with  any  new  and  remarkablt 
displays  of  divine  grace. 


CHAP.  III.] 


AND  OFFENCES  AGAINST  OUR  LORD. 


81 


conversation.  Jesus  was  of  easy  access,  and 
condescended  to  converse  and  eat  witli  any 
who  invited  him.  He  neitlier  practised  nor 
enjoined  the  austerities,  which  carry  the  air 
of  superior  sanctity  in  the  judp;inent  of  weak 
and  superstitious  minds.  Tliey  therefore 
styled  liim  a  jjlutton  and  wine-bibber  (Luke 
vii.  .34,)  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners; 
that  is,  as  they  intended  it,  a  companion  with 
them,  and  a  conniver  at  their  wickedness. 
Nothing  could  be  more  false  and  slanderous 
than  this  charge,  or  more  easily  refuted,  if 
the  people  would  examine  closely.  But  as  it 
came  from  teachers  who  were  highly  re- 
verenced for  mortification,  and  as  Jesus  was 
Usually  attended  by  many  with  whom  it  was 
thought  infamous  to  associate,  it  could  not 
but  have  great  weight  with  the  credulous 
and  indolent. 

4.  They  laid  much  stress  upon  the  mean 
condition  of  his  followers.  They  were  mostly 
Gialileans,  a  people  of  small  estimation,  and 
of  the  lowest  rank,  fishermen,  or  publicans; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  few  or  none  of  the 
rulers  or  Pharisees,  who  were  presumed  to 
be  best  qualified  (John  vii.  48)  to  judge  of 
his  pretensions,  had  believed  on  him.  Those 
who  are  acquainted  with  human  nature,  can- 
not but  know  how  strongly  this  appeal  to  the 
judgment  of  persons  eminent  for  their  learn- 
ing or  station,  operates  upon  minds  who  have 
no  better  criterion  of  truth.  How  could  a 
Jew,  who  had  been  from  his  infancy  super- 
stitiously  attached  to  the  Pharisees,  suppose, 
that  these  eminently  devout  men,  who  spent 
their  lives  in  the  study  of  the  law,  would 
have  rejected  Jesus,  if  he  had  been  a  good 
man] 

5.  When,  notwithstanding  all  their  sur- 
mises, multitudes  still  professed  high  thoughts 
of  Jesus,  beholding  his  wonderful  works, 
they  proceeded  with  the  most  blasphemous 
eifrontery  to  defame  the  miracles  they  could 
not  deny,  and  maliciously  ascribed  them  to 
the  agency  of  the  devil,  Matth.  xii.  14.  Tliis 
pertinacious  resistance  to  the  conviction, 
both  of  their  senses  and  consciences,  was  the 
highest  stage  of  impiety,  and  constituted 
their  sin,  as  our  Lord  assured  them,  unpar- 
donable. Not  that  any  sin,  considered  in 
itself,  is  too  great  for  the  blood  of  Jesus  to 
expiate;  but  as  they  utterly  renounced  and 
scorned  his  mediation,  there  remained  no 
other  sacrifice,  but  they  were  judicially  given 
up  to  incurable  impenitence  and  hardness  of 
heart.  Yet  it  is  probable,  that  even  this  black 
assertion  was  not  without  influence  upon 
some,  who  were  wedded  to  their  sins,  and 
therefore  glad  of  any  pretext,  how  unrea- 
sonable soever,  to  refuse  the  testimony  of 
truth. 

6.  Another  means  they  made  use  of,  the 
last  we  shall  enumerate,  and  not  the  least 
effectual  to  intimidate  the  minds  of  the  peo- 
ple from  acknowledging  Jesus,  was  the  con- 


vincing argument  of  violence  and  ill  treat- 
ment. Having  tlie  power  in  their  hands  they 
employed  it  against  his  followers,  and  made 
an  agreement,  that  whoever  confessed  he 
was  Christ,  should  be  put  out  of  the  syna- 
gogue (John  ix.  22,)  that  is,  excommunicaU  d. 
This  decree  seems  to  have  been  made  by  the 
Sanhedrim,  or  great  council,  and  to  imply, 
not  merely  an  exclusion  from  the  rights  of 
public  worship,  but  likewise  a  positive  pu- 
nishment equivalent  to  an  outlawry  with  us. 
The  fear  of  incurring  this  penalty  (John  xii. 
42)  restrained  the  parents  of  the  man  born 
blind,  and  prevented  many  others  who  were 
in  their  hearts  convinced  that  he  was  the 
Messiah,  from  owning  him  as  such.  They 
loved  the  world ;  they  preferred  the  praise  of 
men  to  the  praise  of  God ;  and  therefore  re- 
mained silent  and  neuter. 

From  such  motives,  and  by  such  methods, 
our  Lord  was  resisted  and  opposed  by  the 
heads  of  the  Jewish  nation.  The  scribes  and 
teachers,  to  whom  the  key  of  knowledge  was 
by  authority  committed,  disdained  to  use  it 
themselves,  and  those  who  were  willing  they 
hindered.  Had  they  been  wise  and  faithful, 
they  would  have  directed  the  people  to  Christ ; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  they  darkened  the 
plainest  scriptures,  and  perverted  the  clearest 
facts,  to  prevent,  if  possible,  his  reception. 
In  vain  he  spoke  as  never  man  spoke,  and 
multiplied  the  wonders  of  his  power  and  love 
in  their  presence.  In  vain  to  them. — They 
pursued  him  with  unwearied  subtlety  and 
malice,*  traduced  him  to  the  people  and  to 
the  government,  and  would  be  satisfied  with 
nothing  less  than  his  death ;  so  obstinate  and 
wicked  is  the  heart  of  man,  so  fatal  are  the 
prejudices  of  pride  and  worldly  interest.  For 
as  we  observed  before,  these  tempers  were 
not  peculiar  to  the  Jews ;  they  are  essential 
to  depraved  nature,  and  operate  universally, 
where  the  grace  of  God  does  not  make  a  dif- 
ference. To  this  hour  the  gospel  of  Christ  is 
opposed  upon  the  same  grounds,  and  by  the 
like  artifices,  as  were  once  employed  against 
his  person. 

The  doctrines  which  his  faithful  ministers 
deduce  and  enforce  from  the  written  word, 
are  no  other  than  what  he  himself  taught, 
namely,  a  declaration  of  his  personal  honours 
and  authority,  of  the  insufficiency  of  formal 
worship,  in  which  the  heart  is  not  concerned, 
of  the  extent  and  spirituality  of  the  law  of 
God,  and  of  salvation,  freely  proclaimed  to 
the  miserable,  through  faith  in  his  name. 
The  self-righteous,  the  self-wise,  and  all  who 
are  devoted  to  the  pleasures  and  honours  of 
the  world,  have  each  their  particular  excep- 


*  Mark  xii.  13.  They  sent  unto  liim  ciTtain  of  the 
Pharisees  to  catch  him.  Ay  piujj  e.xpresscs  the  art  and 
assiduity  of  sportsmen,  in  the  various  nielhoils  tliey  use 
to  en.snare,  entanjile.  or  destroy  their  game.  It  well 
suits  the  spirit  and  design  of  our  Lord's  enemies  in  the 
question  proposed,  and  is  finely  contrasted  by  the  meek- 
ness and  wisdom  of  his  answer. 


STATE  OF  THE  CHURCH 


[book  t. 


tions  to  these  truths.  The  wisdom  of  God 
they  account  foolishness;  and  the  languag'e 
of  their  hearts  is,  We  will  not  have  this  man 
to  reiwn  over  us.  And  the  success  of  these 
doctrines,  which  is  chiefly  visible  among  such 
as  they  have  been  accustomed  to  despise,  is 
equally  offensive;  yet  so  inconsistent  are 
they,  that  if  here  and  there  a  few  persons, 
who  were  before  eminent  for  their  rank, 
attainments,  or  morality,  are  prevailed  on  to 
account  all  things  but  loss  and  dung,  for  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus 
their  Lord,  this,  instead  of  removing  their 
first  objection,  excites  their  rage  and  con- 
tempt still  more. 

And  as  the  motives  of  their  hatred,  so  their 
methods  of  expressing  it,  are  the  same.  They 
are  not  ashamed  to  adopt  and  exaggerate  the 
most  vulgar  misconceptions;  they  set  the 
scripture  at  variance  with  itself;  and  while 
they  pass  over  the  plainest  and  most  im- 
portant passages  unnoticed,  they  dwell  upon 
a  few  texts  of  more  dubious  import,  and 
therefore  more  easily  accommodated  to  their 
sense.  With  these  they  flourish  and  triumph, 
and  affect  a  high  zeal  in  defence  of  the  word 
of  God.  They  reproach  the  pure  gospel  as 
licentious,  because  it  exposes  the  vanity  of 
their  singularities  and  will-worship,  and  are 
desirous  to  bind  heavier  burdens  upon  men's 
shoulders,  which  few  of  themselves  will 
touch  with  one  of  their  fingers.  They  en- 
large on  the  weakness  and  ignorance  of  those 
who  mostly  receive  the  new  doctrine,  and 
entrench  themselves  under  the  sanction  of 
learned  and  dignified  names.  They  even 
venture  to  explode  and  vilify  the  evident 
effects  of  God's  grace,  and  ascribe  the  agency 
of  his  Spirit  to  enthusiasm,  infatuation,  and 
madness,  if  not  expressly  to  diabolical  in- 
fluence. And,  lastly,  so  far  as  Divine  Provi- 
dence permits,  they  show  themselves  actuated 
by  the  primitive  spirit  of  oppression  and  vio- 
lence, in  pursuing  the  faithful  followers  of 
the  truth  with  censures  and  penalties. 

But  let  who  will  rage  and  imagine  vain 
things,  Jesus  is  the  King  in  Zion.  He  is  the 
same,  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever.  There 
were  a  happy  few  in  the  days  of  his  flesh, 
who  beheld  his  glory,  trusted  on  him  for  sal- 
vation, and  attended  him  amidst  the  many 
reproaches  and  sufferings  he  endured  from 
sinners.  Of  these  his  first  witnesses,  we  are 
to  speak  in  the  following  chapter.  His  gos- 
pel likewise,  though  opposed  by  maiiy,  and 
slighted  by  more,  is  never  preached  in  vain. 
To  some  it  will  always  be  the  power  and 
wisdom  of  God;  they  know  in  whom  they 
have  believed,  and  therefore  are  not  ashamed 
to  appear  in  his  cause  against  all  disadvan- 
tages. Supported  and  encouraged  by  his 
Spirit,  they  go  on  from  strength  to  strength, 
and  are  successively  made  more  than  con- 
querors, by  his  blood  and  the  word  of  his 
testimony. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Observations  on  the  calling-  and  character 
of  our  Lord's  apostles  and  disciples  previ- 
ous to  his  ascension. 

From  what  has  been  observed  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapters,  it  is  evident,  that  those  wlif) 
assert  a  principle  of  free-will  in  man,  suf- 
ficiently enabling  him  to  choose  and  deter- 
mine for  himself,  when  the  truths  of  the 
gospel  are  plainly  laid  before  him,  do  thereby 
(as  far  as  in  them  lies)  render  the  salvation 
of  mankind  highly  precarious,  if  not  utterly 
hopeless  and  impracticable.  Notwithstanding 
God  was  pleased  to  send  his  own  Son  witli  a 
gracious  message ;  notwithstanding  his  whole 
life  was  a  series  of  wonders,  and  all  his  ac- 
tions discovered  a  wisdom,  power,  and  good- 
ness answerable  to  his  high  character ;  not- 
withstanding the  time,  manner,  and  design 
of  his  appearance  and  sufferings  had  been 
clearly  foretold;  yet,  so  far  as  a  judgment 
can  be  made  from  the  event,  he  would  cer- 
tainly have  lived  and  died  in  vain^  without 
influence  or  honour,  without  leaving  a  single 
disciple,  if  the  same  grace  that  provided  the 
means  of  redemption,  had  not  engaged  to 
make  them  effectual,  by  preparing  and  dis- 
posing the  hearts  of  sinners  to  receive  him. 

In  the  account  given  us  by  the  evangelists 
of  those  who  professed  themselves  his  ditci- 
ples,  we  may  discern,  as  in  miniature,  tlie 
general  methods  of  his  grace;  and,  comparing 
his  personal  ministry  with  the  effects  of  his 
gospel  in  all  succeeding  times,  we  may  be 
assured  that  the  work  and  the  power  are 
still  the  same.  The  choice  he  made  of  liis 
disciples,  the  manner  of  their  calling,  Ihoir 
characters,  and  even  their  defects,  and  fail- 
ings; in  a  word,  all  that  is  recorded  concern- 
ing them,  is  written  for  our  instruction,  and 
is  particularly  useful  to  teach  us  the  true 
meaning  of  what  passes  within  our  own  ob- 
servation. 

1.  Several  things  are  worthy  our  notice, 
in  this  view,  with  respect  to  the  choice  of 
his  disciples. 

1st,  They  were  comparatively  very  few. 
He  was,  indeed,  usually  attended  by  multi- 
tudes in  the  different  places  where  he  preach- 
ed, because  he  spoke  with  a  power  they  had 
never  met  with  before,  and  because  he  healed 
the  sick,  fed  the  hungry,  and  did  good  to  all. 
But  he  had  very  few  constant  followers. 
Those  who  assembled  at  Jerusalem  after  his 
ascension,  are  said  to  have  been  but  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty  (Acts  i.  15;)  and 
when  he  appointed  his  dis^ciples  a  solemn 
meeting  in  Galilee,  informing  them  before- 
hand of  the  time  and  place  where  he  would 
come  to  them,  the  number  that  then  met 
here  is  expressed  by  the  apostle  to  have  been 
more  than  five  hundred,  1  Cor.  xv.  6.*  We 

*  The  word  brethren  Iiere  iiseii  docs  not  prove  that 
1  none  but  men  were  present  at  that  time,  any  more  tliaii 


CHAP.  IV.] 


IMMEDIATELY  BEFORE  THE  ASCENSION. 


33 


can  hardly  suppose,  that  any  who  loved  him, 
and  were  able  to  travel,  would  have  been 
absent  upon  so  interesting'  an  occasion ;  but 
how  small  a  company  was  this,  compared 
with  the  many  thousands  among  whom  he 
had  conversed  in  all  the  cities  and  villaoces 
through  which  he  had  ])assed,  preaching  the 
gospel,  and  performing  innumerable  miracles, 
for  more  than  three  years !  Well  might  the 
prophet  say,  foreseeing  the  small  success  he 
would  meet  with,  "  Who  hath  believed  our 
report^  and  to  whom  hath  the  arm  of  the 
IjOrd  been  revealed !"  But  since  he,  in  whom 
the  fulness  of  grace  resided,  had  so  few  dis- 
ciples, it  may  lessen  our  surprise,  that  his 
gospel,  though  in  itself  the  power  and  wis- 
dom of  God,  should  meet  with  so  cold  a  re- 
ception aonongst  men,  as  it  has  in  fact  always 
done. 

2dly,  Of  those  few  who  professed  a  more 
entire  attachment  to  his  person,  a  consider- 
able part,  after  attending  him  for  some  time, 
went  back,  and  walked  no  more  with  him. 
They  were  but  superficially  convinced,  and 
rather  struck  with  the  power  of  his  words 
and  works,  than  deeply  sensible  of  their  own 
need  of  him.  When,  therefore,  upon  a  cer- 
tain occasion,  he  spake  of  the  more  inward 
and  experimental  part  of  religion,  the  life  of 
faith,  and  the  necessity  of  eating  his  flesh, 
and  drinking  his  blood,  so  many  were  offended 
at  his  doctrine,  and  forsook  him  (John  vi. 
66,  67,)  that  he  said  unto  the  twelve,  "  Will 
ye  also  go  away !"  which  seems  to  imply,  that 
there  were  few  but  thase  remaining.  There- 
fore, though  we  see  at  present  that  where 
the  sound  of  the  gospel  brings  multitudes 
together,  many,  who  for  a  season  appeared 
in  earnest,  gradually  decline  in  their  pro- 
fession, and  at  length  wholly  return  to  their 
former  ways,  we  have  the  less  reason  to 
wonder  or  be  discouraged,  remembering  that 
it  was  thus  from  the  beginning. 

3dly,  Those  who  believed  in  Christ  then, 
were  chiefly  (as  we  liad  occasion  to  observe 
before)  persons  of  low  condition,  and  many 
of  them  had  been  formerly  vile  and  obnoxious 
in  their  conduct.  While  the  wise  and  learn- 
ed rejected  him,  his  more  immediate  follow- 
ers were  Galileans,  fishermen,  publicans,  ^nd 
sinners.  This  was  observed,  and  urged  to 
his  reproach  and  theirs ;  and  the  like  offence 
has  always  attended  his  gospel.  But  what 
enraged  his  enemies,  fills  the  hearts  and 
mouths  of  his  poor  people  with  praise.  They 
adore  his  condescension  (Luke  i.  52,  53)  in 
taking  notice  of  the  most  unworthy,  and  ad- 
mire the  efficacy  of  his  grace  in  making 
those  who  were  once  wretched  slaves  to 
Satan,  a  free  and  willing  people  in  the  day 
of  his  power. 

that,  because  the  apostles,  in  their  public  preaching, 
addressed  their  iiearers  as  men  an<i  brethren,  there  were 
thcrefdre  no  women  amonast  them,  or  that  the  women 
were  not  considered  as  having  any  interest  or  concern 
in  the  frospel-minislry 

Vol.  IL  E 


4thly,  But  this  was  not  universally  the 
case.  Though  not  many  wise,  rich,  or  no- 
ble were  called,  there  were  some  even  of 
these.  His  grace  triumphed  over  every  cir- 
cumstance of  life.  Zaccheus  was  a  rich 
man,*  Nicodemus  a  ruler  of  the  Jews,  .fo- 
seph  an  honourable  counsellor.  We  also 
read  of  a  nobleman  or  courtier,  who  believed, 
with  all  his  house.  In  every  age,  likewise, 
there  have  been  some  persons  of  distinguish- 
ed eminence  for  birth,  honours,  and  abilities, 
who  have  cheerfully  engaged  in  the  profes- 
sion of  a  despised  gospel,  though  they  have 
thereby  incurred  a  double  share  of  opposition 
from  the  men  of  the  world,  especially  from 
those  of  their  own  rank.  The  number  of 
these  has  been  always  sufficient  to  confute 
those  who  would  insinuate  that  the  gospel  is 
only  suited  to  the  taste  of  the  vulgar  and  ig- 
norant ;  yet  it  has  always  been  so  small  as  to 
make  it  evident,  that  the  truth  is  not  sup- 
ported by  the  wisdom  or  influence  of  men, 
but  by  the  power  and  providence  of  God. 

5thly,  It  was  farther  observable,  that  se- 
veral of  our  Lord's  few  disciples  were  under 
previous  connections  amongst  themselves. 
Peter  and  Andrew  were  brothers  (John  i. 
40,)  as  likewise  James  and  John ;  and  these, 
together  with  Philip,  and  perhaps  Nathaniel, 
seem  to  have  been  all  of  one  town.f  The 
other  James  and  Jude  were  also  brethren. 
So  it  is  said,  Jesus  loved  Mary,  and  her  sis- 
ter, and  Lazarus,  three  in  one  house,  when 
perhaps  the  whole  place  hardly  afforded  a 
fourth ;  and  more  in  a  single  village  than 
were  to  be  found  in  many  larger  cities  taken 
together.  This  circumstance  more  strongly 
marked  the  discrimination  of  his  grace,  in 
making  the  means  effectual  where  and  to 
whom  he  pleased.  Such  has  been  the  usual 
event  of  his  gospel  since.  It  is  proclaimed 
to  all,  but  accepted  by  few ;  and  of  these 
several  are  often  found  in  one  family,  while 
their  next-door  neighbours  account  it  a  bur- 
den and  offence.  It  flourishes  here  and  there 
in  a  few  places  (Amos  iv.  7,)  while  those  of 
the  adjacent  country  are  buried  in  more 
than  Egyptian  darkness,  and  resist  the  en- 
deavours of  those  who  would  invite  them  to 


*  Zaccheus  was  a  chief  or  principal  publican,  ta 
whom  the  rest  were  accountable;  a  commissioner  of 
the  public  revenue.  And  he  was  rich.  Tile  Greek  is 
more  expressive,  And  this  iras  a  rich  mail,  Luke  xix.  2, 
Iierhaps  alluding  to  what  had  passed  a  little  before, 
chap,  xviii.  2.5  This  remark  is  arlded,  to  remind  us, 
that  what  is  impos.^iible  with  men.  is  easy  to  him  who 
can  speak  to  the  hear',  and  turn  it  as  he  will. 

t  Compare  Mark  i.  Ki,  Luke  v  10,  with  John  i.  44, 
4.1  These  six,  and  more  than  these,  were  fishermen 
(John  xxi.  2.)  and  such  they  continued,  only  their  net- 
success  and  capture  were  so  much  changed,  that  it  be- 
came a  new  calling  ;  he  made  th(.'m  fishers  of  men.  fn 
the  fishermen's  calling  there  is  ie(]uired  a  certain  dex- 
terity, much  patience,  and  a  readiness  to  bear  hard- 
•hips.  Perhaps  many  observations  Ihcy  made  in  their 
former  business  were  useful  to  them  aftersvarils.  And 
the  Lord  still  brings  up  his  servants  so.  that  the  re- 
membrance of  former  years  (the  years  of  ignorance) 
liecomes  a  rule  and  encouragement  in  future  and  difltr- 
ent  scenes  of  life. 


34 


STATE  OF  THE  CHURCH 


[book  I 


partake  of  the  same  benefits.  Thus  the  Lord 
is  pleased  to  display  his  own  sovereignty,  in 
raisinff  and  sending-  forth  his  ministers,  when 
and  where  he  sees  fit,  and  in  determining 
the  subjects  and  measure  of  their  success.  If 
others  dispute  and  cavil  against  this  pro- 
cedure,* those  who  believe  have  cause  to 
adore  his  goodness  to  themselves.  And  a  day 
is  at  hand,  wlien  every  mouth  shall  be  stop- 
ped that  would  contend  with  the  just  Judge 
of  all  the  earth.  The  impenitent  and  unbe- 
lieving will  not  then  dare  to  charge  him  with 
injustice  for  dealing  with  them  according  to 
their  own  counsels  and  desires,  inasmuch  as 
when  the  light  of  truth  was  ready  to  break 
upon  them,  they  chose  darkness  rather  than 
light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil. 

2.  In  the  calling  of  our  Lord's  disciples, 
and  the  manner  in  which  they  were  brought 
to  know  and  serve  him,  we  may  discover  the 
same  variety  as  at  this  day  appears  in  the 
conversion  of  sinners  by  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel. 

Some,  from  a  religious  education,  an  early 
acquaintance  with  the  scriptures,  and  the  se- 
cret influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  their 
hearts,  are  gradually  prepared  for  the  recep- 
tion of  the  truth.  They  read,  and  strive,  and 
pray ;  they  feel  an  uneasiness,  and  a  want, 
•which  they  know  not  how  to  remedy ;  they 
are  sincerely  desirous  to  know  and  do  the 
will  of  God;  and  yet,  through  misapprehen- 
sion, and  the  influence  of  popular  prejudice, 
they  are,  for  a  season,  withheld  from  the 
means  that  would  relieve  them.  But  at  length 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel  explains  to  them 
the  meaning  of  their  former  exercises,  ex- 
actly answers  to  the  state  of  their  minds,  and 
thereby  brings  its  own  evidence.  Similar  to 
this  was  the  case  of  Nathaniel.  When  our 
Lord  referred  him  to  what  had  passed  under 
the  fig-tree,  where  he  had  thought  himself 
alone  and  unobserved,  his  doubts  and  scruples 
vanished  in  an  instant.  There  is  little  doubt 
but  Nathaniel  had  been  praying  under  the 
fig-tree,  and  probably  desiring  a  farther 
knowledge  of  the  prophecies,  and  their  ac- 
complishment in  the  Messiah.  He  had  heard 
of  Jesus,  but  could  not  fully  clear  up  the  ob- 
jections made  against  him ;  but  now  he  was 
convinced  and  satisfied  in  a  moment. 

*  See  Rom.  xi.  23.  There  are  but  few  who  dispute 
upon  the  subject  of  the  divine  decrees  with  that  rever- 
ence and  caution  St.  Paul  e.\presses.  In  chap.  ix.  when 
an  objection  was  started,  he  cuts  it  short  with,  "  But 
who  art  thou,  O  man,  that  repliest  against  God  ?" 
And  here  he  breaks  off  abruptly,  with  "  O  the  depth !" 
&c.  He  seems  to  have  followed  the  narrow  winding 
streams  of  human  reasoning,  till  he  finds  himself  un- 
awares upon  the  brink  of  an  ocean  that  has  neither 
bounds  nor  bottom.  And  every  word  expresses  the  re- 
verence and  astonishment  with  which  his  mind  was 
filled  ;  the  wisdom  of  the  divine  councils  in  their  first 
plan  ;  the  knowledge  of  theirextensive  consequences  in 
this  world,  in  all  worlds,  in  time,  and  in  eternity  ;  the 
riches  of  that  wisdom  and  knowledge ;  the  depth  of 
those  riches;  his  counsels  inacce.«sible,  liis  proceedings 
untraceable  :  all  is  wonderful  in  St.  Paul's  view.  How 
different  this  from  the  trifling  arrogant  spirit  of  too 
many  upon  this  topic  I 


The  attention  of  some  is  drawn  by  what 
they  see  and  hear  around  them.  They  form 
a  favourable  ojjinion  of  the  gospel  from  the 
remarkable  eflccts  it  produces ;  but  their  first 
inquiries  are  damped  by  difficulties  whicli 
they  cannot  easily  get  over,  and  they  are 
ready  to  say.  How  can  these  things  be  7  Their 
interests  and  connections  in  life  are  a  farther 
hinderance ;  the  fear  of  man,  which  bringoth 
a  snare,  is  a  great  restraint  upon  their  in- 
quiries; but  now  and  then  when  they  can 
venture  without  being  noticed,  they  seek 
farther  instruction.  Novv',  though  this  hesi- 
tating spirit,  which  pays  so  much  deference 
to  worldly  regards  in  the  search  of  truth,  is 
highly  blameable  ;  yet  the  Lord  who  is  rich 
in  mercy,  is  often  pleased  to  produce  a  happy 
and  abiding  change  from  such  imperfect  be- 
ginnings. As  they  increase  in  knowledge, 
they  gain  more  courage,  and  in  time  arrive 
to  a  comfortable  experience  and  open  profes- 
sion of  the  truth.  Thus  it  was  with  Nicode- 
mus :  he  was  at  first  ignorant  and  fearful ; 
but  his  interview  with  Jesus  by  night,  had 
a  good  effect.  He  afterwards  ventured  to 
speak  more  publicly  (John  vii.  50)  in  his 
favour,  though  still  he  did  not  join  himself  to 
the  disciples:  but  the  circumstances  of 
Christ's  death  freed  him  from  all  fear,  and 
inspired  him  to  attempt  the  most  obnoxious 
service,  when  the  apostles  themselves  were 
afraid  to  be  seen,  John  xix.  39. 

Otliers  are  first  prompted  to  hear  the  gos- 
pel from  no  higher  motive  than  curiosity; 
but  going  as  mere  spectators,  they  find  them- 
selves retained  as  parties  unawares.  The 
word  of  God,  powerful  and  penetrating  as  a 
two-edged  sword,  discovers  the  thoughts  and 
intents  of  their  hearts,  presses  upon  their 
consciences,  and  seems  addressed  to  them- 
selves alone.  The  sentiments  they  carry 
away  with  them  are  far  different  from  those 
they  brought ;  and  a  change  in  their  whole 
deportment  immediately  takes  place.  Such 
was  the  case  of  Zaccheus  (Luke  xix.  5 :)  he 
had  heard  much  of  Jesus,  and  desired  to  see 
htm  ;  for  this  end,  he  ran  before,  and  climbed 
a  tree,  from  whence  he  purposed  to  behold 
him  unobserved.  But  how  great  must  his 
surprise  and  emotion  have  been,  when  Jesus, 
whom  he  had  considered  as  a  stranger,  looked 
up,  called  him  by  his  name,  and  invited  him- 
self to  his  house. 

Some  are  drawn  by  the  report  of  others, 
freely  declaring  what  the  Lord  has  done  for 
their  souls.  The  relation  awakens  in  them 
desires  after  him  which  are  not  disappointed ; 
for  he  is  rich  enough  to  satisfy  all  who  seek 
to  him.  So  the  Samaritans,  whose  expecta- 
tions were  first  raised  by  the  woman's  de- 
claration, "  Come  and  see  a  man  which  told 
me  all  things  that  ever  I  did  ;  is  not  this  the 
Christ  ?"  (John  iv.  43)  had  soon  a  more  con- 
vincing testimony,  and  could  say,  "  Now  we 
believe,  not  because  of  thy  word,  but  we 


CHAP.  IV.] 


IMMEDIATELY  BEFORE  THE  ASCENSION. 


S5 


have  heard  him  ourselves;  and  know  that 
tliis  is  indeed  the  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the 
world." 

To  a  few  the  first  impulses  of  divine  grace 
come  suddenly  and  unthought  of,  when  their 
hearts  and  hands  are  engaf^ed  quite  another 
way  ;  as  Saul,  who  was  seeking  his  father's 
asses,  received  tlie  unexpected  news  of  a 
kingdom.  A  ray  of  truth  pierces  their  minds 
like  lightning,  and  disposes  them  to  leave 
their  scliemes  unfinished,  to  seek  the  king- 
dom of  God  and  his  righteousness  only. 
Tluis  our  Lord  passed  by  the  sons  of  Zebe- 
dee  when  mending  their  nets  (Mark  i.  16. 
19,)  and  Matthew  while  busied  at  the  receipt 
of  custom,  Mark  ii.  14.  He  only  said.  Fol- 
low me  ;  lie  used  no  arguments,  he  proposed 
no  rewards;  but  he  spoke  to  their  hearts, 
anil,  by  the  constraining  power  of  his  love, 
onsraged  them  to  a  cheerful  and  immediate 
obedience. 

Afflictions  likewi.se  are  now,  no  less  than 
f<)nnerly,  a  happy  means  to  bring  many  to 
Jesus.  He  prepares  them  for  heavenly  bless- 
ings, by  embittering  or  removing  their  crea- 
ture-comforts. Had  they  continued  in  pros- 
perity, they  would  not  have  thought  of  him  ; 
but  the  loss  of  health,  or  friends,  or  sub- 
stance, disappointments  in  life,  or  a,  near 
prospect  of  death,  constrain  them  in  good 
earnest  to  seek  for  one  able  to  deliver  them. 
In  the  time  of  their  distress,  they  say,  Arise, 
and  save  us;  not  that  afflictions  in  them- 
selves can  produce  this  turn  of  thought. 
Too  many,  in  such  circumstances,  toss  like 
a  wild  bull  in  a  net ;  but  when  he  sends  af- 
flictions for  this  purpose,  they  accomplish 
that  which  he  pleases.  Thus,  when  he  was 
upon  earth,  many  who  came,  or  were  brouoht 
(Mark  ii.  9)  to  him  for  the  relief  of  bodily 
disorder.?,  experienced  a  double  cure.  He 
healed  (John  ix.  7.  36.  88)  their  diseases, 
and  pardoned  their  sins.  At  the  same  time 
that  he  restored  the  blind  to  sight  (John  iv. 
53,)  he  opened  the  eyes  of  their  minds.  He 
sometimes  made  the  afflictions  of  one  the 
means  to  bring  a  whole  family  to  the  know- 
ledge of  his  grace.  A  considerable  part  of 
his  followers  were  such  as  these,  whom  he 
had  graciously  relieved  from  distresses  in- 
curable by  any  hand  but  his.  Some  had  been 
long  and  grievously  tormented  ;  had  assayed 
every  means,  but  fiiund  themselves  worse 
and  worse,  till  they  applied  to  him ;  and  hav- 
ing known  the  happy  effects  of  his  power  and 
comp'ission,  they  would  leave  him  no  more. 

Lastly,  We  sometimes  meet  with  instances 
of  his  mercy  and  ability  to  save  even  to  the 
uttermost,  in  the  unhoped-for  conversion  of 
desperate  and  hardened  sinners,  who  have 
gone  on  with  a  high  hand,  regardless  of  mer- 
cies, warnings,  and  judgments,  till  they 
seemed  past  conviction,  and  given  up  to  a 
reprobate  mind.  Their  state  resembles  that 
of  the  demoniac,  Luke  viii.    They  are  so 


entirely  under  the  power  of  the  devil  (though 
perhaps  they  vainly  boast  of  freedom,)  that 
no  arguments,  no  motives,  no  resolutions,  can 
restrain  them  within  bounds;  but  they  break 
through  every  tie  of  nature,  conscience,  and 
reason,  and  are  restless  drudges  in  the  ser- 
vice of  sin,  though  they  feel  themselves 
miserable  at  present,  and  see  inevitable  ruin 
before  their  eyes.  Yet  even  this  case  is  not 
too  hard  for  him  on  whom  the  sinner's  help 
is  laid.  He  can  dispo.s.sess  the  legion  with  a 
word ;  he  can  take  the  prey  from  the  mighty, 
and  deliver  the  lawful  captive,  bind  the 
strong  one  armed,  and  divide  his  spoil.  Happy 
change !  when  the  power  of  grace  not  only 
sets  the  soul  at  liberty  from  sin  and  Satan, 
but  puts  it  in  possession  of  what  were  lately 
the  instruments  of  its  slavery!  when  all  the 
powers  and  faculties  of  body  and  mind  are 
redeemed  to  the  Lord's  use,  and  the  experi- 
ence of  past  evil  is  made  conducive  to  future 
comfort  and  advantage!  Such  an  instance 
was  that  great  sinner,  that  penitent,  believ- 
ing, happy  soul,  of  whom  it  is  emphatically 
remarked,  "  She  loved  much,  because  much 
had  been  forgiven  her,"  Luke  vii.  47.  Some- 
times the  deliverance  is  deferred  till  near 
the  period  of  life.  The  poor  wretch,  labour- 
ing under  the  pangs  or  dread  of  death,  and 
trembling  at  the  apprehension  of  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  living  God,  is  .snatched  as  a 
brand  out  of  the  fire ;  he  receives  faith  in  a 
suffering  Saviour,  and  feels  the  pov,?er  of 
atoning  blood;  his  terrors  cease,  and  joy  suc- 
ceeds, a  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 
Thus  the  expiring  malefactor  was  converted 
upon  the  cross  (Luke  xxiii.  43,)  and  received 
an  infallible  assurance  of  salvation. 

3.  The  characters  of  our  Lord's  disciples, 
with  the  account  we  have  of  their  defects 
and  failings,  may  farther  illustrate  the  history 
of  his  chvirch  and  gospel,  and  afford  an  apology 
for  the  blemishes,  which,  through  human  in- 
firmity, do  more  or  less  attend  the  prevalence 
of  his  doctrines. 

The  grace  of  God  has  a  real  influence  upon 
the  whole  man.  It  enlightens  the  under- 
standing, directs  the  will,  purifies  the  affec- 
tion.s,  regulates  the  passion.s,  and  corrects  the 
different  excesses  to  which  different  persons 
are  by  constitution  or  habit  inclined,  yet  it 
seldom  wholly  changes  the  complexion  or 
temper  of  the  animal  frame.  It  does  not  im- 
part any  new  natural  powers,  though  it 
teaches  the  use  and  improvement  of  those 
we  have  received.  It  will  dispose  us  to  seek 
instruction,  make  us  open  to  conviction,  and 
willing  to  pnrt  with  our  prejudices,  so  far 
and  so  soon  as  we  discover  them,  but  it  will 
not  totally  and  instantaneously  remove  them. 
Hence  there  are  a  great  variety  of  characters 
in  the  chri.stian  life;  and  the  several  graces 
of  the  Spirit,  as  zeal,  love,  meekne.ss,  faith, 
appear  with  peculiar  advantage  in  different 
subjects,  yet  so  that  every  commendable  pro- 


86 


STATE  OF  THE  CHURCH 


[book  r. 


perty  is  subject  to  its  particular  inconve- 
nience. Perfection  cannot  be  found  in  fallen 
man.  The  best  are  sometimes  blameable,  and 
the  wisest  often  mistaken.  Warm  and  active 
tempers,  thoucfli  influenced  in  the  main  by 
the  noble  ambition  of  pleasing  God  in  all 
things,  are  apt  to  overshoot  themselves,  and  to 
discover  a  resentment  and  keenness  of  spirit 
wliich  cannot  be  wholly  justified.  Others  of 
a  more  fixed  and  sedate  temper,  though  less 
subject  to  this  extreme,  are  prone  to  its  op- 
posite; their  gentleness  degenerates  into  in- 
dolence, their  caution  into  cowardice.  The 
principle  of  self,  liljewise,  which,  though  sub- 
dued, is  not  eradicated,  will  in  some  instances 
appear.  Add  to  this  the  unknown  access  and 
influence  which  the  evil  spirits  have  upon 
our  minds,  the  sudden  and  new  emergencies 
which  surprise  us  into  action  before  we  have 
had  time  to  deliberate,  with  many  other  con- 
siderations of  a  like  nature ;  and  it  will  be  no 
wonder  that  some  things  are  always  amiss* 
in  the  best  and  most  successfu  attempts  to 
promote  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of 
souls.  And  it  is  farther  to  be  noted,  that  some 
individuals  will  be  found  who,  though  seem- 
ingly engaged  in  the  same  good  work,  and 
for  a  time  pretending  to  much  zeal,  are  es- 
sentially defective  in  their  hearts  and  views; 
and  when  at  length  their  true  characters  are 
exposed,  the  world,  who  either  cannot,  or 
will  not  distinguish,  charge  the  faults  of  a 
few  upon  a  whole  profession,  as,  in  the  former 
case,  they  wound  the  character  of  a  good 
man  for  unavoidable  and  involuntary  mis- 
takes. We  shall  therefore  show,  that  either 
the  exceptions  made,  and  so  loudly  rever- 
berated in  our  ears,  against  the  gospel  doc- 
trine, on  these  accounts,  are  unjust,  or  that 
there  was  sufficient  cause  to  reject  and  con- 
demn our  Lord  and  his  apostles  for  the  same 
reasons. 

The  character  of  Peter  is  marked  with  ad- 
mirable propriety  and  consistency  by  the 
evangelists.  He  every  where  appears  like 
himself.  Earnestly  devoted  to  his  Master's 
person,  and  breathing  an  honest  warmth  for 
his  service,  he  was  in  a  manner  the  eye,  the 
hand,  the  mouth  of  the  apostles :  he  was  the 
first  to  ask,  to  answer,  to  propose,  and  to 
execute:  he  made  a  noble  confession,  for 
which  our  Lord  honoured  him  with  a  peculiar 
commendation :  he  waited  but  for  a  command 
to  walk  to  him  upon  the  water :  he  was  not 
afraid  to  expose  himself  in  his  Lord's  defence, 
when  he  was  surrounded  and  apprehended 
by  his  enemies :  and  though,  in  this  last  in- 
stance, his  affection  was  ill  expressed,  yet 


*  A  lukewarm,  cautious  spirit  can  easily  avoid,  and 
readily  censure  the  mistakes  and  faults  of  those  who, 
fired  with  an  honest  warmth  for  the  honour  of  God  and 
tlie  pood  of  souls,  are  sometimes  transported  beyond  the 
bounds  of  strict  prudence.  But  though  the  best  inten- 
tion cannot  make  that  right  which  is  wrong  in  itself, 
yet  the  zeal,  diligence,  and  disinterested  aim  of  such 
persons  are  worthy  of  our  esteem. 


his  motive  was  undoubtedly  praise-worthy. 
His  heart  flamed  with  zeal  and  love,  and 
therefore  he  was  always  forward  to  distin- 
guish himself. 

But  the  warmth  of  Peter's  temper  often 
betrayed  him  into  great  difficulties,  and 
showed  that  the  grace  he  had  received  was 
consistent  with  many  imperfections.  Though 
he  sincerely  loved  Christ,  and  had  forsaken 
all  for  him,  he  was  at  one  time  so  ignorant 
of  the  true  design  of  his  incarnation,  that  he 
was  angry  and  impatient  to  hear  him  speak 
of  his  sufferings,  and  brought  upon  himself  a 
most  severe  rebuke.  Not  content  with  the 
ordinary  services  allotted  to  him,  he  offered 
himself  to  unnecessary  trials,  as  in  the  above 
instance,  when  he  pressed  to  walk  upon  the 
water.  The  event  showed  him  his  own 
weakness  and  insufficiency,  yet  his  self-con- 
fidence revived  and  continued.  When  our 
Lord  warned  him  again  and  again  of  his  ap- 
proaching fall,  he  thought,  and  boldly  affirmed 
that  it  was  impossible.  He  was  sincere  in  his 
protestation ;  but  the  actual  experiment  was 
necessary  to  convince  and  humble  him.  Ac- 
cordingly, when  left  to  himself,  he  fell  before 
the  first  temptation.  And  here  the  im- 
petuosity of  his  temper  was  still  manifest. 
He  di^  not  stop  at  a  simple  denial  of  Jesus, 
he  confirmed  it  by  an  oath,t  and  at  length 
proceeded  to  utter  bitter  imprecations  against 
himself,  if  he  so  much  as  knew  hira,  whom 
he  had  seen  transfigured  in  glory  upon  the 
moimt,  and  prostrate  in  an  agony  in  the  gar- 
den. Such  was  the  weakness  and  incon- 
sistency of  this  prince  of  the  apostles. 

None  of  these  excesses  appeared  in  the 
conduct  of  the  traitor  Judas.  He  was  so  cir- 
cumspect and  reserved,  that  we  do  not  find 
any  of  the  disciples  had  the  least  suspicion 
of  him.  But,  whilst  his  heart  was  full  of 
wickedness,  he  could  find  fault  with  others, 
and  charge  their  best  expressions  of  love 
with  indiscretion.  When  Mary  anointed  our 
Lord's  feet  with  ointment  (John  xii.  5,  6,)  he 
was  displeased  at  the  waste,  and  professed  a 
warm  concern  for  the  poor ;  but  we  are  told 
the  true  reason  of  his  economy :  It  was  not 
because  he  cared  for  the  poor,  but  because  he 
was  a  tliief,  and  had  the  bag  which  contained 
the  common  stock  entrusted  to  him.  The 
charge  of  the  bag  is  an  office  full  of  tempta- 
tion, and  an  attachment  to  the  bag  has  been 
often  at  the  bottom  of  many  censures  and 
misrepresentations  which  have  been  throvm 
out  against  the  people  of  God.  It  has  been, 
and  it  will  be  so;  but  the  Lord  has  appointed 
that  wherever  the  gospel  should  be  preached, 
to  the  end  of  the  world,  this  action  of  Mary, 
with  the  observation  of  Judas  upon  it,  and 

t  Mark  xiv.  71.  "  He  began  to  curse  and  swear."— 
To  imprecate  the  most  dreadful  curses  upon  himself, 
and  call  solemnly  on  God  to  execute  them.  This  waa 
indeed  the  most  probable  method  to  free  himself  from 
the  suspicion  of  being  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  for  no  such 
language  bad  been  till  then  beard  ancong  bis  followers. 


CIIAP.  IV.] 


IMIVIEDIATELY  BEFORE  THE  ASCENSION. 


37 


the  motive  from  which  he  made  it,  should  bo 
handed  down  totrcthor,  that  we  may  not  be 
discourag'ed  at  thing's  of  the  same  kind.  With- 
out doubt,  the  treason  of  Judas,  and  his  un- 
happy end,  after  havinfif  maintained  a  fair 
character  so  long,  and  shared  with  the  rest  in 
the  honours  of  the  apostleship,  were  to  them 
an  occasion  of  grief,  and  afforded  their  ene- 
mies a  subject  of  reproach  and  triumph.  But 
we  may  believe  one  reason  why  our  Lord 
chose  Judas,  and  continued  him  so  long  with 
his  disciples,  to  have  been,  that  we  might 
learn  by  this  awful  instance  not  to  be  sur- 
prised if  some,  who  have  made  a  show  in  the 
ciiurch,  been  chosen  to  important  offices,  and 
furnished  with  excellent  gifts,  do  in  the  end 
prove  hypocrites  and  traitors:  "  Let  him  that 
thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall." 

A  desire  of  pre-eminence  and  distinction  is 
very  un.suitable  to  the  followers  of  Jesus, 
who  made  himself  the  servant  of  all;  very 
unbecoming  the  best  of  the  children  of  men, 
who  owe  their  breath  to  the  mercy  of  God, 
have  nothing  that  they  can  call  their  own, 
and  have  been  unfaithful  in  the  improvement 
of  every  talent.  We  allow  that  every  ap- 
pearance of  this  is  a  blemish  in  the  christian 
character,  and  especially  in  a  christian  mi- 
nister; but  if,  on  some  occasions,  and  in  some 
degree,  human  infirmity  has  wrought  this 
way,  though  no  example  can  justify  it,  yet 
those  who,  through  ignorance  of  their  own 
hearts,  are  too  rigid  censurers  of  others,  may 
be  reminded  that  this  evil  frequently  dis- 
covered itself  in  the  apostles.  They  often 
disputed  who  should  be  the  greatest;  and, 
when  our  Lord  was  speaking  of  his  approach- 
ing sufferings,  two  of  them  chose  that  un- 
seasonable time  to  preclude  the  rest,  and 
■petitioned  that  they  might  have  the  chief 
seats  in  his  kingdom.  The  first  offence  was 
theirs ;  but  when  the  ten  heard  it,  they  were 
all  moved  with  indignation,  and  showed 
themselves  equally  desirous  of  superiority. 
It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  unless  the  apostles 
were  hypocrites  and  mercenaries,  some  tran- 
sient escapes  of  this  sort  (though  confessedly 
criminal  and  indecent)  are  no  sure  proofs 
that  such  a  person  is  not  in  the  main  sincere, 
disinterested,  and  truly  devoted  to  the  ser- 
vice of  God  and  his  gospel. 

No  less  contrary  to  the  meek  and  gracious 
spirit  of  Jesus  is  an  angry  zeal,  expressing 
itself  in  terms  of  ill-will  and  bitterness  to 
those  who  oppose  or  injure  us.  One  of  the 
highest  attainments  and  brightest  evidences 
of  true  grace,  is,  from  a  sense  of  the  love 
and  example  of  Christ,  to  show  bowels  of 
mercy  and  long-suffering  to  all  men,  and  by 
perseverance  in  well-doing  to  overcome  evil 
with  good.  And  a  contrary  behaviour  (if 
frequent  and  notorious)  will,  like  a  dead  fly 
in  precious  ointment,  destroy  the  savour,  if 
not  the  efficacy  of  all  we  can  attempt  for  the 
service  of  God  in  the  world.    However,  if 


repeated  falsehoods,  and  studitid  provoca- 
tions do  sometimes,  in  an  unguarded  mo- 
ment, extort  from  the  disciples  of  Christ 
such  expressions  and  marks  of  displeasure 
as  in  their  cooler  hours  they  willingly  retract 
and  sincerely  repent  of  before  God,  thia 
ought  not  to  be  exaggerated  beyond  bounds, 
as  an  offence  inconsistent  with  their  profes- 
sion, at  least  not  by  any  who  would  be  afraid 
to  speak  dishonourably  of  the  apostles  James 
and  John,  who  once  went  so  far  in  their  an- 
ger* as  to  demand  that  fire  might  be  sent 
from  heaven  to  devour  their  adversaries, 
Luke  ix.  54. 

We  might  proceed  to  other  particulars; 
but  enough  has  been  said  to  show  the  gene- 
ral resemblance  which  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  in  latter  times  bears  to  our  Lord's 
personal  ministry :  the  doctrine  is  the  same, 
the  effects  the  same.  It  was,  and  it  is  to  many, 
"  a  stone  of  stumbling,  and  a  rock  of  offence." 
The  opposition  it  has  met  with  has  been  al- 
ways owing  to  the  same  evil  principle  of 
pride,  and  the  love  of  sin,  which  are  latent  in 
every  unrenewed  heart:  though  the  pre- 
texts are  various,  they  may  be  reduced  to  a 
few  leading  motives  which  are  always  at 
work.  The  professors  of  this  gospel  have  at 
no  time  been  very  numerous,  if  compared 
with  those  who  have  rejected  it;  and  of 
these,  too  many  have  dishonoured  or  forsaken 
it.  Neither  have  those  who  have  received 
it  most  cordially,  and  been  most  desirous  to 
adorn  and  promote  it,  been  wholly  exempt 
from  mistakes  and  imperfections.  The  tenor 
of  their  conduct  has  proved  them  partakers 
of  a  more  excellent  spirit  than  others ;  their 
faith  in  Jesus  has  not  been  an  empty  notion, 
but  fruitful  of  good  works,  such  as  no  man 
could  do  except  God  was  with  him.  They 
have  been  governed  by  higher  motives,  and 
devoted  to  nobler  aims,  than  the  world  can 
either  understand  or  bear; — yet  they  are 
deeply  conscious  of  inherent  infirmity,  and 
sometimes  (to  their  great  grief)  they  give 
too  visible  proofs  of  it,  which  their  watchful 
adversaries  are  glad  to  aggravate  and  charge 
upon  them  as  consequences  of  their  doctrine. 
This  should  induce  all  who  love  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  redouble  their  guard,  and  to  pray 
with  David  that  they  may  be  led  in  the  right 
way  because  of  their  observers.  If  the  ques- 
tion is  concerning  the  infirmities,  or  even 


*  They  thought  they  were  influenced  by  a  comriiend- 
ahle  zeal  for  their  Master,  and  that  their  proposal  was 
warranted  by  an  authorized  precedent.  We  do  not  find 
that  they  ever  wished  for  tire  to  consume  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees,  who  were  Christ's  most  inveterate  ene- 
mies. But  when  the  Samaritans  rejected  him,  the  vile 
Samaritans,  whom  they,  upon  a  national  prejudice',  had 
been  accustomed  to  hate,  then  their  liearts  deceived 
them,  and  they  indulged  their  own  corrupt  pas.ainns, 
while  they  supposed  they  were  animated  by  a  zeal  for 
Christ.  Are  we  not  often  deceived  in  the  same  way? 
Can  we  not  silently  bear,  or  ingenuously  extenuate  the 
faults  and  mistakes  of  our  own  party,  while  we  are  all 
zeal  and  emotion  to  expose,  censure,  and  condeiiin 
what  is  amiss  in  others. 


38 


STATE  OF  THE  CHURCH 


[book  I, 


the  vices  of  others,  almost  every  one  is  ready 
to  plead  in  their  belialf;  allowances  are 
freely  and  largely  made  for  human  frailty, 
and  none  are  willing  to  be  thought  harsh  or 
censorious.  But  the  believer  in  Jesus  must 
look  for  no  abatement  or  extenuation ;  even 
the  professed  admirers  of  candour  and  cha- 
rity will  not  hesitate  to  put  the  worst  con- 
struction upon  all  he  says  or  does ;  for  they 
are  seeking  occasion  to  wound  the  gospel 
through  his  misconduct.  They  are  sensible 
that  he  is  generally  above  them ;  and  there- 
fore rejoice  to  find  or  pretend  a  flaw,  on 
which  they  may  expatiate,  to  reduce  him  as 
near  as  possible  to  their  own  level ;  though, 
if  their  censures  are  extended  to  their  just 
consequence,  they  will  (as  we  have  seen) 
fall  hard  upon  the  apostles  themselves. 

I  hope,  that  what  I  have  said  upon  this 
subject  will  neither  be  misunderstood  nor 
perverted.  We  do  not  defend  even  the  in- 
firmities of  the  best  men ;  much  less  would 
we  provide  a  plea  for  persecution  or  ambi- 
tion. Let  not  the  man,  who  supposes  gain  to 
be  godliness,  who  makes  the  gospel  a  ladder, 
whereby  to  climb  the  heights  of  worldly  pre- 
ferment, whose  heart,  like  the  insatiable  fire, 
is  craving  more,  and  practising  every  art  to 
accumulate  wealth  and  honour  in  the  church ; 
let  not  the  proud  man,  who  would  lord  it  over 
conscience,  and  though  unable  to  command 
fire  from  heaven,  would  gladly  prepare  fire 
and  slaughter  upon  earth  for  all  who  will 
not  venture  their  souls  upon  his  faith ;  let 
not  these  avail  themselves  of  the  examples 
of  James  and  John :  but  rather  let  tliem 
tremble  at  the  reflection,  that  while  they 
manifest  no  part  of  the  apostles'  graces,  they 
are  entirely  possessed  of  those  tempers,  the 
smallest  traces  of  which  our  Lord  so  severely 
rebuked  in  his  disciples. 

The  first  believers,  though  not  faultless, 
were  sincere :  the  natural  disposition  of  their 
hearts  was  changed ;  they  believed  in  Jesus ; 
they  loved  him  ;  they  devoted  themselves  to 
his  service ;  they  submitted  to  his  instruc- 
tions, shared  in  his  reproacli,  and  could  not 
be  either  enticed  or  intimidated  to  leave  him. 
Their  gracious  Master  was  their  guide  and 
guard,  their  advocate  and  counsellor ;  when 
they  were  in  want,  in  danger,  in  trouble,  or 
in  doubt,  they  applied  to  him,  and  found  re- 
lief; hence  they  learned  by  degrees  to  cast 
all  their  care  upon  him.  He  corrected  every 
wrong  disposition ;  he  pardoned  their  fail- 
ings, and  enabled  them  to  do  better.  His 
precepts  taught  them  true  wisdom ;  and  his 
own  example,  which,  to  those  who  loved  him, 
had  the  force  of  a  thousand  precepts,  was  at 
once  the  model  and  the  motive  of  their  obe- 
dience. To  make  them  ashamed  of  aspiring 
to  be  chief,  he  himself,  though  Lord  of  all,  con- 
versed among  them  as  a  servant,  and  conde- 
Bcended  to  wash  their  feet ;  to  teach  them 
forbearance  and  gentleness  to  their  opposers, 


they  saw  him  weep  over  his  bitterest  ene- 
mies, and  heard  him  pray  for  his  actual  mur- 
derers. 

Thus  they  gradually  advanced  in  faith, 
love,  and  holiness,  as  the  experience  of  every 
day  disclosed  to  them  some  new  discovery  of 
the  treasures  of  wisdom,  grace,  and  power, 
residing  in  their  Lord  and  Saviour:  he  ex- 
plained to  them  in  private  the  difficulties 
which  occurred  in  his  more  public  discourses; 
by  his  observations  on  the  common  occur- 
rences of  life  he  opened  to  them  the  myste- 
rious volumes  of  creation  and  providence, 
which  none  but  those  whom  he  vouchsafes 
to  teach  can  understand  aright :  he  prayed 
for  them,  and  with  them,  and  taught  them  to 
pray  for  themselves  :  he  revealed  unto  them 
the  unseen  realities  of  tlie  eternal  world,  and 
supported  them  under  the  prospect  of  ap- 
proaching trials ;  particularly  of  his  depar- 
ture from  them,  by  assuring  them  that  he 
was  going  on  their  behalf  to  prepare  them  a 
place  in  his  kingdom,  and  that  in  a  little 
time  he  would  return  to  receive  them  to 
himself,  that  they  might  dwell  with  him  for 
ever. 

What  he  personally  spoke  to  them,  and 
acted  in  their  presence,  was  recorded  by  his 
direction,  and  has  been  preserved  by  his 
providence  for  the  use  and  comfort  of  his 
churcli.  Though  his  enemies  have  raged 
horribly,  they  have  not  been  able  to  sup- 
press the  divine  volume;  and,  though  invisi- 
ble to  mortal  eyes,  he  is  still  near  to  all  that 
seek  him ;  and  so  supplies  the  want  of  his 
bodily  presence  by  the  secret  communica- 
tions of  his  Spirit,  that  his  people  have  no 
reason  to  complain  of  any  disadvantage: 
though  they  see  him  not,  they  believe,  love, 
rejoice,  and  obey ;  their  attention  and  de- 
pendence are  fixed  upon  him ;  they  intrust 
him  with  all  their  concerns  ;  they  rely  upon 
his  promises ;  they  behold  him  as  their  High- 
priest,  Advocate,  and  Shepherd ;  they  live 
upon  his  fulness,  and  plead  his  righteous- 
ness ;  and  they  find  and  feel  that  their  reliance 
is  not  in  vain. 

The  disciples  were  content  for  his  sake  to 
bear  tlie  scorn  and  injurious  treatment  of  the 
world :  they  expected  no  better  usage,  nor 
desired  a  higher  honour,  than  to  be  fellow- 
sufferers  with  their  I,ord.  When  he  propos- 
ed returning  to  Judea,  at  a  time  they  thought 
dangerous,  and  they  could  not  alter  his  pur- 
pose, they  did  not  wish  to  be  left  behind : 
"  Let  us  go  (says  one  of  them  to  the  rest,) 
that  we  may  die  with  him."  It  is  true, 
when  he  was  actually  apprehended,  the  first 
shock  of  the  trial  was  too  strong :  they  for- 
sook him  and  fled.  He  permitted  this,  both 
to  exempt  them  from  danger,  and  to  let  them 
know  that  of  tliemselves  they  could  do  no- 
thing. But  it  seems  they  did  not  go  far. 
When  Thomas  afterwards  said,  "Except  I 
shall  see  in  his  hands  the  print  of  the  nails, 


CHAP.  IV.] 


IMMEDIATELY  BEFORE  THE  ASCENSION. 


39 


s.nd  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of  the  nails, 
and  thrust  my  liand  into  his  side,  I  will  not 
Dclieve,"  he  spoke  like  one  who  had  been  an 
eye-witness  to  liis  sufferings,  and  expresses 
an  earnestness  as  if  he  still  saw  him  wounded 
and  bleeding.  This  catastrophe  indeed  al- 
most disconcerted  them ;  they  had  trusted  it 
was  ho  that  should  deliver  Israel ;  but  they 
saw  him  oppressed  and  slain  by  wicked  men. 
From  that  time  to  liis  resurrection  was  a 
a  mournful  interval,  the  darkest  and  most 
distressing  period  his  church  ever  loiew. 

But  the  third  day  dispelled  their  grief :  he 
returned  victorious  from  the  grave,  proclaim- 
ing peace  by  the  blood  of  the  cross ;  he  de- 
clared, and  his  appearance  proved  it,  that  the 
ransom  was  paid  and  accepted  ;  and  that  hav- 
ing now  overcome  the  sharpness  of  death,  he 
liad  opened  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  all  be- 
lievers. Then  he  spoke  peace  to  their  hearts : 
he  opened  their  understandings  to  know  the 
scriptures,  and  breathed  upon  them  his  Holy 
Spirit :  he  conversed  frequently  with  them 
during  forty  days :  gave  them  a  large  com- 
mission to  preach  his  gospel,  and  an  invalu- 
able promise  of  his  presence  with  them  to  the 
end  of  the  world. 

Wlien  he  liad  thus  confirmed  them  by 
!  those  instructions  and  assurances,  which  his 
'  wisdom  saw  necessary,  he  was  received  up 
to  heaven.  They  followed  him  with  their 
hearts  and  eyes  a  while,  and  then  returned 
to  Jerusalem  rejoicing-.  They  were  not 
ashamed  of  their  crucified  Lord,  or  unwilling 
to  bear  the  contemptuous  names  of  Galileans 
or  Nazarenes  for  his  sake.  They  were  not 
afraid,  as  if  left  like  sheep  without  a  shep- 
herd in  the  midst  of  their  enemies:  they 
knew,  that  though  they  could  see  him  no 
more,  his  eye  would  be  always  upon  them, 
and  his  ear  open  to  their  prayer:  they  wait- 
ed, according  to  his  command,  for  a  farther 
supply  of  his  Spirit,  to  qualify  them  for  the 
important  and  difficult  services  which  were 
before  them.  Nor  did  they  wait  long  ;  a  few 
days  after  his  ascension,  while  they  were 
praying  with  one  heart  and  mind,  the  place 
where  they  were  assembled  was  shaken  as 
with  a  mighty  wind ;  the  Spirit  of  power 
and  wisdom  was  abundantly  communicated 
to  them  ;  they  spoke  with  new  tongues,  and 
immediately  began  to  preach  boldly,  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

With  this  solemn  and  memorable  event,  I 
sJiall  open  the  second  book,  and  take  up  the 


thread  of  the  gospel  hLstory  from  that  glorious 
day  of  divine  power.  The  contents  of  this 
first  book,  namely,  a  brief  view  of  the  neces- 
sity and  nature  of  the  go-spel-dispensation, — 
the  causes  why  it  is  and  has  been  opposed, — 
and  the  circumstances  of  the  first  believers, 
— I  have  premised,  as  general  principles,  for 
my  own  and  the  reader's  assistance  in  tlie 
progress  of  the  work. 

It  is  much  to  be  wished,  that  every  reader 
might  be  impressed  with  the  importance  of 
our  subject.  It  is  not  a  point  of  curiosity,  but 
of  universal  concern,  and  that  in  the  highest 
and  most  interesting  sense.  Most  of  the 
researches  and  disquisitions  which  employ 
the  time  and  talents  of  men,  are  of  a  trivial 
or  indifferent  nature.  We  may  range  on  dif- 
ferent sides  concerning  them ;  we  may  give 
or  refuse,  or  retract  our  assent,  when  and  as 
often  as  we  please;  we  may  be  totally  igno- 
rant of  them  without  loss,  or  be  skilled  in 
them  all  without  deriving  any  solid  comfort 
or  advantage  from  them :  but  the  gospel  of 
Christ  is  not  like  the  dry  uninteresting  theo- 
ries of  human  wisdom ;  it  will  cither  wound 
or  heal,  be  a  savour  of  life  or  of  death,  a 
source  of  endless  comfort,  or  the  occasion  of 
aggravated  condemnation,  to  all  that  hear  of 
it.  To  receive  it,  is  to  receive  the  earnest 
and  assurance  of  eternal  happiness ;  to  reject 
it,  or  remain  wilfully  ignorant  of  its  charac- 
ters and  properties,  will  leave  the  soul  op- 
pressed with  guilt,  and  exposed  to  the  wrath 
of  God  for  ever.  It  highly  concerns  us,  there- 
fore, to  inquire,  Whether  we  believe  the 
gospel  or  no,  whether  what  we  call  the  gos- 
pel is  the  same  that  Christ  and  his  apostles 
taught,  and  whether  it  has  had  the  same  or 
similar  effects  upon  our  hearts'!  We  live 
where  the  gospel  is  generally  professed,  and 
we  are  reputed  christians  from  our  cradles ; 
but  the  word  of  God  cautions  us  to  take  heed, 
lest  we  be  deceived.  We  see  Christianity 
divided  into  innumerable  sects  and  parties, 
each  supported  by  names,  arguments,  and 
books,  and  fighting  for  the  credit  of  a  de- 
nomination :  but  how  many  forget,  that  in  a 
little  time  all  these  divisions  and  subdivisions 
will  be  reduced  to  two;  the  only  real  and 
proper  distribution  by  which  mankind,  as  to 
their  religious  character,  ever  was  or  will  be 
distinguished,  and  according  to  which  their 
final  states  will  be  speedily  decided, — Tha 
children  of  God,  and  the  children  of  tho 
wicked  one. 


t 


BOOK  II. 


OF  THE  SECOND  PERIOD  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Of  the  progress  of  the  gospel  from  our 
Lord's  ascension  to  the  close  of  the  first 
century. 

The  natural  weakness  of  man  is  conspicu- 
ous in  his  most  important  undertakings: 
having  no  fund  of  sufficiency  in  himself,  he 
is  forced  to  collect  all  from  without;  and  if 
the  greatness  of  his  preparations  are  not 
answerable  to  the  extent  of  his  designs,  he 
has  little  hopes  of  success.  Farther,  when 
he  has  planned  and  provided  to  the  utmost 
of  his  power,  he  is  still  subject  to  innumer- 
able contingencies,  which  he  can  neither 
foresee  nor  prevent;  and  has  often  the  mor- 
tification to  see  his  fairest  prospects  blasted, 
and  the  whole  apparatus  of  his  labour  and 
care  only  contribute  to  make  his  disappoint- 
ment more  conspicuous  and  painful. 

The  reverse  of  this  is  the  character  of  the 
wonder-working  God.  To  his  power  every 
thing  is  easy :  he  knows  how  to  employ  every 
creature  and  contingence,  as  a  means  to  ac- 
complish his  designs;  not  a  seeming  difficulty 
can  intervene  but  by  his  permission ;  and  he 
only  permits  it  to  illustrate  his  own  wisdom 
and  agency,  in  making  it  subservient  to  his 
will.  Thus,  having  all  hearts  and  events  in 
his  hands,  he  fulfils  his  own  counsels  with 
the  utmost  ease  and  certainty;  and  to  show 
that  the  work  is  his  own,  he  often  proceeds 
by  such  methods  as  vain  men  account  weak 
and  insignificant;  producing  the  most  exten- 
sive and  glorious  consequences  from  small 
and  inconsiderable  beginnings.  Thus  the 
Lord  of  hosts  hath  purposed  to  stain  the  pride 
of  all  human  glory. 

This  observation  might  be  confirmed  by 
innumerable  examples  taken  from  the  com- 
mon history  and  experience  of  mankind ;  but 
the  subject  of  our  present  undertaking  ex- 
hibits the  most  illustrious  proof  When  the 
Jews  had  seen  Jesus  crucified,  dead,  and 
buried,  they  expected  to  hear  no  more  of 
him :  his  disciples  were  few,  men  of  no  au- 
thority, learning,  or  influence;  and  since 
their  master,  who  had  made  them  such  large 
promises,  was  at  last  unable  to  save  himself 
from  death,  it  was  probably  expected,  that 
his  followers  would  disperse  of  course,  for- 
sake their  supposed  delusions,  and  return  to 
their  fishing,  and  other  employments  suited  I 
to  their  capacities  and  talents.  I 
40 


They  knew  not  that  Jesus  had  arisen  from 
the  dead,  and  had  frequently  shown  himself 
to  his  servants,  to  comfort  and  confirm  their 
hearts.  They  little  thought  that  he,  whom 
they  had  seen  expire  on  the  cross,  was  im- 
moveably  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 
possessed  of  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth ; 
but  his  disciples  knew  this,  and  therefore 
continued  to  assemble  in  his  name.  We  do 
not  find  that  there  was  much  notice  taken  of 
them  till  the  feast  of  Pentecost,  which  was 
about  ten  days  after  his  ascension.  At  this 
season,*  by  tlie  Jewish  law,  the  first  fruits  of 
the  earth  were  presented  at  the  temple.  An 
appointment,  typical  of  those  more  sublime 
first  fruits  of  spiritual  gifts  and  graces  with 
which  the  Lord  on  this  day  enriched  his  dis- 
ciples, according  to  his  promise,  enabling 
them  to  preach  his  gospel,  and  make  his  word 
efl^ectual  to  the  conversion  of  a  large  multi- 
tude; as  an  earnest  of  that  divine  power,  by 
which  he  would  support  and  extend  his 
church  and  ministry  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

When  the  hearts  of  God's  people  are  united 
in  love,  and  pleading  his  promises  in  the  fer- 
vent exercise  of  faith  and  prayer,  great  things 
may  be  expected.  Such  was  the  happy  state 
of  the  disciples  on  this  solemn  day:  they 
were  assembled  with  one  accord ;  no  jars  or 
divisions  had  as  yet  taken  place  among  them ; 
they  were  animated  with  one  desire,  and 
praying  with  one  mind.  Suddenly  and  won- 
derfully they  obtained  an  answer :  the  place 
they  were  in  was  shaken  as  by  a  mighty 
wind  (Acts  ii;)  their  hearts  were  filled  with 
the  powerful  energy  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
they  were  instantaneously  enabled  to  speak 
languages  which  till  then  they  were  unac- 
quainted with.  These  inward  powers  were 
accompanied  with  the  visible  symbols  of  fiery 
tongues,  which  sat  upon  each  of  their  heads : 
a  fit  emblem  both  of  the  new  faculties  they 
had  received,  and  of  the  conquering,  assimi- 
lating efficacy  of  the  Spirit  by  whom  they 
spoke;  whose  operations,  like  the  fire,  are 
vehement,  penetrating,  transforming,  and 
diffusive;  spreading  from  heart  to  heart,  from 
place  to  place,  till  the  flame,  which  was  now 
confined  within  a  few  breasts,  was  com-' 


*  [Tibnrius,  A.  D.  33  ]  In  fixing  the  dates  of  our 
history,  I  shall  conform  to  what  I  tliink  the  most  pro- 
bable and  authorised  opinion,  without  perplexing  ei- 
ther myself  or  my  readers  with  the  niceties  di  critical 
chronology. 


CHAP.  I.] 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL,  &c. 


41 


municated  to  many  nations,  people,  and  lan- 
guaorcs. 

Tlie  effects  of  this  divine  communication 
were  immediately  manifest;  they  were  filled 
with  love,  joy,  and  faith,  and  beg-an  boldly 
and  publicly  to  praise  God.  Their  emotion 
and  zeal  could  not  be  long  unnoticed :  those 
who  first  observed  it,  spoke  of  it  to  others,  and 
a  rumour  was  spread  abroad.  Jerusalem  was 
at  tliat  time  tiie  occasional  resort  of  the  Jews 
and  Jewish  proselytes,  who  were  dispersed 
throu'j^hout  the  known  world,  and  multitudes 
had  come  from  different  countries  to  celebrate 
t!ie  feast.  The  promiscuous  throng,  who 
assembled  upon  the  report,  and  had  been  ac- 
customed to  different  languages,  were  there- 
fore greatly  astonished  to  hear  of  the  won- 
derful works  of  God,  every  man  in  his  own 
tongue.  While  some  expressed  their  sur- 
prise at  this,  others  ascribed  it  to  the  effects 
of  wine,  and  showed  tlieir  scorn  and  despite 
to  the  Spirit  of  grace,  by  reviling  tiie  apos- 
tles as  drunkards.  Thus  they  no  sooner  en- 
tered upon  their  public  service,  than  they 
began  to  find  the  same  treatment  which  their 
Lord  had  met  with,  and  were,  for  his  sake, 
tiie  subjects  of  calumny  and  derision.  This 
is  a  remarkable  instance  of  the  sagacity  and 
temper  which  the  men  of  tiie  world  discover 
in  the  judgment  they  form  of  a  work  of  God; 
nor  is  it  probable,  that  our  modern  reasoners 
would  have  judged  more  favourably,  if  they 
could  have  been  present  at  such  a  scene, 
where  several  persons  were  speaking  loud  at 
the  same  time,  and  each  in  a  different  lan- 
guage :  since  they  account  the  operations  of 
the  same  Spirit,  madness,  and  folly,  even 
where  they  are  not  attended  with  such  extra- 
ordinary circumstances. 

Tiiis  weak  and  perverse  slander  was  im- 
mediately refuted  by  the  apostle  Peter,  who 
addressed  the  people  in  a  grave  and  solemn 
discourse;  and,  having  in  few  words  ex- 
plained the  nature  of  the  fact,  and  shown 
that  it  was  an  accomplishment  of  ancient 
prophecies,  he  proceeded  to  apply  himself 
more  closely  to  their  consciences.  He  as- 
sured them  that  what  they  saw  and  heard 
was  wrought  by  the  power  of  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth, whom  they  had  rejected  before  Pilate. 
He  informed  them  of  that  honour  and  glory 
which  he  now  possessed,  and  charged  them 
as  accomplices  in  the  murder  of  a  person 
whose  character  and  dignity  God  had  vindi- 
cated by  raising  him  from  the  dead.  Though 
our  Saviour  had  but  few  disciples  during  his 
personal  ministry,  he  had  doubtless  lefl  a 
deep  impression  of  his  words  and  works  in 
the  hearts  of  many.  This  discourse  of  Peter 
would  naturally  recall  him  to  the  remem- 
brance of  those  who  had  seen  him  in  the 
flesh,  and  led  him  to  reflect  how  earnestly 
and  unjustly  tiiey  had,  at  the  instigation  of 
their  priests,  compelled  Pilate  to  put  him  to 
death.    These  reflections,  the  closeness  of 

Vol.  IL  F 


Peter's  address,  and  the  power  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  concurred  to  give  them  a  deep  con- 
viction of  their  sin ;  they  were  pierced  to  the 
heart,  they  no  longer  wondered  as  curious 
spectators,  but  were  solicitous  for  themselves, 
and  cried  out.  Brethren,  what  shall  we  do? 
Peter  then  proceeded  to  open  the  treasure  of 
gospel-grace,  and  to  direct  them  to  Jesus, 
whom  they  had  crucified,  for  salvation.  The 
effect  of  this  day's  preaching  (for  though  only 
Peter  is  named,  it  is  probable,  there  were 
more  than  (jne  preacher  or  one  discourse) 
was  signally  happy.  Three  thousand  souls 
were  converted,  and,  professing  their  faith 
and  repentance,  were  by  baptism  publicly 
joined  to  the  church. 

A  further  addition  was  soon  after  made: 
Peter  and  John  having  recovered  a  man  from 
incurable  lameness  by  faith  in  the  name  of 
Jesus,  the  report  of  the  miracle  brought  a 
great  concourse  of  people  together  a  second 
time.  Acts  iii.  Peter  improved  the  occasion 
to  preach  to  them  at  the  temple  gate,  to  the 
purport  of  his  former  discourse.  He  had  an 
attentive  auditory,  and  his  word  was  made 
effectual  to  the  conversion  of  many.  But  by 
this  time  the  enemies  of  Jesus  were  greatly 
alarmed  at  the  progress  of  his  doctrine  (Acts 
iv.  16,  47 ;)  and  having*  notice  of  what  had 
passed,  the  priests  and  Sadducees  violently 
apprehended  Peter,  with  John,  and  put  them 
in  prison.  He  had  not  finished  his  discourse; 
but  he  had  said  enough  to  be  remembered ; 
and  this  interruption,  with  the  boldness  of 
his  following  defence,  made  his  words  more 
regarded.  The  next  day  they  were  brought 
before  the  high-priest,  rulers,  and  elders; 
and  being  asked  concerning  the  late  miracle, 
Peter,  who  once  had  trembled  at  the  voice  of 
a  girl,  was  not  afraid  to  use  the  utmost  free- 
dom and  plainness  with  the  council  and  heads 
of  the  Jewish  nation.  He  confessed  the  name 
and  cause  of  Jesus,  reminded  them  of  their 
wickedness  in  causing  him  to  be  crucified, 
and  in  direct  answer  to  their  question,  as- 
sured them  that  the  miracle  was  wrought  in 
his  name,  and  by  his  power.  Though  the 
council  were  highly  offended  with  this  lan- 
guage, and  the  more  so,  as  they  observed  the 
persons  who  spoke  were  private  and  unlet- 
tered men ;  yet,  being  unable  to  deny  the 
fact,  for  the  man  who  had  been  lame  stood 
before  them,  and  unwilling  to  incur  the  odium 
of  punishing  an  action  they  were  ashamed  to 
disapprove,  they  dissembled  their  rage,  and 
forbidding  the  apostles  to  speak  any  more  to 
the  people,  they  dismissed  them ;  yet  they  did 

*  Many  consultations  have  been  Irelfi,  and  devices 
framed,  to  stop  the  progress  of  the  gospni.  as  if  it  were 
a  dangerous  infection  But  all  such  attempts  are  vain: 
they  may  as  easily  restriiin  the  dawning  of  the  day  as 
suppress  tlie  spreading  of  the  gospel.  When  the  Lord  is 
pleased  to  raise  up  fit  instruments  to  promote  it.  and  lo 
vouchsafe  a  season  of  refreshment  from  liis  presence, 
then  its  influence  cannot  be  restrained;  a  s|)ark  be- 
comes a  flame,  a  little  one  a  mullitude.  and  oppositioo 
only  makes  the  effects  more  visible  and  noticed. 


42 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


[book  h. 


not  depart  until  they  had  protested  a^inst 
this  inhibition,  and  declared  their  resolution 
to  obey  God  rather  than  men. 

The  believers  though  numerous,  amount- 
ing' to  many  thousands,  lived  in  harmony  and 
love,  as  children  of  one  family.  The  greater 
part  of  them  were  poor;  those  therefore  who 
had  estates,  or  money,  willingly  put  their  all 
into  a  common  stock  for  the  use  of  the  whole, 
which  was  entrusted  to  the  care  of  the  apos- 
tles. This  is  recorded  as  an  instance  of  the 
benevolent  and  disinterested  spirit  with  which 
the  gospel  inspired  them,  but  it  is  not  en- 
joined as  a  precedent  to  be  universally  ob- 
served, since  we  have  many  proofs,  that  the 
isual  distinctions  in  civil  life  were  retained 
in  otlier  churches  planted  by  the  apostles; 
and  it  soon  gave  occasion  to  discover,  that  in 
the  best  societies  there  may  be  found  some 
unworthy  intruders,  and  that  very  specious 
actions  may  be  performed  from  base  and  dis- 
honourable motives.  Even  under  this  richest 
dispensation  of  grace,  there  were  some  pro- 
fessors influenced  by  no  higher  motives  than 
hypocrisy  and  vain  glory.  Ananias  (Acts  v,) 
with  his  wife  Sapphira,  attempted  to  impose 
on  the  apostles  by  a  concerted  lie,  and  would 
have  had  the  praise  of  giving  their  whole 
substance,  when  their  avarice  would  only 
permit  them  to  spare  a  part.  As  a  warning 
to  all  pretenders,  who  seek  to  join  or  serve 
the  church  from  sordid  or  selfish  views, 
Peter,  by  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
denounced  a  severe  sentence  against  this 
unhappy  pair,  and  they  both  fell  dead  at  his 
feet.*  The  cause  and  suddenness  of  their 
death  was  a  vindication  of  the  apostles'  in- 
tegrity and  authority,  and  a  seasonable  ad- 
monition to  others,  to  deter  any  from  attempt- 
ing to  associate  with  the  disciples,  who  were 
not  in  heart  devoted  to  the  Lord. 

The  numbers  of  the  believers  still  in- 
creased, and  the  report  of  the  apostles'  doc- 
trine and  miracles  extended  from  Jerusalem 
to  the  adjacent  parts.  The  priests  and  Sad- 
ducees  therefore  soon  renewed  their  etforts 
to  suppress  them :  they  apprehended  the  apos- 
tles again,  and  put  them  in  the  common 
prison  as  malefactors;  but  the  Lord,  to  con- 
firm the  faith  and  courage  of  his  people,  and 
to  show  how  easily  he  can  protect  those  who 
serve  him,  delivered  them  the  same  night  by 
his  angel.  In  the  morning,  when  their  ene- 
mies were  met,  and  commanded  them  to  be 
brought  to  their  tribunal,  they  were  sur- 
prised to  hear  that  the  prison-doors  were 
found  secure,  and  the  prisoners  all  escaped. 
They  were,  however,  soon  informed  that 
they  were  not  gone  far,  but  were  preaching 
boldly  to  the  people,  as  the  angel  had  directed 
them,  regardless  of  their  adversaries'  designs 
against  them.    They  were  alarmed  at  this 


*  The  apostolic  censures  were  not  like  tlie  papal  ana- 
themas, brnta  fulmiva,  words  wilhoiit  effi  ct ;  they  were 
accompliehed  in  an  instant.— See  Acts  xiii.  12. 


notice,  and  began  to  be  apprehensive  of  the 
event;!  yet,  hurried  on  by  their  enmity  to 
Jesus  and  his  gospel,  they  once  more  sent 
their  officers  to  take  them,  which  they  at- 
tempted in  the  mildest  manner  possible ;  for, 
as  the  prosecution  was  groundless  and  ma- 
licious, they  were  not  without  fear  lest  the 
multitude  should  interpose:  but  they  had  to 
do  with  the  followers  of  Jesus,  who  would 
countenance  no  tumult  in  their  own  favour, 
and  were  neither  afraid  nor  ashamed  to  con- 
fess his  name  in  the  face  of  danger.  The 
apostles,  therefore,  peaceably  yielded  them- 
selves, and  being  brought  before  the  council, 
were  severely  questioned  for  disregarding 
the  late  prohibition  they  had  received.  Peter 
and  the  rest  answered  with  their  usual  firm.- 
ness;  they  avowed  the  fact,  and  their  deter- 
mination to  persevere,!  charged  them  as 
betrayers  and  murderers  of  Jesus  in  stronger 
terms  than  before.  The  majority  of  the 
council  were  exceedingly  enraged  at  their 
boldness:  they  were  cut  to  the  heart,  and 
consulted  to  put  them  to  death.  But  the 
more  moderate  advice  of  Gamaliel  prevailed. 
He  showed  them,  from  some  recent  instances, 
that  if  this  new  sect  was  no  more  than  a  hu- 
man institution,  they  need  not  give  them- 
selves trouble  to  suppress  it,  for  it  would  soou 
sink  and  disappear  of  itself;  but  if  it  was  in- 
deed of  God,  their  opposition  would  be  not 
only  in  vain,  but  in  etiect  a  rebellion  against 
God  himself:  he  therefore  recommended 
milder  methods;  and  having  considerable 
repute  among  them  for  his  wistlom,  the  rest 
assented  to  him.  In  this  manner  the  Lord, 
who  has  the  hearts  of  all  in  his  power,  de- 
livered the  apostles  a  third  time  by  raising 
them  an  advocate  from  amongst  their  ene- 
mies; yet,  to  save  appearances,  and  that  it 
might  not  be  thought  the  council  had  pro- 
ceeded so  far  without  good  cause,  they  were 
not  dismissed  till  they  had  been  scourged, 
and  again  enjoined  silence.  They  departed, 
rejoicmg  that  they  had  the  honour  to  suffer 
disgrace  for  the  sake  of  Christ,^  and  re- 


t  Acts  V.  24.  It  is  not  only  a  fruitless,  but  a  very  un- 
easy undertaking  to  fight  against  Ilic  truth,  and  those 
who  profess  it.  The  boldest  and  wisest  chani|iions  in 
this  desperate  cause  :'re  ot^en  brought  to  their  witsend, 
and  to  foresee  their  own  disappointment. 

t  Peter  and  the  apostles  answered,  "We  ought  to 
obey  God  rather  than  men."  It  should  seem  that  this  (if 
any)  may  be  called  a  natural  maxim,  and  that  the  rudest 
savage,  or  the  least  cliild  that  can  be  made  to  under- 
stand the  terms,  must  assent  to  the  truth  of  the  pro- 
position, as  readily  as  they  perceive  that  two  and  two 
make  four;  how  strange  then  is  it,  that  men  of  the 
greatest  parts  and  penetration  in  other  things  so  seldom 
receive  it!  There  are  few  periods  to  be  found  even  in 
the  christian  church,  in  which  those  who  steadily  acted 
upon  this  principle  were  not  considered  as  heretics  of 
the  worst  sort. 

§  Here  were  faith  and  love  in  exercise:  to  suffer  re- 
proach for  Christ  was  in  their  esteem  an  honour  and 
privilege.  It  is  mournful  to  observe  how  little  of  this 
spirit  is  to  be  found  amongst  us  How  soon  are  we 
otfended  and  troubled  when  our  names  are  reproachedl 
how  uneasy  to  lie  under  contempt!  how  impatient  to 
justify  ourselves,  and  to  be  thought  well  of  by  all  per- 
sons! Far  from  accounting  it  an  honour  to  be  made 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE 


ASCENSION. 


43 


turned  to  encourafye  their  companions ;  con- 
tinuing' still  publicly,  and  from  house  to 
house,  to  teach  and  preach  in  the  name  of 
Jesus. 

These  were  happy  times  (Acts  vi,)  when 
the  whole  company  of  the  faithful  were  of 
one  heart  and  mind,  firmly  united  in  affec- 
tion, sentiment,  ordinance,  and  practice. 
Their  adversaries,  thouorh  angry,  and  desir- 
ous to  injure  them,  were  powerfully  restrain- 
ed by  the  Divine  Providence:  so  that  they 
enjoyed  peace  in  the  midst  of  war,  and  were 
favoured  with  much  grace  in  their  hearts, 
atid  a  daily  increase  in  their  numbers.  Yet 
it  was  not  long  before  an  occasion  arose 
which  might  have  had  unhappy  effects,  if 
the  wisdom  and  authority  of  the  apostles  had 
not  provided  an  early  remedy.  The  church, 
as  yet,  consisted  only  of  Jewish  believers; 
but  these  were  distinguished  into  Jews  pro- 
perly so  called,  that  is,  natives  and  inha- 
bitants of  Judea,  and  Hellenists  or  Grecians, 
the  name  given  to  those  of  the  Jewish  race 
and  profession  who  had  been  dispersed  and 
settled  in  tlie  Heathen  countries.  Many  of 
those,  as  has  been  observed,  were  at  that 
time  in  Jerusalem,  and  among  the  first  con- 
verts of  the  gospel.  As  the  multitude  who 
were  supplied  out  of  the  common  stock  was 
very  great,  it  is  no  wonder  if  a  few  indivi- 
duals were  overlooked :  some  unavoidable 
instances  of  this  sort  gave  rise  to  a  com- 
plaint, not  only  of  negligence,  but  partiality, 
in  the  ilistribution  of  the  money;  and  the 
Hellenists,  or  strangers,  thought  the  others 
had  an  undue  preference  shown  them.  The 
apostles,  though  upright  and  impartial,  were 
unable  to  do  every  thing  themselves;  and 
therefore  to  prevent  such  mistakes  and  sus- 
picions, and  that  they  might  devote  their 
whole  time  and  attention  to  the  more  import- 
ant services  of  the  ministry,  they  entirely  di- 
vested themselves  of  the  pecuniary  charge ; 
and,  by  their  advice  seven  men  were  chosen, 
on  whom,  by  prayer  and  imposition  of  hands, 
they  solemnly  devolved  this  trust.  Thus  the 
office  of  deacons  was  instituted.  They  were 
men  full  of  wisdom  and  the  Holy  Ghost :  and 
to  them  the  care  of  the  public  money,  and  the 
support  of  the  poor,  was  peculiarly  confided. 
Some  of  them,  perhaps  all,  were  occasionally 
preachers ;  but  this  was  no  part  of  their  office 
as  deacons.  By  this  expedient,  the  cause  of 
murmuring  was  taken  away,  and  the  peace 
of  the  church  confirmed. 

Tiberius,  a.  d.  3t.]  Thus  the  gospel 
flourished  in  defiance  of  opposition.  The 
Jews,  provoked  more  and  more,  began  to  lose 
all  patience ;  the  mild  counsels  of  Gamaliel 
could  no  longer  restrain  them,  but  their 

conformable  to  Jesns  in  this  resppct.  we  feel  it  a  burden 
which  we  are  restless  to  shake  off :  yet  it  must  he  borne, 
or  WB  must  give  up  profession  and  all ;  for  neither  are 
our  characters  more  respectable  than  the  first  Christians, 
nor  is  the  world  better  reconciled  to  the  things  of  God 
now  than  it  was  then. 


blinded  passions  hurried  them  to  the  last  ex- 
tremities. Stephen,  one  of  the  seven  dea- 
cons newly  elected,  was  the  first  who  receiv- 
ed the  honour  and  crown  of  martyrdom.  Hia 
zeal  for  the  truth  did  not  begin  with  his  new 
office,  though  it  is  probable  his  undertaking 
that  charge  might  place  him  more  in  view, 
and  expose  him  more  immediately  to  perse- 
cution. Promotions  in  the  world  are  attend- 
ed with  worldly  advantages ;  but  such  pro- 
motions in  the  church  as  are  agreeable  to  the 
Spirit  of  God,  will  rather  entitle  a  man  to  a 
larger  share  of  labours  and  sufTermgs,  and 
the  painful  pre-eminence  of  standing  in  the 
forefront  of  the  battle,  to  sustain  the  hottest 
brunt  of  every  storm.  Stephen  was  no  sooner 
a  public  person  than  he  became  the  mark  of 
public  opposition.  At  first  they  pretended  to 
dispute  with  him,  but  when  they  were  un- 
able to  resist  the  wisdom  and  spirit  by  which 
he  spake,  they  had  recourse  to  more  effec- 
tual methods  to  silence  him ;  they  suborned 
false  witnesses,  a  main  instrument  of  perse- 
cution, against  him  ;  and  having  framed  such 
an  accusation  as  was  most  likely  to  alarm 
the  prejudice,  and  inflame  the  rage  of  the 
people,  they  brought  him  before  the  council, 
and  charged  him,  that  he  had  spoken  blas- 
phemous words  again.st  Moses  ana  against 
God.  Stephen,  though  alone,  and  unsup- 
ported in  the  midst  of  furious  enemies,  ap- 
peared firm  and  unmoved  as  a  rock  in  the 
midst  of  the  waves :  he  was  not  only  devoid 
of  fear,  but  filled  with  joy  (Acts  vii ;)  the  tes- 
tunony  of  a  good  conscience,  the  honour  of 
suffering  for  his  Lord,  and  a  sense  of  the 
love  of  God  shed  abroad  m  his  heart,  not  only 
preserved  his  soul  in  peace,  but  spread  a  lus- 
tre and  glory  upon  his  countenance,  so  that 
all  who  sat  in  the  council,  looking  upon  him, 
saw  his  face  as  it  had  been  the  face  of  an 
angel.  In  such  a  disposition,  he  thought  it 
not  worth  while  to  attempt  his  own  defence, 
but  employed  the  whole  tune  allotted  him  in 
behalf  of  his  adversaries,  that,  if  possible,  by 
a  distinct  view  of  God's  dealing  with  their 
nation,  and  their  behaviour  towards  him,  he 
might  engage  them  to  consider  their  ways, 
to  repent,  and  believe  the  gospel.  While  he 
spake  of  the  things  that  had  been  long  since 
transacted,  and  kept  within  the  bounds  of 
Moses,  David,  and  Solomon,  they  had  pa- 
tience to  hear  him ;  but  when  he  began  to 
make  application  to  themselves,  with  tliat 
warmth  and  plainness  which  the  case  re- 
quired, they  could  bear  no  more :  his  words 
cut  them  to  the  heart :  they  no  longer  pre- 
served the  exterior  gravity  of  their  stations 
and  characters,  but  gnashed  at  him  with 
their  teeth,  as  though  they  would  have  de- 
voured him  alive. 

But  vain  are  the  attempts  of  men  to  inti- 
midate those  whom  the  Lord  is  pleased  to 
comfort.  He  is  always  near  to  support  his 
faithful  servants,  and  can  manifest  himself  in 


44 


PROGRESS  OF 


THE  GOSPEL        '  [book  u. 


a  way  which  the  world  knows  nothing  of. 
Such  a  seasonable  and  sufRcient  discovery 
he  made  of  himself  to  Stephen.  As  he  looked 
steadfastly  up  to  lieaven,  silently  appealing 
from  the  injustice  of  his  judges,  he  saw  the 
heavens  opened,  and  Jesus  standing  in  glory 
at  the  right  hand  of  God,  as  attending  to  all 
that  passed,  and  ready  to  receive  him  to  him- 
self. Transported  with  this  divine  assurance, 
he  was  not  at  leisure  to  drop  a  single  word  to 
soften  his  incensed  enemies ;  he  endeavour- 
ed to  communicate  the  glorious  idea  with 
which  his  soul  was  filled,  and,  without  re- 
garding the  sure  consequence  of  such  a  de- 
claration, he  told  them  plainly  what  he  saw. 
This  determined  their  resolves.  Hitherto  they 
had  been  willing  to  preserve  the  form  at  least 
of  a  judicial  process ;  but  now,  renouncing 
every  restraint,  and  unmindful  of  their  late 
acknowledgment  to  Pilate,  that  it  was  not 
lawful  for  them  to  put  any  man  to  death, 
they  stopped  their  ears  to  shut  out  any  re- 
monstrance that  might  be  offered,  dragged 
him  violently  out  of  the  city,  and  stoned  him 
to  death,  flis  dying  deportment,  which 
showed  how  eminently  he  was  filled  with 
the  Spirit  of  Jesus,  whom  he  saw,  is  record- 
ed as  a  fit  pattern  for  the  imitation  of  all  who 
should  be  called  to  suffer  for  the  truth  in 
succeeding  times.  He  kneeled  down  with 
the  sweetest  composure,  and,  having  com- 
mitted his  departing  soul  into  his  Redeemer's 
hands,  his  only  remaining  concern  was  for 
his  murderers,  and  his  last  breath  was  a 
prayer  that  this  sin  might  not  be  laid  to  their 
charge.  Such  resolution  in  the  defence  of 
truth,  such  calmness  under  sufierings,  such 
tenderness  and  compassion  towards  those 
who  oppose,  are  the  surest  marks  of  a  high 
attainment  in  Christianity. 

The  death  of  Stephen,  far  from  satiatmg 
the  rage  of  the  rulers  (Acts  viii,)  rather  ani- 
mated and  excited  them  to  new  mischief 
They  observed  no  farther  measures,  but  gave 
full  vent  to  their  cruelty,  and  raised  a  gene- 
ral persecution  against  the  church.  A  young 
man  named  Saul,  whom  the  Lord,  from  before 
his  birth,  had  designed  for  a  nobler  service, 
was  at  this  time  one  of  their  most  zealous 
and  active  instruments ;  he  had  been  a  con- 
senting spectator  of  Stephen's  death,  and 
kept  the  raiment  of  those  that  slew  him. 
Encouraged  by  their  example,  he  soon  enter- 
ed upon  action  himself,  and  made  havoc  of  the 
church,  forcibly  entering  into  their  houses, 
and  dragging  many  to  prison,  both  men  and 
women.  The  disciples,  therefore,  according 
to  their  Lord's  direction  (Matt.  x.  23,)  gave 
way  to  the  storm,  and  dispersed  themselves 
throughout  Judea  and  Samaria,  spreading 
the  knowledge  of  the  gospel  wherever  they 
went.  Thus  the  methods  taken  to  suppress 
the  truth  proved  (as  they  ofl^en  have  since) 
the  means  of  promoting  its  progress ;  yet  the 
Lord,  who  appoints  limits  beyond  which  the 


fiercest  attempts  of  men  cannot  pass,  pre- 
served the  apostles  in  safety  at  Jerusalem, 
where  he  had  farther  occasion  for  their  ser- 
vice. Amongst  the  many  who  left  the  city 
was  Philip,  another  of  tlie  deacons:  he 
preached  Christ  and  his  gospel  in  Samaria, 
performed  many  cures  and  miracles  among 
the  people,  and  a  great  number  received  faith 
and  were  baptized.  Here  the  gospel  tri- 
umphed over  the  illusions  of  Simon,  sumam- 
ed  Magus,  or  the  Sorcerer,  who,  by  his  vain 
arts  and  arrogant  pretensions,  had  long  held 
the  people  in  subjection  and  astonishment. 
But  the  superior  power  of  truth  dispelled 
the  charm ;  his  votaries  fbrsook  him ;  and 
even  the  impostor  himself  was  so  far  con- 
vinced that  Philip  acted  by  that  divine  power 
and  authority  to  which  he  had  only  pretend- 
ed, that  lie  professed  himself  a  believer  like- 
wise, and  behaved  so  fairly,  that  Philip  ad- 
mitted him  to  baptism  without  suspicion ; 
but  when,  soon  after,  Peter*  and  John  came 
to  Samaria  to  communicate  the  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  the  new  disciples  by  imposi- 
tion of  hands,  Simon  discovered  his  true 
character :  he  offered  money  for  a  power  to 
impart  the  same  gifts ;  a  proposal  wliich 
showed  his  ignoraiice,  wickedness,  and  am- 
bition in  the  strongest  light,  and  proved  liim 
an  entire  stranger  to  the  grace  of  God. 
From  him  the  hateful  practice  of  merchan- 
dizing in  spiritual  concerns  has  derived  the 
name  of  Simony;  a  crime  which,  though 
condemned  by  the  laws  of  every  christian 
country,  as  highly  injurious  and  reproach- 
ful! to  the  gospel  of  Christ,  no  laws  or  obli- 
gations have  hitherto  been  able  to  suppress. 
Peter  severely  rebuked  his  hypocrisy,  yet 
exhorted  him  to  repentance  and  prayer.  His 
words  seemed  to  have  some  weight  with 
Simon  for  the  present ;  but  we  hear  no  more 
of  him  among  the  believers  :  on  the  contrary, 
he  is  recorded  in  history  as  an  inveterate 
enemy  to  the  faith  and  purity  of  the  gospel, 
and  the  author  of  those  wild,  absurd,  and  im- 


♦  Acts  viii.  14.  "They  sent  Peter  and  John."  We 
find  nothins  in  this  book  to  countenance  the  pre-emi- 
nence which  tile  PRpists  ascribe  to  Peter.  He  and  John 
were  deputed  by  all  the  apostles,  and  went  upon  equal 
terms.  Peter  did  not  send  John,  nor  go  himself,  w  ith- 
out tlie  advice  and  direction  of  the  rest.  John  had  once 
desired  to  call  for  fire  from  heaven  upon  the  Samari- 
tans; but  he  was  now  better  instructed,  and  gladly 
went  to  impart  to  them  the  best  gifts  he  could  bestow. 
If  tlie  Lord  is  pleased  to  make  any  partakers  of  the 
same  precious  laith  with  ourselves,  though  they  were 
once  enemies,  we  should  gladly  forget  all  that  is  past, 
and  receive  them  as  dear  brethren  and  intimate  friends. 

t  In  these  abuses  the  church  of  Rome  seems  to  de- 
rive rather  from  Simon  Magus  than  from  Simon  Peter; 
yet  it  is  to  be  wished  such  practices  were  confined  to 
ihe  church  of  Rome  only.  Our  laws  have  guarded 
against  them  by  a  very  solemn  and  circumstantial 
oath  ;  but  that  tliis  oath,  if  not  literally  broken,  is  often 
scandalously  evaded,  we  neeil  no  other  proof  than  Ihe 
shameful  advertisements  which  frequently  appear  in 
our  public  papers  ;  not  to  say.  that  though  there  is  no 
money  in  the  case,  yet  all  presentations,  e.vchanges, 
and  advancements  that  are  transacted  upon  interested 
views,  are  so  far  simoniacal  in  the  sight  of  him  who 
judges  the  heart. 


CHAP.  1.] 


AFTER  THE  ASCENSION. 


45 


pure  heresies  which  disturbed  the  first  ages 
of  the  church. 

About  this  time  an  eunuch,  or  orreat  of- 
ficer of  Candace,  Queen  of  Ethiopia,  who 
had  been  worshippintr  at  Jerusalem  (which 
makes  it  probable  that  he  was  a  proselyte  to 
the  faith  of  the  God  of  Israel)  was  returning 
homeward.  Though  this  nobleman  had  been 
at  Jerusalem,  he  had  either  not  heard  of  the 
apostles  and  their  new  doctrines,  or,  being 
influenced  by  the  priests  and  rulers,  had  not 
thought  them  worthy  his  notice.  He  was 
going  home  ignorant  as  he  came ;  but  the 
lyord,  who  is  mindful  of  his  people  when 
they  think  not  of  him,  appoints  the  time  and 
the  means  of  bringing  them  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth ;  and  these  are  often  seemingly 
precarious  and  contingent,  that  the  work 
may  more  clearly  be  known  to  be  his,  and 
the  praise  ascribed  to  his  power  and  provi- 
dence. Philip,  by  the  direction  of  an  angel, 
intercepted  the  Ethiopian  upon  the  road :  he 
found  him  well  employed,  reading  the  prophet 
Isaiah  as  he  sat  in  his  chariot :  he  had  a  very 
confused  idea  of  the  passage  he  was  reading, 
but  he  knew  it  contained  an  important  mean- 
ing, and  was  desirous  to  discover  it.  Those 
who  have  a  just  sense  of  the  excellence  of  the 
scripture,  and  peruse  it  as  he  did  with  a  sin- 
cere intention  to  be  instructed  by  it,  may  be 
encouraged  from  this  instance  to  persevere, 
though  they  find  it  at  present  hard  to  be  un- 
derstood :  he  who  gave  them  the  desire  will 
in  due  time  provide  them  a  teacher,  and 
make  dark  things  plain  to  them.  .When  Phi- 
lip drew  near,  and  asked  him,  without  cere- 
mony, if  he  understood  what  he  read,  he  was 
not  offended  with  the  abruptness  of  his  ad- 
dress, but  courteously  invited  him  to  sit  with 
him,  confessing  his  ignorance  and  the  need 
he  had  of  assistance.  The  passage  which 
had  perplexed  him  afforded  Philip  a  fair  op- 
portunity of  preaching  Jesus:  the  eunuch 
believed,  and  was  baptized  in  a  water  they 
were  passing  by.  In  this  case  there  seems 
to  have  been  no  exertion  of  an  outward  mira- 
cle to  confirm  the  word.  Nor  was  it  neces- 
sary :  the  manner  of  Philip's  meeting  with 
him,  the  suitableness  of  the  question  to  the 
dubious  state  of  his  mind,  and  the  discovery 
he  obtained,  that  the  prophetical  marks  of 
the  Messiah  exactly  coincided  with  the  his- 
tory of  Jesus,  afforded  him  sufficient  evi- 
dence. The  only  extraordinary  circumstance 
was  the  sudden  disappearing  of  Philip,  who, 
having  performed  his  service,  was  removed 
by  the  power  of  the  Spirit  to  Azotus,  a  place 
thirty  miles  distant ;  from  whence,  proceed- 
ing along  the  sea-coast,  he  preached  at  Joppa, 
Lydda,  and  all  the  intermediate  places,  till 
he  came  to  Csesarea.  In  the  mean  time  the 
eunuch,  rejoicing  in  the  Lord's  goodness, 
pursued  his  journey  to  Ethiopia.  We  have 
no  farther  account  of  him  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment; but  some  ancient  writers  assure  us 


that  he  was  the  means  of  propagating  the 
faith  which  he  had  received,  first  in  his  own 
country,  and  afterwards  in  places  still  more 
remote^ 

TibeMPus,  a.  d.  35.]  The  church  having 
suffered  much  from  the  violence  of  the  perse- 
cution, the  Lord  was  pleased  to  afibrd  them 
intermission,  and  to  give  a  remarkable  proof 
of  the  power  of  his  grace  (Acts  ix,)  by  the 
conversion  of  Saul,  one  of  their  fiercest  op- 
posers.  He  had  been  educated  a  Pharisee, 
in  a  zealous  attachment  to  the  law,  and,  from 
a  mistaken  principle  of  conscience,  thought  it 
his  duty  to  suppress  the  followers  of  Jesus. 
The  warmth  of  his  temper  prompted  him  to 
uncommon  earnestness  against  them ;  and  as 
he  was  a  young  man,  he  was  probably  farther 
instigated  by  a  desire  to  ingratiate  himself 
with  the  Jewish  rulers.  Not  content  with 
the  mischief  he  had  done  at  Jerusalem,  he 
still  breathed  out  threatenings  and  slaughter 
against  them,  and  meditated  their  destruction 
even  in  distant  places.  With  this  view  he 
obtained  letters  of  authority  from  the  chief 
priests,  and  set  out  for  Damascus,  that  if  he 
found  any  disciples  there,  he  might  bring 
them  bound  with  him  to  Jerusalem.  Little 
was  he  aware  of  the  event  of  his  journey ! 
Little  did  the  believers  imagine,  that  the 
man  who  now  thirsted  for  their  blood,  would 
soon  be  their  companion  and  leader !  The 
Lord  often  permits  those  to  whom  he  shows 
mercy,  to  run  great  previous  lengths  in  their 
obstinacy  and  ignorance :  their  subsequent 
change  is  hereby  more  noticed,  the  riches  of 
his  grace  are  more  remarkably  exemplified 
for  the  encouragement  of  others ;  and  such 
persons,  from  a  lively  sense  of  their  past 
wickedness,  and  the  undeserved  favour  they 
have  received,  are  usually  more  strongly  im- 
pressed with  a  sense  of  divine  love,  and  more 
warmly  devoted  to  his  service.  Some  such 
there  have  been  in  every  period  of  the 
church,  and  especially  whenever  there  has 
been  a  remarkable  revival  of  the  power  of 
godliness.  Wlien  Saul  was  drawing  near  to 
Damascus,  perhaps  within  sight  of  the  city, 
anticipating  his  bloody  designs,  and  exult- 
ing in  thought  over  the  defenceless  sheep  of 
Christ,  whom  he  had  been  taught  to  consider 
as  schismatics  and  heretics,  who  deserved  to 
be  extirpated  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  he 
was  suddenly  surrounded  by  a  glorious  light, 
exceeding  the  brightness  of  the  mid-day  sun, 
and  heard  a  voice,  not  of  uncertain  applica- 
tion, but  expostulating  with  him  by  name, 
"  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me '!"  If 
he  was  alarmed  at  the  question,  he  was  much 
more  so,  when,  upon  asking,  "  Who  art  thou, 
Ijord  ]"  he  was  answered,  "  I  am  Jesus  the 
Nazarene,*  whom  thou  per.secutest."  So 
nearly  is  the  Lord  interested  in  his  people, 


*  This  is  the  exact  import  of  the  Greek,  l>iir»f  o  Nk^m 
fst'os,  Acts  xxii.  8. 


II 


46 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


[book  n. 


and  so  dangerous  is  it  to  injure  them :  he  ac- 
counts their  cause,  their  suffering-s,  their 
enemies,  his  own.  The  Nazarene  was  an 
epithet  of  contempt  affixed  tothe^ameof 
Jesus  by  tliose  wlio  hated  him  ;*  an^;  is  pro- 
bable that  Saul  had  often  spoke  of  him  in 
these  terms ;  but  now  he  found  himself  in 
the  Nazarene's  power,  and  unable  either  to 
escape  or  to  plead  ;  he  fell  to  the  earth  trem- 
blino-  and  astonished  beyond  expression ;  he 
not  only  heard  his  voice,  but  saw  his  person 
(Acts  ix.  27 ;  1  Cor.  xv.  9 ;)  an  interview 
which  he  could  not  have  sustained  a  moment, 
if  the  jjlory  of  Jesus  had  not  been  tempered 
with  the  milder  beams  of  grace  and  love. 
The  Lord  spared  him,  accepted  his  feeble 
surrender  of  himself,  moderated  his  fears, 
and  dismissed  him  to  Damascus  as  a  willing 
trophy  of  his  victorious  grace,  and  a  singular 
instance  how  easily  he  can  subdue  the  hard- 
est hearts  to  himself  The  brightness  of  the 
vision  had  overpowered  his  bodily  eyes,  so 
that  he  was  led  by  the  hand ;  but  the  eyes  of 
his  mind  were  opened ;  his  heart,  his  aims 
were  changed ;  he  was  become  a  new  man, 
and,  instead  of  threatenings  and  slaughter, 
he  now  breathed  prayer  and  devotion  to 
Jesus,  and  love  to  his  people.  He  remained 
at  Damascus  three  days  without  sight  or 
food  :  but  the  Lord  remembered  his  distress, 
and  sent  to  him  a  disciple  named  Ananias, 
who,  from  the  character  he  had  heard  of  him, 
was  at  first  greatly  surprised  at  the  com- 
mand he  received  to  go  to  such  a  person ; 
but  the  Lord  condescended  to  acquaint  him, 
that  Saul  was  a  chosen  instrument,  whom 
he  had  appointed  to  do  and  suffer  great  things 
for  his  sake.  When  Ananias  laid  his  hands 
on  him,  a  thick  film,  resembling  scales,  fell 
from  his  eyes;  his  sight  was  restored,  his 
mind  composed,  and  he  was  immediately 
baptized.  Saul  had  several  companions  with 
him  in  his  journey,  who  saw  the  dazzling 
light,  heard  the  sound  of  the  voice  which 
spoke  to  him,  and  fell  to  the  ground  with  sur- 
prise as  he  did;  they  knew  enough  of  the 
circumstances  of  the  case  to  witness  for  him, 
that  he  neither  imposed  upon  others  nor  him- 
self; but  we  have  no  account  that  any  of 
them  were  converted,  the  most  extraordi- 
nary occurrences  being  insufficient  to  change 
the  heart,  without  the  interposition  of  divine 
grace. 

Thus  the  late  persecuting  Saul  was  num- 
bered with  the  disciples,  and  soon  distin- 
guished himself  amongst  them :  he  now 
knew  by  experience  the  wickedness  and 
danger  of  opposing  the  gospel,  and  was  de- 
sirous to  repair  the  mischief  of  his  former 
rage  and  ill  example.  A  sense  of  the  incrcy 
he  had  received,  and  compassion  for  the 
Eouls  of  others,  made  him  seek  every  oppor- 


*  And  for  this  reason  inserted  in  the  title  which  Pi- 
late put  over  his  cross. 


tunity  to  persuade  and  convince  the  Jews, 
his  former  companions  and  brethren ;  but  he 
soon  found  the  same  treatment  from  them, 
which  he  himself  had  oflen  offered  to  the  dis- 
ciples. They  opposed  and  vilified  him  as  an 
apostate,  and  at  length  consulted  to  kill  him : 
his  former  zeal  in  their  cause  was  forgot,  or, 
if  remembered,  it  was  an  argument  suited  to 
inflame  their  resentment.  But  no  counsel 
can  prevail  against  those  whom  the  Lord 
protects.  Saul  had  timely  notice  of  their 
designs,  and  because  they  watched  the  gates 
of  the  city  incessantly,  he  was  let  down  by  a 
basket  over  the  wall  ;t  for  though  he  nei- 
ther distrusted  his  cause  nor  his  protector, 
he  was  not  unmindful  to  employ  prudent 
means  for  his  preservation.  But  before  this 
he  had  made  some  excursions  from  Damas- 
cus, and  visited  Arabia ;  for  his  own  words 
assure  us,  that  it  was  not  till  the  third  year 
after  his  conversion  that  he  returned  to  Je- 
rusalem. In  this  interval  the  Lord,  who  had 
appeared  to  him  in  the  way,  by  subsequent 
revelations,  fully  instructed  him  in  the 
knowledge  of  his  will,  and  qualified  him  for 
the  apostolical  office ;  so  that  he  could  after- 
wards say,  that  he  received  neither  his  au- 
thority nor  his  information  from  men.  When 
he  came  to  Jerusalem  he  would  have  joined 
himself  to  the  disciples;  but  they,  remem- 
bering his  former  conduct,  and  not  clearly 
infor.Tied  of  the  manner  and  reality  of  his 
change,  were  at  first  afraid  of  him.  They 
had  a  right  to  be  satisfied  of  his  sincerity. 
But  being  soon  afterwards  introduced  by 
Barnabas,  he  related  to  them  the  means  of 
his  conversion,  and  the  occasion  of  his  leav- 
ing Damascus.  He  continued  for  some 
time  in  Jerusalem  and  the  neighbourhood, 
preaching  and  disputing  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  The  Jews,  who  hated  all  the  ser- 
vants of  Christ,  could  not  but  be  particularly 
enraged  at  him,  who  had  forsaken  their 
party ;  against  him,  therefore,  they  chiefly 
set  themselves,  and  making  repeated  at- 
tempts to  kill  him,  he  withdrew  again  from 
Judea,  and  went  through  Syria  to  Tarsus,'  in 
Cilicia,  his  native  place. 

Caligula,  a.  d.  38.]  Upon  his  recess  the 
churches  in  Judea,  Samaria,  and  Galilee,  had 
an  interval  of  rest.J    The  Jews,  about  this 


t  2  Cor.  xi.  33.  "  Throueli  a  window  in  a  basket  was 
I  let  down  by  the  wall."  The  Lord  often  confounds  the 
pride  of  his  enemies  by  the  manner  in  which  he  delivers 
his  servants;  he  permits  violent  oppositions,  and  great 
preparations  to  be  made  apainst  tlieni,  and  then  discon- 
certs the  combinations  of  tlie  many  and  the  mighty,  by 
feeble  and  unthought  of  means. 

I  The  churches  had  rest,  and  walked  in  the  fear  of 
the  Lord,  and  in  the  comforts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
were  edified  and  multiplied.  Acts  ix.  31.  Some  well- 
meaninw  persons  seem  to  forget  this  passage,  when 
tlii'V  take  it  for  granted,  that  the  work  of  God  cannot 
flourish,  except  there  is  a  violent  outward  opposition 
against  it.  The  world  will  dislike  the  gospel ;  but  it  is 
possible  in  some  measure  to  put  to  silence  the  ignorance 
of  foolish  men  by  well  doing;  and  the  Lord  can,  and 
often  does,  favour  his  people  with  peace,  and  put  their 
enemies  under  restraint. 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE 


ASCENSION. 


47 


time,  were  taken  up  with  their  own  affairs. 
Caligula,  who  had  lately  succeeded  Tiberius 
in  tlie  empire,  presumed  to  arrogate  divine 
wortihip  to  himself,  and  commanded  altfirs 
and  temples  to  be  erected  to  his  honour;  he 
was  readily  obeyed  in  many  places:  hut 
when  he  required  his  statue  to  be  put  up  in 
the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  the  Jewish  nation 
engaged  as  one  man  to  prevent  it.*  They 
had  rejected  the  Holy  One  and  tjie  true,  and 
the  troubles  were  now  beginning  to  take 
place,  which  ended  at  length  in  their  total 
ruin  and  extirpation.  Against  this  first  af- 
front and  profanation  intended  to  their  tem- 
ple, they  united  in  earnest  supplications  to 
Petronius,  the  governor  of  Syria,  and  with 
much  entreaty  obtained  permission  to  send 
their  deputies  to  the  Emperor,  who  was, 
though  Vv'ith  great  difficulty,  prevailed  on  to 
desist  from  his  purpose  as  to  the  temple ;  but 
at  the  same  time  he  forbade  them,  under  the 
severest  penalties,  to  oppose  the  erection  or 
dedication  of  temples  to  him,  in  any  place 
without  the  city  of  Jerusalem.  This  injunc- 
tion encouraged  their  enemies  to  affront 
their  religion  wherever  they  pleased,  and 
laid  a  foundation  for  innumerable  disturb- 
ances and  dissensions,  in  which  the  Jews, 
whether  aggressors  or  not,  were  always  the 
greatest  sufferers.  While  they  were  thus 
distracted  among  themselves,  the  believers 
enjoyed  a  favourable  respite,  and  walking  in 
the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  comforts  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  were  edified  and  increased. 

A.  D.  oD.]  As  Peter  had  formerly  seconded 
the  labours  of  Philip,  the  deacon,  at  Samaria, 
he  now  visited  those  places  where  he  had 
preached  on  his  way  to  Csesarea,  and  strength- 
ened tlie  disciples  he  found  there,  by  his  doc- 
trine and  miracles.  At  Lyddaf  he  restored  a 
man  to  immediate  health,  who  had  been 
many  years  ill  of  a  dropsy.  Being  afterwards 
invited  to  Joppa,  he  raised  Tabitha,  or  Dor- 
cas, to  life,  to  the  great  joy  of  the  poor  and 
the  widows,  whom  she  had  assisted  by  her 
alms  and  labours.  While  he  made  some  stay 
here,  his  commission  was  enlarged,  and  he 
received  direction  from  the  Lord  to  com- 
municate the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  which 
had  hitherto  been  restrained  to  the  Jews, 
except  in  the  case  of  the  eunuch,  for  which 
Philip  had  been  authorised  by  the  express 
command  of  an  angel. 


*  Joscphus.  tie  Bell.  Jud.  lib.  2. 

t  Acts  ix.  32.  "  He  came  to  the  saints  at  Lydda." 
Tiie  scripliires  do  not  use  the  word  saint  in  the  narrow 
and  appropriate  sense  of  some,  or  with  that  improper 
extent  which  others  have  given  to  it  in  after  times;  it  is 
neither  peculiar  to  apostles  and  fathers,  nor  applicable 
to  all  who  hoar  it  in  the  Roman  calendar,  but  it  is  the 
common  appellation  of  all  who  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  ar.'i  saved  from  sin  and  condemnation  by 
his  grace.  There  have  been  saints  in  all  ages,  but  real 
saints  (while  living)  have  usually  been  branded  with 
opprobrious  names.  The  world,  which  knows  not  Christ, 
cannot  distinguish  his  people,  but  will  rather  give  the 
title  of  saints  to  many  who  have  hated  and  persecuted 
the  gospel. 


When  our  Lord  sent  forth  the  apostles  to 
preach  while  he  was  yet  uj)on  earth,  he  ex- 
pressly confined  their  mission  to  the  house  of 
Israel;  and  though,  after  his  resurrection,  he 
conmianded  them  to  disciple  all  nations, 
they  did  not  immediately  understand  the  ex- 
tent of  his  meaning;  though  they  wore  under 
an  infiillible  guidance,  they  were  not  fully  in- 
structed at  once,  but  received  intimations  of 
their  duty  from  tune  to  time,  as  circum- 
stances varied,  and  as  the  designs  of  Divine 
Providence  were  successively  opening.  The 
great  Shepherd  and  Head  of  the  church  has 
an  appomted  time  and  manner  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  all  his  purposes;  nothing- 
can  be  effectually  done  but  when  and  where 
he  pleases :  but  when  his  hour  is  come,  then 
hard  things  become  easy,  and  crooked  things 
straight;  his  word.  Spirit,  and  providence, 
then  will  all  concur  to  make  the  path  of  duty 
plain  to  those  who  serve  liim,  though  per- 
haps, till  this  'knowledge  is  necessary,  he 
permits  them  to  remain  ignorant  of  what  he 
has  designed  them  for.  By  this  discipline 
they  are  taught  to  depend  entirely  upon  him, 
and  are  afterwards  more  fully  assured  that 
he  has  sent  and  succeeded  tliem.  Peter  was 
not  yet  freed  from  the  Jewish  prejudice,  that 
all  intercourse  with  the  Heathens  was  un- 
lawful; or  if  he  had  been  so  himself,  he  could 
not  have  easily  convinced  the  many  thou- 
sands of  his  brethren  who  laboured  under  the 
same  mistake.  This  service  was  therefore 
pointed  out  to  him  by  means  which  left  no 
room  for  doubt  in  his  own  mind,  and  enabled 
him  fully  to  vindicate  his  conduct  to  others. 

Cornelius  (Acts  x,)  a  Roman  centurion,  or 
captain,  with  his  family  and  dependants,  were 
the  first  fruits  of  the  Gentile  converts.  He 
lived  at  Csesarea,  a  city  not  far  from  Joppa, 
and  which  was  the  ordinary  residence  of  the 
Roman  governor*;  and  therefore  promiscu- 
ously inhabited  by  Gentiles  and  Jews.  It  is 
not  probable  that  he  had  never  heard  of 
Christ,  or  the  new  institution  that  was  spread- 
ing under  his  name;  but,  without  doubt, 
what  he  knew  of  it  was  only  from  public 
rumour,  in  which  the  misrepresentations  of 
malice,  and  the  surmises  of  ignorance,  usually 
so  far  prevail,  tliat  persons  of  the  best  dispo- 
sitions are  often  deterred  from  making  those 
inquiries  which  the  importance  of  truth  de- 
serves. But  the  Lord,  whom  he  knew  not, 
had  been  gradually  preparing  him  for  the 
reception  of  the  Gospel ;  he  was  already  re- 
claimed from  idolatry ;  he  was  a  devout  wor- 
shipper of  God,  exemplary  in  his  family,  just 
in  his  dealings,  and  charitable  to  the  poor. 
How  few  of  those  now  called  christians  can 
equal  his  character  while  a  stranger  to  the 
gospel,  we  may  collect  from  daily  observa- 
tion ;  yet  those  who  plead  for  the  sufficiency 
of  what  they  style  natural  religion,  would 
do  well  to  observe,  that  though  he  was  in 
many  respects  a  good  man,  and  his  sincerity 


48 


PROGRESS  OF 


THE  GOSPEL 


[book  II. 


was  approved  by  God  himself;  yet  he  lacked 
one  thing.  But  none  who  are  made  sincerely 
desirous  to  know  the  will  of  God,  shall  be 
left  finally  destitute:  he  will  find  a  way  to 
give  them  necessary  information.  Cornelius, 
who  had  often  waited  upon  God  by  fasting' 
and  prayer,  and  had,  doubtless,  at  times,  felt 
that  suspense  and  anxiety  which  can  only  be 
entirely  removed  by  a  clear  knowledge  of 
the  gospel-covenant,  obtained  at  length  an 
illustrious  answer;  an  angel  appeared  to 
him,  assured  him  that  his  prayer  was  heard, 
and  directed  him  to  send  for  Peter,  who 
should  inform  him  more  fully  of  his  duty. 

It  is  observable,  that  though  the  angel  was 
so  minutely  exact  in  his  directions,  as  to 
mention  the  street  and  the  very  house  where 
Peter  resided,  he  said  not  a  word  of  the  gos- 
pel to  Cornelius,  but  referred  him  wholly  to 
Peter.  The  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  is 
pleased  to  make  his  people  instrumental  in 
teaching  each  other.  This  nSt  only  secures 
the  honour  of  the  success  to  him  alone,  but 
it  conduces  to  their  comfort  and  advantage. 
An  angel  could  only  speak  historically,  that 
the  tiling  is  so ;  but  it  comes  nearer  to  our 
level  when  delivered  by  men  who  have  been 
in  tlje  very  case  of  others,  and  can  say  ex- 
perimentally, that  they  have  found  it  so. 
Who  so  fit  to  commend  the  physician's  skill 
and  tenderness  as  those  who  have  been  them- 
selves cured  by  him  of  a  desperate  disease? 
Peter  had  himself  tasted  that  the  Lord  was 
gracious ;  lie  had  greatly  sinned,  yet  had  been 
freely  forgiven;  he  had  seen  his  e.xcellent 
glory  upon  the  mount,  and  had  received  an 
express  commission  from  his  mouth.  In  these 
and  other  respects,  he  was  a  proper  person  to 
proclaim  him  to  others,  more  so  than  an  an- 
gel from  heaven.  We  may  therefore  safely 
infer,  a  fortiori,  that  no  man,  however  great 
his  talents  may  otherwise  be",  can  be  qualified 
or  fit  to  preach  the  gospel,  until  he  has  known 
the  evil  of  .sin  himself,  and  been  a  partaker 
of  the  pardoning  grace  of  God  through  a 
crucified  Redeemer. 

Cornelius  was  not  disobedient  to  the  hea- 
venly vision:  his  example  and  instructions 
had  been  a  blessing  to  his  household,  so  that 
he  had  servants  about  him  to  whom  he  could 
communicate  this  extraordinary  event,  and 
depend  on  their  fidelity.  Having  related  his 
vision  to  them,  he  sent  them  to  Joppa  to  in- 
vite Peter  to  his  house. 

When  they  departed  from  Csesarea,  Peter 
was  under  the  influence  of  the  national  pre- 
judice, which  would  hardly  have  permitted 
him  to  have  gone  with  them ;  but,  while  they 
were  on  the  journey,  the  Lord  prepared  his 
mind  to  comply.  The  time  was  now  come,* 


*  In  the  Lord's  dispensations  in  favour  of  bis  people, 
there  is  often  a  counterpart,  resembling  that  vvhicli  is 
related  in  this  chapter.  The  minds  of  two  or  more  per- 
sons are  inclined,  by  different  niears,  to  concur  in  the 
eame  desi;;n,  though  perhaps  they  are  far  asunder,  and 


when  it  was  necessary  he  should  know  the 
extensive  designs  of  God  in  favour  of  sinners 
of  all  nations,  people,  and  languages;  and 
that  the  partition  wall  between  Jews  and 
Gentiles  was  broken  down  and  taken  away 
by  the  death  of  Christ.  He  received  this 
intimation  by  a  vision,  which  exactly  cor- 
responded in  its  circumstances  with  the  case 
in  hand.  About  noon  the  following  day,  when 
the  messengers  were  near  to  Joppa,  lie  was 
retired  to  the  top  of  the  house,  for  tlie  con- 
venient exercise  of  secret  prayer;  and  having 
an  appetite  for  food,  lie  saw,  as  it  were,  a 
large  sheet  or  wrapper  let  down  from  hea- 
ven, suspended  by  the  four  corners,  contain- 
ing all  sorts  of  beasts,  birds,  and  reptiles, 
without  any  regard  to  the  ceremonial  distinc- 
tion of  clean  and  unclean ;  this  appearance 
was  accompanied  with  a  voice  directing  him. 
To  slay  and  eat.  When  he  answered.  That 
he  had  never  yet  transgressed  the  law,  by 
eating  unclean  food;  the  voice  replied.  What 
God  hath  cleansed,  that  call  not  thou  common 
or  unclean.  To  impress  the  whole  upon  his 
mind,  and  to  convince  him  that  the  vision 
was  real  and  significant,  it  was  repeated 
three  times.  When  it  was  finally  withdrawn, 
and  while  he  was  thinking  what  it  might  im- 
port,t  the  men  sent  by  Cornelius  were  in- 
quiring for  him  at  the  door  below:  of  which, 
receiving  previous  notice  by  the  secret  sug- 
gestion of  the  Spirit  ofGod,  and  beingdirected 
to  go  with  them  without  hesitation,  he  went 
down  and  spoke  to  them  before  they  had 
time  to  send  him  word  of  their  arrival  by  the 
people  of  the  house.  When  he  had  heard 
their  business,  and  compared  the  vision  of 
Cornelius  with  his  own,  he  scrupled  no 
longer;  but  lodging  the  strangers  that  night, 
he  accompanied  them  the  next  day,  taking 
with  him  five  of  the  brethren  from  Joppa,  to 
be  witnesses  of  what  the  Lord  intended  to 
do.  Cornelius,  who  earnestly  expected  his 
arrival,  had  assembled  his  friends  and  de- 
pendants against  his  coming;  he  received 
Peter  before  them  all  with  the  greatest  re- 
spect and  cordiality,  and  gave  him  a  particu- 
lar account, of  what  had  passed,  professing 
that  both  he  and  his  friends  were  ready  to 
receive  and  obey  his  instructions.  Peter  now 
perceived  and  acknowledged  the  great  trutli 
the  Lord  had  pointed  out  by  so  many  har- 
monising circumstancae,  that  the  blessings  of 
the  gospel  were  no  longer  to  be  confined  to 
the  Jews,  but  that  Jesus  was  appointed  to 


i<no\v  nothing  of  each  ollier's  intentions:  in  time,  cir- 
cumstances fall  out  which  connect  their  views,  and 
prove  that  the  whole  was  from  the  Lord. 

t  Peter  was  faithful  to  the  light  he  had  already  re- 
ceived, and  did  not  hastily  follow  ilie  first  impulse  upon 
his  mind;  though  the  liberty  seemed  to  be  authorised 
by  a  voice  from  heaven,  he  did  not  accept  it  ^^'ithout 
consideration.  His  example  should  be  considered  by 
those  who  give  themselves  up  to  the  influence  of  every 
sudden  impression,  without  taking  time  to  consider  its 
nature  and  tendency,  and  how  far  il  is  consistent  with 
the  revealed  will  of  God. 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE  ASCENSION. 


49 


be  a  hght  to  enlighten  the  Gentiles  also, 
Acts  X.  .'34.*  In  his  discourse  to  them,  he 
declared  tlio  person,  character  and  offices  of 
Jesus,  who  had  been  lately  crucified,  affirm- 
ing himself  to  have  been  an  eye-witness  of 
■what  he  related;  he  asserted  his  honour  and 
authority  iis  the  Lord  of  all,  the  sovereign 
judge  of  the  living  and  the  dead;  that  he 
was  the  divine  Saviour  spoken  of  by  the  pro- 
phets, and  that  all  who  believed  in  his  name 
should  receive  the  remission  of  sin.  Here 
we  see  the  apostle's  doctrine  to  the  Gentiles 
was  the  same  that  he  had  preached  at  Jeru- 
salem upon  and  after  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
and  the  same  with  what  our  Lord  had  de- 
clared concerning  himself,  a  free  and  com- 
plete salvation  by  faith.  He  did  not  in  the 
least  attempt  to  accommodate  his  subject  to 
any  supposed  prejudices  of  his  new  hearers, 
but  faithfully  acquitted  himself  of  his  mes- 
sage, and  left  the  event  to  God.  The  mys- 
tery of  Christ  crucified,  which  was  a  stum- 
bling-block to  the  Jews,  was  by  many  of  the 
Gentiles  accounted  foolishness  and  absurdity ; 
but  the  apostles  proposed  it  simply  and  in- 
differently to  all.  In  the  present  case,  the 
success  was  (what  has  perhaps  seldom  hap- 
j  pened)  universal;  the  whole  company  be- 
j  lieved,  and  received  the  Holy  Ghost  imme- 
diately, previous  to  baptism,  and  without  the 
usual  imposition  of  the  apostle's  hands.  This 
signal  attestation,  with  which  the  Lord  ho- 
I  noured  their  faith,  unanswerably  removing 
I  every  doubt  concerning  their  fitness,  Peter 
immediately  directed  them  to  be  baptized  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  through  whom 
they  had  already  received  that  inward  and 
spiritual  grace,  of  which  baptism  was  the 
outward  and  visible  sign. 

When  this  affair  was  reported  in  Judea,  it 
was  not  at  first  agreeable  to  those  who  knew 
not  the  warrant  and  grounds  on  which  Peter 
had  proceeded;  so  that  when  he  returned  to 
Jerusalem,  he  found  himself  under  a  neces- 
sity of  vindicating  (Acts  xi)  his  conduct  to 
the  Jewish  converts ;  a  full  proof  that  they 


*  Ffw  passage-^  of  scripture  SPem  to  have  !)r?eii  more 
n)tsiiiiiler-too;l  ami  itiisrepresented  than  tliis  aiul  the 
followinj  viTse.  As  some  have  pri'siiTriecl.  that  St.  Taul's 
doctrine  of  justification  is  corrected  if  not  confiited,  by 
St.  Jatne'^:  so  the  apostle  Peter  has  been  sup^ioseil  to 
contradict  both  St  Paul  and  himself  (see  1  Pet.  i.  1,  2) 
in  another  important  truth  of  the  eospel.  This  mistake 
19  more  excusable  in  those  who  do  not  understand  the 
original:  but  those  who  do.  ought  not  to  avail  them- 
selves of  an  ambiguous  word  The  Greek  rr^ oa-A>^o,-, 
from  whence  -rpoTt:ri!>.ii^r>t;  is  derived,  does  not  con- 
vey the  same  idea  that  an  Enslish  reader  receives  from 
the  word  p  rson  ;  it  does  not  prop:!rly  sienify  a  personal 
identity,  but  the  outward  appearance  and  circumstance 
of  a  person  or  thins;.  Thus  it  is  sometimes  rendered 
face,  as  Matth.  vi.  10.  and  many  other  places;  and  is 
applied  to  the  sky  or  air,  Matlh.  xvi.  3;  rountenanre, 
Luke  ix.  2f ;  presence.  2  Cor.  x  1;  fashion,  James  i.  II. 
The  meanini  here  is  the  same  as  in  Coloss.  iii.  2.5  The 
Lord  is  not  moved  by  the  outward  distinctions  and  dif- 
ferences amonsst  men,  to  which  we  often  pay  rejard: 
compare  1  Sam  xvi.  7.  lie  neither  receives  or  rejects 
any  for  bein"  Jew  or  Gentile,  rich  or  poor,  bond  or  free, 
male  or  female,  but  is  rich  in  mercy  to  all  who  call 
upon  him. 

Vol.  II.  G 


did  not  think  him  infallible,  or  possessed  of 
that  superiority  over  the  whole  church  which 
designing  men,  for  promoting  their  own  ends, 
have  since  ascribed  to  hini.  But  thougli  he 
was  an  apostle,  and  had  acted  by  the  express 
command  of  God,  and  tiiough  their  expostula- 
tion seems  to  have  boon  hasty  and  rough, 
yet  he  did  not  think  it  beneath  him  to  give 
an  orderly  and  circumstantial  account  of  the 
whole  business:  they,  on  the  other  hand, 
were  open  to  conviction ;  and,  when  they  had 
heard  his  relation,  they  instantly  acquiesced, 
and  glorified  God  for  his  grace  given  to  the 
Gentiles.  This  mutual  condescension  and  in- 
genuousness preserved  the  first  christians  in 
peace,  though  they  were  not  ah\ays  ex- 
empted from  mistakes  and  wrong  impressions. 

By  this  time  the  believers  w'ho  had  been 
dispersed  by  persecution  had  spread  the  gos- 
pel beyond  the  bounds  of  Judea  and  Galilee 
into  Cyprus  and  Syria,  and  probably  to  more 
distant  parts,  particularly  to  Rome,  which, 
being  the  centre  and  conflux  of  the  empire, 
would  hardly  be  long  unvisited;  however, 
in  all  places,  the  preaching  of  the  word  was 
confined  to  the  Jews  till  Peter's  mission  to 
Cornelius  afforded  an  authorised  precedent 
for  imparting  it  to  the  Heathens. 

A.  D.  40.]  It  was  soon  after  publicly 
preached  in  Antioch,  tlie  capital  of  Syria, 
and  no  less  eminent  for  luxury  and  depravfty 
of  manners;  yet,  amongst  these  dissolute  and  ' 
enslaved  people,  the  gospel  of  Christ,  accom- 
panied with  a  divine  power,  was  suddenly 
and  remarkably  prevalent  to  turn  a  great 
multitude  from  darkness  to  light,  and  f'rtm 
the  power  of  Satan  to  God.  The  means  of 
this  happy  change  are  expressly  mentioned: 
What  the  philosophers  had  long  att<?nipted 
in  vain,  by  cold  encomiums  on  the  beauty  of 
virtue,  was  speedily  effected  by  those  who 
simply  preached  the  I  ord  Jesus  as  the  au- 
thor, finisl'.er,  and  fountain  of  salvation. 
When  the  news  of  this  good  bej; inning  was 
brought  to  Jerusalem,  the  apostles  sent  Bar- 
nabas to  Antioch;  who,  being  a  good  man, 
and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  himself,  was 
greatly  rejoiced  when  he  saw  the  numl)ers 
and  sincerity  of  the  converts,  and  animated 
them  by  his  exhortations  to  cleave  to  the 
Lord  with  steady  resolution;  for  he  w"as 
sensible  of  what  they  perhaps  were  little 
aware  of  as  yet,  how  many  arts  the  enemy 
of  souls  employs  to  discourage  those  who  are 
beginning  to  walk  in  V.  isdom's  ways,  lie 
afterwards  went  to  Saul,  and  prevailed  on 
him  to  leave  Tarsus,  and  join  with  him  in 
the  service  of  the  gospel  at  Antioch.  By  the 
Lord's  blessing  on  the  endeavours  of  these 
faithful  labourers,  the  church  was  .'^o  greatly 
increased,  that  the  believers  there  first  re- 
ceived the  general  denomination  of  Chris- 
tians; a  significant  and  instructive  appella- 
tion, strongly  importing  their  duty  and 
relation  to  Christ,  and  to  each  other,  md 


50 


PROGRESS  OF 


THE  GOSPEL 


[book  il 


has  therefore  universally  obtained,  and  will 
probably  subsist  to  the  end  of  time.  But 
thougli  this  name  be  accounted  honourable 
with  us,  and  lias  always  been  deemed,  by 
those  who  truly  deserve  it,  the  noblest  title, 
the  highest  style  of  man,  it  had  not  the  same 
general  estimation  when  first  imposed:  in 
the  mouth  of  unbelievers,  wliether  Jews  or 
Heathens,  it  was  a  term  of  infamy  and  re- 
proach, and  expressive  of  the  highest  con- 
tempt,* and  may  be  therefore  ranked  among- 
the  many  opprobrious  epithets  by  which  the 
Ijord's  faithful  followers  have  been  marked 
out  to  the  rage  and  scorn  of  the  world. 

Caligula  having  rendered  himself  univer- 
Bally  odious  by  liis  inhumanity  and  caprice, 
was  assassinated  in  his  palace,  in  the  fourth 
year  of  his  reign.f 

Claudius,  a.  d.  41.]  He  was  succeeded  by 
Claudius,  who,  soon  after  his  entrance  on  the 
government,  bestowed  the  kingdom  of  Judea 
on  Herod  Agrippa,  a  grandson  of  Herod, 
styled  the  Great  (mentioned  Matth.  ii,)  and 
nephew  to  Herod  the  Tetrarch,  who  put 
John  the  Baptist  to  death.  This  prince  ex- 
perienced much  of  that  vicissitude  which 
usually  attends  ambition:  he  had  been  de- 
tained in  prison  and  chains  by  Tiberius, 
greatly  favoured  and  advanced  by  Caligula, 
and  now  seemed  to  have  attained  the  summit 
of  his  wishes;  but,  employing  his  power  to 
persecute  the  church  (Acts  xii,)  he  was  sud- 
denly cut  off  in  the  height  of  his  prosperity ; 
for  who  can  harden  himself  against  the  Lord 
and  prosper?  Herod  was  a  professed  zealot 
for  the  law  of  Moses  and  the  Jewish  institu- 
tions, and  studied  by  every  means  to  ingra- 
tiate himself  with  the  people.  He  first  ex- 
pended vast  sums  in  the  defence  and  ornament 
of  the  city ;  but  it  was  in  his  power  to  attempt 
a  still  more  acceptable  service,  by  exerting 
his  authority  against  the  people  of  Christ; 
and  the  motives  of  vanity  and  popularity,  by 
which  he  was  governed,  prompted  him  to 
embrace  the  occasion.  He  began  by  appre- 
liending  the  apostle  James,  the  son  of  Zebe- 
dee,  whom  he  hastily  put  to  death ;  and,  find- 
ing that  the  Jews  were  highly  pleased  with 
this  step,  he  proceeded  to  imprison  Peter, 
intending  to  delay  his  execution  till  after  the 
Passover  [a.  d.  44,]  that  his  zeal  against 
these  innovators  might  be  applauded  by  a 
greater  number  of  spectators.  This  stroke, 
though  very  afflictive  to  the  church,  was 
wisely  permitted,  to  illustrate  the  courage 
and  fidelity  of  the  apostles:  it  showed  that 
their  miraculous  powers,  and  high  office, 
afforded  them  no  sure  exemption  from  p>er- 
secution,  but  that  they  ventured  and  acted 
upon  the  same  principles  of  faith  and  love  to 


*  duos  per  flajitia  invisos  vuls;u9  Christianos 

appsllabat:  auctor  nominis  ejus  Cliristus,  qui,  Tiberio 
iinpnrante,  per  procuratorem  Pontium  Pilatum  sup- 
pliciis  afiectus  erat. —  Tacitus,  Ann.  15. 

t  Josepbus,  Ant.  lib.  x. 


Jesus,  in  common  with  other  believers.  Thus 
James  finished  his  course,  and  received  the 
crown  the  first  of  the  apostles.  But  Peter, 
being  designed  for  farther  services,  was  still 
safe,  thougli  to  an  eye  of  sense  he  seemed 
marked  out  for  a  speedy  sacrifice :  incessant 
prayer  was  made  on  liis  behalf  by  the  disci- 
ples ;  and  the  united  prayers  of  God's  people 
have  an  efficacy  which  can  be  withstood  by 
no  human  power:  when  he  inclines  them  to 
join  with  earnestness  and  perseverance  in 
prayer,  it  is  because  he  has  already  deter- 
mined to  grant  their  petition.  In  this  case 
the  answer  was  signal,  though  not  immediate. 
The  night  before  Peter  was  to  iiave  been 
brought  forth  to  suffer,  he  was  sleeping  be- 
tween his  keepers  with  that  serenity  which 
is  peculiar  to  those  who  have  a  good  cause, 
a  good  conscience,  and  a  steady  faith  in  God. 
Neither  the  inconveniences  of  a  prison,  nor 
the  expectation  of  death,  could  discompose 
him,  for  he  loiew  in  whom  he  had  believed ; 
but  he  was  awakened  by  an  angel,  who  freed 
him  from  his  chains,  opened  the  prison-doors, 
and  brought  him  into  the  street,  unperceived 
by  the  guards.  After  the  angel  had  thus  set 
hun  at  liberty,  and  was  departed,  Peter  went 
to  the  house'  where  his  friends  were  at  that 
instant  praying  for  his  deliverance.  Thus 
they  had  a  remarkable  proof,  that  the  Lord  is 
indeed  a  God  that  heareth  prayer;  and  it  is 
recorded  for  our  encouragement. 

In  the  morning,  Herod  found  himself  dis- 
appointed of  his  prey.  The  guards,  upon 
examination,^  being  unable  to  give  an  ac- 
count of  their  prisoner,  he  commanded  them 
to  be  put  to  death.  It  is  probable  that  Herod, 
or  his  advisers,  might  suspect  a  niiraculoua 
interposition  (as  the  apostles  had  been  de- 
livered the  same  way  a  few  years  before:) 
but  to  punish  the  keepers,  as  if  they  had  been 
guilty  of  conniving  at  his  escape,  was  the 
most  likely  method  to  stop  farther  inquiry, 
and  prevent  the  people  from  supposing  any 
thing  extraordinary  in  the  affair. 

Herod  did  not  long  survive  this  event.  He 
lived  and  died  a  monument  of  the  instability 
of  human  greatness.  He  was  much  devoted 
to  his  Roman  masters,  and  had  a  taste  for 
their  magnificence.  This  induced  him  to 
celebrate  games  and  shows  at  Csesarea,  in 
honour  of  the  emperor :  here  he  laboured  to 
display  the  utmost  of  his  grandeur.  His  pride 
was  farther  flattered  by  the  arrival  of  an  em- 
bassy from  Tyre  and  Sidon.  These  cities  had 
incurred  his  displeasure;  but  as  they  chiefly 
drew  their  subsistence  from  liis  dominions, 
they  were  compelled  to  supplicate  peace, 


t  Heroci  evamined  them  liimself.  It  is  probable  he 
found  strong  reason  to  tliinlc  Peter  had  been  mira- 
culously delivered ;  but,  like  a  wise  politician,  lie  dis- 
sembled his  conviction,  and,  to  stifle  all  suspicion, 
wreaked  his  resentment  upon  the  soldiers.  They,  witli- 
out  doubt,  believed  there  was  something  extraordinary 
in  tlie  case,  and  might  have  said  so  if  thiey  had  lived : — 
but  dead  men  tell  no  tales. 


CHAP.  I.]  AFTER  THE 

which,  thouQ-h  tliey  liaJ  hi£;-hly  offpnded  him, 
they  obtainod  by  thoir  interest  with  Ulastus 
his  chamberlain.  The  king  appointed  a  day 
to  receive  tlieir  submission,  when  he  appeared 
with  a  splendour  that  dazzled  the  eyes  of  the 
spectators:  ho  addressed  himself  to  the  am- 
bassadors in  a  pompous  oration,  suited,  we 
may  suppose,  to  give  them  the  hig-hest  idea 
both  of  his  power  and  his  clemency.  When 
he  had  ended,  he  heard  his  praises  resound 
from  every  quarter:  the  multitude  shouted. 
It  is  the  voice  of  a  God,  not  of  a  man.  His 
vain  heart  was  elated  with  this  impious  com- 
pliment, which  indeed  was  no  more  tlian  had 
often  been  used  upon  such  occasions  among 
the  Heathens;  but  when  it  was  now  adopted 
by  those  who  professed  a  knowledge  of  the 
true  God,  the  proud  worm,  who  durst  be 
pleased  with  it,  was  made  a  sudden  and  awfiil 
example  of  the  divine  displeasure :  the  aveng- 
ing angel  of  the  Lord  smote  him  with  an  ir- 
resistible, though  invisible  stroke;  and,  while 
eurrounded  with  the  fancied  insignia  of  ma- 
jesty, and  in  the  midst  of  their  idolatrous  ac- 
clamations, he  found  and  confessed  himself  a 
mortal.  He  was  seized  with  excruciating 
pains,  and  expired  in  a  few  days,  being  in  a 
manner  devoured  by  vermin  bred  from  his 
bowels.  With  his  death  the  persecution 
ceased.  He  perished,  and  was  quickly  forgot ; 
but  the  word  of  God,  which  he  had  attempted 
to  suppress,  grew  and  multiplied  as  before. 

The  church  of  Antioch  during  this  time 
greatly  increased,  and  enjoyed  the  benefit  of 
many  excellent  teachers,  some  of  whom 
were  endued  with  a  prophetical  spirit,  by 
which  the  Lord  intimated  his  will  to  them 
in  particular  cases.  In  this  way  they  had 
been  informed  of  an  approaching  dearth,  and, 
as  seasons  of  scarcity  would  severely  affect 
the  disciples  in  Judea,  who  laboured  under 
peculiar  difficulties,  they  cheerftilly  contri- 
buted to  their  relief,  and  sent  the  collection 
to  Jerusalem  by  Saul  and  Barnabas,  who, 
having  fulfilled  their  commission,  returned 
to  Antioch  about  this  time.  [a.  d.  45.]  These 
two  were  soon  afterwards  (Acts  xiii.)  ap- 
pointed by  an  express  revelation  to  propa- 
gate the  knowledge  of  the  gospel  in  other 
countries :  they  were  set  apart  to  this  ser- 
vice by  the  solemn  prayers  of  the  church, 
and  attended  by  John,  surnamed  Mark,  who 
had  accompanied  them  from  Jerusalem. 
Thus  they  went  forth,  like  Abraham,  uncer- 
tain whither  they  were  to  go,  but  assured  of 
an  infallible  guidance  and  power  to  direct 
and  prepare  the  way. 

It  is  generally  believed  that,  nearly  about 
the  same  time,  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem 
likewise  separated  to  preach  the  gospel  in 
tiie  districts  respectively  allotted  them  by 
the  direction  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  we 
have  some  account  from  anti<piity  of  their 
several  provinces,  according  to  which  they 
divided  among  them  the  greatest  part  of  the 


ASCENSION.  51 

known  world,  from  India  to  Barbary,  and 
from  Abyssinia  to  Scythia.  Indeed  there  is 
no  doubt  but  they  executed  their  commis- 
sion as  apostles,  and  spread  the  gospel  far 
and  wide;  but  the  particulars  recorded  of 
their  labours,  suflbrings,  and  circuits  are  not 
transmitted  with  such  authenticity  and  clear- 
ness as  to  give  entire  satisfaction.  The  only 
certain  history  we  have  of  the  apostolic  age, 
is  that  of  I,uke,  which  we  call  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles ;  and  this,  from  the  period  we 
are  now  come  to,  is  confined  to  those  events 
in  which  Paul  was  personally  concerned,  and 
does  not  even  carry  on  his  history  to  the  end 
of  his  life.  The  wisdom  of  God  having  given 
us,  both  in  the  life  of  Jesus  and  of  his  first 
servants,  rather  a  specimen  sufficient  for  cui 
instruction  than  a  complete  history  to  gra- 
tify our  curiosity,  to  this  plan  we  shall  con- 
form ;  and  while  we  have  the  light  of  ar 
inspired  writer,  we  shall  not  wander  aftei 
the  glimmerings  of  tradition.  I  shall  there- 
fore, in  the  progress  of  this  chapter,  confine 
myself  to  the  Evangelist's  narration,  so  far 
as  it  goes,  and,  when  he  leaves  us,  it  will  be 
sufficient  to  comprise,  in  a  very  narrow  corn- 
pass,  the  most  certain  or  most  probable  in- 
cidents which  we  can  recover  to  complete 
the  records  of  the  first  century. 

Saul  and  Barnabas  embarked  at  S'  leucia, 
a  sea-port  in  tlie  neighbourhood  of  Antioch, 
and  sailed  to  Cyprus :  they  landed  at  Sala- 
mis,  on  the  east  side,  and  proceeded  through 
the  island  to  Paphos,  in  the  west,  making 
the  first  tender  of  the  gospel  in  every  place 
to  the  Jews.  At  Paphos  the  Roman  go- 
vernor, Sergius  Paulus,  was  desirous  to  hear 
the  apostles'  doctrine :  he  was  attended 
by  Elymas,  a  pretended  magician  and  pro- 
phet, who  fearing  the  discovery  of  his  im- 
postures, laboured  to  divert  the  governor 
from  his  purpose,  and  to  prejudice  him 
against  them.  But  Saul  sharply  rebuked 
his  wickedness,  and,  by  the  impulse  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,*  denounced  a  sentence  against 
him,  suitable  to  his  crime ;  he  who  endea- 
voured to  detain  others  in  darkness  and  ig- 
norance, was  suddenly  struck  blind  himself. 
This  punishment,  which  he  could  neither 
foresee  nor  avoid,  discovered  the  vanity  of 
his  claims,  and  convinced  the  governor,  that 
the  preachers  spoke  by  an  authority  superior 
to  their  own;  he  therefore  attended  more 
carefully  to  their  words,  and  became  soon  a 
partaker  of  their  faith. 

From  Cyprus  they  sailed  to  Perga,  in 


*  It  is  expressly  said,  that  Saul  or  Paiil  was  filled 
with  the  Hnly  Ghost;  therefore  the  severe  expressions 
ill  his  repriiiiaiKl  were  not  the  effects  of  inlenipcrate 
an-rer,  hut  a  solemn  lieclaralinn  of  the  sorcerer's  true 
character:  yet  it  is  safer  to  imitate  the  apostle  in  his 
patience  and  humility,  than  i.i  tliis  siiienlar  instiince. 
The  power  of  God,  which  accompanied  his  words, 
proved  by  what  impulse  and  authi  rity  he  spokp  We, 
who  are  not  apostles,  anti  who  make  no  claim  t"  ajios 
tolic  power,  shall  act  more  in  character  lo  ronf'i  rirt  to 
the  general  rule  St.  Paul  has  given  us,  2  Tim.  ii  3-1  SJT 


53 

Pamphylia;  where  their  attendant  Mark, 
eitlier  already  wearied  with  fatigue,  or  ap- 
prehensive of  greater  difficulties,  or  from  a 
iickleness  and  levity  of  temper,  would  pro- 
ceed no  farther  with  them,  but  returned  to 
Jerusalem.  By  this  indiscretion  he  not  only 
lost  many  valuable  opportunities,  which  he 
afterwards  regretted,  but  in  the  end  g-ave 
occasion  to  a  great  difference  between  Bar- 
nabas and  Paul.  Such  is  the  state  of  hu- 
manity, that  those  persons  in  a  society  who 
cannot  do  much  good,  are  often,  by  their 
imprudence,  the  cause  of  much  harm,  even 
where  they  intend  otherwise.  From  Perga 
they  proceeded  to  Antioch,  in  Pisidia,  and 
entered  into  the  synagogue,  [a.  d.  46.] 
Their  habit  and  manners  bespoke  them 
Jews  ;  but,  perhaps,  the  rulers  of  the  syna- 
l^ogue  were  not  apprised  of  their  character. 
Wlien  tlie  ordinary  service  was  finished, 
they  were  desired  to  propound  their  senti- 
ments. Paul,  who  was  usually  the  speaker, 
addressed  them  in  a  long  discourse,  a  valu- 
able abstract  of  which  is  preserved  to  us.  In 
his  introduction,  he  reminded  them  of  their 
ancient  history  and  prophecies ;  but  the  sum 
and  substance  of  his  sermon  was  Jesus.  He 
proved  from  the  scripture  that  he  was  the 
Messiah,  in  whom  the  promises  centred,  and 
proposed  him  to  all  as  the  great  object  of 
laith  through  wiiom,  and  by  whom  alone,  for- 
giveness of  sin  was  to  be  obtained,  and  a  free 
justification  from  those  offences  for  which 
the  law  of  Moses  had  made  no  provision.  In 
the  close  he  solemnly  warned  them  of  the 
danger  of  rejecting  this  Saviour  and  his  gos- 
pel. His  discourse  made  no  great  impres- 
sion upon  the  Jews ;  but  some  of  the  Hea- 
thens who  had  been  occasionally  present, 
desired  to  hear  the  matter  farther  explained. 
Accordingly,  on  the  next  Sabbath,  almost  the 
whole  city  was  collected  to  hear  the  gospel, 
which  exceedingly  offended  the  Jews,  and 
prompted  them  to  interpose  with  cavil  and 
abuse.  The  apostles  then  told  them,  in  plain 
terms,  that  though  their  message  was  first 
to  them,  yet,  since  they  refused  to  receive  it, 
they  would  henceforth  freely  proclaim  it  to 
the  Heathens,  from  whom  they  expected  a 
more  favourable  hearing  ;  nor  were  they  dis- 
appointed in  their  hope,  for  many  of  the  lat- 
ter received  the  word  with  joy,  both  in  the 
city  and  adjacent  country.*  The  Jews,  far- 
ther exasperated  by  this  success,  so  wrought 
upon  the  passions  and  prejudices  of  some 
persons  of  influence,  both  men  and  women, 
who  were  probably  proselytes,  and  supersti- 


*  When  the  Jews  saw  the  multitudes,  they  were 
filled  with  envy.  Among  the  clamours  raised  against 
persons  and  doctrines  in  our  own  time,  some  have  not 
been  ashamed  to  allege  the  great  concourse  of  people 
usually  attending,  as  a  sutficient  objection,  forgetting 
(as  it  should  seem,)  that  this  was  one  circumstance 
that  provoked  and  instigated  the  enemies  of  Chris- 
tianity froia  the  teginning,  John  vii.  40,  48,  and  xi.  48, 
and  zii.  9. 


[book  II. 

tiously  devoted  to  their  new  profession,  that 
Paul  and  Barnabas  were  violently  compelled 
to  depart ;  but  they  left  behind  them  disci- 
ples, the  fruits  of  their  ministry,  who  were 
filled  with  joy  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
thereby  enabled  to  maintain  the  faith,  though 
their  teachers  were  forced  from  them. 

The  apostles,  shaking  olT  the  dust  of  their 
feet  (as  our  Lord  had  commanded,)  for  a  tes- 
timony against  the  obstinate  infidelity  of  the 
Jews,  went  from  thence  to  Iconium,  the 
chief  city  of  Lycaonia,  where  tliey  made 
many  converts,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles.  But 
the  Jews  who  believed  not,  actuated  by  the 
same  spirit  in  every  place,  opposed  them 
earnestly  ;*  yet  they  staid  so  long,  and  met 
with  such  success,  that  the  city  was  divided, 
a  part  holding  with  them,  and  a  part  in- 
fluenced by  their  enemies,  who  from  thence 
took  occasion  to  represent  them  to  the  magis- 
trates as  disturbers  of  the  public  peace ;  a 
charge  which  has  often  been  falsely  urged 
against  the  ministers  of  the  gospel.  At  length 
their  adversaries  prevailed,  and  violent  mea- 
sures were  resolved  on;  but  they,  having 
notice  of  it,  withdrew  in  time  to  Lystra,  in 
the  same  province,  where  they  pursued  their 
ministry  with  their  usual  zeal  and  firmness, 
without  being  deterred  by  the  opposition  they 
had  already  met  with,  or  were  likely  to  meet 
in  every  place.  Among  their  hearers  at 
Lystra,  there  was  one  who  had  been  a  crip- 
ple from  his  birth.  Paul,  observing  his  atten- 
tion, and  some  indications  of  faith  in  his 
behaviour,  was  directed  to  confirm  the  doc-, 
trine  of  Jesus  by  a  signal  miracle.  He  com- 
manded the  lame  man  to  stand  upright  upon 
his  feet ;  and  his  word  was  accompanied  with 
immediate  power :  the  man,  who  had  never 
walked,  instantly  sprang  up,  and  possessed 
the  perfect  use  of  his  limbs.  It  appeared,  from 
this  instance,  that  though  miracles  have  a 
tendency  to  rouse  the  attention,  and  are  a 
proof  of  a  power  beyond  the  ordinary  course 
of  things,  yet  they  cannot,  of  themselves,  in- 
form or  convince  the  mind  of  truth :  for  the 
ignorant  multitude,  though  greatly  struck 
with  what  they  saw,  were  so  far  from  be- 
lieving the  apostle's  doctruie,on  the  evidence 
of  this  miracle,  that  they  endeavoured  to  ac- 
count for  it  on  their  own  idolatrous  princi- 
ples :  they  forgot  all  they  had  heard  of  Jesus, 
and  cried  out.  The  gods  are  come  down  to  us 
in  the  likeness  of  men.  Agreeable  to  their 
blinded  notions,  they  called  Barnabas,  Jupi- 
ter, and  Paul,  Mercury ;  imagining  some- 
thing in  them  peculiarly  characteristic  o*" 
those  fabulous  deities.    In  the  warmth  of 


*  Acts  xiv.  2.  "  The  Jews  stirred  up  the  people." 
There  is  a  natural  enmity  in  the  hearts  of  some  men, 
but  in  many  it  is  dormant ;  they  are  engaged  in  busi- 
ness and  pleasure,  and  would  be  content  to  let  the  peo 
pie  of  God  alone,  as  unworthy  their  notice;  these  must 
lie  stirred  up  by  the  more  zealous  to  join  in  the  com- 
mon cause  :  and  accordingly  no  pains  or  misrepresenta 
tious  are  spared  to  rouse  them  from  their  iudoleuce. 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE 


ASCENSION. 


53 


their  superstition,  tliey  assembled  with  their 
high  priest  and  victims,*  and  would  have  of- 
fered sacrifices  to  the  men  who  came*  to  turn 
them  from  dumb  idols  to  serve  the  living  God. 
But  nothing  gives  the  faithful  ministers  of 
Christ  greater  pain,  than  to  have  any  part 
of  that  honour  or  dependence  addressed  to 
themselves,  which  they  are  desirous  wholly 
to  engage  for  their  Lord  and  Master.  Paul 
and  Biirnabas,  who  had  suffered  persecution 
and  ill-treatment  with  patience,  were  trans- 
ported beyond  their  usual  bounds  at  these 
marks  of  ignorant  applause ;  they  ru.shed  in 
among  the  people,  confessed  tlieir  own  in- 
firmities, boldly  reproved  their  blind  idola- 
try, and  directed  them  where  alone  their 
thanks  and  worship  were  due ;  yet  with  all 
they  could  say,  they  hardly  prevailed  on 
them  to  desist.  It  was  happy  for  them  that 
they  sought  not  their  own  glory,  and  could 
not  be  elated  with  the  applause  of  men. 
Poor  and  precarious  is  the  reward  of  those 
who  aim  no  higher  than  this;  for,  as  the 
tide,  after  running  a  while  violently  one 
way,  soon  afterwards  by  degrees  reverts  to 
the  contrary  extreme ;  so  inconstant  is  the 
praise  and  regard  of  the  unthinking  many, 
who  are  governed  by  appearances,  and  sus- 
I  ceptive  of  every  new  impression.  Some  of 
the  restless  Jews  followed  the  apostles  from 
Iconium,  and,  by  their  insinuations,  pre- 
vailed on  the  same  people  to  treat  those  as 
malefactors,  whom  a  little  before  they  had 
revered  as  deities:  they  tumultuously  as- 
saulted Paul  (who,  being  the  chief  speaker, 
was  usually  the  chief  sufferer,)  stoned  him, 
and  dragged  him  out  of  the  city,  supposing 
they  had  killed  him;  but  the  Lord,  to  whom 
the  issues  of  life  and  death  belong,  restored 
him,  and  healed  his  bruises,  so  that  he  rose 
up  while  the  disciples  were  sorrowfully 
standing  round  him ;  and  having  entered 
into  the  city,  to  show  that  he  was  neither 
dead  nor  intimidated,  he  was  enabled  to  ac- 
company Barnabas  the  next  day  to  Derbe. 

Here  they  continued  some  time,  and 
taught  many  ;  and  this  was  the  boundary  of 
their  present  progress.  From  hence  they 
returned,  regardless  of  their  enemies,  to  the 
places  they  had  been  at  before,  to  Lystra, 
Iconium,  Antioch,  and  Perga,  confirming 
the  believers,  forming  them  into  societies, 
and  constituting  elders  and  pastors,  from 
amongst  themselves,  in  every  church.  In 
all  places  they  took  care  to  instruct  the  be- 
lievers in  the  nature  of  their  profession,  and 
reminded  them  of  an  unalterable  necessity, 


*  The  hieh  priest  was  probably  willini?  to  avail  him- 
self of  the  siipi'rstitinn  of  the  people,  and  thought  it  a 
favourable  occasion  tocstablish  the  belief  of  a  peculiar 
sanctity  and  virtue  in  the  temple  at  Lystra,  which 
mi^ht  increase  the  nlimber  of  votaries,  and  promote 
his  own  wealth  and  influence,  just  as  a  lesjendary  re- 
port of  the  appearance  or  miracles  of  some  saint,  or 
Rngel.  has  b.'-en  improved  to  procure  a  veneration  for 
particular  cities  or  temples  in  Christian  countriea, 


in  the  present  constitution  of  thing.?,  that 
through  much  tribulation  wo  must  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God,f  Acts  xiv.  22. 
After  this,  recommending  the  new  converts 
to  the  grace  and  care  of  the  Lord,  in  whom 
they  had  believed,  they  again  took  shipping, 
and  returned  to  ABtioch  in  Syria,  Upon 
their  arrival,  they  assembled  the  whole 
church,  and  gave  them  a  particular  account 
of  all  that  the  Lord  had  done  for  them,  and 
by  them,  in  their  late  circuit,  [a.  d.  47.] 
This  is  the  news  which  believers  delight  to 
relate  and  hear :  the  traverses  of  policy,  or 
the  events  of  war,  the  usual  topics  of  con- 
versation, afford  them  but  little  entertain- 
ment; but  it  rejoices  tneir  hearts  to  be 
informed  of  new  accessions  to  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom,  and  to  see  how  his  wisdom  and 
grace  triumph  over  all  opjxwition. 

Hitherto  the  church  had  only  to  struggle 
with  outward  difficulties ;  but  as  human  na- 
ture is  always  the  same,  and  the  apostolical 
times  were  to  transmit  instruction  to  the 
people  of  God  in  every  succeeding  period, 
mistakes,  disputes,  and  divisions  were,  by 
degrees,  permitted  to  take  place  among  pro- 
fessed believers.  If  it  had  not  been  so,  we 
might  not  only  have  been  discouraged  by  the 
great  disparity  between  the  first  christians, 
and  those  wlio  have  lived  since;  but  for 
want  of  rules  and  precedents  of  sufficient 
authority,  we  should  have  been  continually 
at  a  loss  how  to  oppose  and  confute  the  \  a- 
rious  errors  which  have  appeared  and  been 
revived  during  so  many  centuries :  the  Di- 
vine Wisdom  therefore  thought  fit  to  suffer 
every  false  and  dangerous  notion,  whereby 
the  enemy  of  souls  would  at  any  time  at- 
tempt to  corrupt  the  simplicity  of  the  faith, 
to  make  its  first  entrance  while  the  apos- 
tles were  yet  living,  that  we  might  have 
their  instructions  and  examples  to  guide  us 
in  every  emergency.  However  paradoxical 
it  may  seem,  we  hope,  in  a  proper  place,  to 
show,  that  no  new  opinion,  either  right  or 
wrong,  respecting  the  faith  in  Christ,  has 
been  started  since  the  close  of  the  scriptural 
canon.  As  the  gospel,  that  good  and  per- 
fect gifl,  came  down  from  the  Father  of 


t  That  this  was  the  case  in  the  primitive  times  is  ee- 
rally  allowed;  hut  we  have  been  told  by  some,  that 
Ihinss  are  now  greatly  altered  in  this  respect ;  they 
would  persuade  us,  that  our  Lord's  words  (Matt.  vii.  13.) 
are  no  longer  in  force ;  that  the  way  to  the  kingdom, 
in  our  happy  days,  is  broad,  spacious,  smooth,  and 
thronged  by  mullituiles, — the  very  characters  lie  has 
given  us  of  the  road  to  destruction.  Such  teachers  and 
writers  are  little  aware  how  they  proclaim  their  own 
ignorance.  If  they  knew  the  spirit  of  enmity  which 
the  world  bears  to  true  Christianity, — the  trials  with 
which  the  Lord  visits  his  people,  to  prove  and  exercise 
their  faith,— the  assaults  and  temptations  they  endur« 
from  the  povv'ers  of  darkness,— the  griefs  they  ffeel  from 
a  sense  of  their  own  unfaithfulness  and  un  fruit  fulness, 
—the  tightiugs  without,  and  fears  within,  whirli  are 
more  or  less  experienced  in  the  christian  life — if  they 
knew  these  things,  they  would  speak  otherwise.  The 
beaten  way  to  honours  and  preferments  is,  perhaps, 
free  from  these  tribulations  ;  but  not  so  the  way  that 
will  lead  to  the  kingdom  of  God. 


54 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


[book  n. 


Jijrhts  complete,  and  has  received  no  amend- 
ment from  the  liands  through  which  it  has 
successively  passed, — so,  on  the  other  liand, 
the  grand  deceiver  exerted  all  his  force 
against  it,  and  availed  himself  of  all  his  in- 
fluence on  the  ignorance  and  wickedness  of 
men  from  the  very  beginning,  and  has  no 
subtle  devices  in  reserve  now,  having  tried 
his  utmost  resources  over  and  over.  It  is 
true,  lengtli  of  time,  and  change  of  circum- 
stances, have  afforded  him  opportimities  of 
placing  his  delusions  in  various  lights,  and 
have  given  some  of  his  schemes  a  seeming 
strength  and  establishment  wliich  they  liad 
not  at  first ;  but  as  a  man  attained  to  Iiis  full 
stature  and  vigour,  is  the  same  individual 
person  that  was  once  an  infant,  unable  to 
stand  alone,  so  there  neither  is,  nor  has 
been,  any  erroneous  principle,  however  au- 
thorised or  recommended,  or  perhaps  ap- 
plauded as  a  new  discovery,  by  those  who 
are  ignorant  of  scripture  and  antiquity,  but 
we  can,  from  express  passages  in  tiie  apos- 
tles' writings,  show  that  the  same  existed  in 
their  time,  though  in  a  more  feeble  and  in- 
fantile state.  This  point  we  are  to  illus- 
trate more  at  large  hereafter ;  at  present  I 
am  only  concerned  to  take  notice  of  a  dis- 
sension that  arose  among  tlie  believers  at 
Antioch,  not  long  after  the  return  of  Saul 
and  Barnabas,  which  made  their  presence 
there  particularly  useful.  Tliis  was  occa- 
sioned by  some  Judaising  professors,  who 
came  down  from  Judea,  and  taught  the  Gen- 
tile converts,  that  except  they  were  circum- 
cised, and  kept  the  law  of  Moses,  they  could 
not  be  saved.  This  dangerous  position, 
arising  from  a  misapprehension  of  the  righ- 
teousness of  Christ,  as  the  only  ground  of  a 
sinner's  acceptance  with  God,  and  tending 
to  substitute  a  quicksand  for  the  foundation 
of  hope,  instead  of  the  immoveable  rock 
which  God  has  laid  in  Zion,  was  warmly 
opposed  by  these  apostles  of  the  Gentiles ; 
they  had  a  double  conviction  of  its  falsehood, 
both  from  the  nature  of  the  faith  they  had 
received  themselves,  and  the  effects  of  the 
gospel  they  had  imparted  to  others;  but 
many  weaker  minds,  having  less  experience 
of  the  work  of  grace  in  their  own  hearts, 
and  less  actiuaintance  witli  what  the  Lord 
had  wrought  in  others,  were  staggered. 
Wlien,  therefore,  after  many  debates,  the 
point  was  not  settled  to  satisfaction,  it  was 
resolved  to  depute  Paul  and  Barnabas  to 
consult  the  apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusa- 
lem. Ta.  d.  49.]  If  this,  as  seems  probable, 
was  the  journey  St.  Paul  refers  to  in  Gal.  ii. 
they  were  directed  to  take  this  step  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  ;  since  he  there  says,  tliat  he 
went  up  to  Jerusalem  by,  or  in  consequence 
of,  a  revelation.  They  were  accompanied  by 
some  brethren ;  and  in  every  place  where 
they  found  believers,  they  comforted  them 
with  the  account  of  their  late  progress.  At 


Jerusalem  they  were  cordially  received  ;  and 
having  declared  the  happy  fruits  of  their 
preaching  to  the  Ileatliens,  tliougli  they  had 
not  attempted  to  bind  them  to  the  Mosaic 
law,  tliey  proceeded  to  declare  the  tenet 
which  had  been  lately  advanced,  and  tlieir 
motives  for  opposing  it.  They  soon  found 
persons  of  the  same  legal  spirit,  who  justi- 
fied and  repeated  the  obligation  of  the 
ceremonial  law  upon  all  who  embraced  the 
gospel.  Upon  this,  a  particular  day  was 
named  for  the  whole  assembly  to  meet,  and 
discuss  the  question.  In  this  convention 
there  was  the  highest  room  to  expect,  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  would  influence  their  re- 
;  solves,  and  guard  them  from  giving  their 
sanction  to  an  error ;  and  he  did  so ;  yet  not 
by  an  audible  voice  or  instantaneous  im- 
pulse, but  by  presiding  over  their  debates, 
and  enabling  them,  in  the  conclusion,  to  col- 
lect and  pronounce  the  true  state  of  the 
question  with  infallible  evidence  and  cer- 
tainty. Here  again  it  is  plain,  that  Peter 
little  thought  himself  entitled  to  that  su- 
preme prerogative,  as  the  immediate  vicar 
of  Jesus  Christ,  which  his  pretended  suc- 
cessors falsely  ascribe  to  him  ;  nor  did  liis 
brethren  remind  him  of  his  privilege,  other- 
wise there  could  have  been  no  debate,  for 
his  declaration  would  have  been  decisive ; 
but  waving  the  claim  of  authority,  he  argued 
the  insignificance  of  the  Jewish  rites  as  to 
salvation,  from  the  Lord's  conduct  towards 
Cornelius  and  his  friends,  by  his  ministry. 
Tliese  were  the  first  Gentile  converts ;  and 
in  this  instance,  he  said,  the  Lord  had  fully 
declared  his  mind,  making  no  difference 
between  Jew  and  Gentile,  purifying  their 
liearts  by  faith  in  his  blood,  and  imparting  to 
them  those  substantial  blessings,  of  which 
the  ceremonial  law  exhibited  no  more  than 
the  shadow;  and  which,  in  comparison  of 
the  liberty  of  the  gospel,  he  termed  an  un- 
necessary yoke,  too  heavy  to  he  borne.  The 
assembly  then  kept  silence,  while  Paul  and 
Barnabas  related  more  at  large  the  fruits  of 
their  late  mission  among  the  Heathens. 
The  conference  was  closed,  and  the  determi- 
nation given,  not  by  Peter,  but  by  James, 
who  asserted  the  Gentiles'  freedom  from  the 
Jewish  yoke,  and  enjoined  them  only  to  ab- 
stain from  fornication,  from  things  offered  to 
idols,  and  from  blood.  The  two  latter  points 
were  necessary  to  preserve  a  friendly  inter- 
course between  the  Gentile  and  Jewish  con- 
verts, so  long  as  these  were  indulged  in  ob- 
serving the  Levitical  institutions ;  and  the 
prohibition  from  fornication,  though  imme- 
diately belonging  to  the  moral  law,  which 
was  of  universal  obligation,  was  added,  to 
give  the  Gentiles  a  deeper  sense  of  the 
guilt  and  evil  of  a  practice,  which  the  most 
civilized  and  virtuous  Heathens  considered 
as  almost,  if  not  wholly,  innocent. 

This  sentence  was  generally  embraced; 


CHAP.  I,]  AFTER  THE 

and  a  letter  to  the  same  effect  was  written 
to  the  believers  at  Antioch,  confirminfj^  them 
in  tlieir  christian  hberty.  In  this  tliey 
thought  it  a  sufficient  condenmation  of  the 
opposite  opinion  to  say,  They  had  given  no 
such  connnaiidment :  a  protestation  the  apos- 
tles mioht  have  often  repeated  had  they 
lived  to  this  day :  but  since  their  genume 
writings  still  subsist,  we  may,  by  parity  of 
reason,  still  infer,  that  we  need  not  be  afraid 
of  rejecting  any  thing  tliat  is  enjoined  as 
binding  upon  the  conscience,  if  we  can  be 
sure  tliat  the  apostles,  who  were  divmely 
inspired  to  explain  the  christian  faith  and 
practice,  have  given  us  no  precept  in  its  fa- 
vour. They  likewise  took  care  to  assert 
their  firm  persuasion,  that  their  decision  was 
agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
This  convocation  has  generally  been  styled 
the  first  christian  council ;  but  indeed,  when 
we  compare  it  with  those  which  bore  the 
s;une  name  afterwards,  and  were  professedly 
formed  upon  this  precedent,  we  shall  be  al- 
niDst  tempted  to  say,  that  it  was  not  only  the 
first,  but  the  last.  Here  were  no  intrigues 
practised,  no  temporal  interests  consulted, 
no  fierce  and  bloody  anathemas  issued,  to 
give  a  sanction  to  persecution,  no  uncer- 
tainty or  animosity  in  the  issue ;  but  the 
ati'air  was  conducted  with  freedom  and  mo- 
deration, and  the  conclusion  made  by  general 
consent,  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  both  par- 
ties. How  difl«rent  in  these  respects  from 
the  spirit  of  after  times  !  But  though  this 
answered  the  end  in  the  present  case,  the 
judgment  of  the  apostles  was  not  entirely 
obeyed,  even  while  they  lived.  This  debate 
was  revived  in  other  places,  and  proved  a 
freiiuent  impediment  to  the  peace  of  the 
church,  so  long  at  least  as  the  temple  and 
worship  of  Jerusalem  continued,  and  gave 
St.  Paul  occasion  to  write  his  epistle  to  the 
Galatians  expressly  on  this  subject ;  nay,  it 
geems  the  mistake  still  subsisted  in  Judea, 
though  none  publicly  ventured  to  contradict 
the  decree  when  it  was  made ;  for  when, 
some  time  after,  Peter  went  to  Antioch,  and 
conversed  (Gal.  ii.  11,)  freely  with  the  Gen- 
tile converts,  living  after  their  manner  for  a 
season,  yet,  when  some  brethren  came  down 
from  Jerusalem,  he  was  so  fearful  to  ofl^end 
them  in  this  matter,  that  he  separated  him- 
self again,  and,  by  his  influence,  prevailed 
on  Barnabas  likewise  to  di.ssemble  in  favour 
of  those  of  the  circumcision.  For  this  weak 
compliance,  whereby  he  seemed  to  over- 
throw what  he  had  before  established,  St. 
Paul  withstood  him  to  his  face:  he  did  not 
detract  from  his  character  by  insinuations  to 
Lis  prejudice  behind  his  back,  nor  did  he 
content  liim.self  vvi*h  reproving  him  in  se- 
cret; but  as  the  offence  was  public,  tending 
to  confirm  the  Jews  in  their  bigotry,  and  to 
offend  the  weak  on  both  sides,  he  boldly  and 
publicly  rebuked  him  before  tiiein  all.  Strange 


ASCENSION.  55 

weakness,  incident  to  the  Ijest  of  men  !  that 
Peter,  who  had  first  laid  aside  his  jjrcjudices, 
who  had  visited  the  Gentiles  by  divine  direc- 
tion, had  seen  the  happy  effects  of  his  com- 
pliance, and  vindicated  his  own  conduct  so 
unanswerably  upon  a  late  occasion,  should 
now  shrink  and  trifle,  expose  himself,  and 
grieve  his  brethren,  through  fear  of  those 
who  came  from  Jerusalem  !  To  be  deliver- 
ed from  the  fear  of  man  is  a  deliverance  in- 
deed !  It  was  happy  for  Peter  that  he  had, 
in  his  brother  Paul,  a  faithful  friend,  who, 
by  a  few  well-timed  words,  broke  the  chain, 
and  set  him  at  liberty.  It  is  surprising  that 
any  W'ho  have  read  this  passage  should 
dream  of  fixing  on  Peter,  above  any  other  of 
the  apostles,  to  be  the  supreme  and  infallible 
head  of  the  christian  church. 

Justus  and  Silas,  two  of  the  brethren,  were 
sent  with  Barnabas  and  Paul  to  accompany 
the  letter,  and  to  declare  the  purport  of  it 
more  at  large.  They  were  gladly  received  at 
Antioch,  and  not  only  confirmed  the  peace  of 
the  church,  but  were  further  helpful  to  their 
faith,  by  the  singular  gifts  with  which  the 
Lord  had  honoured  them.  In  a  little  time 
Justus  returned  to  Jerusalem,  but  Silas  chose 
to  continue  longer,  and  was  afterwards  the 
constant  companion  of  St.  Paul  in  his  travels. 

A.  D.  50.]  This  obstacle  being  removed, 
the  gospel  flourished  greatly  at  Antioch. 
But,  amidst  all  their  services  and  success 
there,  Paul  and  Barnabas  could  not  forget 
the  converts  they  had  letl  in  Cyprus  and  Asia 
Minor.  They  proposed  therefore  to  make 
them  a  second  visit,  to  comfort  them,  and  to 
see  how  the  work  had  prospered  in  their  ab- 
sence :  but  a  difficulty  was  started  concerning 
John,  surnamed  Mark,  who  had  formerly  left 
them  at  Perga;  and  having  probably  repented 
of  his  irresolution,  was  now  desirous  to  pro- 
ceed with  them  again.  Paul  wannly  opposed 
this,  thinking  him  highly  culpable  for  his  in- 
constancy, and  perhaps  too  much  influenced 
against  him  by  a  spirit  of  resentment  not 
wholly  excusable.  On  tlie  other  hand,  Bar- 
nabas undertook  his  apology;  in  which,  be- 
sides his  tenderness  to  his  fault,  he  seems  to 
have  been  moved  by  considerations  which 
ought  to  have  no  place  where  the  service  of 
God  is  concerned.  John  was  his  sister's  son ; 
and  this  led  hiin  to  consider  his  conduct  in 
the  most  favourable  light.  Thus  they  were 
both  a  little  partial  in  the  cause;  but  much 
more  wrong  in  the  issue ;  for  the  contention 
became  so  sharp  between  tliem,  that  it  broke 
their  harmony.  They  determined  to  part. 
Accordingly,  Barnabas  took  Mark,  wliose 
company  he  had  dearly  purchased  by  the  loss 
of  Paul's,  and  sailed  to  Cyprus,  his  native 
place;  and  Paul,  choosing  Silas  in  his  room, 
went  through  Syria  and  Cilicia,  being  recom- 
mended to  the  Lord  by  the  prayers  of  the 
brethren.  So  that  their  former  work  was  now 
divided  between  them. 


56 


PROGRESS  OP  THE  GOSPEL 


[book  n. 


I  must  vcntiiro  to  di<fress  isere  a  little  for 
the  sake  of  two  remark.-,  of  whicli  the  course 
of  our  history  may  often  remind  the  reader. 
1.  How  small  an  occasion  will  discover  hu- 
man infirmity  even  in  the  brisfhtest  charac- 
ters !  Not  all  tlie  o-races  of  Paul  and  Barna- 
bas, nor  the  remi^iiibrance  of  the  services  and 
dithculties  they  had  jointly  experienced,  nor 
the  importance  of  the  common  cause  in  which 
they  were  engaged,  nor  the  fear  of  giving 
olfencc  to  the  world  and  to  the  church,  could 
restrain  these  dear  friends,  fellow -labourers, 
and  follow-sufferers,  from  contending  and 
separating  about  a  trifle.  2.  IIow  wise  is  the 
over-ruling  providence  of  God,  permitting 
Guch  things  for  the  trial  of  some,  the  instruc- 
tion of  otliers,  and  the  better  carrying  on  his 
own  designs!  In  succeeding  revivals  of  re- 
ligion, the  like  differences*  liave  sometimes 
taken  place  among  the  main  instruments,  and 
from  as  trivial  causes ;  and  though  they  have 
not  obtained  without  fault  in  some,  and  in- 
convenience to  many;  yet  the  event  has 
proved  them  no  hinderance  upon  the  wliole. 
The  work  has  become  more  diffusive,  and 
more  incontestible,  when  persons  of  different 
tempers,  sentiments,  and  talents,  who  seemed 
to  superficial  observers  as  the  heads  of  dif- 
ferent parties,  have  laboured  with  equal  zeal 
and  success  in  advancing  the  one  great  de- 
sign of  the  gospel.  As  a  skilful  gardener 
raises  many  plants  in  a  little  spot  of  ground, 
and  removes  them  afterwards  to  places  where 
they  will  have  more  room  to  grow  and 
flourish;  so  they  who  are  designed  for  ex- 
tensive usefulness,  are  often  first  reared 
within  a  little  compass,  within  the  sight  and 
knowledge  of  each  other,  where  they  are 
sheltered  and  strengthened,  while  tender,  by 
their  mutual  advices,  prayers,  and  examples, 
and  seem  to  have  only  one  heart  and  one 
mind.  But  were  they  always  to  continue 
thus  closely  connected,  no  one  would  have 
room  to  expand  according  to  the  measure  of 
gifts  and  services  which  the  Lord  has  ap- 
pointed them ;  therefore  they  are  thinned  and 
transplanted:  either  persecutions  from  with- 
out, or  weaknesses,  mistakes,  or  jealousies 
among  themselves,  scatter  tliem  afar,  to 
places  and  undertakings  they  had  no  thoughts 
of,  and  which  would  not  have  been  otherwise 
attempted. 

The  apostle  Paul,  with  his  companion  Silas 
(Acts  xvi,)  proceeded,  as  has  been  mentioned, 
through  Syria  and  Cilicia,  to  the  parts  he 
had  formerly  visited.  When  he  came  to 
Lystra,  he  chose  Timothy  for  his  associate 
and  companion  in  his  journey,  who  it  is  pro- 


*  To  mention  only  one  by  anticipation,— the  unhappy 
dispute  hetween  Luther  and  Ziiinslius.  and  their  re- 
spective followers,  concerning  the  vvord."!,  "This  is  my 
body."  The  differenr«  between  them  was  little  more 
than  imajinary;  but  the  mischiefs  it  occasioned  were 
real,  important,  and  numerous,  and  would  probably 
have  stifled  the  Reformation  in  its  birth,  if  it  had  not 
been  so  retnarkably  under  an  almighty  protection. 


bable  had  been  converted  by  his  ministry, 
and  a  witness  to  liis  sufferings  for  the  gospel 
when  he  was  there  before.  Timothy  was  of 
Jewish  extract  by  the  motlier's  side,  and 
carefully  educated  from  his  infancy  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  scriptures ;  but  his  fathei 
was  a  Greek.  This  circumstance  being  gene- 
rally known  to  the  Jews,  and  likely  to  ren- 
der him  less  acceptable  among  them,  Paul, 
to  obviate  their  prejudices,  directed  him  to 
be  circumcised;  tlius  showing  his  readiness 
to  become  all  things  to  all  men,  so  far  as  was 
consistent  witli  a  good  conscience,  and  con- 
ducive to  edification:  for  though,  when  the 
observance  of  the  Mosaic  law  was  insisted  on 
as  necessary  to  salvation,  he  steadily  o])posed 
it,  and  would  not  admit  the  least  addition  to 
the  doctrine  of  free  justification  by  the  blood 
of  Christ,  he  was  willing  to  perinit  it  to  the 
Jewish  converts  in  their  present  situation, 
and  to  accommodate  himself  to  their  weak- 
ness, for  their  advantage.  He  liad  before 
withstood  the  circumcision  of  Titus,  who  was 
a  Gentile,  when  it  was  urged  as  a  necessary 
point;  but  now  that  debate  was  settled  in 
favour  of  gospel-liberty :  he  proposed  the  cir- 
cumcision of  Timothy  himself  The  seeming 
inconsistence  of  his  conduct  vanishes,  if  the 
difference  of  the  two  cases  is  rightly  under- 
stood ;  but  those  who  act  from  the  most  en- 
larged principles,  who  know  when  and  in 
what  points  resolution  is  necessary,  and  when 
and  how  far  it  is  expedient  to  yield  to  others, 
will  always  be  thought  inconstant  and  incon- 
sistent by  the  zealots  of  parties.  In  the 
course  of  his  progress,  he  delivered  in  every 
city,  the  decree  lately  determined  at  Jerusa- 
lem, which,  though  primarily  directed  to 
Antioch,  was  of  equal  force,  as  a  rule  and 
bond  of  peace,  in  all  places  where  there  were 
both  Jewish  and  Gentile  converts.  Thus, 
having  watered  his  former  planting,  lie  pro- 
ceeded to  preach  in  Phrygia  and  Galatia. 
The  route  of  the  gospel  was  directed  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  who  restrained  the  apostle 
from  entering  the  province  which  is  called, 
by  way  of  distinction,  the  Proconsular  Asia, 
of  which  Ephesus  was  the  capital :  not  that 
tliis  country  was  to  be  excluded  from  the 
knowledge  of  Christ;  for  St.  Paul  preached 
in  many  parts  of  it  afterwards  with  great 
success  (Acts  xix.  10;)  but  the  proper  season 
was  not  yet  come,  the  Lord  having  an  im- 
portant service  for  them  first  in  another 
place.  For  the  same  reason,  and  by  the  same 
influence,  they  were  prevented  going  into 
Bithynia,  which  they  had  some  thoughts  of 
attempting.  Thus,  in  a  manner  undetermined 
where  they  were  to  labour,  they  came  to 
Troas,  a  sea-port  in  the  Archipelago;  and 
when  their  journey  was  now  bounded  by  tlie 
sea,  they  received  a  further  intimation  of  the 
Lord's  will,  and  found  that  he  had  been  lead- 
ing them  in  the  right  way;  for  they  were 
brought  to  a  port  proper  for  embarking  to  the 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE 


ASCENSION. 


57 


place  where  the  Lord  had  designed  to  send 
them. 

A.  D.  51.]    Here  St.  Paul  had  a  vision  by 
nig'ht,  of  a  man  standing'  by  liirn,  whose  garb 
I   and  expression  intimated  his  country,  and 
I    entroatinfr  him,  saying,  "  Come  over  into 
;    Macedonia,  and  help  us."    This  vision  was 
I   attended  with  such  circumstances  as  left  no 
I   rooiii  to  doubt  either  its  origin  or  meaning; 
i    BO  that,  when  he  had  communicated  it  to  his 
j    companions,  they  assuredly  collected,  that  the 
I   Lord  called  them  into  Macedonia.  Accord- 
ingly they  took  shipping,  and  having  a  fa- 
vourable wind,  they  soon  arrived  at  Neapolis; 
from  whence  they  proceeded  by  land  to  Phi- 
lippi,  a  place  of  note,  and  a  Roman  colony. 
Their  preaching  and  continuance  in  this  city, 
which,  in  time,  became  the  seat  of  a  flourish- 
ing church,  was  productive  of  certain  in- 
teresting and  important  events. 

On  the  Sabbath-day  they  went  out  of  the 
city  to  a  place  by  the  river  side  (a  usual  re- 
sort of  the  Jews  for  the  exercise  of  public 
prayer,)  where,  meeting  with  some  women, 
as  it  should  seem,  before  the  rest  were  as- 
sembled, they  spake  freely  of  the  great  sub- 
ject which  was  always  uppermost  in  their 
hearts  and  mouths.  One  of  them,  named 
I  Lydia,  a  native  of  Thyatira,  and  then  resident 
I  at  Philippi,  gave  a  peculiar  attention  to  St. 
Paul's  discourse:  the  reason  is  assigned,  the 
Lord  opened  her  heart.  The  rest  heard  the 
.  same  words;  but  the  hearts  of  all  are  dull, 
contracted,  and  averse  to  spiritual  truths,  so 
that,  without  a  divme  interposition,  the  most 
powerful  speakers  speak  in  vain.  Lydia  heard 
to  good  purpose :  she  believed,  and  was  im- 
mediately baptized,  with  her  family,  and 
gladly  received  the  messengers  of  gospel- 
grace  into  her  house. 

Continuing  to  preach  in  this  place  so  long 
as  they  remained  at  Philippi,  they  were  often 
met  by  a  young  woman  under  the  influence 
of  an  evil  spirit,  who,  as  they  passed  by,  cried 
after  them,  These  men  are  the  servants  of 
the  Most  High  God,  who  declare  unto  us  the 
way  of  salvation,  in  like  manner  as  the  de- 
moniacs had  sometimes  confessed  our  Sa- 
viour's authority  and  mission.  It  may  seem 
Btrduge  that  an  evil  spirit  should  testify  in 
:  favour  of  the  preachers  of  tlie  gospel ;  but 
perhaps  it  was  eitlier  to  make  them  suspected 
of  a  confederacy,  or  to  draw  them  into  a 
snare.  However,  when  this  had  been  often 
repeated,  St.  Paul,  who  could  not  bear  to  be 
spoken  well  of  by  a  spirit  which  was  not  of 
God,  commanded  him,  in  the  name  of  Jesus, 
to  quit  his  possession.  The  spirit,  compelled 
to  obey,  left  the  woman  instantly.  But  this 
opened  a  way  to  give  them  disturbance  in 
another  manner.  Her  masters,  to  whom  she 
had  formerly  brought  great  profit  by  her 
divining  talent,  finding  she  was  no  longer 
willing  or  able  to  procure  them  advantage 
by  that  means,  apprehended  Paul  and  Silas, 
Vol.  II.  H 


as  the  chief  instruments  of  their  loss,  and 
brought  them  before  the  magistrates  with  the 
heavy  charge  (which  is  usually  revived  when 
the  preacliing  of  the  gospel  interferes  with 
the  views  of  interest,)  that  they  exceedingly 
disturbed  the  peace  of  the  city,  by  attempt- 
ing innovations  contrary  to  the  established 
religion :  they  styled  them  rfews  to  the  Ro- 
mans, on  account  of  their  open  abhorrence 
of  idol-worship,  which  was  carefully  sup- 
ported by  the  Roman  laws  and  customs.  The 
unthinking  multitude  soon  joined  in  the 
alarm,  and  the  magistrates,  easily  prejudiced 
by  the  terms  of  the  accusation,  instead  of 
acting  as  impartial  judges,  declared  them- 
selves parties  in  the  afl^air.  Without  examin- 
ing into  particulars,  they  violently  tore  off 
the  clothes  of  Paul  and  Silas;  and,  having 
caused  them  to  be  beat  with  many  stripes, 
they  cast  them  into  prison,  giving  the  jailor 
a  particular  charge  to  keep  them  safely.  This 
command  was  executed  with  severity.  He 
thrust  them  into  the  inner  prison,  and  fas- 
tened their  feet  in  the  stocks.  But  no  walls 
or  dungeons  can  exclude  those  comforts  of 
God's  Spirit  which  are  promised  to  those 
who  suffer  for  righteousness  sake,  and  which 
are  able  to  overpower  the  sense  of  every  in- 
convenience. Paul  and  Silas  were  so  little 
discomposed  by  this  cruel  treatment,  that 
they  joyfully  sung  hymns  of  praise  to  God, 
and  were  heard  by  the  other  prisoners,  who 
probably  were  surprised  at  the  cheerfulness 
they  expressed  in  such  circumstances.  But 
they  were  surprised  much  more  at  the  testi- 
mony the  Lord  immediately  gave  in  behalf 
of  his  servants;  for,  while  they  were  thus 
engaged,  on  a  sudden  the  earth  trembled; 
the  very  foundations  of  the  prison  were 
shaken,  so  that  all  the  doors  flew  open,  and 
every  one's  fetters  and  bonds  were  instantly 
loosed.  The  noise  awakened  the  jailor,  who, 
supposing  the  prisoners  were  all  escaped, 
and  dreading  the  consequences,  in  the  first 
transports  of  his  terror,  drew  his  sword  to 
slay  himself;  for  so  the  false  wisdom  of  the 
Heathens,  ignorant  of  the  awful  realities  be- 
yond the  grave,  taught  men  to  avoid  the 
pressure  of  present  troubles  by  desperately 
plunging  themselves  into  an  unknown  eter- 
nity. But  St  Paul,  though  in  another  part 
of  the  prison,  and  in  the  dark,  was  made  ac- 
quainted with  his  purpose,  and  called  out  to 
huTi  with  a  loud  voice,  "  Do  thyself  no  harm ; 
we  are  all  here."  It  increased  his  surprise 
to  find  that  his  design  was  made  known  to 
them,  and  that  those  whom  he  had  treated  so 
hardly  should  forget  all  their  wrongs  and 
interest  themselves  in  his  preservation.  Such 
an  instance  of  forgiveness  and  tenderness  to 
an  enemy,  deeply  affected  him,  and  convinced 
him  of  the  wrong  he  had  done  them,  mrire 
forcibly  than  the  sharpest  expostulations 
could  have  done.  This  is  indeed  the  peculiar 
triumph  of  a  christian,  to  overcome  evil  witb 


58 


PROGRESS  OF 


THE  GOSPEL 


[nOOK  IT. 


good.  Ho  immediately  called  for  a  light,  and, 
in  an  agony  of  guilt  and  terror,  sprung  in, 
and  cast  himself  at  the  feet  of  those  over 
whom  he  had  so  lately  tyrannized.  After 
this  expression  of  his  respect,  and  compunc- 
tion for  the  injury  he  liad  done  them,  he 
brought  them  out,  and  addressed  them  with 
that  (juestion,  oftthe  last  importance  to  every 
awakened  soul,  "  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be 
saved  !"  Paul  and  Silas,  who  had  but  one 
answer  to  this  question,  suited  to  every  rank 
of  life,  and  to  sinners  of  every  degree,  direct- 
ed him  to  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as 
tlie  only  and  infallible  means  of  salvation. 
This  faith  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  give;  so 
tliat,  when  he  had  brought  them  to  his  house, 
and  heard  them  explain  the  doctrine  more  at 
large,  he  believed,  and  was  baptized  with  all 
his  family.  Upon  this  his  sorrow  v/a.s  turned 
into  permanent  joy,  and  now  it  appeared  why 
the  Lord  had  permitted  his  servants  to  be 
thus  rudely  handled.  Amongst  other  reasons, 
it  was  on  the  account  of  this  jailor,  who  would 
otherwise  have  remained  a  stranger  to  the 
gospel,  if  the  Lord,  in  the  unsearchable  riches 
of  his  mercy,  had  not  thus  sent  it  to  him,  and, 
by  the  concurrent  dispensations  of  his  provi- 
dence, disposed  him  to  receive  it  with  thank- 
fulness, as  life  from  the  dead.  It  likewise 
proved  the  vanity  of  all  attempts  to  suppress 
the  truth.  The  magistrates  and  people  abused 
the  preachers,  and  put  them  in  prison;  but 
the  effect  was  quite  contrary  to  their  inten- 
tions, for  by  this  means  the  jailor,  the  instru- 
ment of  their  cruelty,  with  his  household, 
were  converted,  and  thus  the  apostle's  ene- 
mies, through  the  over-ruling  hand  of  God, 
became  subservient  to  his  design,  and  helped 
him  to  some  of  the  first  members  of  this  new 
church. 

The  jailor,  thus  made  partaker  of  the  faith, 
expressed  his  gratitude  to  his  prisoners:  he 
washed  tlieir  stripes,  and  set  meat  before 
them,  and  was  soon  freed  from  any  suspense 
on  their  account;  for,  in  the  morning,  the 
magistrates  sent  him  orders  to  dismiss  them 
from  confinement.  But  St.  Paul  was  willing 
to  let  them  know  that  they  had  failed  in  their 
duty,  and  acted  against  those  very  laws  and 
customs,  of  which,  as  Romans,  they  professed 
to  be  so  tenacious.  A  citizen  of  Rome  was 
not  liable  to  bonds  or  scourging,  and  a  subject 
of  Rome,  though  not  a  citizen,  could  not  be 
legally  punished  till  he  had  been  permitted 
to  answer  his  accusers  face  to  face.  Acts  xxv. 
16.  The  apostle  was  injured  in  both  these 
respects;  they  had  punished  him  without 
trial,  and  they  had  bound  and  beat  him, 
though  he  was  a  Roman:  he  therefore  as- 
serted his  privilege.  He  might  have  insisted 
on  satisfaction;  but  he  was  a  christian,  a 
willing  disciple  of  a  suffering  Saviour:  he 
had  been  once  a  persecutor  himself,  and  had 
obtained  forgiveness:  therefore  he  found  it 
easy  to  forgive.  His  remonstrance  made  the 


magistrates  willing  to  submit  to  his  terms; 
they  came  themselves,  and  honourably  dis- 
missed their  prisoners,  entreating  them,  that, 
to  prevent  farther  inconveniencies,  they 
would  withdraw  from  the  city;  which  they 
did,  after  they  had  taken  leave  of  Lydia  and 
the  other  disciples. 

A.  D.  52.]  From  hence,  passing  through 
Amphipolis  and  Apollonia,  they  came  to 
Thessalonica,  the  residence  of  the  Roman 
governor.  Here  Paul,  according  to  his  usual 
custom,  applying  himself  first  to  the  Jews, 
discoursed  and  reasoned  with  them  in  their 
synagogues  three  successive  Sabbaths,  out 
of  their  own  scriptures,  opening*  the  true 
sense  of  the  prophecies  concerning  the  Mes- 
siah, and  then  showing  their  accomplishment 
in  the  person  of  Jesus.  His  labour  was  not 
wholly  in  vain;  some  of  them  believed,  and 
became  disciples;  but  the  rest,  and  the 
greater  part,  discovered  the  indignation  and 
enmity  of  their  hearts  against  the  truth. 
Under  such  leaders,  the  unthinking  rabble 
are  easily  instigated  to  do  mischief;  so  that 
they  found  no  difficulty  to  raise  a  tumultuous 
mob,  who  assaulted  the  house  of  Jason,  where 
Paul  and  Silas  resided;  but  not  finding  them 
there,  they  forced  away  Jason,  and  some  of 
the  new  believers,  before  the  magistrates. 
The  accusation  was,  that  the  preachers  of 
the  gospel,  who,  from  the  effect  of  their  doc- 
trine in  disturbinar  the  false  pcacef  of  sin, 
began  to  be  sufficiently  described,  when 
spoken  of  as  men  who  turned  the  world  up- 
side down,  and  threw  all  into  confusion 
wherever  they  appeared,  were  come  thither 
also;  that  Jason  had  received  and  counte- 
nanced them;  and  that  their  fundamental 
tenets  were  inconsistent  with  obedience  to 
government,  since  they  professed  and  incul- 
cated subjection  to  one  Jesus,  whom  they 
styled  their  King.  By  such  misrepresenta- 
tions, the  enemies  of  the  gospel-doctrine 
have  often  aimed  to  render  it  obnoxious  to 
the  civil  powers.  The  rulers  were  alarmed 
at  this  accusation;  but  being  unwilling  to 
proceed  to  extremities,  though  obliged  to 

*  Acts  xvii.  3.  Opening  anil  allegine;  first  explaining 
the  true  sense  of  tlie  passage,  and  then  layini;  down 
plain  and  undeniable  deductions  from  it,  applicable  to 
the  case  in  hand.  Thus  much  is  implied  in  the  Greek 
words  Siicfoiyuv  zii  !7ae»ro.f<iv3;.  A  pro|)er  model  for 
preachers  and  writers  in  divinity.  How  many  contro- 
versies would  cease,  how  much  lime  would  be  redeem- 
ed, how  many  otfences  would  be  avoided,  if  it  was  uni- 
versally followed,  if  the  scriptures  were  e.xplained  in 
their  true  sense  and  connection,  and  nothing  advanced 
but  what  could  be  fairly  deduced  from  such  an  explana- 
tion 

t  It  is  still  thought  a  sufficient  and  unanswerable  ob 
jection  against  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  to  say. 
These  opinions  cause  divisions  and  separations,  and 
break  the  peace  of  families  and  communities.  We  may 
bring  tlie  point  to  a  short  issue:  Did  our  Lord  foretell 
this  as  one  sure  and  perpetual  consequence  that  would 
attend  the  prevalence  of  his  gospel,  or  did  he  not?  If  he 
did  not,  what  is  the  meaning  of  Matth.  xii.  34—30?  If 
he  did.  then  by  what  name  are  we  to  call  that  manner 
of  preaching,  which  has  either  no  tendency,  or  no 
power,  to  disturb  the  false  and  dangerous  peace  of  a 
wicked  world? 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE 


ASCENSION. 


69 


take  some  notice  of  what  scemod  to  affect 
the  interest  of  Ca-sar,  they  took  sufficient 
security  of  Jason  and  tlie  rest  for  their  good 
beiiavioiir,  and  dismissed  tliem  without  far- 
ther trouble.  In  the  mean  time,  Paul  and 
Silas,  ag;ainst  whom  the  violence  had  been 
chiefly  intended,  were  sent  safely  away  by 
the  brethren  to  Berea,  where,  regardless  of 
their  past  dangers  and  sufferings,  they  pur- 
sued their  endeavours  to  recommend  the 
gDspel  to  the  Jews;  and,  in  this  place,  they 
met  with  a  friendly  reception.  It  is  said  the 
Bereans  were  more  noble  than  those  of  Thes- 
salonica;  for  to  be  open  to  conviction  and 
information  is  the  mark  of  a  noble  mind :  they 

f  were  of  a  more  free  and  ingenuous  temper, 
not  slaves  to  the  fear  of  man,  or  the  power 
of  prejudice:  they  heard  with  candour,  and 
examined  the  scriptures  themselves  to  find 
the  truth.  The  gospel  of  Christ  is  suited  to 
give  the  fullest  satisfaction  to  inquirers  of 
this  spirit.  Accordingly,  many  of  them  be- 
lieved. But  when  the  Jews  of  Thessalonica 
were  informed  of  this,  they  followed  Paul 
thither,  with  a  view  to  repeat  the  part  they 
had  acted  in  their  own  city;  but  they  came 
too  late:  Paul  had  already  planted  the  gos- 
pel; and,  leaving  Silas  and  Timothy,  who 

'  were  less  obnoxious,  to  remain  a  little  longer 
with  the  brethren,  he  was  conducted  first  to- 
wards the  sea,  to  elude  the  attempts  of  his 
enemies,  and  afterwards  to  Athens,  a  city 
which,  for  its  eminence  in  literature  and  all 
the  polite  arts,  was  styled,  by  general  con- 
sent, the  seat  of  the  Muses. 

While  the  apostle  waited  at  Athens  for  the 
arrival  of  Silas  and  Timothy,  his  spirit  was 
inflamed  with  a  lively  concern  for  the  honour 
of  God,  and  the  welfare  of  souls:  it  grieved 
him  to  see  a  city,  so  famed  for  refinement 
and  philosophy,  wholly  given  to  idolatry, 
and,  with  respect  to  the  most  important  con- 
cerns of  life,  quite  upon  a  level  with  the  most 
ignorant  barbarians.  St.  Paul  is  generally 
allowed,  by  those  who  will  allow  him  little 
else,  to  have  been  a  man  of  taste  and  letters. 
He  was  now  at  Athens,  the  school  of  philoso- 
phy, and  centre  of  the  fine  arts:  painting, 
statuary,  architecture,  and  elegance  appeared 
in  every  (piarter:  but  the  affecting  observa- 

'  tion  he  had  made  of  the  state  of  the  inhabit- 
ants, so  filled  his  mind,  that  he  could  take 
little  notice  of  any  thing  else.  To  those  who 
understand  the  nearness  and  importance  of 
an  eternal  state,  the  highest  improvements 
of  unsanctificd  reason  afford  little  more  en- 
tertainment than  the  trivial  sports  of  children, 
or  the  more  wretched  amusements  of  lunatics. 
He  was  so  struck  with  the  ignorance,  super- 
stition, and  wickedness  of  the  people,  that 
he  could  relisli  none  of  the  beauties  of  the 
place;  but,  full  of  a  different  emotion,  com- 
passionately laboured  to  inspire  them  with 
true  wisdom.  lie  was  soon  encountered  by 
the  Epicurean  and  Stoic  philosophers,  the 


respectable  advocates  for  those  principles  of 
pleasure  and  pride,  to  one  or  the  other  of 
whicli  all  men  arc  enslaved  till  the  gospel 
sets  them  free.  Here,  in  some  measure  ac- 
commodating himself  to  the  prevailing  taste, 
he  reasoned  with  the  rcasoners,  and  silenced 
the  wi.se  men  of  the  world,  in  their  own  way, 
by  dint  of  argument;  but  the  contest  was  un- 
equal; their  syllogisms  soon  tiiilcd  lliem;  and 
they  were  forced  to  retreat  to  their  last  re- 
tiige,  an  affected  wit  and  raillery.  Unable  to 
answer  the  force  of  his  discourses,  they 
triumphed  without  a  victory,  and  expressed 
their  contempt  of  him  and  his  doctrine  by  a 
word  of  the  lowest  and  most  despicable  sig- 
nification, which  our  version  not  improperly 
renders  a  babbler;  but  perhaps  no  term  in  our 
language  can  sufficiently  express  the  poign- 
ancy of  the  original.  Others  so  entirely  mis- 
took the  state  of  the  question,  that  they 
thought  he  was  a  publisher  or  setter  forth  of 
strange  gods;  they  thought  that  Jesus  and 
the  Resurrection  were  deities  they  had  not 
before  heard  of;  and  his  discourse  always 
turning  upon  these  topics,  they  concluded, 
indeed  with  reason,  that  his  only  business 
and  desire  was  to  proclaim  to  all  the  divinity 
whom  he  worshipped.  And  it  is  no  wonder 
that,  from  a  half-attention  to  his  words,  they 
should  be  induced  to  personify  the  Resur- 
rection as  a  deity,  since  the  Heathens  had 
altars  erected,  not  only  to  Honour,  Virtue, 
and  Liberty,  but  to  the  vices  and  disorders 
of  human  nature,  such  as  Fear,  Shame,  Fa- 
mine, and  Fevers. 

This  weak  mistake  gave  occasion  to  sum- 
mon him  before  the  council,  who  bore  the 
name  of  Areopagus,  or  the  Hill  of  Mars, 
from  the  place  where  they  met,  an  assembly 
in  high  estimation  for  authority  and  wisdom, 
and  whose  particular  office  it  was  to  super- 
intend the  public  religion,  and  i)reserve  it 
from  innovation.  It  does  not  appear,  how- 
ever, that  he  underwent  a  formal  trial  before 
them.  His  opponents  seemed  rather  disposed 
to  gratify  their  curiosity  than  their  malice : 
their  politeness,  perhaps,  made  them  some- 
thing averse  to  the  severer  forms  of  prose- 
cution, and  content  with  the  less  invidious, 
though  to  many  not  less  formidable  methods, 
of  scorn  and  ridicule.  Their  prevailing  pas- 
sion was  the  love  of  novelty ;  they  spent 
their  time  in  telling  or  hearing  some  new, 
or,  as  the  Greek  expresses  it,  some  newer 
thing.  The  expected  news  lost  its  relish 
the  moment  it  was  known :  and  they  were 
always  in  search  for  .something  newer  still ; 
therefore  the  gospel,  though  the  strongest, 
as  well  as  the  most  important  news  they  had 
ever  met  with,  could  not  engage  such  vola- 
tile minds :  while  it  was  the  newer  thing, 
the  freshest  news,  they  were  content  to 
listen :  but  as  soon  as  they  were  satisfied 
what  it  was,  they  wanted  to  hear  something 
else.    The  apostle  no  where  met  with  so 


60 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


[book  II. 


little  success  as  among'st  this  polite,  learned, 
ignorant  people;  and  wherever  this  Atlie- 
nian  spirit  prevails,  it  retards  the  success  of 
the  g;ospel  more  than  all  the  arts  and  violence 
of  persecution. 

The  discourse  of  the  apostle  on  this  occa- 
sion is  equally  a  standard  of  fine  address  and 
of  just  reasonintf.  lie  had  observed  their 
reliirious  rites  and  worship  with  attention, 
and  had  selected  from  among  their  numerous 
altirs  the  one  which  was  most  fit  for  his  pur- 
pose. Tlie  beauty  of  his  exordium  is  ob- 
scured by  the  expression,  too  superstitious, 
in  our  version  :  the  Greek  word  to  which  it 
answers  is  ambiguous,  and  suited  to  bespeak 
a  favourable  hearing,  rather  than  importing 
an  abrupt  i-eproof ;  q.  d.  "  I  perceive,  indeed, 
Athenians,  that  you  are  observant  of  the  in- 
visible powers  in  an  unusual  manner ;  for, 
besides  the  variety  of  temples  and  altars 
which  you  have  in  common  with  other  cities 
of  Greece,  I  observed  one  with  a  peculiar 
inscription,  to  the  unknown  god.  This 
God,  as  yet  unknown  to  you,  is  he  whom  I 
serve ;  and  the  new  doctrine,  of  which  you 
ask  me,  relates  to  his  will  and  worship." 
This  was  the  most  happy  and  pertinent  me- 
dium to  enlarge  from  that  could  be  imagin- 
ed. The  Athenians,  always  eager  to  hear 
some  newer  thing,  expected  an  account  of 
new  deities,  but  Paul  referred  them  to  an 
altar  and  inscription  among  themselves, 
which,  merely  by  being  obvious,  had  escaped 
their  reflection.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  this 
observation  and  inscription  may  suit  the  de- 
votions of  many  who  think  themselves  chris- 
tians. The  same  address  is  visible  in  his 
whole  argument.  To  the  Jews  he  quoted 
the  books  of  the  holy  scriptures ;  but  with 
these  Heathens  he  appealed  to  the  volume 
of  creation,  and  argued  from  the  impresses 
of  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  everywhere 
displayed  before  their  eyes,  the  excellence 
and  independence  of  their  great  Author,  how 
little  he  stood  in  need  of  men,  and  how  un- 
worthy of  his  divine  majesty  all  their  labo- 
rious inventions  were,  while  they  thought 
to  honour  him  by  worshipping  the  works  of 
their  own  hands :  he  asserted  the  providence 
and  omnipresence  of  God,  that  he  was  the 
fountain  of  life  and  all  its  comforts,  the  su- 
preme disposer  of  all  events,  and  the  common 
Father  of  mankind,  confirming  this  part  of 
his  doctrine  by  a  quotation  from  Aratus,  one 
of  their  own  poets.  He  afterwards  proceed- 
ed to  the  topics  of  revelation,  a  resurrection 
to  future  life,  and  a  final  judgment  by  the 
man  Christ  Jesus.  It  would  require  too 
much  room  to  point  out  particularly  the 
spirit,  propriety,  and  evidence  of  this  short 
sermon.  But  no  oratory  or  reasoning  can 
change  the  heart.  The  effect  was  the  same, 
as  may  be  observed  amongst  ourselves,  when 
much  inferior  instruments  declare  the  truths 
of  God:  some  mocked,  and  accounted  this 


wisdom  the  merest  folly ;  others,  pleased 
with  his  manner,  and  perhaps  affected  with 
some  transient  emotions  of  mind,  expressed 
a  willingness  to  hear  him  again ;  and  a  few, 
a  very  few,  believed,  among  whom  was  Bio- 
nysius,  one  of  the  Areopagite  judges. 

Having  so  little  encouragement  to  pro- 
long his  stay  at  Athens,  the  apostle  pro- 
ceeded to  Corinth,  at  that  time  accounted 
the  chief  city  of  Greece.  Here  he  unex- 
pectedly found  companions  prepared  for  him 
(Acts  xviii.)  Aquila,  a  native  of  Pontus,  by 
birth  a  Jew,  with  PrisciUa,  his  wife,  had  re- 
ceived the  faith  of  the  gospel  in  Italy,  from 
whence  they  had  lately  been  constrained  to 
remove  by  an  edict  of  the  emperor,  enjoining 
all  Jews  to  depart  from  Rome.  Whether 
the  christians  were  particularly  aimed  at  by 
the  name  of  Jews  in  this  decree  is  uncer- 
tain :  but  as  their  Lord  and  Master  had  lived 
in  Judea,  and  the  first  preachers  and  con- 
verts were  generally  of  that  nation,  perhaps, 
likewise,  because  they  asserted  and  proved 
their  doctrines  from  those  books  for  which 
the  Jews  professed  the  highest  veneration, 
the  christians  were  for  some  time  consider- 
ed as  Jews  by  most  of  the  Heathens.  This 
happy  pair,  partners  in  faith  and  affection, 
were  led  by  that  Divine  Providence  which 
certainly,  though  secretl}^  guides  the  steps 
of  his  servants,  to  seek  a  retreat  in  Corinth, 
about  the  time  St.  Paul  arrived  there. 
They  soon  became  acquainted,  and,  of  course, 
intimate.  He  often  mentions  them  in  his 
writings,  as  having,  upon  many  occasions, 
afforded  him  help  and  comfort;  for,  as  in  na- 
ture so  in  grace,  none  are  so  sufficient  to 
themselves  but  they  may  be  glad  of  assist- 
ance from  others,  even  from  such  as  are  in 
many  respects  their  inferiors.  They  abode 
and  wrought  together,  being  of  the  same 
business;  for  though  St.  Paul  well  under- 
stood his  liberty,  and  that,  as  a  preacher  of 
the  gospel,  he  had  a  right  to  expect  a  main- 
tenance from  those  to  whom  he  ministered, 
yet  he  condescended  to  work  as  a  common 
handicraft,  at  the  employment  of  making 
tents.  One  reason  of  his  submitting  to  this, 
he  informs  us  himself,  was  a  prudent  pre- 
caution to  obviate  any  insinuations  that 
might  be  raised  or  received  against  him  of  a 
design  to  make  gain  of  godliness,  or  to  abuse 
his  influence  to  mercenary  purposes.  But  his 
example  may  farther  teach  us  that  secular 
employments  are  not  in  themselves  incom- 
patible with  a  faithful  and  regular  discharge 
of  the  gospel-ministry,  when  the  circum- 
stances of  the  times  may  so  require.  BuL 
his  main  and  proper  business,  to  which  he 
always  attended,  in  season  and  out  of  sea- 
son,* was  preaching  the  gospel  of  Christ 

*  2  Tim.  iv.  2.  Bn  ini=taiit  in  season  and  out  nf  spa- 
son  ;  not  unseasonal)ly.  as  supposing  a  time  in  which 
it  would  he  better  to  forbear,  but  in  season,  at  set  and 
stated  times,  and  out  of  season,  tliat  is  occasionally. 


CHAP.  1.] 


AFTER  THE 


ASCENSION. 


61 


To  this  he  addressed  himself  at  Corinth,  first 
(as  usual)  to  the  Jews,  being'  pressed  in 
spirit,  borne  on  by  a  constraining-  sense  of 
tiie  love  of  Christ  and  the  worth  of  souls, 
and  prol)ably  more  confirmed  and  warmed 
by  the  accounts  broui>ht  him  by  Silas  and 
Timothy,  wiio  rejoined  him  iiero  from  Mace- 
donia. Animated,  rather  than  discourag-ed, 
by  the  opposition  he  liad  formerly  met  with, 
lie  strenuously  urged  to  t!ie  Jews,  from  their 
own  scriptures,  the  proofs  that  Jesus  was 
the  Messiah,  with  such  evidence  as  must 
have  gained  their  assent,  had  they  not  been 
hardened  and  obstinate ;  but  when  they 
persisted  in  returning  contradiction  and  de- 
spite to  his  repeated  labours  of  love,  he  at 
length  gave  them  up,  and  told  tliem,  that 
having  discharged  his  duty  and  his  con- 
science, their  blood  would  be  upon  their  own 
heads ;  that  their  guilt  was  most  aggravated, 
and  their  destruction  approaching :  and  that, 
for  the  future,  he  would  frequent  their  syna- 
g'ogues  no  more,  but  address  himself  to  the 
Gentiles.  He  accordingly  preached  in  the 
liouse  of  one  Justus,  near  the  synagogue, 
and  though  most  of  the  Jews  were  hardened 
beyond  the  reach  of  conviction,  yet  the  Lord 
had  a  small  remnant  amongst  them  here 
likewise.  Crispus,  a  chief  ruler,  or  presi- 
dent of  the  synagogue,  believed  with  all  his 
house ;  and  of  the  Heathens,  many  were 
converted  and  baptized. 

If  Corinth  was  less  celebrated  than  Athens 
for  philosophy  and  science,  it  was  more  so 
for  riches  and  luxury,  which  are  no  less 
powerful  hinderances  to  the  reception  of  the 
truth.  This  consideration,  joined  to  the  vio- 
lent spirit  of  his  opposers,  might  perhaps 
have  prompted  him  to  a  speedy  departure ; 
but  the  Lord,  whom  he  served,  appeared  to 
him  in  a  vision,  and  bid  him  not  be  afraid  or 
discouraged,  but  continue  to  preach,  assur- 
ing him  his  labour  should  not  be  in  vain ;  for, 
though  present  appearances  miglit  promise 
but  little  success,  [a.  d.  53]  he  had  many 
people  known  to  himself  in  that  proud,  sen- 
sual, idolatrous  city.  It  signifies  but  little 
what  enemies  or  ditBculties  a  faithful  minis- 
ter may  be  threatened  with,  if  the  Lord  has 
many  people  in  that  place  ;  he  who  sent  him 
to  call  them  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvel- 
lous liirht,  will  support  and  defend  him,  so 
that  either  none  shall  rise  against  him,  or  at 
least  none  be  able  to  prevail  to  his  real  harm. 
That  the  people,  whom  the  Lord  here  spoke 


Improvfi  every  opportunity  that  ofTers,  not  on  the  Lord's 
<1ay  only,  but  on  any  other ;  not  only  in  a  so'emn  anri 
full  diacourse,  but  let  the  glory  of  God.  and  the  jood  of 
aouls,  he  your  scope  in  every  conversation.  It  answers 
to  the  account  the  apostle  gives  of  his  own  conduct. 
He  preached  publicly,  and  from  house  to  house,  by  night 
and  by  day.  Acts  xx.  20.  31.  As  a  physician,  beside*  his 
ordinary  round  of  practice,  is  reaily  to  afford  his  help 
upon  every  sudden  application,  this  shoiilil  he  the  aim 
of  a  Kiippel-minister:  he  should  be  constant  to  all  his 
stated  appointments,  and  willing  to  make  the  most  of 
every  unexixjcted  call  to  service. 


of  as  his  own,  were  no  better,  either  by  na- 
ture or  practice,  than  others,  is  plain  from 
what  the  apostle  reminds  them  of  after  their 
conversion,  1  Cor.  vi.  9 — 11.  We  learn 
from  the  same  epistle  (chap.  ii.  3,)  tliat  his 
conflicts  and  exercises  at  this  time  were 
very  great.  Supported,  however,  by  such  a 
seasonable  and  gracions  encouragement,  he 
remained  there  a  year  and  a  half ;  and  all 
the  efforts  of  his  enemies  were  insufficient 
either  to  damp  his  zeal  and  activity,  or  to 
prevent  the  success  of  his  labours,  though 
the  Lord  permitted  thein  to  try  what  they 
could  do,  and  thereby  more  clearly  shovi-ed 
that  the  safety  of  his  servants  depends  on 
himself. 

When  Gallio  was  proconsul  of  Achaia 
(who,  as  it  seems  by  Luke's  expression,  en- 
tered upon  his  government  during  the  apos- 
tle's abode  at  Corinth,)  the  Jews  appeared 
tumultuously  before  the  tribunal,  with  the 
old  accusation,  that  he  subverted  the  laws 
of  Moses.  Gallio  prevented  Paul's  intended 
defence,  and  refused  to  interfere  in  points 
foreign  to  the  Roman  laws :  he  said,  that  if 
their  charge  had  been  laid  for  any  trespass 
or  immorality,  he  would  readily  have  taken 
cognizance  of  the  affair,  but  should  leave 
them  to  settle  their  religious  disputes  be- 
tween themselves.  With  this  reprimand  he 
dismissed,  or  rather  drove  them  from  his 
presence.  The  conduct  of  Gallio,  in  this  af- 
fair has  been  considered  in  different  lights, 
and  praised  or  censured  accordingly.  His- 
tory gives  him  a  fair  character  for  equity 
and  moderation;  and  it  must  be  allowed  he 
judged  right,  in  refusing  to  interpose  the 
civil  authority  to  give  sanction  to  persecu- 
tion :  yet  he  seems,  upon  this  occasion,  to 
have  discovered  that  political  indifference 
which  has  prompted  so  many  great  and  wise 
men,  in  the  world's  estimation,  to  treat  the 
gospel  as  a  trivial  scheme  unworthy  their 
notice.  He  rather  showed  contempt  than 
impartiality :  he  would  not  hear  either  party, 
because  he  despised  both,  and  therefore 
drove  them  away  with  scorn.  In  fine,  the 
Jews  not  only  failed  in  their  design,  but 
were  themselves  asssaulted  by  some  of  the 
inhabitants,  who  beat  Sosthenes,  the  chief 
ruler  of  the  synagogue,  even  in  the  open 
court,  and  Gallio,  though  he  saw  it,  cared 
for  none  of  these  things  ;  which  is  a  further 
proof  that  he  was  influenced  by  some  other 
motives  than  impartiality  and  a  regard  to 
justice,  or  he  would  not  have  suffered  his 
authority  to  be  insulted,  and  a  person  (upon 
his  own  principles  innocent)  abused  before 
his  face.  I  suppose  (though  it  is  a  contro- 
verted point)  that  the  Sosthenes  here  men- 
tioned was  at  that  time  an  enemy  to  Paul, 
and  joined  in  the  prosecution  attempted 
against  him.  Perhaps  he  was  afterwards 
converted,  and  accompanied  the  aoostle  in 
his  travels,  as  this  name  is  prefixu  with 


1 


62 

his  own,  to  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corin- 
thians. 

Nero,  a.  d.  54.]  St.  Paul,  after  about 
two  years  stay  in  Greece,  from  his  first  land- 
ing at  Macedonia,  embarked  at  Cenchrea, 
the  port  of  Corinth,  intending  for  Syria.  In 
this  voyage  they  touched  at  Ephcsus,  the 
chief  city  of  the  Proper  or  Proconsular  Asia. 
Here,  as  in  other  places,  he  entered  into  the 
Jews'  synagogues,  desirous,  if  possible,  to 
lead  them  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Messiah. 
At  this  city  he  left  his  dear  companions 
Aquila  and  Priscilla,  who  would  willingly 
have  detained  him  longer;  but  St.  Paul 
having  formed  the  plan  of  his  progress  in 
such  a  manner  as  he  judged  most  suitable  to 
his  main  design,  readily  sacrificed  the  dic- 
tates of  affection  to  the  calls  of  duty,  and 
persisted  in  his  purpose  to  be  at  Jerusalem 
on  the  approaching  passover :  he  took  leave 
of  them  therefore,  with  a  promise  of  return- 
ing at  a  proper  time,  and  proceeding  on  his 
voyage,  landed  at  Csesarea,  from  whence  he 
went  to  Jerusalem.  His  stay  here  was  not 
long:  having  answered  the  design  of  his 
journey,  and  conversed  with  the  brethren, 
he  revisited  the  places  where  he  had  for- 
merly preached,  and  went  first  to  Antioch, 
and  from  thence  through  the  provinces  of 
Galatia  and  Phrygia.  In  this  circuit  he  lost 
no  time,  but  published  the  glad  tidings  of 
salvation,  and  confirmed  the  hearts  of  the 
disciples  wherever  he  came. 

While  he  was  on  this  service,  there  came 
to  Ephesus  a  Jew  of  Alexander,  named 
Apollos:  he  had  been  as  yet  only  instructed 
in  the  rudiments  of  the  faith,  so  far  as  was 
communicated  by  the  teaching  and  baptism 
of  John ;  but  though  his  knowledge  was  not 
extensive,  his  zeal  was  lively  and  fervent, 
and  having  a  prompt  elocution,  and  great 
readiness  in  the  scriptures,  he  preached  con- 
cerning Christ  witli  much  freedom  and  earn- 
estness, according  to  the  measure  of  light 
ho  had  received.  Aquila  and  Priscilla  were 
amongst  his  hearers ;  and  having  more  ex- 
perience and  knowledge  than  himself,  they 
easily  perceived  wherein  he  was  deficient, 
and,  with  candour  and  tenderness,  instructed 
him  farther.  This  passage  is  worthy  the 
notice  both  of  preachers  and  hearers.  What 
Apollos  had  learned,  he  willingly  communi- 
cated; what  he  was  yet  ignorant  of,  he  as 
willingly  received  when  proposed  to  him ; 
his  zeal  and  humility  went  hand  in  hand. 
^  This  is  an  amiable  and  thriving  character. 
The  man  who  is  faithful  to  present  liglit,  and 
open  to  farther  conviction,  will  soon  be  wise 
and  successful;  the  Lord  will  provide  him 
both  teachers  and  hearers ;  he  shall  profit 
others,  and  be  profited  himself  every  day. 
The  prudence  and  moderation  of  Aquila  and 
Priscilla  are  no  less  commendable  ;  they  did 
not  acquiesce  in  all  he  said,  because  he  was 
eloquent  and  mighty  in  the  scriptures ;  nei- 


[book  II. 

ther  did  they  reject  and  disdain  him  because 
they  knew  more  than  he,  much  less  expose 
and  revile  him  as  a  low  ignorant  preacher, 
but  they  spoke  to  him  in  private :  they  ajp- 
proved  what  was  right,  and  showed  him 
mildly  and  faithfully  wherein  he  was  defec- 
tive ;  tliey  commended  his  zeal,  and  improv- 
ed his  knowledge.  With  these  advantages, 
and  letters  of  recommendation  to  the  bre- 
thren, he  went  from  thence  to  Corinth, 
where  he  was  highly  serviceable  to  the 
church,  publicly  maintaining  and  proving 
against  the  Jews,  with  great  earnestness  of 
spirit  and  strength  of  argument,  that  Jesus 
was  the  Messiah. 

Not  long  after  his  departure  (Acts  xix,) 
Paul  having  completed  his  progress  through 
the  upper  or  interior  parts  of  A,sia  Minor, 
returned,  according  to  his  promise,  to  Ephe- 
sus. Here  he  found  some  more  disciples, 
who,  like  Apollos,  though  acquainted  with 
the  doctrine  and  baptism  of  John,  were 
hitherto  strangers  to  those  peculiar  gifts, 
graces,  and  comforts,  which,  as  the  fruits  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  were  bestowed  on  the  be- 
lievers in  Jesus ;  but  by  the  imposition  of 
the  apostle's  hands,  they  were  immediately 
made  partakers  of  the  same  benefits. 

A.  D.  55.]  The  apostle,  unwilling  to  give 
up  his  own  people,  the  Jews,  continued  his 
labours  of  love  among  them  for  three  months, 
if,  by  any  means,  he  might  bring  them  to  the 
acknowledgment  of  the  truth  ;  but  at  length 
perceiving,  that,  instead  of  yielding,  they 
hardened  themselves  still  more,  and  obsti- 
nately laboured  to  traduce  and  defame  the 
author  and  way  of  salvation  before  the  peo- 
ple, he  finally  desisted,  and  selecting  those 
who  had  received  the  gospel  from  the  many 
who  might  hinder  and  confuse  them,  he 
formed  them  into  a  society  among  them- 
selves. He  continued  daily  to  preach  and 
defend  the  gospel,  for  two  years  afterwards, 
in  a  public  school,  with  indefatigable  zeal 
and  diligence,  seconding  his  more  stated 
services  with  occasional  and  pressing  exhort- 
ations from  house  to  house,  and  watering 
the  seed  with  many  prayers  and  tears.  His 
labours  were  not  in  vain ;  he  had  great  suc- 
cess, not  only  in  the  city  of  Ephesus,  but 
amongst  many,  who,  resorting  thither  from 
other  parts,  and  with  different  views,  were 
providentially  led  to  hear  him,  and  being 
divinely  convinced  themselves,  carried  home 
the  joyful  tidings  with  them :  so  that  the 
knowledge  of  the  gospel  was  generally 
spread  throughout  the  province.  The  atten- 
tion of  the  people  was  still  farther  excited, 
and  their  prejudices  softened,  by  the  nunie- 
rous  displays  and  visible  tendency  of  that 
divine  power  by  which  the  Lord  confirmed 
the  words  of  his  servant.  Many  striking 
miracles,  emblematical  of  the  healing  efficacy 
of  gospel-grace,  were  wrought  by  the  most 
inconsiderable  means;  so  that  persons  af- 


PROGRESS  OP  THE  GOSPEL 


] 


CHAP.  I.] 

flicted  with  various  maladies,  or  possessed  by 
evil  spirits,  were  perfectly  restored  to  health, 
by  the  application  of  handkerchiefs  or  aprons 
that  had  touched  his  body. 

Among-  the  various  methods  by  which  the 
gospel  has  been  opposed,  one  is  by  a  feeble 
imitation  and  a  pretended  acknowledgment 
of  some  of  its  principles,  while  the  heart  is 
unacquainted  or  unaifected  with  the  design 
and  scope  of  the  whole  doctrine.  Enmity, 
or,  at  best,  interest,  is  often  the  spring  of 
many  attempts  that  are  veiled  uijder  a  fair 
profession  of  good  words  ;  but  such  attempts 
will  always  issue  in  the  disappointment  or 
confusion  of  those  who  venture  on  them.  An 
instance  of  this  kind  happened  at  Ephesus : 
some  vagrant  Jews,  who  made  claim  to  a 
power  of  exorcising  or  dispossessing  evil 
spirits,  struck  with  the  miracles  wrought  in 
the  name  of  Jesus,  presumed  to  adopt  this 
sacred  name  into  the  number  of  their  pro- 
fessed mysteries ;  and  meeting  with  a  fit 
subject  for  the  exercise  of  their  art,  they 
undertook  to  adjure  the  evil  spirit  to  depart 
from  a  man,  by  the  name  of  Jesus  whom 
Paul  preached.  But  the  man  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  evil  spirit,  insulted  and  ex- 
posed them;  he  acknowledged  the  authority 
of  Jesus,  and  the  fidelity  of  Paul ;  but,  de- 
manding farther,  who  they  were  that  durst 
make  free  with  these  names  ?  far  from  obey- 
ing their  summons,  he  fiercely  assaulted 
them,  and  forced  them,  though  seven  in 
number,  to  flee  for  their  lives,  naked,  wound- 
ed, and  terrified.  Great  indeed  is  the  power 
of  the  name  of  Jesus ;  but  when  not  pro- 
nounced by  faith,  it  is  spoken  in  vain :  Satan 
laughs  at  such  vain  pretenders,  and  prevails 
against  them.  So,  when  those  who  are  des- 
titute of  faith,  undertake  to  write  or  preach 
concerning  Jesus,  it  will  seldom  prove  to 
more  purpose  than  if  they  attempted  to  ex- 
orcise tlie  people ;  instead  of  delivering 
others  from  the  power  of  Satan,  they  are 
more  and  more  subjected  to  him  themselves  ; 
and,  unless  the  grace  of  God  interposes  to 
teach  them  better,  their  latter  end  is  usually 
worse  than  their  beginning. 

This  public  defeat  of  the  enemy  added  to 
the  triumph  of  the  gospel  and  the  honour  of 
the  apostle,  and  produced  a  reverence  and 
awe  in  the  hearts  of  many,  convincing  them 
of  the  power  of  evil  spirits  when  not  re- 
strained, and  the  danger  of  trifling  with  the 
name  or  ministry  of  Christ ;  and  many  who 
had  been  addicted  to  the  magic  arts  (for 
which  Ephesus  was  peculiarly  infamous)  re- 
nounced their  delusions,  confessed  their  folly 
'  and  wickedness  to  the  apostle,  made  a  pub- 
lic profession  of  the  gospel,  and,  in  proof  that 
t!ieir  faith  and  repentance  were  sincere, 
brought  the  books  containing  the  secrets  and 

firinciples  of  their  pretended  skill,  and  pub- 
icly  committed  them  to  the  flames.  These 
Were  either  so  numerous  or  so  dear,  that  the 


63 

value  was  computed  at  fifty  thousand  pieces 
of  silver.  What  tliis  sum  might  be  in  our 
money,  the  learned  are  not  agreed  ;  the  low- 
est calculations  fix  it  at  about  fifteen  hundred 
pounds,  while  some  compute  it  at  more  than 
seven  thousand.  We  are  not,  however,  sure 
they  were  all  on  the  subject  of  magic ;  a  va- 
riety of  other  disquisitions  might  possibly  con- 
tribute to  enlarge  the  pile.  Curious  books  and 
curious  arts  had  been  multiplied  ;  but  the  one 
book  of  truth  now  made  the  rest  useless  and 
tasteless ;  they  had  now  found  the  pearl  of 
great  price,  and  willingly  parted  with  their 
once  admired  pebbles:  and  we  may  believe, 
that  if  the  worth  and  power  of  the  holy  scrip- 
tures were  once  generally  known,  many 
curious  libraries  in  our  days,  if  they  escaped 
unburnt,  would  at  least  remain  unread  and 
unnoticed.  When  the  wise  thus  renounced 
their  wisdom,  and  the  artful  their  gain,  burnt 
their  books  with  their  own  hands,  and  de- 
voted themselves  to  the  study  of  the  scrip- 
tures alone,  it  is  once  more  observed,  so 
mightily  grew  the  word  of  God  and  pre- 
vailed ! 

A.  D.  57.]  The  apostle,  of  whom  it  may 
be  said  with  more  propriety  than  of  Caesar, 
that  he  accounted  nothing  done  while  any 
thing  remained  to  do,  in  the  midst  of  his  im- 
portant engagements  at  Ephesus,  was  still 
meditating  new  services;  he  retained  a  warm 
affection  and  care  for  his  friends  in  different, 
distant,  and  opposite  quarters ;  he  had  thoughts 
of  revisiting  Macedonia  and  Greece,  and, 
from  thence,  once  more  to  go  to  Jerusalem ; 
and,  not  content  with  reviewing  his  past  la- 
bours, lie  longed  to  preach  in  places  he  had 
not  yet  seen, — saying.  After  I  have  been 
tliere,  I  must  also  see  Rome :  nor  was  Rome 
the  boundary  of  his  views;  for  from  thence 
he  proposed  to  proceed  to  Spain,  Rom.  xv. 
24.  We  are  taught  from  our  infancy  to  ad- 
mire those,  who,  in  the  language  of  the  world, 
are  styled  great  captains  and  conquerors,  be- 
cause they  burned  with  a  desire  to  carry 
slaughter  and  terror  into  every  part  of  the 
globe,  and  to  aggrandize  their  names  by  the 
depopulation  of  countries,  and  the  destruc- 
tion of  their  species,  while  this  generous 
spirit  of  St.  Paul  is  almost  totally  overlooked: 
unwearied  by  difficulties,  undismayed  by  dan- 
gers, unsatisfied  with  the  greatest  success, 
unaffected  with  the  justest  applause,  he 
seemed  to  lay  his  benevolent  schemes  wide 
as  the  human  race :  he  reaped  no  profit,  he 
sought  no  praise ;  he  rejected  the  allurements 
of  pleasure,  to  which  the  greatest  conquerors 
have  often  been  irresolute  slaves;  he  endured 
the  reproach  and  contempt  of  the  people, 
which  no  hero,  but  the  true  christian,  was 
ever  strong  enough  to  bear  with  patience; 
and  all  this  only  to  make  others  partakers 
of  the  happiness  which  he  enjoyed  himself. 
However,  finding  it  necessary  to  continue 
some  time  longer  where  he  was,  he  despatched 


AFTER  THE  ASCENSION. 


64 


PROGRESS  OF 


THE  GOSPEL 


[book  II. 


his  beloved  Timothy  to  Macedonia,  to  ap- 
prize his  friends  of  liis  intention,  and  to  pre- 
pare them  for  his  visit,  when  a  proper  op- 
portunity should  permit. 

In  tiie  mean  time  (Acts  xix.  23,)  an  inci- 
dent fell  out  which  well  illustrates  the  causes 
and  genius  of  that  opposition  and  outcry 
whicii  is  usually  made  when  the  power  of 
gospel-truth  interferes  with  the  passions  and 
interests  of  designing  men.  St.  Paul's  great 
success  and  the  additions  daily  made  to  the 
churcli  of  Christ,  had  a  visible  tendency  to 
lessen  the  estimation  and  gain  of  those  whose 
chief  resource  was  in  the  ignorance  and  wick- 
edness of  the  people.  These  were  not  back- 
ward to  take  the  alarm,  and  had  been  waiting 
an  opportunity,  to  show  their  resentment. 
The  Lord,  who  holds  all  hearts  in  his  own 
hands,  had  restrained  them  hitherto,  that  his 
work  of  grace  might  not  be  disturbed;  but 
when  the  apostle  was  upon  the  point  of  de- 
parture, this  restraint  was  in  some  measure 
taken  off.  The  temple  of  Diana,  at  Epliesus, 
was  celebrated  for  its  magnificence  far  and 
near;  so  that  many  shrines  or  models  of  it 
were  made  for  sale,  and  in  much  demand. 
This  branch  of  business  brought  in  consider- 
able gain  to  the  silversmiths,  and  other  me- 
chanics ;  but  if  the  gospel  of  Christ  continued 
to  spread,  it  was  highly  probable  that  these, 
with  many  otiier  such  toys,  would  bo  little 
inquired  after.  Demetrius,  a  leading  man 
amongst  them,  convening  his  brethren  and 
dependants,  and  as  many  as  he  could,  wliose 
interest  seemed  more  immediately  affected 
by  tills  novel  doctrine,  harangued  them  with 
much  address  and  influence  on  a  point  in 
wliicli  they  had  so  near  and  mutual  a  con- 
cern; he  reminded  them,  with  a  seasonable 
frankness,  that  their  gain  was  at  stake:*  this 
was  the  main  argument;  yet,  as  one  not 
wholly  governed  by  mercenary  views,  he 
expressed  a  very  tender  concern  for  the 
honour  of  Diana,  lest  her  worship,  and  their 
advantage,  should  cease  together,  as  they 
certainly  would,  if  this  Paul  should  be  peace- 
ably suffered  to  persuade  the  people,  that 
they  can  be  no  gods  wliich  are  made  with 
hands.  An  appeal  to  the  two  prevailing  pas- 
sions of  mankind,  interest  and  superstition, 
is  seldom  made  in  vain.  The  arguments  of 
Demetrius  have  been  employed  a  thousand 
times  over  against  the  gospel,  thougli  all  op- 
posers  have  not  had  his  honesty  in  avowing 
their  leading  motive.  The  doctrine  which 
discountenances  folly  and  wickedness,  will 
certainly  be  defamed  and  resisted  by  all  who 
find  their  account  in  promoting  them ;  but  as 


*  This  is  the  main  objection  aeainst  the  gospel,  though 
pretexts  are  industriously  souilit  to  liiileit;  it  alarms 
those  who  thrive  by  the  ignorana-  or  u  ickeiiness  of  the 
times;  gain  is  the  motive,  the  honour  of  Diana  the 
plea  But  it  may  be  easily  proved,  tliat  such  occupa- 
tions as  are  endangered  by  the  success  of  ihe  gospel,  are 
*n  thenjselves  injurious  to  the  peace  and  good  order  of 
tjvil  society. 


this  motive  is  rather  invidious,  if  insisted  on 
alone,  they  express  likewise  an  earnest  zeal 
for  whatever  tenets  have  the  sanction  of  au- 
thority, antiquity,  or  custom,  with  which  their 
private  interest  is  inseparably  connected.  He 
had  said  enough  to  inflame  his  hearers;  and 
these  were  sufficiently  numerous  to  stimulate 
the  unthinking  rabble,  who,  though  quiet  till 
they  are  headed  by  artful  leaders,  are  easily 
roused  to  rage  and  tumidt  when  thus  in- 
fluenced, as  the  sea  that  has  been  long  calm 
obeys  the  impulse  of  the  rising  gale.  The 
outcry  began  by  Demetrius,  and  his  com- 
panions; Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians, 
was  soon  resounded  through  tlie  city;  and 
the  multitude,  being  informed  that  their 
established  religion,  their  stately  temple,  and 
costly  rites,  were  all  in  danger,  rushed  from 
all  parts  tumultuously  into  the  public  theatre, 
dragging  two  of  St.  Paul's  dear  companions, 
Gains  and  Aristarchus,  along  with  them,  per- 
haps with  a  design  to  throw  them  to  the  wild 
beasts,  which  were  kept  for  the  barlmrous 
diversion  of  the  people  at  their  public  games. 
The  apostle,  warmly  concerned  for  his  friends' 
safety,  and  confiding  in  tlie  goodness  of  his 
cause,  and  the  providence  of  his  God,  was  not 
intimidated  by  this  violent  uproar,  but  pur- 
posed to  face  the  enraged  mob;  but  the  ear- 
nest solicitations  of  the  disciples,  who  could 
not  but  be  anxious  for  the  event,  restrained 
him :  and  even  some  who  had  not  received 
his  doctrine,  from  a  regard  to  what  they 
knew  of  his  character  and  conduct,  employed 
their  endeavours  to  preserve  him.  These,  in 
the  text,  are  styled  Asiarchs,  persons  of  note 
who  presided  in  the  regulation  of  the  games. 
Some  of  them  sent  to  inform  him,  that  in  the 
present  confusion,  it  was  not  in  their  power 
to  protect  him  from  violence,  and  therefore 
desired  he  would  keep  in  safety.  Though 
his  resolution  was  not  sliakcn,  yet  judging 
this  might  be  a  providential  intimation,  tliat 
it  was  not  his  duty  at  that  time  to  expose 
himself,  he  desisted.  The  mob,  thus  disap- 
pointed with  respect  to  him,  and  secretly  re- 
strained from  hurtmg  the  others,  continued 
in  the  utmost  confusion,  tliough  few  knew 
why  they  were  assembled,  unless  it  was  to 
join  in  the  cry,  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephe- 
sians, which  they  repeated  without  intermis- 
sion for  two  hours.  When  they  had  thus 
exhausted  themselves,  and  their  passions, 
through  weariness,  began  to  subside,  a  public 
officer  of  the  city  seized  the  fiivourable  mo- 
ment to  expostulate  with  them  concerning 
their  behaviour;  he  spoke  with  freedom  and 
address,  but  with  that  indifference  which  the 
wise  men  of  the  world  so  frequently  discover 
in  religious  concerns.  Many  deserve  com- 
mendation for  their  readiness  to  allow  others 
the  peaceable  possession  of  their  own  senti- 
ments, who,  at  the  same  time,  deserve  our 
pity,  that  they  have  no  inclination  or  leisure 
to  inquire  for  themselves.    He  allowed,  in 


ClIAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE  ASCENSION. 


65 


greneral  terms,  the  honours  of  Diana,  and 
pleaded,  in  behalf  of  the  men,  that  they  had 
not  spoken  against  Diana  in  particular,  or 
intermeddled  with  her  tem])le,*  Acts  xix.  37. 
This  was  probably  true  in  fact:  St.  Paul  de- 
clared the  folly  of  idolatry  in  general,  but  did 
not  enter  into  direct  confutation  of  any  de- 
tached part  of  the  Heathen  mythology:  he 
proposed  the  plain  truth  of  the  gospel ;  and 
when  this  was  received,  the  whole  system  of 
idol-worship  fell  to  the  ground  of  itself  He 
farther  reminded  them,  that  if  they  had  any 
just  cause  of  complaint,  they  ought  to  seek 
redress  in  a  course  of  law;t  and  then  hinting 
at  the  consequences  they  were  liable  to,  if 
called  to  a  strict  accountj;  for  their  riot,  he 
prevailed  on  them  to  separate  and  depart 
quietly.  Thus  the  apostle,  though  threatened 
with  a  most  imminent  and  formidable  danger, 
was  preserved  unhurt,  and  suffered  neither 
in  his  person  nor  character.  An  encouraging 
proof  that  those  who  act  m  the  path  of  duty, 
and  depend  on  the  power  of  God,  are  equally 
safe  in  all  times  and  circumstances;  no  less 
safe  when  surrounded  by  enraged  enemies, 
than  when  encircled  by  kind  and  assiduous 
friends. 

He  did  not  continue  long  at  Ephesus  after 
this  tumult;  but  taking  leave  of  the  disciples, 
went  to  Troas,  and  from  thence  (as  he  had 
purposed)  to  Macedonia,  Acts  xx.  We  have 
but  little  account  of  this  progress  in  the 
history  of  the  Acts;  but  from  some  passages 
of  his  epistles  (2  Cor.  ii.  12,  13,  and  vii.  5,) 
written  about  that  time,  we  are  informed, 
that  his  exercises  and  trials,  both  inward  and 
outward,  were  very  great.  His  solicitous 
affection  for  the  churches  was  far  from  being 
the  smallest  source  of  his  troubles,  and  cost 
him  many  a  pang.  5  He  loved  them  in  the 
bowels  of  Jesus  Christ;  he  could  willingly 
have  devoted  his  labours  and  life  to  each  of 
them,  but  he  could  not  be  with  them  all ;  and 


*  The  words  rohbrrs  of  rhurrlie^,  shntild  rather  be  ren- 
ilereil  Tohhcra  of  tempfc.i;  for  Ihoimh  the  word  church  is 
now  expressive  of  some  particular  places  of  worship,  it 
is  never  in  the  New  Testament  applied  to  buildings,  but 
to  persons  only. 

t  The  servants  of  Christ  will  seldom  be  compelled  to 
answer  for  themselves  in  a  course  of  law,  except  in 
those  places  where  sanguinary  laws  are  contrived  pur- 
posely against  them.  In  default  ot"  these,  their  adversa- 
ries will  often  stoop  to  a|ipeal  from  the  magistrate  to 
the  mob 

J  It  seems,  however,  there  was  no  more  said  of  it.  It 
had  been  a  notorious  breach  of  the  peace,  but  then  it 
liad  been  against  St.  Paul  and  his  companions,  who  had 
sufficient  favour  shown  them  if  they  came  off  with 
their  lives.  In  any  other  case,  such  a  tumult  would 
have  been  deemed  a  high  offence. 

§2(;or.  xi.  28.  "That  which  Cometh  on  me  daily." 
The  word  is  .'-iTuTTxtrt?, — and  gives  the  idea  of  a  camp 
or  ensile  hard  beset  with  continual  fnisets  and  assaults ; 
or  of  a  man  who  has  his  way  to  force  through  a  great 
crowd  that  are  coming  to  m.'^el  him;  so  that  he  must 
not  only  be  much  encumbered  and  hindered,  hut  unless 
he  exerts  himself  to  the  utmost,  is  in  danger  of  being 
trampled  under  their  feet.  liy  this  lively  figure,  the 
apostle  describes  the  part  he  took  in  the  welfare  of  all 
the  churches.  His  caies  on  their  behalf  were  so  numer- 
ous, urgent,  and  continual,  that  they  found  full  em- 
ployment for  his  prayers,  his  tJioughts,  and  his  time. 
Vol.  II.     .  I 


knowing  the  weakness  of  the  heart,  the  sub- 
tlety of  Satan,  and  the  obvious  temptations 
arising  from  the  fear  of  man,  the  love  of  the 
world,  and  the  arts  of  false  teachers,  he  was 
jealous  over  those  from  whom  he  was  absent 
with  a  godly  jealousy,  2  Cor.  xi.  2.  At  Troas 
he  expected  to  have  met  with  Titus,  on  his 
return  from  Macedonia;  but  missing  him, 
though  he  had  favourable  opportunities  of 
preaching  the  gospel  at  Troas  (2  Cor.  ii.  12, 
13,)  his  mind  was  not  at  liberty  to  improve 
them ;  but  he  hasted  to  be  in  Macedonia,  that 
he  might  the  sooner  be  satisfied.  There,  he 
tells  us  himself,  ho  had  no  rest,  but  was 
troubled  on  every  side;  without  were  fight- 
ings, within  were  fears ;  but  he  speaks  of  it 
as  a  seasonable  and  gracious  interposition  of 
that  God,  whose  character  and  prerogative  it 
is  to  be  a  comforter  of  those  that  are  cast 
down  (2  Cor.  vii.  6,)  that,  in  these  circum- 
stances, he  was  comforted  by  the  coming  of 
Titus,  who  relieved  his  fears  by  the  favour- 
able account  he  brought  him  from  Corinth. 

A.  D.  58.]  How  long  he  staid  in  these 
parts  we  are  not  told  ;  but,  in  general,  that 
he  spent  some  time,  and  visited  many  places ; 
and  it  seems  to  have  been  in  this  circuit  that 
he  preached  in  Illyricum,  a  part  of  which 
country  borders  upon  Macedonia.  He  after- 
wards proceeded  to  Greece,  where  he  staid 
three  months  ;  he  intended  to  have  embarked 
from  thence  at  some  port,  and  to  have  pro- 
ceeded immediately  to  Syria  by  sea ;  but,  upon 
information  that  his  restless  enemies,  the 
Jews,  were  plotting  to  intercept  and  kill  him, 
he  determined  to  return  through  Macedonia, 
Several  of  his  friends  offered  to  accompany 
him  through  Asia,  who,  embarking  before 
him,  waited  for  him  at  Troas,  where  he,  at  a 
convenient  time,  joined  them  from  Philippi, 
and  remained  there  seven  days. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  week,  they  had  a 
solemn  assembly ;  and  St.  Paul,  who  was  to 
take  a  long  and  last  farewell  of  the  disciples 
there  the  next  morning,  indulged  his  own  and 
their  affections,  by  protracting  his  discourses 
and  advices  beyond  the  usual  bounds ;  he 
spent  the  whole  day,  even  till  midnight,  in 
expatiating  upon  the  pleasing  topics  of  re- 
deeming love.  This  does  not,  indeed,  appear 
to  have  been  his  usual  practice;  but  should  a 
company  of  believers  now  spend  a  night  to- 
gether in  the  exercises  they  best  love,  though 
it  were  but  once,  and  when  they  had  no  ex- 
pectation of  meeting  again  till  they  should 
meet  in  glory,  it  would  be  sufficient  to  open 
the  mouths  of  prejudice  and  slander  amongst 
them,  as  regardless  of  the  order  of  families, 
and  the  duties  of  conunon  life.  Particular 
notice  is  taken,  that  they  had  many  lights  in 
the  upper  chamber,  where  they  were  met, 
perhaps  to  remind  us,  that  the  fir.st  chri.«tians 
were  careful  to  conduct  their  assemblies  with 
order  and  propriety,  so  as  to  give  no  just 
cause  of  ofience ;  yet  their  enemies  quickly 


66 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


[book  n. 


began  to  charge  them  with  meeting  in  the 
dark,  and  invented  many  false  and  wicked 
slanders  upon  that  supposition.  The  like 
falsehoods  have  been  often  repeated.  A  young 
man  of  the  company,  either  less  attentive,  or 
less  warmly  engaged  than  the  rest,  dropped 
asleep,  and  not  only  lost  much  of  an  invalu- 
able opportunity,  but  fell  out  of  a  window, 
in  which  he  was  seated,  from  the  third  story, 
and  was  taken  up  to  appearance  dead ;  an 
incident  which  might  liave  given  those  who 
hated  the  apostle  a  farther  occasion  to  cla- 
mour, and  to  revile  his  unseasonable  zeal; 
but  he  went  down  in  the  spirit  of  faith  and 
prayer,  and  embracing  tlie  young  man,  re- 
stored him  to  his  friends  alive.  After  they 
were  recovered  from  the  hurry  of  this  event, 
and  had  taken  some  refreshment,  he  resumed 
his  discourse,  and  continued  in  conference 
with  them  tUl  the  break  of  day,*  when  he 
oade  them  farewell. 

His  companions  went  along  the  coast  by 
snipping  at  Assos,  a  place  not  very  distant, 
and  to  wliich  the  apostle  chose  to  go  by  land, 
and  on  foot.  Some  think  he  did  this  by  way 
of  self-denial ;  but  it  is  not  likely  that  he, 
who  was  the  great  asserter  of  evangelical 
and  filial  liberty,  would  lay  any  stress  upon 
such  singularities.  Self  may  readily  submit  to 
many  things  of  this  sort,  and  derive  food, 
complacence,  and  strength  from  them.  It  is 
more  probable  he  chose  to  walk,  either  that 
he  might  embrace  occasions  of  service  by  the 
way,  or  for  the  advantage  of  leisure  and  re- 
tirement ;  for  christians  engaged  in  a  very 
public  sphere  of  life  (as  he  was)  are  glad  to 
redeem  opportunities  of  being  alone,  at  the 
price  of  some  inconveniences.  But  this  cir- 
cumstance is  mentioned  as  characterising  the 
simplicity  of  his  spirit ;  though  greatly  ho- 
noured, and  greatly  beloved,  he  thought  it  not 
beneath  him  to  walk  from  place  to  place,  like 
an  obscure  person. 

Embarking  at  Assos,  and  having  touched 
at  Mitylene  and  Samos,  intermediate  places, 
they  arrived  in  a  few  days  at  MUetus.  St 
Paul  purposely  passed  Ephesus,  that  he  might 
not  be  detained  or  grieved  by  the  many  dear 
friends  he  had  in  that  city  ;  for  he  was  re- 
solved, if  possible,  to  be  at  Jerusalem  on  the 
approaching  day  of  Pentecost ;  but  from  Mi- 
letus he  sent  for  the  elders  or  bishops  of  the 
church  of  Ephesus,  to  receive  his  final  charge 
and  benediction.  When  they  came,  he  ad- 
dressed them  in  a  solemn  and  affectionate 
discourse.  The  substance  of  it,  which  is  re- 
corded for  our  instruction,  if  considered  only 
as  a  piece  of  orator}',  has  been  often  admired 

*  This,  as  we  have  observed,  was  upon  a  particular 
occasion  ;  they  expected  to  see  each  other  no  more,  and 
bardly  knew  how  to  part.  Tlie  like  circumstances  mieht 
justify  such  protracted  meetings  of  christian  friends 
still ;  hut,  in  general,  they  are  to  be  avoided,  [f  fre- 
quently indulged, they  would  break  in  upon  other  things, 
indispose  those  who  attend  for  the  ordinary  duties  of 
their  stations,  be  prejudicial  to  health,  and,  for  these 
and  other  reasons,  prove  a  cause  of  olience. 


and  celebrated  by  critics;  but  there  are 
strokes  in  it,  the  force  and  beauty  of  which 
no  critic  can  truly  relish,  except  he  has 
tasted  of  the  same  spirit  which  filled  and  ani- 
mated the  apostle's  heart  when  he  spoke  it. 

He  began  with  an  appeal  to  themselves 
concerning  his  conduct  whUe  resident  among 
them,  and  reminded  them  of  the  diligence, 
fidelity,  and  tenderness  which  he  had  mani- 
fested in  the  course  of  his  ministry,  how  he 
had  seconded  his  public  instructions  with  pri- 
vateand  repeated  exhortations,  watering  them 
both  with  many  prayers  and  tears;  he  inform- 
ed them  of  the  object  and  service  of  his  present 
journey,  and  how  uncertain  he  was  what  the 
issue  might  prove  to  himself  But  though  he 
had  general  intimations  from  the  Spirit  of 
God,  to  expect  afflictions  and  bonds  in  every 
place,  his  determination  was  fixed ;  he  had 
counted  the  cost,  and  saw  that  nothing  he 
could  meet  with  was  worth  his  serious 
thought,  so  that  he  might  be  able  to  fulfil  his 
ministry  with  honour,  and  to  finish  his  course 
with  joy  ;f  but  this  he  said,  he  was  assured  of, 
that  the  pleasing  opportunities  he  had  enjoy- 
ed with  the  believers  at  Ephesus,  and  in  that 
neighbourhood,  were  ended ;  and  that  they 
now  saw  and  heard  him  for  the  last  time. 
Only  those  who  know  the  endeared  affection 
thatsnbsists  between  a  minister  of  Christ  and 
those  to  whom  God  has  made  him  the  in- 
strument of  saving  their  souls,  can  judge  of 
the  emotion  with  which  he  spoke,  and  his 
friends  heard,  this  part  of  his  discourse.  When 
he  had  thus  touched  and  engaged  their  ten- 
derest  passions,  and  prepared  them  to  receive 
his  parting  solemn  charge  with  a  due  atten- 
tion, he  exhorted  them,  in  tlie  tnost  animated 
terms,  to  follow  his  example,  in  performing 
the  part  of  faithful  overseers,  or  bishops,  in 
the  church  which  he  now  committed  to  their 
care  ;  suggesting  two  most  powerful  motives, 
the  consideration  that  they  were  appointed  to 
this  office  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  the 
souls  entrusted  to  them  were  the  church  of 
God,  which  he  had  purchased  with  his  own 
blood.  He  likewise  warned  them,  that  the 
utmost  circumspection  would  be  needful ;  for 
that  he  foresaw,  that,  after  his  departure, 
grievous  wolves  would  enter  amongst  them, 
not  sparing  the  flock;  and  also,  that  out  of 
their  own  number  of  professed  disciples,  men 
should  arise,  speaking  perverse  things.  This 
double  danger  of  false  teachers  from  without, 
and  a  restless  curious  spirit  within  the  fold, 


t  The  state  of  obedience  and  service  whicb  we  owe  to 
him  who  died  for  us,  and  rose  again,  is  often  compared 
to  a  race  or  course ;  by  which  is  intimated,  the  assiduity 
with  wliich  we  ought  to  pursue  our  calling,  the  brevity 
of  our  labours  and  sufferings,  the  little  atteation  we 
should  pay  to  objects  around  us,  and  that  our  eye  and 
aim  should  be  constantly  directed  to  the  prize  set  be- 
fore us.  Every  step  in  this  race  is  attended  with  trouble; 
but  the  end  will  be  unsiieakable  joy.  Those  to  whom 
the  King  shall  say,  '■  W'ell  done,  good  and  faithful 
servant,  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord,"  will  not 
then  complain  of  the  difficulties  they  met  by  the  way. 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE 


ASCENSION. 


67 


all  societies  of  christians  are  exposed  to;  and 
it  is  a  strong  call  to  ministers  in  all  ag'es,  to 
be  mindful  of  the  apostle's  charge,  and  to 
take  heed  to  the  flock  over  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  has  made  them  overseers.  He  again 
put  them  in  remembrance  of  his  own  conduct, 
his  assiduity  and  disinterestedness  ;  that  he 
had  not  sought  his  own  advantage,  but  had 
rather  wrought  witli  iiis  own  hands,  that  he 
might  not  be  chargeable  to  them :  finally, 
commending  them  to  God,  and  the  word  of 
his  grace,  he  closed  his  discourse,  with  pro- 
posing to  their  consideration  an  aphorism  of 
our  Lord  .Tesus,  and  illustrated  by  the  whole 
tenor  of  his  life,  "  It  is  more  blessed  to  give 
than  to  receive."  This  sentiment,  so  liighly 
expressive  of  the  spirit  of  the  divine  author, 
which  had  been  hitherto  preserved  in  tiie 
hearts  and  mouths  of  his  disciples,  was  upon 
this  occasion  inserted  into  the  written  word, 
and  is  the  only  authentic  tradition  concern- 
ing him  which  has  been  transmitted  to  the 
church.  Having  finished  his  pathetic  address, 
he  kneeled  down,  and  prayed  with  them. 
The  final  farewell  was  very  affecting;  for  how 
could  those  who  owed  him  their  souls,  who 
had  been  so  often  comforted  and  edified  by 
his  instructions  and  example,  consider  that 
they  were  to  see  him  no  more  in  this  world, 
witliout  being  greatly  moved.  They  accom- 
panied him  to  the  ship,  and  then  returned. 
The  word  which  Luke,  the  historian,  makes 
use  of  upon  this  occasion,  intimates  that  the 
concern  was  mutual :  it  signifies  to  draw 
asunder  by  force,  to  separate  things  closely 
joined  together  :  "  When  we  had  gotten  from 
them,"  or,  as  it  might  be  rendered,  "  When 
we  had  torn  ourselves  from  them,"  well  ex- 
presses the  close  union  of  their  affections,  and 
the  sorrow  and  reluctance  which  both  sides 
felt  at  parting. 

When  this  struggle  was  over,  St.  Paul  and 
his  company  put  to  sea  with  a  favourable 
gale  (Acts  xxi ;)  and,  having  touched  at  Coos 
and  Rhodes,  two  islands  of  note  in  the  yEgean 
sea,  continued  their  course  to  Patara  in 
Lycia,  where  they  seasonably  met  with  a  ship 
upon  tlic  point  of  departure  for  Phoenicia ;  and 
embarking  in  lier,  they  passed  on  the  south 
side  of  Cyprus,  and  had  a  safe  voyage  to  Tyre, 
where,  tliat  being  the  destined  port  of  the 
vessel,  they  landed.  As  he  was  not  now  very 
far  distant  from  Jerusalem,  and  had  finished 
that  part  of  his  voyage  in  which  he  was  most 
exposed  to  unavoidable  delays  by  the  occur- 
rences of  winds  and  weather,  so  that  he  had  a 
fair  probability  of  reaching  .Jerusalem  withfn 
his  prescribed  time,  he  consented  to  stay  seven 
days  with  some  disciples*  he  found  there, 


*  Avsyj)ovT£cTou?  fitxii^rx;  micht  be  renderpd,  ftttlivg 
out  the.  disciples  Thoie  soems  no  reason  for  siipprnss- 
ins  th'  article,  and  the  verbis  used  for  finding  out, 
in  consequence  of  some  description  or  inquiry,  Lukeii. 
J6.  We  readily  suppose,  ffom  the  apostle's  character, 
that  bis  first  inquiry,  upon  coming  to  any  place  where 


Acts  xxi.  4.  From  some  of  these  he  received 
an  intimation,  by  a  prophetic  impulse,  of  the 
dangers  he  would  be  exposed  to  if  ho  went 
to  Jerusalem ;  but  he  knew  whom  he  had  be- 
lieved, and,  being  convinced  that  his  duty 
called  him  to  persevere,  he  was  not  intimi- 
dated by  a  prospect  of  suffering.  At  the  ap- 
pointed time  he  embarked  again,  the  disciples, 
with  their  families,  accompanying  him  to  the 
water  side,  where  he  took  leave  of  them  in  an 
affectionate  prayer  upon  the  sea-shore.f  He 
landed  next  at  lHolemai.s,  a  city  of  Palestine, 
and  staid  one  day  with  the  brethren  there. 
The  next  day  he  proceeded  to  Ca;sarea,  and 
lodged  at  the  house  of  Philip,  the  deacon, 
who  had  four  daughters  endued  with  the 
spirit  of  prophecy. 

During  his  stay  at  Ca3sarea,  a  prophet, 
named  Agabus,  came  down  from  Jerusalem ; 
and,  agreeable  to  Ihe  manner  of  the  ancient 
prophets,  who  frequently  enforced  their  de- 
clarations by  expressive  signs  and  actions,  he 
bound  his  own  hands  and  feet  with  the  apos- 
tle's girdle,  assuring  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  that  in  the  .same  manner  the 
Jews  would  bind  the  liands  and  feet  of  the 
man  to  whom  that  girdle  belonged,  and  de- 
liver him  up  as  a  criminal  to  the  Roman 
power.  Upon  these  repeated  premonitions  of 
what  he  was  to  expect,  not  only  tiie  disciples 
of  Cajsarea,  but  those  who  had  come  with 
him,  earnestly  entreated  him  to  desist  from 
his  purpose.  VVe  may  learn  from  this  passage 
that  the  clearest  intelligence  of  approaching 
danger  is  not  always  a  sufficient  warrant  to 
decline  it,  even  when,  in  the  judgment  of 
our  brethren,  we  might  decline  it  without 
sin.  St.  Paul  was  satisfied  that,  all  circum- 
stances considered,  it  was  right  for  him  to 
proceed :  he  had  taken  his  determination  upon 
good  grounds,  was  brought  so  far  on  his  way 
in  safety;  and  to  be  told  (though  from  an  in- 
fallible authority)  that  his  views  of  service 
could  not  be  completed  without  great  risk 
and  trouble  to  himself,  did  not  discourage 
him  in  the  least.  He  was  less  afl'ectcd  by  the 
prospect  of  sufferings  from  the  Jews  than  by 
tlie  .solicitations  of  his  friends,  and  told  them, 
that  though  they  could  not  .sliake  his  resolu- 
tion, their  concern  and  iinportunity  exceed- 
ingly distressed  him.  "  What  mean  you  to 
weep,  and  to  break  my  heart  !  I  am  ready, 
not  to  be  bound  only,  but  also  to  die  for  the 
sake  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  In  this  short  speech 
we  may  discern  a  spirit  whicli  is  indeed  the 
honour  of  human  nature.  Inflexibly  firm  to 
his  character  and  duty,  yet  expressing  the 
most  tender  feelings  for  his  friends,  while  he 
contemplated  the  severest  trials  that  might 
aflbct  himself  unmoved,  he  was  almost  o\  er- 


the  Rospe!  had  been  preached,  related  to  those  who  loved 
the  Lord  Jesus  and  how  they  were  to  be  met  wilh. 

t  Could  many  persons  now  living  have  seen  this 
without  doubt  they  woulrl  have  said,  they  had  seen  a 
strange  company  of  cnlliusiasts  and  fanatics. 


68 


PROGRESS  OF 


THE  GOSPEL 


[bOOE  11. 


powered  by  what  he  felt  for  others.  But 
wlien  they  saw  that  he  was  not  to  be  dis- 
suaded, they  desisted  from  their  suit,  and 
acquiesced  in  the  will  of  tlie  Lord. 

A.  D.  60.]  Having;  st;iid  some  time  at  Cse- 
sarea,  he  proceeded  to  Jerusalem,  his  friends, 
who  had  crossed  the  sea  with  him,  resolving 
to  expose  themselves  to  a  share  of  the  dan- 
gers from  wliich  they  could  not  divert  him. 
They  were  accompanied  likewise  by  an  old 
disciple,  named  Mnason,  of  Cyprus,  wlio  re- 
sided at  Jerusalem,  and  had  offered  liis  house 
for  their  accommodation.  Their  arrival  was 
welcome  to  the  brethren ;  and  the  next  day 
St.  Paul  introduced  his  friends  to  St.  James 
and  the  elders,  who  seem  to  have  met  to- 
gether on  purpose  to  receive  him.  To  them 
he  gave  a  succinct  account  of  the  success 
with  which  God  had  honoured  his  ministry 
among  the  Gentiles;  which,  when  they  had 
heard,  they  unanimously  glorified  God  on  his 
behalf,  and  rejoiced  to  hear  of  the  accession 
of  such  numbers  to  the  christian  faith,  Acts 
xxi.  But  at  the  same  time  they  gave  him  to 
understand  that  the  bulk  of  the  Jewish  con- 
verts had  received  no  small  prejudice  against 
him ;  that  there  were  even  many  thousands 
who  had  heard  and  believed  hard  things  of 
him,  as  one  who  taught  the  Jews  to  apostatize 
from  the  law  of  Moses,  and  forbade  them  to 
practise  circumcision,  and  the  other  rites  and 
customs  of  their  forefathers.  In  order  to  show 
them  that  this  charge  was  groundless,  they 
advised  him  to  join  himself  publicly  with  four 
men  who  were  under  a  vow,  and  to  attend 
with  them  the  prescribed  course  of  purifica- 
tion in  the  temple. 

From  this  passage  we  are  led  to  remark, 
that,  through  the  weakness  of  human  nature, 
the  prejudices  of  education,  and  the  arts  of 
Satan,  many  thousands  of  professed  chris- 
tians, in  the  first  and  purest  period  of  the 
primitive  church,  while  under  the  care  of  the 
apostles,  had  imbibed  from  hear-say,  a  degree 
of  coldness  and  dislike  towards  one  of  the 
Lord's  most  faithful  and  most  favoured  ser- 
vants. How  far  the  methods  St.  Paul  was 
advised  to  pursue,  for  the  removal  of  this 
misapprehension,  was  suited  to  his  character 
and  known  integrity,  is  a  question  not  easily 
determined.  The  apostles,  considered  in  one 
light,  as  the  penmen  of  a  large  part  of  the 
sacred  canon  of  faith  and  practice,  which  the 
Lord  was  pleased  by  them  to  communicate  to 
his  church,  were,  doubtless,  so  far  under  the 
full  direction  and  inspiration  of  his  Holy 
Spirit;  but  we  have  no  reason  to  believe, 
that  in  every  part  of  their  own  personal  con- 
duct they  were  strictly  infallible;  nay,  we 
have  good  warrant  to  conclude  the  contrary, 
as  St.  Paul  himself  assures  us,  that,  upon  a 
certain  occasion,  already  mentioned,  he  with- 
stood Peter  to  his  face,  because  he  was  to  be 
blamed.  It  is  therefore  no  way  derogatory 
from  the  character  and  authority  of  St.  Paul, 


to  inquire,  whether,  upon  this  occasion,  the 
tenderness  of  his  spirit  towards  weak  be- 
lievers, and  his  desire  of  becoming  all  things 
to  all  men,  when  the  foundation-truths  of  the 
gospel  were  not  affected,  might  not  carry 
him  too  far :  for  though  a  reserve  was  made 
by  James,  in  favour  of  the  Gentile  converts, 
that  they  should  not  be  burdened  with  the 
observance  of  Jewish  rites;  yet  the  express 
end  and  design  for  which  this  step  was  pro- 
posed to  him,  and  for  which  he  seems  to  have 
undertaken  it,  was  tliat  all  might  know  or 
believe,  not  only  tliat  he  was  not  against 
others  adhering  to  the  Jewish  ceremonies, 
but  that  he  likewise  orderly  and  statedly  prac- 
tised them  himself  A  circumstance  which 
is  far  from  being  clear,  or  indeed  probable, 
if  we  consider  the  strain  of  his  epistle  to  the 
Galatians:  which,  though  the  addition  at  the 
close  of  our  copies,  mentions  as  sent  from 
Rome,  is  generally  allowed  to  have  been 
written  during  his  stay  at  Ephesus  at  the 
latest,  if  not  sooner;  and  further,  that,  for 
some  time  past,  his  converse  had  been  almost 
wholly  confined  to  the  Gentile  believers,  or 
to  those  ciiurches  of  which  they  formed  the 
largest  part.  If  he  became  as  a  Jew  amongst 
the  Jews,  it  was,  as  he  says  himself  (1  Cor. 
ix.  20,)  only  with  the  hope  of  gaining  the 
Jews:  which  motive  could  no  longer  take 
place  when  he  had  finally  withdrawn  from 
their  synagogues.  Those,  therefore,  who 
suppose  that,  in  this  instance,  he  was  over- 
persuaded  to  deviate  from  that  openness  of 
conduct  which  he  generally  maintained, 
seem  to  have  some  ground  for  their  suspicion. 
This,  however,  is  certain,  his  temporising 
did  not  answer  the  proposed  end;  but,  in- 
stead of  rendering  him  more  acceptable,  in- 
volved him  in  the  greatest  danger:  for  when 
the  seven  days  were  almost  fulfilled,  some 
Jews  of  Asia,  seeing  him  in  the  temple, 
pointed  him  out  to  the  multitude  as  the  dan- 
gerous man  who  had  apostatized  from  his 
religion,  and  was  using  his  endeavours, 
wherever  he  went,  to  draw  people  from  the 
worsliip  of  God  according  to  the  law  of 
Moses.  To  this  they  added,  that  he  had  pro- 
faned the  holy  place,  by  bringing  Gentiles 
with  him  into  the  temple.  This  they  con- 
jectured from  havmg  seen  Trophymus,  an 
Ephesian,  with  him  in  the  city.  This  part  of 
the  charge  was  wholly  false:  he  had  not 
brought  his  Gentile  friends  into  the  temple; 
but  he  appeared  so  publicly  with  them  upon 
other  occasions,  as  to  give  some  room  for  a 
shrmise  of  this  sort.  If  he  submitted  to  the 
proposal  of  the  elders,  and  attended  in  the 
temple  himself,  for  the  satisfaction  of  the 
Jewish  converts,  he  would  not  go  so  far  as  to 
be  ashamed  of  his  friends,  to  make  himself 
more  acceptable  to  his  enemies.  It  is  our 
duty  to  avoid  giving  just  offence;  but  if  we 
boldly  and  honestly  avow  the  Lord's  people 
upon  all  proper  occasions,  without  regard  to 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE 


ASCENSION. 


69 


names  and  parties,  we  must  expect  to  sulfcr 
froin  the  zealots  of  all  sides. 

Those  who  first  laid  hands  on  him  were 
soon  assisted  by  great  numbers ;  for  the  whole 
city  was  moved,  and  the  people  ran  together 
from  all  quarters.  They  dragged  him  out  of 
the  temple,  and  were  upon  the  point  of  kill- 
ing hun,  without  giving  him  time  or  leave  to 
speak  a  word  for  himself:  they  thought  him 
absolutely  in  their  power;  but  they  were  pre- 
vented by  the  appearance  of  Lysias,  a  Roman 
officer,  who  had  a  post  near  the  temple  to 
prevent  or  suppress  insurrections.  Upon  the 
lirst  notice  he  received  of  this  disturbance, 
he  came  down  with  a  party  of  soldljrs.  The 
evangelist  observes,  that  when  the  Jews  ran 
to  kill  Paul,  the  Romans  ran  to  save  him. 
Thus  the  succour  the  Lord  provides  for  his 
people  is  always  proportioned  to  the  case,  and 
effectual  to  the  end.  When  danger  is  press- 
ing, relief  is  speedy.  Lysias,  though  ignorant 
of  the  cause  of  this  tumult,  judging,  by  its 
violence,  that  the  apostle  must  have  been 
some  great  malefactor,  commanded  him  to  be 
bound  with  two  chains;  and  when  he  could 
obtain  no  satisfactory  information  from  the 
people,  had  him  removed  to  the  castle,  or  Ro- 
man station.  But  such  was  the  violence  of 
the  incensed  unmeaning  multitude,  that  the 
soldiers  were  constrained  to  carry  him  in 
tiieir  arms  up  the  steps,  or  stairs,  which  led 
thither  from  the  temple.  Here  Paul  obtained 
leave  to  speak  for  himself,  the  tribune  inclin- 
ing rather  to  a  more  favourable  opinion  of 
him,  when  he  found  he  could  speak  Greek; 
and  the  people  attended  with  some  composure, 
when  they  heard  him  address  them  in  the 
Hebrew",  or  Syriac  language. 

In  his  discourse  (Acts  xxii)  he  told  them, 
that  he  had  been  brought  up  amongst  them- 
selves, and  appealing  to  the  high-priest  and 
elders  concerning  the  zeal  and  earnestness 
with  which  he  had  formerly  served  their 
p  irty,  he  related  the  extraordinary  dispensa- 
tion by  which  the  Lord  .lesus  had  conquered 
his  heart.  This  was  St.  Paul's  usual  method 
of  defence,  and  though  no  means  are  sufficient 
to  reach  the  heart  without  a  divine  influence, 
yet  humanly  speaking,  a  simple  and  faithful 
declaration  of  what  God  has  done  for  our 
souls,  seems  most  likely  to  convince,  or  at 
least  to  soften  and  silence,  those  who  oppose. 
Enraged  as  the  Jews  had  been,  they  listened 
■with  patience  to  his  relation,  till  he  proceeded 
to  intimate  the  Lord's  designs  in  favour  of 
the  Gentiles,  and  that  he  was  appointed  an 
apostle  to  them.  Accustomed  to  despise  the 
rest  of  mankind,  and  to  deem  themselves  the 
only  people  of  God,  they  could  not  bear  this; 
they  interrupted  him  instantly,  and,  with  one 
voice,  declared  it  was  not  fit  such  a  fellow 
should  live  upon  the  earth:  they  cast  off  their 
clothes,  threw  dust  in  the  air,  and  their  fury 
seemed  to  deprive  them  of  their  reason. 
Lysias,  the  tribune,  secured  him  from  their 


violence,  but  commanded  him  to  be  examined 
by  scourging,  that  he  might  know  his  crime 
from  his  own  mouth,  according  to  a  barbarous 
custom  of  putting  those  to  torture  against 
whom  there  was  no  sufficient  evidence,  that 
their  own  extorted  confession  might  furnish 
some  grounds  of  proceeding  against  them :  a 
custom  still  prevalent  in  most  countries  called 
christian,  though  contrary  to  religion,  to  rea- 
son, and  to  the  common  sentiments  of  hu- 
manity. Our  Lord  Jesus  was  examined  in 
this  manner  before  Pilate;  and  though  the 
apostle  was  ready  to  follow  the  steps  of  his 
master  in  suffering,  yet,  upon  this  occasion, 
he  pleaded  his  right  of  exemption  from  such 
treatment,  as  being  a  native  of  Tarsus,  a  city 
honoured  with  the  freedom  of  Rome.  A  Ro- 
man citizen  was  not  legally  liable  either  to 
be  bound  or  scourged:  therefore,  when  the 
tribune  understood  his  privilege,  he  stopped 
farther  proceedings,  and  was  something  ap- 
prehensive for  himself,  that  he  had  in  part 
violated  them  already,  by  ordering  him  to  be 
bound;*  but,  being  still  desirous  to  know 
what  was  laid  to  his  charge,  he  convened  the 
chief  priests,  and  the  members  of  the  San- 
hedrim on  the  next  day;  and  brought  him 
again  before  them. 

The  apostle,  fixing  his  eyes  upon  the  high- 
priest  and  council,  as  one  who  was  neither 
ashamed  or  afraid  to  appear  at  their  tribunal, 
began  (Acts  xxiii)  with  a  declaration,  that 
he  had  lived  to  that  day  in  the  exercise  of  a 
good  conscience ;  but  Ananias,  the  high- 
priest,  forgetting  his  character  as  a  judge, 
commanded  those  who  stood  near  to  strike 
him  on  the  face.  The  apostle  severely  re- 
buked his  partiality,  in  perverting  the  cause 
of  justice,  and  warned  him  of  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God,  the  supreme  Judge,  who 
would  surely  punish  his  hypocrisy.f  His  re- 
ply to  those  who  reproved  him  for  speaking 
in  such  terms  to  the  high-priest,  seems  to 
intimate,  that  the  injurious  treatment  he  had 
received  had  raised  an  undue  warmth  in  his 
spirit,  though  it  may  be  supposed  that  he 
denounced  his  future  doom  under  a  superior 
and  prophetic  impulse ;  but  knowing  that 
the  council  was  composed  of  Pharisees  and 
Sadducee.s,  who  were  at  variance  amongst 
themselves  about  several  weighty  points, 
particularly  the  doctrine  of  a  resurrection, 
he  declared  himself  a  Pharisee,  and  that  the 
opposition  he  met  with  from  the  Sadducees, 
was  owing  to  his  belief  and  hope  in  that  doc- 
trine. The  Pharisees  immediately  suspended 
their  present  resentment,  to  embrace  the 
occasion  offered  of  opposing  their  old  antago- 


*  A  Roman  citizen  might  be  bound  witli  a  chain,  but 
not  tied  with  thongs,  or  beaten  with  rods:  "  Facinus  est 
vincere  civem  Komanum,  scelus  verberari  " — Cicero. 

t  Thou  whitcMl  wall!— A  clay  wall,  glossed  over  with 
white,  is  an  apt  emblem  of  a  man  who  carries  on  a  ma- 
licious design  under  the  pretence  and  forms  of  justice. 
Hateful  is  the  character  and  dreadfully  dangerous  tlie 
condition  of  such. 


70 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


[book  n. 


nists,  and,  upon  this  issue,  espoused  his  | 
cause,  declaring  him  innocent ;  and  said, 
that  if  a  spirit  or  angel  (the  existence  of 
both  wliich  the  Sadducees  denied)  had 
spoken  to  him,  they  oucrht  not  to  fight 
against  God  by  refusing  to  hear  him.  Upon 
this  a  great  dissension  took  place,  and  Ly- 
sias,  fearing  that  Paul  would  be  torn  in 
pieces  between  the  contending  parties,  put 
an  end  to  the  conference,  and  ordered  the 
soldiers  to  take  him  by  force,  and  secure  him 
in  the  castle.  It  is  indeed  often  well  for 
believers,  that  the  people  of  the  world, 
though  agreed  in  one  point,  namely,  to  op- 
pose the  gospel,  are  divided  and  subdivided 
in  other  respects ;  so  that,  for  the  sake  of  a 
favourite  passion,  or  to  cross  an  opposite  in- 
terest, they  will  sometimes  protect  those 
whom  they  would  otherwise  willingly  de- 
stroy. 

The  next  night  he  received  full  amends 
for  all  he  had  suffered,  and  was  confirmed 
against  the  utmost  eflbrts  of  his  enemies' 
malice ;  for  the  Lord  Jesus,  whom  he  served, 
vouchsafed  to  appear  to  him  in  a  vision, 
commanded  him  to  be  of  good  cheer,  owned 
his  gracious  acceptance  of  his  late  testimony 
in  Jerusalem,  and  promised  that  none  should 
hinder  him  the  honour  of  bearing  witness  to 
his  trutli  at  Rome  likewise.  The  world  has 
been  sometimes  surprised  at  tlie  confidence 
which  the  faithful  servants  of  Christ  have 
sliown  in  the  midst  of  dangers,  and  in  the 
face  of  death;  but  if  their  supports  were 
known,  the  wonder  would  cease.  If  the 
Lord  speaks,  his  word  is  effectual ;  and  when 
he  says.  Be  of  good  courage,  and  fear  not ! 
his  people,  out  of  weakness,  are  made  strong. 

Little  were  tlie  incredulous  Jews  aware 
of  what  a  power  and  vigilance  were  engaged 
in  his  preservation ;  and,  therefore,  impa- 
tient of  delays,  they  resolved  to  destroy  bun 
innnediately.  To  manifest  their  resolution, 
and  to  quicken  their  diligence,  more  than 
forty  of  them  bound  themselves,  under  the 
penalty  of  the  great  curse,  or  anathema,  not 
to  eat  or  drink  till  they  had  killed  him. 
They  acquainted  the  priests  and  rulers  with 
their  engagement,  and  proposed  that  they 
should  request  Lysias  to  order  him  once 
more  to  appear  before  tliem  in  tlie  council, 
and  that  then  those  who  had  combined  in 
this  oath  would  be  ready  to  assassinate  him. 
But  no  counsel  or  device  can  stand  against 
the  Lord  !  This  black  design  was,  by  some 
means,  providentially  made  known  to  a 
young  man,  who  was  Paul's  sister's  son, 
who  gave  notice  of  it  first  to  him,  and  then, 
by  his  desire,  to  Lysias,  who,  finding  the 
Jews  implacably  bent  against  Paul's  life,  de- 
termined to  place  him  farther  out  of  their 
reach,  and  accordingly  sent  him  away,  that 
same  night,  under  a  strong  guard,  who  con- 
ducted him  to  Cassarea,  and  delivered  him  to 
Felix  the  Roman  governor,  together  with  a 


I  letter  from  Lysias,  importing  his  care  to  pre- 
serve the  prisoner,  because  he  understood 
him  to  be  a  Roman  citizen,  and  that  he  had 
commanded  his  accusers  to  follow.  Tims  the 
conspiracy  which  his  enemies  had  formed  to 
destroy  him,  proved  the  occasion  of  his  deli- 
verance out  of  their  hands. 

In  about  five  days  atlerwards,  Ananias  the 
high-priest,  with  the  elders  of  the  council, 
appeared  before  Felix  against  Paul,  Acts 
xxiv.  The  cliarge  was  opened  by  Tertullus, 
a  venal  orator,  or  advocate,  whom  they  had 
retained  for  this  ])urpose :  who  began  with  a 
commendation  of  the  governor,  in  terms 
which  migiit  have  suited  the  illustrious  ac- 
tions and  wise  measures  of  princes  studious 
of  the  public  good,  but  were  ill  applied  to 
Felix  (who  was  infamous  for  his  cruelty  and 
oppression,)  and  in  the  name  of  the  Jews 
who  hated  him.  But  enmity  to  the  gospel 
will  make  men  stoop  to  the  meanest  flattery 
and  servility,  if  by  that  means  they  have 
hope  of  gaining  their  point!  The  sum  of 
the  accusation  was,  that  Paul  was  an  enemy 
to  church  and  state,  a  disturber  of  the  esta- 
blished religion,  and  a  mover  of  sedition 
against  the  government ;  to  which  was  add- 
ed, as  a  popular  proof  of  the  charge,  that  he 
was  a  ringleader  of  the  sect  or  heresy  of  the 
Nazarcnes,  so  called  from  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
who  was  crucified  by  a  former  governor  for 
asserting  himself  to  be  a  king.  Thus  much 
seems  implied  in  the  term  Nazarene,  as  the 
Jews  used  it.  The  apostle  began  his  defence 
with  a  protestation  of  his  innocence,  as  to 
any  design  of  moving  sedition  or  tumult, 
which  he  said  his  enemies  were  unable  to 
prove  by  a  single  fact :  he  proceeded  to  in- 
form the  governor  of  the  true  motives  of  their 
enmity  against  him,  and  acknowledged  that 
he  worshipped  God  in  a  way  which  they 
stigmatized  with  the  name  of  heresy  or  divi- 
sion ;  for  the  proper*  meaning  of  heresy  is 
no  more  than  sect  or  party.  By  farther  de- 
claring, that  he  worshipped  the  God  of  his 
fathers,  and  believed  all  tilings  written  in  the 
law  and  the  prophets,  he  proved,  from  the  ob- 
ject and  the  manner  of  his  worship,  that  he 
was  not  guilty  of  any  blamcable  innovations ; 
he  professed  the  hope  of  a  resurrection, 
which  his  enemies  could  not  but  allow,  and 
that  it  was  his  constant  studyf  (Acts  xxiv. 

*  As  the  apostlu  only  cautions  Titiis  to  reject  or  avoid 
a  lieretic,  Tit  iii.  10,  hut  has  notdefineil  liiin  rtpressly, 
many  writers  anil  teachers  have  had  a  fair  fiphi  to  ex- 
ercise tlieir  skill  or  their  passions  upon  tJje  suhject;  yet 
the  (juestion  is  far  from  determined  to  this  day.  Some 
would  treat  all  those  as  heretics,  who  differ  from  them 
either  in  judgment  or  practice ;  others  explain  the  word 
quite  away,  as  though  the  admonition  to  avoid  a  here- 
tic, was  wholly  unnecessary.  Perhaps  the  advice  to 
Titus,  is  nearly,  if  not  exactly,  equivalent  to  Rom.  xri. 
17.  The  spirit  of  truth  produces  unity,  the  spirit  of 
division  is  heresy.  And  the  man  who  fiercely  stickles 
for  opinions  of  his  own,  who  acts  contrary  to  the  peacs- 
able,  forbearing,  humble  spirit  of  the  eospel,  who  affects 
to  form  a  party,  and  to  be  thought  cousiilerable  in  it,  il 
so  far  a  heretic, 
t  The  Greek  word  (oo-xi^)  here  used,  denotes  the 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE 


ASCENSION. 


71 


16,)  and  endeavour  to  maintain  a  con- 
science void  of  offence ;  and,  added,  that  it 
was  not  he,  but  the  Jews  themselves,  who 
had  raised  the  tumult,  by  assaultino-  him, 
when  he  was  peaceably  attending'  in  the 
temple,  accordinff  to  the  prescribed  rules. 
He  observed,  that  his  first  accusers  were  not 
present,  as  they  oug'ht  to  have  been ;  and 
challenged  any  who  were  within  hearing  to 
prove  their  allegations  in  any  one  instance. 

FelLx,  having  perhaps  a  favourable  opinion 
of  the  christian  profession,  which  had  been 
settled  some  time  at  Csesarea,  and  being 
likewise  desirous  of  further  information,  de- 
ferred the  full  discussion  of  the  affair  till  the 
arrival  of  Lysias,  and  committed  Paul,^n  the 
mean  time,  to  the  care  of  a  centurion,  as  a 
prisoner  at  large,  allowing  him  to  go  abroad 
in  the  city,  and  giving  his  friends  liberty  to 
visit  him  at  home.  And  thus  he  was  provi- 
dentially delivered  from  the  blood-thirsty 
Jews,  and  found  an  asylum  in  the  Roman 
power,  which  they  had  endeavoured  to  en- 
gage for  his  destruction. 

A.  D.  59.]  He  was  sent  for  not  long  afler, 
by  Felix,  and  discoursed  before  him  and  his 
wife  Drusilla  concerning  the  faith  of  Christ. 
Curiosity  was  the  governor's  motive ;  but  the 
apostle,  who  knew  his  character,  was  faithfiil 
to  liim,  and  would  not  speak  of  the  faith  of 
t^hrist  only,  to  one  who  could  not  understand 
it,  but  made  a  home  application  by  enlarging 
on  righteousness,  temperance,  and  the  im- 
portant consequences  of  a  future  judgment. 
These  were  fit  topics  to  press  upon  an  unjust 
and  rapacious  governor,  who  lived  in  adul- 
tery, Drusilla  (his  reputed  wife,)  having  for- 
saken a  lawful  husband  to  live  with  him. 
She  was  by  birth  a  Jewess,  daughter  of  the 
Herod  whose  death  we  have  already  men- 
tioned ;  and  having  renounced  her  religion 
and  her  husband,  for  Feli.x,  was,  by  the  judg- 
ment of  God,  given  up  to  hardness  of  heart ; 
so  that  it  does  not  appear  that  the  apostle's 
discourse  made  any  impression  upon  her.  It 
was  otherwise  with  Feli.x,  who,  though  a 
wicked  man,  had  sinned  against  less  light : 
he  trembled  at  what  he  heard,  and  not  able 
to  conceal  his  concern,  he  cut  short  the  in- 
terview, with  a  promise  to  send  for  him 
again,  at  a  convenient  season.  So  great 
sometimes  is  the  power  of  truth,  when  faith- 
fully enforced !  With  this  only  advantage 
on  liis  side,  Paul  the  prisoner  triumphs  over 
a  haughty  governor,  and  makes  him  tremble. 


study,  tliltafnce,  and  proficiency  of  a  person 'who  is  de- 
sirous to  exci:\  and  he  eminent  in  any  particular  art; 
as  a  painter,  for  instance,  he  searches  out  tlie  best  mas- 
ters and  the  best  pieces,  he  studies  and  copies  the  beau- 
ties of  others'  works,  and  is  continually  retouchinz  and 
improving  upon  his  own  ;  his  acquaintance,  reflections, 
antl  recreations,  are  all  acconimociated  to  his  main  pur- 
pose; and  IhouEh  his  i)encil  is  sometimes  at  rest,  his 
imagination  is  seldom  idle.  Similar  to  this  is  the  exer- 
cise of  a  good  con.-'cience  formed  upon  the  moiiel  of  the 
toriptures,  anil  improved  by  diligence,  meditation,  ex- 
aiuinatica,  and  experience. 


Great  likewise  is  the  power  of  sin!  Felix 
trembled  at  the  review  of  the  past,  and  the 
prospect  of  the  future ;  but  he  could  not 
stop ;  ho  found  some  avocation  for  his  pre- 
sent relief,  and  put  off  his  most  important 
concerns  to  a  future  opportunity,  which  it  is 
probable  never  came.  He  saw  and  heard 
Paul  afterwards ;  but  the  same  man  had  no 
more  the  same  influence ;  the  accompanying 
force  of  the  Spirit  was  withheld ;  and  then 
he  had  no  farther  view  in  oonversmg  with 
him,  but  the  hope  of  receiving  money  for 
his  enlargement.  When  the  apostle  had 
continued  in  this  situation  about  two  years, 
Feli.x  was  recalled  from  his  government.  He 
had  governed  the  Jews  with  severity  and  in- 
justice, and  had  reason  to  fear  they  would 
accuse  him  to  the  emperor :  therefore,  to  in- 
gratiate himself  with  them,  he  lefl  Paul  in 
his  confinement,  thinking  that  the  detention 
of  the  person  they  hated  might  make  them 
more  readily  excuse  what  was  past ;  or  at 
least,  he  durst  not  provoke  them  farther  by 
releasing  him. 

A.  D.  60.]  When  Festus,  who  succeeded 
Felix  in  the  government,  went  up  to  Jeru- 
salem (Acts  XXV,)  the  high-priest  and  elders 
applied  to  him,  and  requested  that  Paul  might 
be  sent  thither  to  be  tried  before  the  council; 
and  they  appointed  proper  instruments  to 
assault  and  murder  him  in  the  journey.  It 
seems  they  expected  this  favour  would  be 
easily  granted,  as  it  is  usual  for  governors,  at 
their  finst  coming  among  a  people,  to  do  some 
popular  act;  but  Festus  refused,  and  com- 
manded them  to  follow  him  to  Csesarea,  where 
he  himself  would  judge  in  the  cause.  The 
Jews  accordingly  exerted  themselves  in  one 
more  effort,  and  when  Festus  was  returned 
to  Cffisarea,  presented  themselves  before  him 
on  an  appointed  day ;  and  Paul  being  brought 
into  the  court,  they  accused  him  heavily,  as 
they  had  done  before,  and  to  as  little  effect, 
not  being  able  to  prove  any  thing  against  him, 
or  to  invalidate  his  protestation  that  he  had 
committed  no  offence,  either  against  the  law, 
or  the  temple,  or  the  Roman  government. 
Festus,  who  had  refused  to  send  him  to  Je- 
rusalem before,  was  now  willing  to  oblige 
them,  perceiving  the  controversy  was  of  a  re- 
liofious  kind,  and  what  he  had  little  knowledge 
of;  he  therefore  asked  Paul  if  he  was  willing 
to  be  tried,  in  his  presence,  before  the  council 
at  Jerusalem.  The  apostle,  who  knew  what 
treatment  he  might  expect  from  the  Jews, 
answered.  That  he  was  then  at  Caesar's  judo-, 
ment-seat,  where  he  ought  to  be  tried,  and 
that,  if  found  guilty,  he  was  not  unwilling 
to  suffer;  but  that,  against  the  proposal  of 
being  delivered  up  to  those  who  thirsted  for 
his  lilood,  he  appealed  to  Csesar.  This  was 
one  privilege  of  a  Roman  citizen,  that,  when 
he  thought  himself  aggrieved  in  an  inferior 
court,  he  might,  by  entering  such  an  appeal, 
put  a  stop  to  proceedings,  and  refer  the  cause 


72 


PROGRESS  OF 


THE  GOSPEL 


[book  11, 


to  the  immediate  determination  of  the  em- 
peror. From  the  example  of  St.  Paul,  who 
counted  not  his  life  dear,  but  was  willing,  not 
only  to  be  bound,  but  to  die  for  the  Lord 
Jesus,  we  learn  that  it  is  very  allowable  for  a 
christian  to  avail  himself  of  the  laws  and  pri- 
vilooes  of  his  country,  when  unjustly  perse- 
cuted for  righteousness  sake;  and  perhaps, 
in  some  cases,  it  would  be  blameable  to  omit 
it.  Civil  liberty  is  a  depositum  with  which 
we  are  entrusted  for  posterity,  and,  by  all 
lawful  means,  should  be  carefully  preserved. 
Festus,  after  having  consulted  with  his  coun- 
cil and  lawyers  upon  this  unexpected  turn, 
admitted  the  appeal,  and  determined  he  should 
be  sent  to  Rome.  Paul  had  long  had  a  desire 
to  visit  the  believers  in  that  city,  and  had 
formed  some  plans  concerning  it.  But  it  is 
not  in  man  that  walketh  to  direct  his  steps. 
His  way  was  now  opened  in  a  manner  he 
had  not  thought  of,  but  in  such  a  manner  as 
made  it  more  evident  that  his  bonds  proved 
to  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel. 

Soon  after  this,  Agrippa,  son  of  the  late 
Herod,  who  had  large  territories,  and  the 
title  of  king,  under  the  Romans,  came  with 
his  sister  Bernice,  to  congratulate  Festus 
upon  his  accession  to  his  government:  he  was 
a  man  of  a  fair  character,  a  professed  Jew, 
but  possessed  of  moderation  and  prudence. 
During  their  stay,  Festus  informed  them  of 
wliat  had  lately  happened  concerning  Paul. 
The  whole  that  he  understood  of  the  affair 
was,  that  he  had  not  been  guilty  of  any  crime, 
but  that  his  accusers  had  certain  questions 
against  him,  of  their  own  superstitions,  and 
concerning  one  Jesus,  who  was  dead,  and 
whom  Paul  affirmed  to  be  alive.  To  him  the 
life  and  the  death  of  Jesus  were  points  of 
equal  indifference;  not  so  to  those  who  be- 
lieve he  died  for  them,  and  who  expect  that, 
because  he  lives,  they  shall  live  also.  This 
imperfect  account  made  Agrippa  desirous  to 
hear  Paul  himself;  and  accordingly,  the  next 
day,  Agrippa,  Bernice,  and  Festus,  being 
seated  in  court,*  attended  by  their  officers 
and  train,  and  a  number  of  the  principal  peo- 
ple, Paul  was  once  more  brought  forth  to 
speak  in  public  for  himself.  Acts  xxvi.  On 
this  occasion  he  addressed  himself  particu- 
larly to  Agrippa ;  and,  having  expressed  his 
satisfaction  that  he  was  permitted  to  speak 
before  one  who  was  so  well  acquainted  with 
the  laws  and  customs  of  the  Jews,  he  relateci 
the  cause  of  his  present  confinement:  he  pro- 
fessed his  faith  and  hope  in  the  scriptures; 
and  then,  as  he  had  done  before,  he  gave  him 
an  account  of  the  extraordinary  means  by 
which  he  had  been  changedf  from  a  perse- 


*  The  apoloffy  St  Paul  made  for  himself  was  nnt  his 
trial.  He  had  already  stopped  all  proceeriinss  at  law  by 
his  appeal  to  Ca'sar;  nor  was  Festus  then  as  a  judge 
upot)  his  tribunal. 

t  Speaking  of  his  past  conduct  towards  the  disciples, 
he  rails  it  madness, — heivg  ezr.cedinfflij,  or  (as  we  ex- 
press it,)  laging  mad  against  them.  A  man  in  this  slate 


cutor  to  a  follower  of  Jesus,  in  his  journey  to 
Damascus.  Ilis  defence,  therefore  (as  has 
been  formerly  observed,)  was  rather  experi- 
mental than  argumentative,  and  made  very 
different  impressions  upon  his  hearers.  Fes- 
tus, who  seems  to  have  bad  a  good  opinion 
of  his  sincerity  and  intention,  yet,  supposing 
no  man  in  his  sober  senses  could  believe  such 
a  strange  stor\',  interrupted  him  in  his  nar- 
ration, and,  with  an  air  ratlier  of  pity  than 
indignation,  said,  "  Paid,  thou  art  beside  thy- 
self; much  learning  hath  made  thee  mad.":f 
A  similar  judgment  is  passed  by  too  many 
upon  all  who  profess  an  acquaintance  with 
tlie  life  of  faith  in  an  unseen  Jesus;  but  or- 
dinarifc|r,  now,  the  effect  is  not  ascribed  to 
the  excess  of  learning,  but  to  the  want  of  it, 
as,  on  the  other  hand,  a  man  who  maintains 
the  wildest  absurdities,  puts  his  judgment 
and  understanding  to  little  hazard  in  the 
world's  esteem,  if  his  chimeras  are  set  off 
with  a  competent  apparatus  of  literature. 
Agrippa,  however,  was  differently  affected, 
especially  when  Paul  made  a  bold  appeal  to 
himself,  concerning  the  notoriety  of  the  facts 
which  had  lately  happened,  and  the  truth  of 
the  prophecies  with  which  they  were  con- 
nected. Here  the  power  of  trutli  triumphed 
again,  and  Agrippa  was  so  struck,  tliat,  with- 
out regarding  tlie  numerous  assembly,  or  the 
displeasure  such  a  declaration  might  give 
both  to  the  Jews  and  Romans,,  particularly 
to  Festus,  who  had  expressed  his  sentiment 
just  before,  he  gave  way  to  the  emotions  of 
his  mind,  and  said  aloud,  "  Almost  thou  per- 
suadest  me  to  be  a  christian."  Yet  this  was 
but  an  involuntary  conviction;  it  did  honour 
to  the  apostle,  but  was  of  no  benefit  to  him- 
self And  the  concession,  which,  at  first  view, 
seems  to  proceed  from  an  ingenuous  spirit, 
when  closely  examined,  amounts  but  to  this, 
that  though  Agrippa  was  indeed  convinced 
of  the  truth,  his  heart  was  so  attached  to  the 
present  evil  world,  that  he  had  neither  cou- 
rage nor  will  to  follow  it;  as  when  we  say 
of  a  picture.  It  looks  almost  alive,  we  do  not 
mean  strictly  that  there  is  any  more  life  in 
the  painting  than  in  the  canvass  on  which  it 
is  drawn,  but  only  that  the  resemblance  is 
strong:  so  the  almost  christian,  however 
specious  in  his  professions,  is  still  destitute 
of  that  living  principle  which  alone  can  en- 
able liim  to  make  them  good,  and  is,  in  reality, 
an  utter  stranger  to  true  Christianity.  In  the 


will  attack  any  person  he  meets ;  he  waits  for  no  provo- 
cation, li-tens  to  no  entreaty,  regards  no  consequences. 
Thus  the  apostle  judged  of  himself  when  a  persecutor 
of  the  chiircli :  and  the  spirit  of  persecution  in  every  age 
has  been  the  same.  I\Iay  God  restore  those  to  their  right 
minds  who  are  governed  by  it! 

}  His  answer  to  Festus  is  expressed  with  much  accu- 
racy and  precision.  "  I  am  not  mad,  most  noble  Fes- 
tus ;  but  speak  forth  (»57oc6i>^  o//:<i)  the  words  of  truth 
and  soberness."  Madness  discovers  itself  either  in  the 
apprehension  of  a  false  object,  or  in  the  false  apprehen- 
sion of  a  true  one.  The  things  he  spoke  of  were  true 
in  themselves,  and  his  ideas  of  them  just  and  propor- 
tionate. 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE 


ASCENSION. 


73 


graceful  return  the  apostle  made  to  the  king's 
acknowledgment  he  hinted  at  this  defect, 
I  wishing  that  both  Agrippa,  and  all  who  heard 
I  him,  were  not  only  almost,  but  altogether,  as 
he  was  himself,  with  an  exception  to  the 
chains  he  wore  for  the  cause  of  the  gospel. 
This  answer  discovers,  in  one  view,  the  con- 
fidence lie  had  in  liis  cause,  the  happy  frame 
of  his  mind,  the  engaging  turn  of  his  address, 
and  his  unbounded  benevolence :  he  could 
'  wish  nothing  better  than  wliat  he  himself 
felt,  to  his  dearest  friends,  and  he  wished  no- 
thing worse  to  his  greatest  enemies ;  nay,  he 
wislied  that  his  enemies  might,  if  possible, 
experience  all  his  comforts,  without  any  of 
liis  trials.  When  Festus  and  Agrippa  were 
withdrawn,  they  agreed,  in  their  opinion, 
that  he  had  done  nothing  deserving  of  death, 
or  even  of  imprisonment,  and  tliat  he  might 
have  been  released,  if  he  had  not  himself  pre- 
vented it  by  appealing  to  Ca?sar. 
j  In  consequence  of  the  determination  to 
I  send  him  to  Rome  (Acts  xxvii,)  he  was  com- 
mitted to  the  custody  of  a  centurion  named 
Julius,  with  whom  he  embarked  in  a  vessel 
that  was  on  a  trading  voyage  to  several  parts 
of  the  Lesser  Asia.  Aristarchus,  and  some 
other  of  his  friends,  went  with  him,  and  par- 
ticularly the  evangelist  Luke,  who  seems  to 
have  been  the  inseparable  companion  of  his 
travels  from  the  first  time  he  was  at  Troas. 
They  touched  the  following  day  at  Sidon, 
where  the  centurion  gave  him  liberty  to  re- 
fresh himself  and  visit  his  friends.  At  their 
next  port,  Myria  in  Lycia,  a  vessel  offering 
which  was  bound  directly  for  Italy,  they 
went  on  board  her.  In  the  beginning  of  this 
passage  they  were  retarded  by  contrary 
winds.  At  lensrth  they  reached  the  island  of 
Crete  (now  called  Candia;)  and  having  put 
into  a  port,  called  the  Fair-havens,  Paul 
would  have  persuaded  them  to  have  staid 
there,  intimating  that,  as  the  winter  was  now 
advancing,  they  would  meet  with  many  in- 
conveniences and  dangers  if  they  ventured 
to  proceed  any  further.  Long  voyages  were 
seldom  attempted  during  the  winter  in  those 
days,  or,  for  many  ages  after,  till  the  know- 
ledge of  the  compass  made  way  for  those 
great  improvements  in  navigation  which  now 
embolden  the  mariner  to  sail  indifferently  at 
any  season  of  the  year.  But  it  is  probable  the 
apostle's  precaution  was  not  merely  founded 
upon  the  obvious  disadvantages  of  the  season, 
but  rather  upon  an  extraordinary  pre-intima- 
tion  of  what  was  soon  to  happen.  But  his 
,  remonstrance  was  over-ruled,  the  centurion 
preferring  the  judgment  of  the  master  of  the 
ship,  who  thought  it  best,  if  possible,  to  reach 
another  haven  at  the  west  end  of  the  island, 
'  which  was  thought  to  be  more  commodious 
and  safe  than  the  place  Paul  proposed.  A 
favourable  wind  springing  from  the  south, 
determined  their  resolve,  and  they  set  sail 
Vol.  IL  K 


with  a  good  confidence  of  soon  reaching  their 
desired  port. 

There  is  little  doubt  but  Paul's  case  and 
character  had  by  this  time  engaged  the  notice 
of  many  of  his  fellow-passengers  in  the  ship. 
Upon  a  superficial  inquiry,  they  would  learn, 
that  he  was  the  follower  of  one  Jesus,  who 
had  been  crucified ;  that  he  was  esteemed  a 
setter-forth  of  strange  gods,  and  charged  with 
having  disturbed  the  public  peace  wherever 
he  came.  He  probably  took  frequent  occa- 
sions to  speak  of  his  Lord  and  Master  to  those 
about  him;  and  as  he  had  several  compa- 
nions, the  manner  of  their  social  worship  could 
hardly  pass  unobserved;  but  no  emergency 
had  as  yet  occurred  to  manifest  the  solidity 
and  force  of  his  principles  to  full  advantage, 
and  to  make  it  evident  to  all  with  whom  he 
sailed,  that  his  God  was  far  unlike  the  idola 
of  the  Heathens;  and  that  the  religion  which 
prompted  him  to  do  and  suffer  so  much  for 
the  sake  of  Jesus,  was  founded,  not  in  the 
imaginations  and  inventions  of  men,  but  in 
reality  and  truth.  In  prosperous  circum- 
stances, most  people  are  easily  satisfied  with 
their  own  principles,  and  are  ready  to  take 
it  for  granted,  that  even  the  notions  received 
from  no  better  source  than  tradition  or  cus- 
tom, cannot  be  wrong,  or  at  least  w  ill  not  be 
dangerous :  but  it  is  in  a  season  of  common 
distress  that  the  truth  and  efficacy  of  vital 
religion  appear  with  the  most  incontestible 
authority.  The  God  who  alone  can  deliver 
when  all  hope  of  safety  is  taken  away,  and 
the  religion  which  can  inspire  a  man  with 
confidence  and  peace,  when  there  is  nothing 
but  dismay  and  confusion  around  him,  will 
then  extort  some  acknowledgment,  even  from 
those  who  had  before  thought  of  them  witli 
indifference.  From  these  considerations,  wo 
may  collect  one  general  reason  why  the  Lord, 
who,  by  his  divine  providence,  adjusts  the 
time  and  circumstances  of  every  event,  and 
without  whose  permission  not  a  sparrow  can 
fall  to  the  ground,  permits  his  faithful  people 
to  be  so  often  exercised  with  severe  trials : 
it  is,  to  manifest  that  their  hopes  are  well- 
grounded  ;  that  they  have  not  taken  up  with 
words  and  notions,  but  have  a  real  and  sure 
support,  and  can  hope  and  rejoice  in  God 
under  those  pressures  which  deprive  others 
of  all  their  patience,  and  all  their  courage; 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  to  evince  that  his 
power  and  faithfulness  are  surely  engaged 
on  their  behalf;  that  he  puts  an  honour  upon 
their  prayers,  is  near  to  help  them  in  the 
time  of  trouble,  and  can  deliver  them  out  of 
their  greatest  extremities.  We  are  not,  then, 
to  wonder  that  this  favoured  servant  of  the 
Lord,  after  having  endured  so  many  suffer 
ings  and  hardships  upon  the  land,  was  ex 
posed,  in  the  course  of  this  voyage,  to  equaj 
dangers  and  difficulties  upon  the  sea;  foi 
they  had  not  long  quitted  their  last  port,  be- 


74 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


[book  it. 


fore  their  hopes  of  gaining'  a  better  were 
blasted:  they  were  overtaken  by  a  sudden 
and  violent  storm.  The  name  given  it  by  the 
historian,  Euroclydon,  expresses  its  direction 
to  have  been  from  the  eastern  quarter,  and 
its  energy  upon  the  waves.  The  tempest 
irresistibly  overpowered  the  mariners,  and 
rendered  their  art  impracticable  and  vain: 
they  were  compelled  to  abandon  the  ship  to 
the  direction  of  the  wind,  and  were  hurried 
away,  they  knew  not  where.  Mention  is 
made  of  the  difficulty  they  had  to  secure  the 
ship's  boat,  as  the  only  probable  means  of 
escaping,  if  they  should  be  wrecked,  which 
yet,  in  the  event,  was  wholly  useless  to  them ; 
likewise  of  their  endeavours  to  strengthen 
the  ship  by  girding  her  with  ropes,  and  of 
their  throwing  a  considerable  part  of  the 
lading  and  tackling  into  the  sea.  In  this  dis- 
tressed situation,  expecting  every  hour  to  be 
either  swallowed  up  by  the  waves,  or  dashed 
to  pieces  against  unknown  rocks  or  shores, 
they  continued  fourteen  days. — When  they 
were  almost  worn  out  with  hardship  and 
anxiety,  and  there  was  no  human  probability 
of  deliverance,  the  Lord  manifested  the  care 
he  had  of  his  servants.  The  seamen  had  not 
seen  sun  or  stars  for  many  days;  but  his  eye 
had  been  upon  Paul  and  his  companions  every 
moment.  No  one  on  board  could  even  con- 
jecture into  what  part  of  the  sea  the  ship 
was  driven ;  but  the  Lord  knew,  and  his  an- 
gels knew:  and  now  one  was  commanded  to 
appear,  to  comfort  the  apostle,  and  to  give 
him  a  word  of  comfort  for  all  on  board.  Upon 
this  he  addressed  the  people  in  the  ship,  ex- 
horting them  to  take  some  food,  and  to  be  of 
good  courage ;  for  that  the  God  to  whom  he 
belonged,  and  whom  he  served,  had  given 
him  assurance,  by  an  angel,  not  only  of  his 
own  safety,  but  that  the  lives  of  all  on  board 
should  be  preserved  for  his  sake;  that  the 
ship  would  be  cast  upon  a  certain  island;  but 
he  fully  relied  on  the  promise,  that  not  one 
of  them  should  be  lost.  He  had  been  told, 
that  he  must  stand  before  Caesar,  which  was 
a  sufficient  earnest  of  his  preservation ;  for 
who,  or  what,  can  disappoint  the  purpose  of 
God!  Amidst  all  these  threatening  appear- 
ances, Paul  was,  in  reality,  as  safe  in  the 
storm  as  Cassar  could  be  thought  upon  the 
throne.  And  thus  all  his  servants  are  in- 
violably preserved  by  his  watchful  providence; 
so  that  neitiier  elements  nor  enemies  can 
hurt  them,  till  the  work  he  has  appointed 
them  is  accomplished. 

At  length  the  seamen  perceived  indications 
that  they  were  drawing  near  to  land  :  and 
when  they  were  driven  into  a  convenient 
depth  of  water,  they  cast  anchor,  and  waited 
for  the  approach  of  day.  In  this  interval  the 
people  were  encouraged  by  Paul's  advice 
and  example,  to  eat  a  hearty  meal,  by  which 
their  strength  and  spirits  were  recruited  to 
sustain  the  fatigue  they  were  yet  to  under- 


go. In  the  morning  they  saw  an  island ;  but 
knew  it  not.  The  mariners,  regarding  their 
own  safety  only,  were  about  to  make  their 
escape  in  the  boat ;  but  Paul,  informing  the 
soldiers  that  they  could  not  be  saved  unless 
the  seamen  remained  in  the  ship,  they  paid 
so  much  regard  to  his  judgment  as  immedi- 
ately to  cut  the  ropes  by  which  the  boat  was 
fastened,  and  give  her  up  to  the  sea. 

Their  only  remaining  resource  was,  to 
force  the  ship  upon  the  shore,  in  a  place  where 
landing  would  be  most  practicable ;  and  of 
this  the  mariners  were  the  most  proper  judges. 
If  this  island,as  is  generally  supposed, was  that 
which  we  now  call  Malta,  we  know  that  it  is 
almost  environed  with  rocks.  They  having 
therefore  discovered  an  open  bay,  with  a 
beach  of  sand  or  pebbles,*  endeavoured  to  run 
the  ship  there ;  but  had  the  management  of 
this  business  been  left  to  the  soldiers  and  pas- 
sengers, who  were  unexperienced  in  sea- 
alfairs,  they  might  probably  have  let  her  drive 
at  random  against  the  rocks  where  an  escape 
would,  humanly  speaking,  have  been  impos- 
sible. In  this  view,  we  may  observe,  that  the 
apostle's  firm  confidence  in  the  promise  he 
had  received  was  connected  with  prudent 
attention  to  the  means  in  their  power,  from 
which  the  promise  received  was  so  far  from 
dispensing  them,  that  it  was  their  chief  en- 
couragement to  be  diligent  in  employing  them. 
This  incident  may  be  applied  to  points  of 
more  general  importance  :  and,  if  carefiilly 
attended  to,  might  iiave  determined  or  pre- 
vented many  unnecessary  and  perplexing 
disputes  concerning  the  divine  decrees,  and 
their  influence  on  the  contingencies  of  hu- 
man life.  What  God  has  appointed  shall 
surely  come  to  pass :  but  in  such  a  manner, 
that  all  the  means  and  secondary  causes,  by 
which  he  has  determined  to  fulfil  his  de- 
signs, shall  have  their  proper  place  and  sub- 
serviency. Accordingly  they  made  the  best 
of  their  way  to  the  shore :  iDut  before  they 
quite  reached  it,  the  ship  was  stopped  by  a 
point  or  bank,f  where  her  fore-part  stuck 
fast,  and  remained  immoveable ;  but  her  stem 
or  hinder  part,  was  presently  broken  by  the 
violence  of  the  surges.  In  the  general  con- 
fusion, the  soldiers,  unmindful  how  much  they 
were  indebted  to  Paul,  proposed  that  all  the 
prisoners  should  be  killed  without  distinction, 
lest  tliey  should  be  accountable  if  any  of  them 
escaped  ;  but  the  centurion,  who  interested 

*  "  They  discovered  a  certain  creek  with  a  shore." 
But  there  was  a  shore  all  rourirt  the  island.  A<)  t^Ko; 
does  not  express  the  seacoast  in  generator  a  rocky 
cragey  shore,  but  the  skirts  of  an  open  bay,  convenient 
for  launching,  landing,  or  drawing  a  net  for  fish.  See 
Matth.  xiii  2.  48;  John  xxi.  4.  A  mariner  wlio  undec- 
slood  Greek  would  perhaps  render  the  sentence  thus: 
"  They  observed  a  certain  bay,  with  a  beach."  And  this 
they  chose  as  the  most  likely  place  to  get  safe  to  l,->nd. 

■j-'To^nu  ^^ixKutr<r:.\j  is  rendered  in  our  version,  aplace 
where  two  seas  met ;  but  there  is  nothing  answerable  to 
the  word  met.  Probably  it  means  what  the  mariners 
call  a  spit,  or  point  of  sand  running  off  from  the  shore, 
and  which  bad  a  sufficient  depth  of  water  on  either  side. 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE  ASCENSION. 


75 


himaelf  in  liis  preservation,  rejected  the  mo- 
tion, and  commanded  every  one  to  do  what 
they  could  for  their  own  safety.  Many  wlio 
could  swim  cast  themselves  into  the  sea  ;  the 
rest  availed  themselves  of  planks  and  broken 
pieces  of  the  ship ;  and  the  merciful  provi- 
dence of  the  Lord  gave  their  endeavours  suc- 
cess ;  so  that  the  whole  company,  consisting 
of  two  iumdred  and  seventy-six  persons,  came 
safe  to  land. 

The  inhabitants  (Acts  xxviii,)  though  call- 
ed barbarians,  received  and  accommodated 
them  with  great  humanity,  and  manifested  a 
tenderness  too  rarely  found  upon  such  occa- 
sions amongst  those  who  bear  the  name  of 
christians  :  they  brought  them  under  cover, 
and  kindled  fires  to  warm  and  dry  them.  The 
apostle,  who  cheerfully  suited  himself  to  all 
circumstances,  assisted  in  supplying  the  fire 
witli  fuel ;  but  having  gathered  a  parcel  of 
sticks,  a  viper,  which  was  unperceived  in 
the  midst  of  them,  fastened  itself  upon  his 
hand.    lie  had  just  escaped  from  storm  and 
shipwreck,  and  was  exposed  to  as  great  a 
danger  of  another  kind.    Such  is  the  nature 
of  our  present  state  ;  and  it  is  a  proof  of  our 
pride  and  ignorance,  that  we  are  seldom 
greatly  apprehensive  for  ourselves,  but  when 
some  formidable  appearance  is  before  our 
eyes.    A  tempest,  pestilence,  or  earthquake, 
alarms  us,  and  not  without  reason ;  but  alas  ! 
we  are  not  such  mighty  creatures,  as  to  have 
nothuig  to  fear  but  from   such  powerful 
agents.    A  tyle,  a  fly,  a  hair,  or  a  grain  of 
Band,  are  sufficient  instruments,  in  the  hand 
of  God,  to  remove  a  king  from  the  throne  to 
the  grave,  or  to  cut  off  the  conqueror  at  the 
head  of  his  victorious  armies.    On  the  other 
hand,  those  who  serve  the  Lord,  and  trust  in 
him,  are  equally  safe  under  all  events ;  nei- 
ther storms,  nor  flood,  nor  flames,  nor  the 
many  unthought-of  evils  which  lurk  around 
in  the  smoothest  scenes  of  life,  have  permis- 
sion to  hurt  them  till  their  race  is  finished, 
and  then  it  little  signifies  by  what  means 
they  are  removed  into  their  Master's  joy. 
The  apostle  in  the  strength  of  divine  faith, 
shook  off  the  venomous  creature  into  the  fire, 
and  remained  unmoved  and  unhurt.  The 
islanders,  who  saw  what  had  passed,  judged 
at  first  (from  those  faint  apprehensions  of  a 
superior  power  inflicting  punishment  on  the 
wicked,  which  seem  to  remain  in  the  darkest 
and  most  ignorant  nations,)  that  he  was  cer- 
tainly a  murderer, who,  though  he  had  escaped 
the  seas,  was  pursued  by  vengeance,  and 
marked  out  for  destruction  ;  but  when,  after 
expecting  for  some  time  to  see  him  drop 
down  dead,  they  found  that  he  had  received 
no  harm,  they  retracted  their  censure,  and 
conceived  him  to  be  a  god,  or  something 
more  than  man.    This  event  probably  pre- 
pared them  to  hear  him  with  attention. 

The  apostle  and  his  friends  were  courte- 
ously entertained  tliree  days  by  Publius,  the 


chief  person  of  the  island,  who  resided  near 
the  place  of  their  landing :  He  requited  tho 
kindness  of  his  host,  by  restoring  to  health  hia 
father,  who  had  been  some  time  ill  of  a  fever 
and  dysentery.  In  the  same  manner  he  laid 
his  hands  on  many  sick  persons,  who  were 
healed  in  answer  to  his  prayers.  These  ac- 
ceptable services  procured  him  much  favour 
from  the  inhabitants ;  and  when,  after  three 
months  stay,  he  was  about  to  depart,  they 
furnished  him  liberally  with  necessary  pro- 
visions for  his  voyage. 

A.  D.  Gl.]  They  sailed  from  thence  in  a 
ship  of  Alexandria  that  had  wintered  in  the 
island  ;  and  stopping  throe  days  at  Syracuse 
in  iftcily  soon  after  arrived  at  Rhegium,  and 
from  thence  in  two  daj"^,  at  Puteoli,  near 
Naples,  where  they  disembarked,  and  con- 
tinued a  week,  at  the  request  of  the  chris- 
tians of  the  place.  From  Puteoli  to  Rome 
their  journey  lay  about  one  hundred  miles  by 
land. 

The  disciples  at  Rome  having  heard  of 
Paul's  approach,  several  of  them  met  him  at 
a  place  called  Appii  Forum,  and  another 
party  at  the  Three  Taverns ;  tiie  former 
place  being  about  fifty,  and  the  other  thirty 
miles  from  the  city.  At  tlie  sight  of  these 
believers,  whom  he  had  loved  unseen,  we 
are  told  he  thanked  God,  and  took  courage. 
Even  the  apostle  Paul,  though  habitually 
flaming  with  zeal  and  love,  was  not  always 
in  the  same  frame.  We  learn  from  his  own 
account  of  himself,  that  he  had  sometimes 
sharp  exercises  of  mind ;  and  perhaps  this 
was  such  a  time  when  his  thoughts  were 
much  engaged  on  what  awaited  liim  upon 
his  arrival  at  Rome,  and  his  appearance  be- 
fore the  cruel  and  capricious  Nero.  The 
Lord  has  so  constituted  his  body,  the  church, 
that  the  different  members  are  needful  and 
helpful  to  each  other,  and  the  stronger  are 
often  indebted  to  the  weaker.  St.  Paul  him- 
self was  revived  and  animated  at  this  junc- 
ture by  the  sight  of  those  who  were  in  every 
respect  inferior  to  him ;  it  rejoiced  him  to 
see  that  Christ  his  Lord  was  worshipped  at 
Rome  also;  and  being  in  the  presence  of 
those  with  whom  he  could  open  his  mind, 
and  freely  confer  upon  the  glorious  truths 
that  filled  his  heart,  he  forgot  at  once  the 
fatigue  he  had  lately  suffered,  and  the  future 
difficulties  he  had  reason  to  expect. 

Upon  their  arrival  at  Rome,  the  centurion 
delivered  up  the  prisoners  to  the  proper  of- 
ficer ;  but  Paul  had  the  favour  allowed  him 
to  live  in  a  house  which  he  hired,  under  the 
guard  of  one  soldier.  Here  he  immediately 
discovered  his  usual  activity  of  spirit  in  hia 
Master's  cause ;  and,  without  losing  time, 
sent  on  the  third  day  for  the  principal  per- 
sons of  the  Jews  (according  to  his  general 
custom  of  making  the  first  declarations  of  the 
gospel  to  them,)  and  acquainted  them  with 
the  cause  of  his  prosecution  and  appeal ;  he 


76 


PROGRESS  OF 


THE  GOSPEL 


[book  II. 


assured  them  that  he  liad  no  intention,  in 
vindicating  liimsolf,  to  lay  any  thinjj  to  the 
charge  of  his  own  people  ;  adding,  that,  not 
for  any  singularities  of  liis  own,  or  for  any 
offence  against  the  law  of  Moses,  but  for  the 
hope  of  Israel,  he  was  bound  with  the  chain* 
he  then  wore.  They  answered  that  they  had 
received  no  information  concerning  him  from 
Judca ;  but  that  they  understood  the  sect  to 
which  he  professed  an  attachment  was  every 
where  spoken  against ;  they  therefore  desired 
to  hear  his  sentiments,  and  appointed  a  day 
for  the  purpose,  when  many  of  them  came  to 
him,  and  he  spent  the  whole  day,  from  morn- 
ing till  evening,  in  proving,  confirming,  and 
explaining,  the  nature  and  necessity  of  the 
gospel  and  kingdom  of  Christ,  from  the  books 
of  Moses  and  the  prophets.  His  discourse 
had  good  effect  upon  some,  but  others  be- 
lieved not,  and  they  departed  with  consider- 
able disagreement  among  themselves ;  the 
apostle  taking  leave  of  them  with  that  so- 
lemn warning,  which  our  Lord  had  oflen 
used  in  the  course  of  his  ministry,  from  the 
prophecy  of  Isaiah  (chap.  i.  9,  10,)  de- 
nouncing incurable  and  judicial  blindness 
and  hardness  of  heart  upon  those  who  wil- 
fully rejected  the  proposal  of  the  truth. 

He  remained  a  prisoner  in  his  own  hired 
house  for  the  space  of  two  years,  having  an 
unrestrained  liberty  to  receive  all  who  came 
to  him,  and  to  preach  the  glad  tidings  of  sal- 
vation by  Christ ;  which  we  learn  from  his 
epistles  (Philip  i.  12,)  he  did  with  so  much 
success,  that  his  imprisonment  evidently 
contributed  to  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel, 
enlarged  the  number  of  believers,  and  ani- 
mated the  zeal  and  confidence  of  those  who 
had  already  received  faith  and  grace. 

A.  D.  63.]  The  history  of  St.  Luke  ends 
here,  which  1  have  followed  more  closely 
than  I  at  first  designed,  partly  because  the 
facts  he  has  recorded  suggests  many  reflec- 
tions which  have  more  or  less  a  reference  to 
our  main  design,  and  partly  from  a  reluc- 
tance to  leave  the  only  sure  and  incontestible 
history  by  which  our  researches  into  the 
establishment  and  state  of  the  primitive 
church  can  be  guided ;  for  though  some 
monuments  of  the  early  ages  of  Christianity, 
which  are  still  e.xtant,  have  a  great  share  of 
merit,  and  will  afford  us  materials  to  make 
good  our  plan,  yet  they  must  be  selected 
with  caution,  for  it  would  be  a  want  of  in- 
genuousness not  to  acknowledge,  that  there 
are  great  mixtures  and  blemishes  to  be 
found  in  the  writings  of  those  who  lived 
nearest  to  the  apostles'  times;  and  in  the 
most  ancient  historical  remains  several  things 
have  a  place,  which  show,  that  a  spirit  of 

*  Anions;  the  Romans,  the  prisoner  was  alwa^cliain- 
ed  to  the  soldier  or  soldiers  who  guarded  him.  St.  Paul 
spnaks  of  his  chain  both  to  friends  and  enemies,  with 
an  indifference  that  shows  how  well  content  he  was  to 
wear  it  for  his  Master's  sake.  See  Ephes.  vi.  20;  2  Tim. 

i.  m 


credulity  and  superstition  had  very  early 
and  extensive  influence  ;  the  evident  traces 
of  which  have  given  too  fair  an  occasion  to 
some  persons  of  more  learning  than  candour, 
to  attempt  to  bring  the  whole  of  those  re- 
cords into  disrepute.  But  where  the  cha- 
racteristic genius  and  native  tendency  of  the 
gospel  are  rightly  understood,  and  carefully 
attended  to,  a  mind,  not  under  the  power  of 
bias  and  prejudice,  will  be  furnished  with 
sufficient  data,  whereby  to  distinguish  what 
is  genuine  and  worthy  of  credit  from  the 
spurious  and  uncertain  additions  which  have 
been  incautiously  received. 

I  shall  be  brief  in  deducing  our  history 
from  this  period  to  the  close  of  the  first  cen- 
tury. St.  Paul,  after  more  than  two  years 
confinement  at  Rome,  having  not  yet  finish- 
ed his  appointed  measure  of  service,  was 
providentially  preserved  from  the  designs 
of  all  his  enemies,  and  set  at  liberty.  We 
are  told  by  some,  that  in  pursuance  of  the 
design  he  had  long  before  expressed,  he 
went  into  Spain,  and  from  thence  to  Gaul, 
now  called  France ;  nor  have  endeavours 
been  wanting  to  prove,  that  he  preached 
the  gospel  even  in  the  British  isles.  That 
he,  at  some  time,  accomplished  his  desire  of 
visiting  Spain,  is  not  improbable ;  but  we 
have  no  certain  evidence  that  he  did  so: 
much  less  is  there  any  ground  for  supposing 
that  he  was  either  in  France  or  Britain. 
From  his  own  writings,  however,  we  have 
good  reason  to  believe,  that,  upon  his  dis- 
mission from  Rome,  he  revisited  the  churches 
of  Syria,  and  some  other  parts  of  Asia ;  for, 
in  his  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  he  mentions 
his  purpose  of  seeing  them,  in  company  with 
his  beloved  Timothy ;  and  writing  to  Phile- 
mon, who  lived  at  Colosse,  he  requests  him 
to  prepare  liim  a  lodging,  for  that  he  hoped 
to  be  with  him  shortly.  And  it  was  probably 
in  this  progress  that  he  preached  in  Crete, 
and  committed  the  churches  he  gathered 
there  to  the  care  of  Titus ;  for  we  liave  no 
account  in  the  Acts,  of  his  having  visited 
that  island  before,  except  the  little  time  he 
touched  there  in  his  passage  to  Rome,  which 
seems  not  to  have  been  sufficient  for  so  great 
a  work.  How  he  was  employed  afterwards 
we  know  not;  but  it  is  generally  agreed, 
that,  towards  the  latter  part  of  Nero's  reign, 
he  returned  to  Rome,  and  there  received  the 
crown  of  martyrdom. 

In  the  accounts  preserved  of  the  rest  of  the 
apostles,  we  likewise  meet  with  great  uncer- 
tainty :  nor  can  any  thing  be  determined  to 
satisfaction,  concerning  either  the  seat  of 
their  labours,  or  the  time  and  manner  of  their 
deaths.  I  shall  therefore  wave  a  detail  of 
what  is  not  supported  by  sufficient  proof  I 
only  observe  concerning  St.  Peter,  that  tho 
assertion  of  his  having  been  bishop  of  Rome, 
on  which  (and  not  on  the  true  rock)  the 
whole  system  of  the  Papacy  is  built,  is  not 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE  ASCENSION. 


77 


only  inconsistent  with  wliat  is  recorded  of 
him  in  the  Acts,  and  tlie  silence  of  St.  Paul 
concerning'  him,  in  the  epistles  he  wrote 
from  thence,  but  it  is  so  far  withoirt  founda- 
tion in  ecclesiastical  history,  that  it  still  re- 
mains a  point  of  dubious  controversy,  whe- 
ther he  ever  saw  Rome  in  liis  life:  if  he 
did,  it  was  probably  towards  the  close  of  it ; 
and  the  most  received  opinion  is,  that  he  suf- 
fered martyrdom  there  at  the  same  time  with 
St.  Paul :  that  Peter  was  crucified,  and  that 
Paul  had  the  favour  of  being  beheaded,  in 
consideration  that  he  was  a  Roman  citizen. 

The  ciiristians,  though  generally  despised, 
and  often  insulted  for  their  profession,  had 
not  hitherto  been  subject  to  a  direct  and  ca- 
pital persecution ;  but  Nero,  who,  intoxicated 
with  power,  had,  in  a  few  years,  arrived  at  a 
pitch  of  wickedness  and  cruelty  till  then  un- 
heard of,  at  length  directed  his  rage  against 
the  servants  of  Christ. 

A.  D.  64.]  In  his  tenth  year  the  city  of 
Rome  was  set  on  fire,  and  a  very  considerable 
part  of  it  consumed.  This  calamity  was  ge- 
nerally imputed  to  him  as  the  author,  and  it 
seems  not  without  justice.  Mischief,  and  the 
misery  of  others,  were  the  study  of  his  life  ; 
and  he  is  reported  to  have  expressed  great 
pleasure  at  the  spectacle,  and  to  have  sung 
the  burning  of  Troy  while  Rome  was  in 
flames.  Though  he  afterwards  did  many 
popular  things,  and  spared  no  expense  in  re- 
lieving the  people  and  rebuilding  the  city, 
he  could  not  clear  himself  from  the  suspicion 
of  the  fact,  any  otherwise  than  by  charging 
it  upon  the  christians.  The  heathen  historian 
Tacitus,  in  his  account  of  this  event,  enables 
us  so  well  to  judge  of  the  character  which 
the  christians  bore  in  his  time,  that  I  shall 
subjoin  a  translation  of  it  for  the  information 
of  the  unlearned. 

"  But  neither  the  emperor's  donations,  nor 
the  atonements  offered  to  the  gods,  could  re- 
move the  scandal  of  this  report ;  but  it  was 
still  believed  that  the  city  had  been  burnt  by 
his  instigation.  Nero,  therefore,  to  put  a  stop 
to  the  rumour,  charged  the  fact,  and  inflicted 
the  severest  punishment  for  it  upon  the 
christians,  as  they  were  commonly  called,  a 
people  detestable  for  their  crimes.  The  au- 
thor of  this  sect  was  Christ;  who,  in  the 
reign  of  Tiberius,  was  put  to  death  by 
Pontius  Pilate.  The  destructive  supersti- 
tion, which  was  by  this  means  suppressed 
for  the  present,  soon  broke  out  again,  and 
not  only  overspread  Judea,  where  it  first 
arose,  but  reached  even  to  Rome,  where  all 
abominations,  from  every  quarter,  are  sure 
to  meet  and  to  find  acceptance.  Some  who 
confessed  themselves  christians  were  first 
apprehended,  and  a  vast  multitude  afler- 
wards,  upon  their  impeachment,  who  were 
condemned,  not  so  much  for  burning  the 
city,  as  for  being  the  objects  of  universal 
hatred.    Their  sufferings  and  torments  were 


heightened  by  mockery  and  derision.  Some 
were  inclosed  in  the  skins  of  wild  beasts, 
that  they  might  be  torn  in  pieces  by  dogs; 
others  were  crucified  ;  and  others,  being  co- 
vered with  inflammable  matter,  were  lighted 
up  as  torches  at  the  close  of  day.  These 
spectacles  were  exhibited  in  Nero's  gardens ; 
where  he  held  a  kind  of  Circensian  show, 
either  mixing  with  the  populace  in  the  habit 
of  a  charioteer,  or  himself  contending  in  the 
race.  Hence  it  came  to  pass,  that,  criminal 
and  undeserving  of  mercy  as  they  were,  yet 
they  were  pitied,  as  being  destroyed  merely 
to  gratify  his  savage  and  cruel  disposition, 
and  not  with  any  view  to  the  public  good." 

From  this  quotation  it  appears  that  the 
christians  were  considered  by  the  heathens 
as  a  sect  that  had  been  almost  crushed  by 
the  death  of  their  Master,  but  suddenly  re- 
covered strength,  and  spread  far  and  near 
soon  afterwards ;  that  they  were  so  ex- 
tremely odious,  on  account  of  the  supposed 
absurdity  and  wickedness  of  their  principles, 
as  to  be  thought  capable  of  committing  the 
worst  crimes,  when  no  sufficient  proof  could 
be  found  of  their  having  committed  any ; 
that  they  were  treated  as  the  professed  ene- 
mies of  mankind,  and  therefore,  upon  the 
first  occasion  that  offered,  were  promis- 
cuously destroyed,  with  the  most  unrelent- 
ing cruelty ;  that  they  did  not  suffer  as 
common  malefactors,  who,  when  under  the 
actual  punishment  of  their  crimes,  are 
usually  beheld  with  some  commiseration, 
but  that  insult  and  derision  were  added  to 
the  most  exquisite  inventions  of  torture ; 
and,  lastly,  that,  if  these  violent  proceedings 
were  blamed  by  any,  it  proceeded  rather 
from  the  hatred  they  bore  to  Nero,  than 
from  a  suspicion  that  the  christians  met 
with  any  thing  more  than  their  just  desert. 
These  things  are  carefully  to  be  observed, 
if  we  would  form  a  right  judgment  of  the 
primitive  church.  It  is  possible  many  per- 
sons suppose  that  St.  Paul's  epistles  to  the 
Romans,  Corinthians,  and  Ephesians  were 
(like  the  pastoral  letters  of  bishops  in  our 
own  times)  addressed  to  the  bulk  of  the  in- 
habitants in  those  places ;  but  the  case  was 
far  otherwise.  The  Romans,  to  whom  St. 
Paul  wrote,  were  inconsiderable  for  their 
number,  most  of  them  contemptible  in  the 
sight  of  the  world  on  account  of  their  poverty 
and  low  rank  in  life,  and  (as  the  above  ex- 
tract from  Tacitus  proves)  the  objects  of  pub- 
lic detestation,  for  their  attachment  to  the 
name  and  doctrines  of  Jesus, 

Whether  this  persecution  was  confined  to 
Rome,  or  carried  on  by  public  authority 
through  all  the  provinces  where  christians 
were  to  be  found,  is  not  absolutely  certain, 
though  the  latter  seems  most  probable ;  for  it 
is  liardly  to  be  su])posed  that  Nero  would 
rage  against  them  in  tlie  capital,  and  suffer 
them  to  live  in  peace  every  where  else. 


78 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


[boos  II. 


Tertullian  expressly  assorts  that  Nero  en- 
joined their  destruction  by  public  edicts  in 
the  several  provinces;  and  his  testimony 
seems  worthy  of  credit,  as  he  mentions  it  in 
his  Apologfy,  which,  thougli  written  more 
than  a  century  afterwards,  was  not  at  so 
great  a  distance  of  time  but  he  might  easily 
have  been  contradicted,  if  he  had  advanced 
an  untruth.  Besides,  the  example  of  Nero, 
without  his  express  injunctions,  seems  to  liave 
been  sufficient  to  awaken  persecution  against 
a  people  so  generally  hated  as  the  christians 
were.  Multitudes  upon  this  occasion  liad 
the  honour  to  seal  their  profession  with  their 
blood ;  but  the  cause  for  which  they  suffered 
triumphed  over  all  opposition,  and  the  mar- 
tyrs' places  in  the  church  were  supplied  by 
an  accession  of  fresli  converts. 

This  storm,  though  sharp,  was  not  of  very 
long  continuance  ;  it  terminated  with  the  life 
of  Nero,  who  was  compelled,  though  with  ex- 
treme rehictance,  to  destroy  himself  with  his 
own  hands,  that  he  might  escape  the  most 
ignominious  punishment,  he  having  been,  by 
a  decree  of  the  senate,  justly  and  solemnly 
branded  with  the  character  which  malice  and 
ignorance  would  have  fixed  upon  the  chris- 
tian name,  and  condemned  to  be  whipped  to 
death  as  an  enemy  of  the  human  race. 

A.  D.  6S,  69.]  After  him,  Galba,  Otho,  and 
Vitellius  were  successively  acknowledged 
emperors;  but  their  reigns  were  short,  and 
their  deaths  violent.  The  Jewish  war,  which 
ended  in  the  final  catastroplie  and  dispersion 
of  that  nation,  was  at  this  time  carried  on 
under  the  command  of  Vespasian,  who,  while 
engaged  in  that  service,  was  saluted  emperor 
by  his  army. 

A.  D.  70.]  Upon  this,  leaving  the  conduct 
of  tlie  war  to  his  son  Titus,  he  returned  to 
Italy,  and,  soon  after  the  death  of  Vitellius, 
was  peaceably  established  on  the  government. 
Titus  having  a  secret  commission  from  God 
(whom  he  knew  not,)  to  execute  his  fierce 
displeasure  against  the  Jews,  upon  whom 
wrath  was  now  come  to  the  uttermost,  after 
destroying  the  whole  country  of  Judea  with 
fire  and  sword,  laid  siege  to  Jerusalem  ;  and, 
having  taken  it  at  the  end  of  five  months, 
with  an  incredible  slaughter  of  the  Jews,  and 
the  destruction  of  the  temple,  he  burnt  the 
city  and  pulled  down  the  very  walls.  More 
than  a  million  of  people,  who  had  trusted  in 
lying  words,  and  boasted  themselves  of  an 
empty  profession,  perished  in  this  war  ;  and 
those  who  survived  were  reduced  to  slavery, 
sold  and  dispersed  into  all  parts,  at  the  will 
of  the  conquerors.  Thus  ended  the  Jewish 
economy ;  and  the  law  of  Moses  having  re- 
ceived the  accomplishment  of  all  its  types, 
ceremonies,  and  precepts,  in  the  person,  life, 
and  death  of  Jesus  the  Messiah,  was  irre- 
vocably abrogated  as  to  its  observance,  whicli 
was  rendered  utterly  impracticable,  by  the 


destruction  of  the  temple,  and  the  cessation 
of  the  priesthood. 

A.  D.  79.]  Under  Vespasian,  and  Titus, 
who  succeeded  him,  the  christian  church  en- 
joyed considerable  peace  and  liberty,  though 
upon  many  occasions  they  suffered  from  the 
ill-will  of  their  adversaries.  Few,  however, 
were  put  to  death  publicly  and  professedly 
for  their  religion,  till  Domitian,  who  came  to 
the  empire  after  his  brother  Titus  [a.  d.  81,] 
and  who  too  much  resembled  Nero  in  his 
temper  and  conduct,  imitated  him  likewise 
in  his  employing  his  power  against  the  fol- 
lowers of  Christ,  [a.  d.  94.]  Several  are 
mentioned  in  history,  who  suffered  in  his 
time  ;  but  as  little  of  moment,  or  that  can  be 
fully  depended  on,  is  recorded  concerning 
them,  I  wave  a  recital  of  bare  names.  It  is 
generally  believed  that  St.  John  was  banish- 
ed to  the  isle  of  Patmos  by  this  emperor, 
where  he  wrote  his  Epistles  to  the  churches 
of  Asia,  and  the  Revelation  of  future  events 
which  he  had  received  from  the  Lord. 
Some  there  are  who  place  these  events  much 
earlier,  under  the  reign  of  Claudius  ;  but  the 
former  opinion  seems  most  probable,  and  best 
supported  by  the  testimony  of  the  ancients. 
But  the  story  of  his  having  been  cast  into  a 
cauldron  of  boiling  oil,  in  the  presence  (as 
some  add)  of  the  Roman  senate,  does  not 
seem  supported  by  any  tolerable  evidence. 
It  is  believed  that  he  gained  his  liberty  from 
banishment,  and  returned  to  Ephesus  or  the 
neighbouring  parts ;  that  he  afterwards 
wrote  his  Gospel  a  little  before  his  death, 
which  is  supposed  to  have  happened  about 
the  last  year  of  the  century.  If  so,  he  was 
probably  about  a  hundred  years  of  age,  and 
survived  the  rest  of  the  apostles  a  consider- 
able space. 

Domitian,  having  made  the  earth  groan 
under  his  cruelties  and  excesses,  was  assas- 
sinated in  the  sixteenth  year  of  his  reign. 
[a.  d.  96.]  Nerva  succeeded  (a  man  of  much 
fairer  character,)  who  repealed  the  sanguin- 
ary edicts  of  his  predecessor;  and  it  does  not 
appear  that  the  christians  were  generally  per- 
secuted during  his  short  government.  Before 
his  death  (for  lie  did  not  live  two  years,)  he 
adopted  Trajan  for  his  successor,  who  came 
to  the  empire  [a.  d.  98]  with  a  general  ap- 
probation, and  is  still  reputed  one  of  the  best 
and  wisest  princes  that  Rome  was  favoured 
with.  From  his  conduct  and  that  of  some  of 
the  following  emperors,  it  appears,  that  the 
gospel  of  Christ  was  not  only  hated  by  such 
persons  as  Nero  and  Domitian,  who  seemed 
professed  enemies  to  every  thing  that  was 
good  and  praise-v/ortliy,  but  that  men  who 
desired  to  be  thought  t!ie  patrons  of  virtue, 
and  to  act  upon  the  most  benevolent  princi- 
ples, liad  objections  equally  strong  against  it; 
for  if  Trajan  did  not  issue  edicts  expressly 
against  the  christians,  there  was  a  very  sharp 


CHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE 


ASCENSION. 


79 


persecution  carried  on  agfainst  them  in_,}iis 
reign ;  and  when  Pliny  (in  an  epistle  still 
extant)  represented  to  him  the  greatness  of 
their  sufferings,  and  the  multitude  and  inno- 
cence of  tlie  sufferers,  the  emperor  inter- 
posed no  farther  by  his  answer,  than  to  for- 
bid informations  against tliem,  upon  suspicion, 
to  be  encouraged,  but  directed,  that  such  as 
were  proved  to  be  christians,  and  refused  to 
join  in  the  Heathen  sacrifices,  should  suffer 
death:  and  when  he  visited  Asia,  Ignatius, 
who  was  bishop  of  Antioch,  being  brought 
before  him,  he  condemned  him,  with  his  own 
mouth,  to  be  sent  to  Rome  to  be  devoured  by 
wild  beasts.  But  we  shall  resume  the  ac- 
count of  what  happened  imder  his  reign 
hereafter,  liis  second  or  third  year  [a.  d. 
100]  coinciding,  according  to  the  generally- 
received  computation,  with  the  end  of  the 
first  century,  which  I  have  fixed  as  the  limit 
of  our  researches  in  the  present  volume.* 

But  before  I  conclude  the  chapter,  it  may 
be  useful  to  inquire,  what  might  be  the  mo- 
tives which  inliuenced  the  Heathens  so  ea- 
gerly to  embrace  every  occasion  of  showing 
their  displeasure  against  the  professors  of 
Christianity. 

The  original  and  proper  cause  of  the  inju- 
rious treatment  the  first  Christians  met  with 
from  the  Heathens,  and  particularly  from  the 
Roman  government,  which  usually  tolerated 
every  kind  of  religious  worship  that  did  not 
interfere  with  the  public  tranquillity  and  the 
obedience  due  to  the  state,  was  one  that  is  of 
an  abiding  and  universal  influence,  namely, 
that  enmity  of  the  carnal  heart,  which  cannot 
be  brought  to  submit  to  the  wisdom  and  will 
of  God.  This  has  been  the  secret  source  of 
all  the  persecution  which  has  been  the  lot  of 
the  true  disciples  of  Christ  in  every  age.  The 
sublime  doctrines  of  the  gospel  were  offensive 
to  the  pretended  wisdom  of  men,  and  the  spi- 
rituality of  its  precepts  no  less  thwarted  their 
passions.  Men,  if  only  left  to  themselves, 
cannot  but  oppose  a  system,  which  at  the 
same  time,  that  it  reduces  all  their  boasted 
distinctions  of  character  to  a  perfect  level,  in 
point  of  acceptance  with  God,  enjoins  a  life 
and  conversation  absolutely  inconsistent  with 
the  customs  and  pursuits  which  universally 
prevail,  and  brands  many  of  the  most  allowed 
and  authorised  practices  with  the  hard  names 
of  wickedness  and  folly.  But  they  are  not 
left  to  tiiemselves,  but  are  in  a  degree  they 
are  little  aware  of,  under  the  influence  of 
Satan,  who,  for  the  power  he  maintains  and 
exerts  over  them,  is  styled  in  scripture,  the 
God  of  this  World.  Since  their  own  evil  dis- 
positions are  thus  instigated  by  the  great 
enemy  of  God  and  goodness,  it  is  entirely 
owing  to  the  powerful  restraints  of  the  pro- 
vidence of  the  Most  High,  that  his  servants 
can  at  any  time,  or  in  any  place,  enjoy  an 


*  See  Introduction,  note. 


interval  of  rest ;  and  though  he  has  always 
made  good  his  promise  in  favour  of  his 
church,  that  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  pre- 
vail against  it :  though  they  who  oppose  it, 
successively  perish,  and  leave  their  schemes 
unfinished,  while  the  interest  against  which 
they  rage,  triumphs  over  all  tlieir  attacks, 
and  subsists,  revives,  and  flourishes,  amidst 
the  changes  which  sweep  away  almost  the 
remembrance  of  the  most  prosperous  human 
establishments ;  yet  he  is  pleased,  for  wise 
reasons,  to  permit  them  to  try  what  they  can 
do.  Hereby  the  faith  and  patience  of  his 
people  are  strengthened  and  displayed,  his 
care  over  them  illustrated,  and  those  who  are 
smcerely  devoted  to  him  are  evidently  dis- 
tinguished from  hypocrites  and  pretenders, 
who  join  in  an  outward  attachment  to  his  gos- 
pel in  times  of  prosperity,  but  are  presently 
wearied  and  disgusted  when  storms  and  trou- 
bles arise. 

Amongst  the  more  particular  reasons  why 
Christianity  was  obnoxious  to  the  Heathens, 
not  only  to  persons  of  vile  character,  as  Nero, 
but  to  such  as  Trajan  and  Marcus  Aurelius, 
who  are,  even  to  this  day,  highly  extolled  for 
their  probity  and  discernment,  we  may  men- 
tion these  that  follow  :  and  more  than  one  of 
them  may  be  easily  accommodated  to  similar 
events,  which  stand  upon  the  records  of  his- 
tory down  to  our  own  times ;  and  their  ef- 
fect will  probably  be  felt  by  many  who  are 
yet  unborn. 

1.  The  doctrine  of  the  cross  was,  and  per- 
haps always  will  be,  the  capital  offence.  The 
christians  professed  to  place  all  their  hopes 
on  the  actions  and  sufferings  of  one,  who  died, 
to  all  appearance,  like  a  common  malefactor. 
This,  considered  in  one  view,  was  thought 
such  a  kind  and  degree  of  infatuation,  as  pro- 
voked the  most  sovereign  and  universal  con- 
tempt ;  and,  in  another  view,  it  raised  a  grave 
concern  for  the  interests  of  morality  and  vir- 
tue, in  those  whose  pride  was  flattered  by 
their  own  empty  declamations  on  those 
sounding  topics.  Every  thing  that  was  evil, 
they  thought,  might  be  expected  from  men 
who  openly  declared,  that  they  hoped  for 
eternal  happiness,  not  for  their  own  works, 
which  in  this  connexion  they  depreciated  and 
renounced,  but  on  account  of  the  righteous- 
ness and  mediation  of  another.  If  it  was 
possible  that  christians  could  maintain  that 
course  of  conduct  which  the  gospel  retjuires, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  conceal  the  principles 
and  motives  on  which  they  act,  they  might 
perhaps  come  off"  more  easily  with  the  world; 
for  the  justice,  temperance,  goodness,  and 
truth,  which  become  their  high  calling,  are 
suited  to  conciliate  peace  with  all  men.  But 
their  principles  must  not,  cannot,  be  con- 
cealed. Those  who  know  and  love  .lesus,  and 
are  sensible  of  their  immense  obligations  to 
him,  will  glory  in  him,  and  in  him  only  ;  they 
will  avow,  that  it  is  not  by  their  own  power 


80 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


[book  II. 


or  holiness  that  they  escape  the  pollutions 
of  the  world,  but  that  thoy  derive  all  their 
stronjjth  from  faith  in  his  blood,  and  from  the 
supports  of  his  wrace.  They  dare  not  conceal 
this,  nor  do  they  desire  it,  thouo^h  they  are 
sensible  that  the  world,  whether  it  bears  the 
name  of  Heathen  or  Christian,  will  hate  and 
despise  them  for  it. 

2.  The  Romans,  thoug-h  attached  to  their 
old  system  of  idolatry,  were  not  averse  to 
the  admission  of  new  divinities,  upon  the 
ground  of  wliat  a  modern  writer  calls  a  spirit 
of  intcrcommtmity  ;  that  is,  every  one  had  a 
liberty  to  adopt  wnat  worship  he  pleased, 
provided  due  honour  was  given  to  the  an- 
cient establisliments.  The  votaries  of  the 
Egyptian,  Roman,  and  Syrian  deities,  while 
they  paid  some  peculiar  regard  to  their 
own  favourites,  indulged  each  other  in  a  mu- 
tual acknowledgment  of  the  rest :  but  the 
religion  of  Jesus  was  absolutely  incompatible 
with  them  all,  would  admit  of  no  competition; 
and  his  followers  could  not  avoid  declaring, 
upon  all  occasions,  that  they  were  no  gods 
that  were  made  with  hands.  On  this  account 
they  were  considered  as  a  most  uncharitable, 
proud,  and  narrow-hearted  sect,  as  the  Jews, 
for  the  same  reason,  had  been  before  them. 
And  thus  it  will  always  be.  Nothing  will 
more  effectually  secure  a  man  in  the  peace- 
flil  possession  of  his  own  errors,  than  his 
pleading  for  the  indifference  of  error  in  ge- 
neral, and  allowing  those  who  most  widely 
differ  from  him  to  be  all  right  in  their  own 
way ;  and  this  lukewarm  comprehension, 
which  is  a  principal  part  of  that  pretended 
candour  and  charity  for  which  our  own  times 
are  so  remarkable,  preserves  a  sort  of  inter- 
course or  confederacy  amongst  multitudes, 
who  are  hardly  agreed  in  any  one  thing  but 
their  joint  opposition  to  the  spirit  and  design 
of  the  gospel.  But  they  who  love  the  truth 
cannot  but  declare  against  every  deviation 
from  it ;  they  are  obliged  to  decline  the  pro- 
posed intercommunity,  and  to  vindicate  the 
commands  and  institutions  of  God  from  the 
inventions  and  traditions  of  men  :  they  not 
only  build  for  themselves  upon  the  foundation 
which  God  has  laid  in  Zion,  but  they  are  free 
to  profess  their  belief,  that  other  foundation 
can  no  man  lay ;  that  there  is  no  other  name 
given  under  heaven  by  which  a  sinner  can 
be  saved  ;  and  that  none  can  have  an  interest 
in  this  name  but  by  that  faith  which  purifies 
the  heart,  works  by  love,  and  overcomes  the 
world ;  therefore  they  always  have  been,  and 
always  will  be,  hated,  as  uncharitable  and 
censorious,  and  are  sure  to  be  treated  accord- 
ingly, so  far  as  opportunity  and  circumstances 
v/ill  permit  those,  who  think  themselves  ag- 
grieved, to  discover  their  resentment. 

3.  The  wisest  and  most  respectable  charac- 
ters among  the  Heathen  rulers,  either  for 
reasons  of  state,  or  from  their  own  supersti- 
tion, w  ere  generally  the  most  solicitous  to 


preserve  the  old  religion  from  innovations. 
The  iiistory  of  mankind  furnishes  us  with  fre- 
quent proofs,  that  persons,  in  other  respects 
of  the  greatest  penetration  and  genius,  have 
often  been  as  blindly  devoted  to  the  absurdi- 
ties of  a  false  religion  as  the  weakest  among 
the  vulgar  ;  or,  if  they  have  seen  the  folly  of 
many  things  that  have  the  sanctions  of  anti- 
quity and  custom  ;  yet  the  maxims  of  a  false 
policy,  and  that  supposed  connexion  and  al- 
liance between  the  established  religion  and 
the  welfare  of  the  state,  which  has  been  in- 
stilled into  them  from  their  infancy,  induce 
them  to  think  it  their  interest,  if  not  their 
duty,  to  keep  up  the  same  exterior,  and  to 
leave  things  as  they  found  them.  Trajan 
seems  to  have  been  influenced  by  these  consi- 
derations ;  he  was  zealous  for  the  Heathen 
system,  in  which  he  had  been  educated,  and 
regarded  it,  as  the  Romans  were  accustomed 
to  do,  as  the  basis,  or  at  least  the  chief  se- 
curity, of  the  government.  The  Christians, 
therefore,  were  to  be  punished,  not  only  for 
their  obstinacy  in  maintaining  their  own  opi- 
nions, but  as  being  eventually  enemies  to  the 
state ;  for  though  their  conduct  was  peace- 
able, and  they  paid  a  cheerful  obedience  to 
laws  and  governors,  while  they  did  not  in- 
terfere with  that  obedience  they  owed  to 
Christ,  their  supreme  Lord,  yet  their  doc- 
trines, which  struck  at  the  very  root  of  idol- 
atry, made  them  accounted  dangerous  to  so- 
ciety, and  deserving  to  be  exterminated 
from  it. 

4.  These  suspicions  were  strengthened  by 
the  great  success  and  spread  the  gospel 
obtained  in  this  first  century :  within  tlie  com- 
pass of  a  few  years,  it  had  extended  to  almost 
every  part  of  the  Roman  empire.  In  this 
view  it  appeared  formidable,  and  called  for  a 
speedy  and  vigorous  suppression  before  it 
should  become  quite  insuperable,  by  the  ac- 
cession of  fresh  strength  and  numbers.  But 
the  event  did  not  answer  their  expectation  : 
believers  grew  and  multiplied,  in  defiance  of 
all  the  cruelties  exercised  upon  them ;  the 
numbers  and  con.stancy  of  the  sufferers,  and 
the  gentle  spirit  of  meekness,  forgiveness,  and 
love,  which  thoy  discovered,  often  made  last- 
ing impressions  upon  the  people,  sometimes 
upon  their  tormentors  and  judges  ;  and,  by 
the  blessing  of  God  upon  their  doctrine,  thus 
powerfully  recommended  by  their  conduct, 
and  sealed  by  their  blood,  new  converts  were 
continually  added  to  the  church. 

5.  When  it  was  thus  determined  to  extir- 
pate, if  possible,  these  odious  and  dangerous 
people,  pretexts  and  occasions  were  always 
ready:  slanderous  reports  concerning  their 
tenets  and  assemblies  were  industriously 
promoted,  and  willingly  believed.  Some  of 
these  took  their  rise  from  misapprehension  ; 
some  were  probably  invented  by  those  wlio 
apostatized  from  tlie  church,  who,  to  justify 
themselves,  as  well  as  to  evince  their  sin- 


VHAP.  I.] 


AFTER  THE  ASCENSION. 


81 


cerity,  pretended  to  make  discoveries  of  horrid 
evils  that  prevailed  amongst  them,  under  the 
disguise  of  reliirion.  Many,  wlio  would  not 
have  invented  such  stories  themselves,  were, 
however,  well  pleased  to  circulate  what  they 
had  heard,  and  took  it  for  granted,  that  every 
thing  was  true,  which  confirmed  the  opinion 
they  had  before  entertained  of  this  pestilen- 
tial and  despicable  sect.  But  neither  violence 
nor  calumny  could  prevail  against  the  cause 
and  people  of  God  and  his  Christ.  They  were 
supported  by  an  almighty  arm  :  and  though 
many  had  the  honour  to  lay  down  their  lives 
in  tliis  glorious  cause,  many  more  were  pre- 
served, by  his  providence,  in  the  most  dan- 
gerous circumstances. 

The  gospel  of  Christ,  though  contradictory 
to  the  received  opinions,  laws,  customs,  and 
pursuits,  of  every  place  where  it  appeared, 
though  unsupported  either  by  arts  or  arms, 
though  opposed  by  power  and  policy  on  every 
side,  in  a  space  of  about  sixty-six  years  from 
our  Lord's  ascension,  according  to  the  pro- 
mise he  gave  his  disciples,  had  spread  suc- 
cessively from  Jerusalem,  through  Judea  and 
Samaria,  even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Chris- 
tians were  to  be  found  in  every  province 
■where  the  Roman  power  ruled,  and  in  most 
of  their  principal  cities;  find  though  not 
many  noble,  mighty,  or  wise,  were  called, 
yet  some  there  were  ;  and  the  power  of  the 
grace  of  Jesus  was  displayed  in  every  rank 
of  life.  Courtiers,  senators,  and  commanders, 
notwithstanding  the  difficulty  of  their  situa- 
tion, were  not  ashamed  of  his  cross ;  and  some 
of  the  learned  obtained  that  peace  and  hap- 
piness, by  embracing  his  gospel,  which  they 
had  sought  to  no  purpose  in  the  vain  intrica- 
cies of  a  false  philosophy.  Nor  w'as  the  suc- 
cess of  the  gospel  confined  within  the  limits 
of  the  Roman  empire,  but  extended  eastward 
to  Parthia  and  Babylon,  where  the  Roman 
eagles  were  not  acknowledtred.  We  are  not 
sure,  however,  that  there  were  many  collect- 
ed societies  of  christians  in  every  province, 
or  that  those  societies  were  in  general  very 
numerous.  Those  parts  of  Asia  and  Greece 
which  had  been  the  scene  of  St.  Paul's  la- 
bours, seem  to  have  had  the  greatest  number 
of  settled  churches,  in  proportion  to  their  ex- 
tent ;  and  their  largest  assemblies  were  pro- 
bably in  their  principal  cities,  such  as  An- 
tioch,  Alexandria,  and  Rome.  But  w^e  have 
reason  to  believe,  from  our  Lord's  own  decla- 
rations!, that  real  Chri-stians,  in  the  most 
flourishing  times  of  the  church,  have  be^n 
very  few,  in  comparison  with  the  many  wlio 
choose  the  broad  and  beaten  road  w  hich  leads 
to  destruction  (Matt.  vii.  13, 14 :)  but  these 
few  are  under  his  conduct  and  blessing,  as 
the  salt  of  the  earth,  and  are  therefore  scat- 
tered far  and  wide,  according  to  the  disposal 
of  his  wise  providence,  who  appoints  the  time 
of  their  birth,  and  the  bounds  of  their  habita- 
tion. ♦ 

Vol.  n.  L 


If  by  the  epithet  primitive  we  mean  that 
period  during  which  the  professed  churches 
of  Christ  preserved  their  faith  and  practice 
remarkably  pure,  and  uninfluenced  by  the 
spirit  and  maxims  of  the  world,  we  cannot 
extend  it  far  beyond  the  first  century.  We  are 
sure  that  a  mournful  declension  prevailed 
very  early,  and  quickly  spread,  like  a  conta- 
gion, far  and  wide  ;  and,  indeed,  the  seeds  of 
those  evils  which  afterwards  produced  such 
a  plentiful  harvest  of  scandals  and  mischiefs, 
were  already  sown,  and  began  to  spring  up, 
while  the  apostles  were  yet  living.  And  we 
shall  show  hereafter,  that  the  first  and  purest 
age  of  the  church  was  not  free  from  such 
blemishes  as  have  been  observable  in  all  suc- 
ceeding revivals  of  true  religion.  These 
things  are  to  be  guarded  against  with  tho 
utmost  attention ;  but  they  will  more  or  less 
appear  while  human  nature  continues  in  its 
present  state  of  infirmity.  While  tlie  pro- 
fessors of  Christianity  were  few  in  comparison 
of  their  opponents,  while  they  were  chiefly 
poor  and  obscure  persons,  and  had  sharp  per- 
secutions to  grapple  with,  so  long  they  pre- 
served the  integrity  and  purity  of  their  pro- 
fession in  general ;  and  the  disorders  which 
appeared  among  them  were  faithfully  and 
successfully  opposed  and  corrected:  afflictions 
and  sufl^erings  kept  them  firmly  united  in  a 
love  to  the  truth,  and  to  each  other :  but  when 
they  were  favoured  with  intervals  of  peace, 
and  the  increase  of  numbers  and  riches 
seemed  to  give  them  a  more  fixed  establish- 
ment in  the  world,  they  were  soon  corrupted; 
and  that  beautiful  simplicity  which  is  the 
characteristic  of  genuine  Christianity,  was  ob- 
scured by  will-worship  and  vain  reasonings. 
Amongst  the  multitudes  who  abandoned  idola- 
tr\>  and  embraced  the  christian  faith,  there 
were  several  who  had  borne  the  specious 
name  of  philosophers.  Some  of  these,  on  the 
one  hand,  latoured  to  retain  as  many  of  their 
favourite  sentiments  as  they  could  bv  any 
means  reconcile  to  the  views  they  had  formed 
of  the  gospel ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  they 
endeavoured,  if  possible,  to  accommodate  the 
Christian  scheme  to  the  taste  and  prejudices 
of  the  times,  in  hopes  thereby  to  make  it 
more  generally  acceptable.  Thus  the  doc- 
trines of  the  scriptures  were  adulterated  by 
those  within  the  church,  and  misrepresented 
to  those  without.  Perhaps  the  first  altera- 
tions of  this  kind  were  not  attempted  with  a 
bad  intention,  or  extended  to  the  most  import- 
ant points;  but  the  precedent  was  dangerous; 
for  the  progress  of  error,  like  that  of  sin,  is 
from  small  beginnings  to  awful  and  un- 
thought-of  consequences.  Gospel-truth,  like 
a  bank  oppsed  to  a  torrent,  must  be  pre- 
served entire,  to  be  useful ;  if  a  breach  is 
once  made,  though  it  may  seem  at  first  to  be 
small,  none  but  he  who  says  to  the  sea, 
Hitherto  shalt  thou  come,  but  no  farther,  can 
set  bounds  to  the  threatening  irmndation  that 


82 


ST.  PAUL  AN  EXEMPLAR 


[book  II. 


will  quickly  follow.  In  effect,  a  very  consi- 
derable deviation  from  the  plan  of  the  apostles 
had  taken  place  in  the  churches  before  the  de- 
cease of  some  who  had  personally  conversed 
witli  them. 

We  have  no  ecclesiastical  book  of  this  age 
extant  worthy  of  notice,  except  that  called, 
the  first  of  tlie  two  epistles  to  the  Corinthians, 
which  are  ascribed  to  Clement,  bishop  of 
Rome,  who  is  supposed  to  be  the  Clement 
mentioned  by  St.  Paul,  in  his  epistle  to  the 
^.omans.  This  epistle  is  not  unsuitable  to 
the  character  of  the  time  when  it  was  written, 
and  contains  many  useful  things;  yet  it  is 
^ot,  as  we  have  it,  free  from  fault,  and  at  the 
t>est  deserves  no  higher  commendation,  than 
IS  a  pious  well-meant  performance :  it  stands 
first,  both  in  point  of  time  and  merit,  in  the 
list  of  those  writings  which  bear  the  name  of 
the  apostolical  fathers ;  for  the  rest  of  them, 
if  the  genuine  productions  of  the  persons 
whose  names  they  bear,  were  composed  in 
the  second  century:  for  as  to  the  epistle 
ascribed  to  Barnabas,  St.  Paul's  companion, 
those  who  are  strangers  to  the  arguments  by 
which  many  learned  men  have  demonstrated 
it  to  be  spurious,  may  be  convinced,  only  by 
reading  it,  if  they  are  in  any  measure  ac- 
quainted with  the  true  spirit  of  the  apostle's 
writings.  We  are  indeed  assured,  that  both 
the  epistles  of  Clement,  this  which  bears  the 
name  of  Barnabas,  several  said  to  have  been 
written  by  Ignatius,  the  authenticity  of  which 
has  likewise  been  disputed,  one  by  Polycarp, 
and  the  book  called  the  Shepherd  of  Hernias, 
which  is  filled  with  visionary  fables,  were  all 
in  high  esteem  in  the  first  ages  of  the  church, 
were  read  in  their  public  assemblies,  and 
considered  as  little  inferior  to  the  canonical 
writings;  which  may  be  pleaded  as  one  proof 
of  what  I  have  advanced  concerning  that  de- 
clension of  spiritual  taste  and  discernment 
which  soon  prevailed :  for  I  think  I  may  ven- 
ture to  say,  there  are  few,  if  any  of  the  pro- 
testant  churclies,  but  have  furnished  authors 
whose  writings  (I  mean  the  writings  of  some 
one  author)  have  far  surpassed  all  the  apos- 
tolical fathers  taken  together;  and  that  not 
only  in  point  of  method  and  accuracy,  but  in 
scriptural  knowledge,  solid  judgment,  and  a 
just  application  of  evangelical  doctrine  to 
the  purposes  of  edification  and  obedience. 

But  though  the  first  christians  were  men 
subject  to  passions  and  infirmities,  like  our- 
selves, and  were  far  from  deserving,  or  de- 
siring that  distinguishing  admiration,  and 
implicit  submission,  to  all  their  sentiments, 
which  were  paid  them  by  the  ignorance  and 
superstition  of  after  times;  yet  they  were 
eminent  for  faith,  love,  self-denial,  and  a  just 
contempt  of  the  world ;  multitudes  of  them 
cheerfully  witnessed  to  the  truth  with  their 
blood,  and,  by  their  steadfastness  and  patience, 
under  trials,  and  their  harmony  among  them- 
selves often  extorted  honourable  testimonies, 


even  from  their  opposers.  Could  they  have 
transmitted  their  spirit,  together  with  their 
name,  to  succeeding  generations,  the  face  of 
ecclesiastical  history  would  have  been  very 
different  from  what  it  now  bears;  but,  by 
degrees,  the  love  of  novelty,  and  the  thirst 
of  power,  a  relaxed  attention  to  the  precepts 
of  Christ,  and  an  undue  regard  to  the  names, 
authority,  and  pretensions  of  men,  introduced 
those  confusions,  contentions,  and  enormities, 
which  at  length  issued  in  an  almost  universal 
apostacy  from  that  faith  and  course  of  prac- 
tice which  alone  are  worthy  the  name  of 
Christianity.  The  prosecution  of  this  subject, 
more  especially  with  a  view  to  the  history 
of  the  favoured  few  who  were  preserved  from 
the  general  contagion,  and  of  the  treatment 
they  met  with,  who  had  the  courage  to  cen- 
sure or  witlistand  the  abuses  of  the  times 
they  lived  in,  will  be  attempted  in  the  fol- 
lowuig  volumes  of  this  work,*  if  God,  in 
whose  hands  our  times  are,  is  pleased  to 
afford  opportunity,  and  if  the  specimen  pre- 
sented to  the  public,  in  this  volume,  should  so 
far  meet  the  approbation  of  competent  judges, 
as  to  encourage  the  author  to  proceed. 

Some  particulars  which  may  conduce  to 
render  the  state  of  the  church  in  the  first 
century  more  evident  to  the  reader,  as  well 
as  to  give  light  into  the  true  state  of  religion 
amongst  ourselves,  and  which  could  not  be 
well  introduced  in  the  course  of  our  narra- 
tion, without  making  too  frequent  and  too 
long  digressions,  I  have,  for  that  reason, 
treated  of  separately  in  the  chapters  that 
follow. 


CHAPTER  IL 

An  essay  on  the  character  of  St.  Paul,  con- 
sidered as  an  exemplar  or  pattern  of  a 
minister  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  success  with  which  the  first  promul- 
gation of  the  gospel  was  attended,  is  to  be 
ultimately  ascribed  to  the  blessing  and  opera- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  the  great  means 
which  the  Spirit  of  God  is  pleased  to  accom- 
pany with  an  efficacious  power  upon  the  souls 
of  men,  is  the  subject-matter  of  the  gospel 
itself  He  concurs  with  no  other  doctrine  but 
that  of  the  scripture.  The  most  laboured 
endeavours  to  produce  a  moral  change  of 
heart  and  conduct,  will  always  prove  inef- 
fectual, unless  accommodated  to  the  princi- 
ples of  revelation  respecting  the  ruin  of 
iiuman  nature  by  sin,  and  the  only  possible 
method  of  its  recovery  by  Jesus  Christ. 

And  as  the  Holy  Spirit  bears  witness  to  no 
other  doctrine,  so  he  ordinarily  restrains  his 
blessing  to  those  ministers  who  have  them- 


*  See  Introduction,  note. 


CHAP.  II.] 


OF  A  MINISTER  OF  CHRIST. 


83 


selves  experienced  the  power  of  the  truths 
which  they  deliver  to  others.  A  man  may 
be  systematically  right,  and  strenuous  in  the 
delivery  and  defence  of  orthodox  notions;  yet 
if  he  is  not  in  some  degree  possessed  of  the 
dispositions  and  motives  which  heconie  a  mi- 
nister of  the  New  Testament,  he  will  seldom 
be  honoured  with  much  success  or  accept- 
ance :  the  want  of  that  disinterested  and  de- 
pendent frame  of  mind  which  the  gospel 
inculcates  on  all  who  profess  it,  will  render 
his  labours  insignificant;  for  the  Holy  Spirit, 
•on  whose  influence  success  entirely  depends, 
will  seldom  co-operate  with  any  but  those 
who  are  sincerely  governed  by  his  precepts. 

A  great  stress  therefore  is  laid  in  the  New 
Testament,  upon  the  principles,  tempers,  and 
conduct,  which  ought  to  distinguish  the  men 
who  have  the  honour  to  be  intrusted  with  the 
important  charge  of  preaching  the  gospel  of 
Christ.  To  delineate  their  proper  character, 
and  to  form  their  manners  suitable  to  their 
high  calling,  is  the  principal  scope  of  the 
epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus :  and  when  we 
consider  what  we  read  there,  in  connexion 
with  many  passages  to  the  same  purpose, 
which  occur  occasionally  in  the  inspired 
writings,  we  may  well  adopt  the  apostle's 
words,  "  VV'ho  is  sufficient  for  these  things  !" 
A  christian,  even  in  private  life,  is  exposed 
to  innumerable  snares  and  dangers,  from  his 
situation  in  an  evil  world,  the  power  and 
subtlety  of  his  spiritual  enemies,  and  the  in- 
fluence of  the  body  of  sin  in  himself,  which, 
though  weakened  and  despoiled  of  dominion, 
is  not  yet  destroyed.  A  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel, besides  these  trials  in  common  with  other 
christians,  has  many  peculiar  to  himself:  His 
services  are  more  difficult,  his  temptations 
more  various,  his  conduct  more  noticed; 
many  eyes  are  upon  him, — some  enviously 
watching  for  his  halting,  and  some  perhaps 
too  reatlily  proposing  him  as  a  pattern,  and 
content  to  adopt  whatever  has  the  sanction 
of  his  example:  if  encouraged  and  accept- 
able, he  is  in  danger  of  being  greatly  hurt  by 
popularity  and  the  favour  of  friends;  if  op- 
posed and  ill-treated  (and  this  he  must  ex- 
pect in  some  instances  if  he  is  faithful,)  he  is 
liable  either  to  be  surprised  into  anger  and 
impatience,  or  to  sink  into  dejection  and  fear. 
It  is  therefore  a  great  encouragement  to  find 
from  scripture  (and  not  from  scripture  only,) 
how  the  grace  of  God  has  enabled  others,  in 
equal  circumstances  of  danger  and  tempta- 
tion, to  rise  superior  to  all  impediments,  and 
to  maintain  such  a  course  of  conduct,  that 
they  stand  proposed  as  proper  patterns  for  our 
imitation,  and  call  upon  us  to  be  followers  of 
them,  as  they  were  of  Christ. 

Amongst  these  the  character  of  St.  Paul 
shines  with  a  superior  lustre;  he  stands  dis- 
tinguished by  the  eminence  of  his  knowledge, 
grace,  labours,  and  success,  as  a  noble  and 
animating  exemplar  of  a  minister  of  Jesus 


Christ.  And  if  it  should  be  thought  a  digres- 
sion from  the  design  of  an  Ecclesiastica'i 
History,  to  allot  a  few  pages  to  the  considera- 
tion of  his  principles,  and  the  uniform  tenor 
of  his  life,  yet  I  hope  the  digression  will  not 
be  unprofitable  in  itself,  or  judged  unsuitable 
to  my  general  plan;  for  I  proposed  not  to 
confine  myself  to  a  dry  detail  of  facts,  but  to 
point  out  the  genuine  tendency  of  the  gospel 
where  it  is  truly  received,  and  the  spirit  by 
which  it  is  opposed,  and  to  show  the  impos- 
sibility of  reviving  practical  godliness  by 
any  other  means  than  those  which  were  so 
signally  successful  in  the  first  age  of  the 
church. 

Were  I  to  exhibit  any  recent  character 
with  these  views,  the  exceptions  of  partiality 
and  prejudice  would  not  be  so  easily  obviated ; 
the  merits  of  such  a  character,  however  com- 
mendable upon  the  whole,  would  be  objected 
to,  and  the  incidental  infirmities  and  indis- 
cretions of  the  person  (for  the  best  are  not 
wholly  free  from  blemish)  would  be  studi- 
ously collected  and  exaggerated  as  a  suffi- 
cient contrast  to  all  that  could  be  said  in  his 
praise.  But  modesty  forbids  tlie  same  open 
disingenuous  treatment  of  one  who  was  an 
apostle  of  Christ:  besides,  he  lived,  and  died 
long  ago:  and  as  some  learned  men  have 
found,  or  pretended  to  find,  a  way  to  recon- 
cile his  writings  with  the  prevailing  taste  of 
the  times,  he  is  commended  in  general  terms, 
and  claimed  as  a  patron  by  all  parties  of  the 
religious  world ;  therefore  I  am  warranted  to 
take  it  for  granted,  that  none  who  profess  the 
name  of  Christians  will  be  angry  with  me  for 
attempting  to  place  his  spirit  and  conduct  in 
as  full  a  light  as  I  can,  or  tor  proposing  him 
as  a  proper  criterion,  whereby  to  judge  of  the 
merits  and  pretensions  of  all  who  account 
themselves  ministers  of  Christ. 

Many  things  worthy  our  notice  and  imita- 
tion have  occurred  concerning  this  apostle, 
whilst  we  were  tracing  that  part  of  his  his- 
tory which  St.  Luke  has  given  us  in  the 
Acts ;  but  I  would  now  attempt  a  more  exact 
delineation  of  character,  as  it  is  farther  ex- 
emplified in  his  own  epistles,  or  may  be  il- 
lustrated from  a  review  of  what  has  been 
occasionally  mentioned  before. 

We  may  observe  much  of  the  wistlom  of 
God  in  disposing  the  circumstances  in  which 
his  people  are  placed  previous  to  their  con- 
version :  they  only  begin  to  know  him  when 
he  is  pleased  to  reveal  himself  to  them  by 
his  grace ;  but  he  knew  them  long  before : 
he  determines  the  hour  of  their  birth,  their 
situation  in  life,  and  their  earliest  conne.x- 
ions :  he  watches  over  their  childhood  and 
youth,  and  preserves  them  from  innumerable 
evils  and  dangers  into  which  their  follies, 
while  in  a  state  of  ignorance  and  sin,  mi^ht 
plunge  them ;  and  he  permits  their  inclina- 
tions to  take  such  a  course,  that,  when  he  is 
pleased  to  call  them  to  the  knowledge  of  his 


84 


ST.  PAUL  AN  EXEMPLAR 


[booe  II. 


truth,  many  consequences  of  their  past  con- 
duct, and  the  reflections  they  make  upon 
them,  may  concur,  upon  the  whole,  in  a  sub- 
serviency to  fit  them  for  the  services  into 
which  he  designs  to  lead  them  afterwards. 
Thus  he  leads  the  blind  by  a  way  that  they 
knew  not,  and  often  for  the  manifestation  of 
his  wisdom,  power,  and  grace,  in  bringing 
good  out  of  evil,  he,  for  a  season,  gives  them 
up  so  far  to  the  effects  of  their  own  depravity, 
that,  in  the  judgment  of  men,  none  seem 
more  unlikely  to  be  the  subjects  of  his  grace, 
than  some  of  those  whom  he  has  purposed 
not  only  to  save  from  ruin,  but  to  make  in- 
strumental to  the  salvation  of  others.  I 
doubt  not  but  some  of  my  readers,  who  are 
acquainted  with  their  own  hearts,  will 
easily  apply  this  observation  to  themselves ; 
but  there  are  instances  in  which  the  contrast 
is  so  striking  and  strong,  that  it  will  be 
made  for  tliem  by  those  who  know  them.  It 
is,  however,  peculiarly  exemplified  in  the 
case  of  St.  Paul :  he  was  set  apart  from  the 
womb,  as  he  himself  tells  us  (Gal.  i.  15,)  to 
be  a  chosen  instrument  of  preaching  among 
the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ.  The  frame  of  his  heart,  and  the 
manner  of  his  life,  the  profession  he  had 
made,  and  the  services  in  which  he  was  en- 
gaged before  his  conversion,  were  evidently 
suited  to  render  him  an  unsuspected,  as  well 
as  a  zealous  witness  to  the  truth  and  power 
of  the  gospel,  after  he  had  embraced  it. 
The  Lord's  purpose  was  to  show  the  insuf- 
ficiency of  all  legal  appointments  and  human 
attainments,  the  power  of  his  grace  in  sub- 
duing the  strongest  prejudices,  and  the  riches 
of  his  mercy  in  pardoning  the  most  violent 
attempts  against  his  gospel.  We  know  not 
how  this  purpose  could  have  been  more  ef- 
fectually answered,  in  a  single  instance, 
than  by  making  choice  of  our  apostle,  who 
had  been  possessed  of  every  advantage  that 
can  be  imagined  exclusive  of  the  gospel,  and, 
in  consequence  of  these  advantages,  had 
made  the  most  pertinacious  efforts  to  sup- 
press it :  he  was  born  a  Jew,  bred  up  under 
Gramaliel,  a  chief  of  the  Pharisees  (Phil,  iii,) 
the  sect  which  professed  the  most  peculiar 
attachment  to  the  law  of  Moses:  his  conduct 
before  he  became  a  christian  was  undoubt- 
edly moral,  if  we  understand  morality  in  that 
lean  and  confined  sense  which  it  too  fre- 
quently bears  among  ourselves,  as  signifying 
no  more  than  an  exemption  from  gross  vices, 
together  with  a  round  of  outward  duties  per- 
formed in  a  mercenary,  servile  spirit,  to 
soothe  conscience,  and  purchase  the  favour 
of  God.  While  he  was  thus  busied  in  ob- 
serving the  letter  of  the  law,  he  tells  us, 
he  was  alive, — that  is,  he  pleased  himself  in 
his  own  attainments,  doubted  not  of  his 
ability  to  please  God,  and  that  his  state  was 
safe  and  good.  Upon  these  principles  (which 
act  uniformly  upon  all  who  are  governed  by 


them)  his  heart  was  filled  with  enmity 
against  the  doctrines  and  people  of  Jesus, 
and  his  blinded  conscience  taught  him  that 
it  was  his  duty  to  oppose  them.  He  was  a 
willing  witness  at  the  death  of  Stephen 
(Acts  xxii.  20,)  and,  from  a  spectator,  soon 
became  a  distinguished  actor  in  the  like  tra- 
gedies. Such  is  the  unavoidable  gradation, 
in  a  state  of  nature,  from  bad  to  worse.  The 
excess  and  effects  of  his  rage  are  described 
by  St.  Luke  in  very  lively  colours  ;  and  he 
often  acknowledges  it  in  his  epistles;  for, 
though  the  Lord  forgave  him,  he  knew  not 
how  to  forgive  himself  for  having  persecuted 
and  wasted  the  church  of  God  (Gal.  i.  13; 
1  Cor.  XV.  9 :)  he  made  havoc  of  the  disci- 
ples like  a  lion  or  a  wolf  amongst  a  flock  of 
sheep, — pressing  into  their  houses,  sparing 
none,  not  even  women.  Thus  he  was  filled 
with  the  hateful  spirit  of  persecution,  which 
is  undistinguishing  and  unrelenting.  The 
mischiefs  he  could  do  in  Jerusalem,  not  be- 
ing sufficient  to  gratify  his  insatiable  cruelty 
and  thirst  of  blood,  he  obtained  (as  has  been 
formerly  observed)  a  commission  from  the 
high-priest  to  harass  the  disciples  at  Da- 
mascus. In  this  journey,  when  he  was  near 
the  city,  he  was  suddenly  struck  to  the 
ground  by  the  voice  and  appearance  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  From  that  hour  a  memorable 
change  took  place  in  his  heart  and  viev/s; 
and,  having  been  baptized  by  Ananias,  and 
received  a  free  pardon  of  all  his  wickedness, 
with  a  commission  to  the  apostolic  office, 
he  began  to  preach  that  faith  which  before 
he  had  so  industriously  laboured  to  destroy. 
In  this  new  light  we  are  now  to  consider 
him ;  and  whatever  may  be  reasonably  ex- 
pected from  a  sense  of  such  a  display  of  grace 
and  mercy  in  his  behalf,  we  shall  find  mani- 
fested in  the  subsequent  course  of  his  life. 
Happy  are  those  who  come  the  nearest  to 
such  an  exemplary  pattern. 

I.  The  characteristic  excellence  of  St. 
Paul,  which  was  as  the  spring  or  source  of 
every  other  grace,  was  the  ardency  of  the 
supreme  love  he  bore  to  his  Lord  and  Sa- 
viour: it  would  not  be  easy  to  find  many 
periods  throughout  his  epistles  which  do  not 
evidence  the  fulness  of  his  heart  in  this  re- 
spect: he  seems  delighted  even  with  the 
sound  of  the  name  of  Jesus,  so  that,  regard- 
less of  the  cold  rules  of  studied  composition, 
we  find  him  repeating  it  ten  times  in  the 
compass  of  ten  successive  verses,  ICor.i. 
1 — 10.  He  was  so  struck  with  the  just  claim 
the  Saviour  had  to  every  heart,  that  he  ac- 
counted a  want  of  love  to  him  the  highest 
pitch  of  ingratitude  and  wickedness,  and  de- 
serving the  utmost  severity  of  wrath  and 
ruin,  1  Cor.  xvi.  22.  When  he  was  con- 
scious that,  for  his  unwearied  application  to 
the  service  of  the  gospel,  in  defiance  of  the 
many  dangers  and  deaths  which  awaited  him 
in  every  place,  he  appeared  to  many  as  one 


CHAP,  ir.] 


OF  A  MINISTER  OF  CHRIST. 


85 


beside  himself,  and  transported  beyond  the 
bounds  of  sober  reason,  he  tliought  it  a  suffi- 
cient apology  to  say,  "The  love  of  Christ 
constrains  us"  (2  Cor.  v.  14 ;)  we  are  content 
to  be  fools  for  his  sake,  to  be  despised,  so  he 
may  be  honoured,  to  be  nothing  in  ourselves, 
that  he  may  be  all  in  all:  he  had  such  a 
sense  of  the  glorious,  invaluable  excellence 
of  the  person  of  Christ,  of  his  adorable  con- 
descension in  taking  the  nature  and  curse 
of  sinners  upon  himself,  and  liis  complete 
suitableness  and  sufficiency,  as  the  wisdom, 
rigliteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption 
of  his  people,  tliat  lie  often  seems  at  a  loss 
for  words  answerable  to  the  emotions  of  liis 
heart ;  and  when  lie  lias  exhausted  the  powers 
of  language,  and  astonished  his  readers  with 
his  inimitable  energy,  he  intimates  a  convic- 
tion of  his  inability  to  do  justice  to  a  subject, 
the  height,  and  depth,  and  length,  and  breadth 
of  which  are  too  great  for  our  feeble  capaci- 
ties to  grasp.  But  besides  tliese  general 
views,  he  was  particularly  affected  witli  the 
exceeding  abundant  love  and  grace  of  Christ 
to  himself,  when  he  reflected  on  the  circum- 
stances in  which  the  Lord  had  found  him, 
and  the  great  things  he  liad  done  for  him. 
Tliat  lie  who  liad  before  been  a  persecutor, 
a  blaspliemer,  and  injurious,  should  be  for- 
given, accepted  as  a  child  of  God,  intrusted 
with  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  and  ap- 
pointed to  everlasting  salvation,  was  indeed 
an  instance  of  wonderful  grace.  So  it  ap- 
peared to  himself ;  and  at  the  thought  of  it  he 
often  seems  to  forget  his  present  subject,  and 
breaks  forth  into  inimitable  digressions  to  the 
praise  of  liim  who  had  loved  him,  and  given 
himself  for  him.  Happily  convinced  of  the 
tendency  and  efficacy  of  this  principle  in 
himself,  he  proposes  it  to  others,  instead  of  a 
thousand  arguments,  whenever  he  would  in- 
culcate the  most  unreserved  obedience  to  the 
whole  will  of  God,  or  stir  up  believers  to  a 
holy  diligence  in  adorning  the  doctrine  of 
their  God  and  Saviour  in  all  things;  and  his 
exhortations  to  the  conscientious  discharge 
of  the  various  duties  of  relative  life  are  gene- 
rally enforced  by  this  grand  motive.  In  a 
word,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places,  the  ha- 
bitual and  favourite  subject  that  employed 
his  thoughts,  his  tongue,  and  his  pen,  was  the 
love  of  Christ. 

Supported  and  animated  by  this  love,  he 
exerted  himself  to  the  utmost  in  promoting 
the  knowledge  of  him  whom  he  loved,  and 
bearing  testimony  to  his  power  and  grace: 
nothing  could  disliearten,  or  terrify,  or  bribe 
him  from  his  duty;  and  this  must,  and  will, 
be  universally  the  leading  principle  of  a 
faithful  minister.  Should  a  man  possess  the 
tongue  of  men  and  angels,  the  finest  genius, 
and  the  most  admired  accomplishments,  if  he 
is  not  constrained,  and  directed  by  the  love  of 
Christ,  he  will  either  do  nothing,  or  notiiing 
to  the  purpose :  he  will  be  unable  to  support 


either  the  frowns  or  the  smiles  of  the  world ; 
his  studies  and  endeavours  will  certainly  be 
influenced  by  low  and  selfish  views :  interest, 
or  a  desire  of  applause,  may  stimulate  him  to 
shine  as  a  scholar,  a  critic,  or  a  philosopher ; 
but  till  the  love  of  Christ  rules  in  his  heart, 
he  will  neither  have  inclination  nor  power 
to  exert  himself  for  the  glory  of  God,  or  the 
good  of  souls. 

II.  The  inseparable  effect,  and  one  of  the 
surest  evidences  of  love  to  Christ,  is  a  love 
to  his  people.  Of  this  likewise  our  apostle 
exhibits  an  instructive  and  affecting  example ; 
the  warmth  and  cordiality  of  his  love  to  those 
who  loved  his  Lord  and  Master,  appear  in 
every  page  of  his  writings;  he  so  rejoiced  in 
their  prosperity,  that,  to  hear  of  it  at  any 
tune,  made  him  in  a  manner  forget  his  own 
sorrows,*  when  encompassed  with  troubles 
on  every  side ;  and  though  in  many  instances, 
he  did  not  meet  that  grateful  return  he  had 
reason  to  expect,  yet  he  could  not  be  dis- 
couraged ;  but  when  he  had  occasion  to  ex- 
postulate with  some  upon  this  account,  he 
adds,  I  will  still  gladly  spend  and  be  spent  for 
you,  though  the  more  I  love  you,  the  less  I 
am  loved,  2  Cor.  xii.  5.  Of  such  a  generous 
temper  as  this,  the  world,  would  they  observe 
it,  must  acknowledge  (as  the  magician  in 
Egypt,)  this  is  the  finger  of  God ;  for  nothing 
but  his  grace  can  produce  a  conduct  so  con- 
trary to  the  natural  inclination  of  man,  as  to 
persevere  and  increase  in  kindness  and  affec- 
tion to  those  who  persevere  in  requiting  it 
with  coldness  and  ingratitude.  His  epistles 
to  the  Thessalonians  abound  in  such  expres- 
sions and  strains  of  tenderness  as  would  doubt- 
less be  generally  admired  (especially  by  those 
who  can  read  them  in  the  original,)  were  they 
not  overlooked,  through  the  unhappy  disre- 
gard which  too  many  show  to  that  best  of 
books  in  whicli  they  are  contained.  When 
he  is  appealing  to  themselves  concerning  the 
sincerity  of  his  conduct,  and  how  far  he  had 
been  from  abusing  his  authority,  he  says.  We 
were  gentle  among  you,  even  as  a  nurse 
(or  mother)  cherisheth  her  children ;  who, 
by  her  tender  and  assiduous  offices,  supplies 
their  inability  to  take  care  of  themselves, 
1  Thess.  ii.  7,  8.  It  would  be  well  if  all  who 
have  aimed  to  derive  a  plenitude  of  power 
from  the  example  of  the  apostle,  were  equally 
desirous  to  imitate  him  in  the  use  of  it.  He 
then  adds.  So,  being  affectionately  desirous  of 
you,  we  were  willing  to  have  imparted  unto 
you,  not  the  gospel  of  God  only,  but  also  our 
own  souls,  because  ye  were  dear  unto  us. 

*  2  Cor.  vii.  7,  13;  see  likewise  Phil.  li.  28,  which 
finely  intimates  his  tenderness  and  affection.  He  was 
oppressed  with  sorrow  upon  sorrow  ;  yet  he  felt  more 
for  the  Philippians  than  for  himself  He  uioinncd  over 
Epaphroditus,  when  sick  for  tl  eir  sakes;  and  sent  him 
away  for  their  comfort  when  recovered:  and  this  he  did 
as  llie  most  effectual  means  to  lessen  his  own  burden, 
by  sympathizing  in  tliat  jcy  liis  friends  would  have  in 
the  interview,  though  he  could  not  directly  part4^  witb 
them. 


86 


ST.  PAUL  AN  EXEMPLAR 


[book  n. 


No  comment  can  do  justice  to  the  spirit  of 
this  sentiment,  or  to  the  force  of  the  expres- 
sion in  the  Greek.  In  another  passage,  which 
is  rendered  in  our  version,  '  We  being  taken 
from  you,'  the  original  tenn*  has  an  empliasis 
which  no  single  word  in  our  language  can 
answer;  it  imports  sucli  a  state  of  separation 
as  is  made  between  a  parent  and  a  child  by 
the  death  of  either,  when  the  child  is  left  a 
helpless  and  exposed  orphan,  or  the  parent  is 
bereaved  of  the  staff  and  comfort  of  his  age ; 
it  beautifully  intimates  the  endearing  affec- 
tion which  subsisted  between  the  apostle  and 
the  persons  he  was  writing  to ;  and  demon- 
strates the  greatest  tenderness,  simplicity, 
and  condescension.  But  his  regard  went  be- 
yond words,  and  was  evidenced  by  the  whole 
course  of  his  actjpns.  Nor  was  it  confined  to 
those  who  had  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  his 
personal  ministry :  his  heart  was  charged  with 
the  care  and  welfare  of  all  the  churches ;  and 
those  who  had  not  seen  his  face  in  the  flesh, 
had  an  unceasing  share  in  his  solicitude  and 
prayers  (Col.  ii.  1 :)  nay,  so  strong  was  his 
love  to  the  churches,  that  it  balanced  his  ha- 
bitual desire  to  be  with  Christ ;  he  could  not 
determine  which  was  most  eligible,  to  suffer 
with  the  members  upon  earth  (so  that  he 
might  be  serviceable  to  them,)  or  to  reign 
with  the  Head  in  heaven,  Phil.  i.  23,  24.  In 
the  passage  referred  to,  we  see  the  happy 
centripetal  and  centrifugal  forces  which  car- 
ried him  on  through  the  circle  of  duty,  he 
constantly  tended  and  gravitated  to  his  centre 
of  rest:  but  successive  opportunities  of  use- 
fulness and  service  drew  him  off,  and  made 
him  willing  to  wait  yet  longer. 

In  this  part  of  his  character  we  are  not  to 
consider  him  exclusively  as  an  apostle.  All 
who  have  truly  known  the  gospel  to  be  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation,  are  partakers 
of  the  same  spirit,  according  to  tjje  measure 
of  their  faith.  That  person  is  unworthy  the 
name  of  a  christian,  who  does  not  feel  a  con- 
cern and  affection  for  his  brethren  who  are  in 
the  world.  It  must  be  allowed,  that  preju- 
dices and  misapprehensions  too  often  prevent 
the  Lord's  people  from  knowing  each  other; 
but,  so  far  as  they  believe  a  person  to  be  a 
child  of  God  through  faith,  they  cannot  but 
love  him.  This  is  the  immutable  criterion 
which  our  Lord  himself  has  given,  whereby 
his  real  disciples  are  to  be  known  and  ac- 
knowledged, John  xiii.  35.  He  has  not 
directed  us  to  judge  by  their  discourses,  their 
knowledge,  or  even  their  zeal,  but  by  the 
evidence  they  give  of  mutual  love ;  and  we 
may  as  easily  conceive  of  a  sun  without  light, 
or  a  cause  without  an  effect,  as  of  a  person 
duly  affected  with  a  sense  of  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  love  of  Chri.st,  and  not  propor- 
tionably  filled  with  a  spirit  of  love  to  all  who 
are  like  minded.  But  especially  this  disposi- 

— 9-  

*  A-of  sxno-SivT:;,  ]  Thess.  ii.  17. 


tion  is  essential  to  a  minister  of  the  gospel; 
and  the  apostle  assures  us,  tliat  all  imagin- 
able qualifications  are  of  no  avail  without  it; 
though  we  could  possess  the  powers  of  a  pro- 
phet, or  an  angel,  or  the  zeal  of  a  martyr,  if 
we  are  destitute  of  this  love,  we  are,  in  the 
sight  of  God,  but  as  sounding  brass,t  or  a 
tinkling  cymbal. 

III.  St.  Paul's  inflexible  attachment  to  the 
great  doctrines  of  the  gospel  is  another  part 
of  his  character  which  deserves  our  attention  • 
he  knew  their  worth,  experienced  their  powe? 
in  his  own  soul,  and  saw,  that  though  thej 
were  unacceptable  to  the  wisdom  of  the 
world,  they  bore  the  impress  of  the  manifold 
wisdom  of  God.  He  takes  notice  that,  in 
those  early  days,  there  were  many  w'ho  cor 
rupted  the  word  of  God.  J  The  word  properly 
signifies  to  adulterate,  to  imitate  the  practice 
of  dishonest  vintners,  who  mix  and  sophisti- 
cate their  liquors,  so  that,  though  the  colour 
is  preserved  and  the  taste  perhaps  nearly 
counterfeited,  the  quality  and  properties  are 
quite  altered  and  depraved.  But  he  says.  We 
are  not  as  they :  he  preached  the  gospel  in  its 
purity  and  simplicity,  the  sincere  genuine 
milkj  of  the  word,  neither  weakened  by 
water,  nor  disguised  by  any  artful  sweeten- 
ing to  render  it  more  palatable:  he  added 
nothing  of  his  own,  nor  employed  any  art  or 
gloss  to  palliate  the  truth,  that  it  might  be 
more  acceptable  to  men  of  carnal  minds;  as 
he  was  not  ashamed  of  it,  neither  was  he 
afraid  lest  it  should  fall  without  success  to 
the  ground,  if  not  supported  and  assisted  by 
inventions  of  his  own;  he  knew  whose  word 
it  was,  and  therefore  cheerfully  ventured  the 
issue  with  him  who  alone  could  procure  it  a 
welcome  reception ;  and  as  he  disdained  the 
thought  of  deviating  a  tittle  himself  from  the 
plain  and  full  declaration  of  the  truth,  neither 
could  he  bear,  no  not  for  an  hour,  with  those 
who  presumed  to  do  so,  Gal.  ii.  5.  I  doubt  not 
but  the  warmth  of  his  zeal,  in  this  respect, 
has  disgusted  many  in  the  present  day, 
wherein  a  seeming  candour  and  forbearance 
is  pleaded  for  and  extended  to  almost  every 
sentiment,  except  the  truths  in  which  St. 
Paul  gloried.  There  is  little  doubt  but  many, 
if  they  had  the  courage  and  honesty  to  speak 
out,  would  add  St.  Paul  himself  to  the  list  of 
those  whom  they  despise  as  uncharitable  and 
hot-brained  bigots ;  for  who  has  ofl^ended  more 
than  he  against  the  rules  of  that  indifference 
to  error,  which  is  at  present  miscalled  charity. 
The  Galatians,  in  a  short  time  after  he  left 
them,  had  ventured  to  admit  some  alteration 


t  Soundivg  brass,  without  nipaninz,  and  without  life. 
f?uch  are  the  most  specious  gifts  ami  performances,  if 
unaccompanieil  by  a  spirit  of  love:  they  may  perhaps 
lie  u.-seful  to  others,  as  the  sound  of  a  bell  gives  notice, 
and  brings  people  together,  but  the  possessor  himself  is 
a  lifeless  instrument;  he  designs  no  good,  and  will  re 
ceive  no  reward." 

J  K.B-iiXsu'.i'Tss,  3  Cor.  ii.  17. 

5  AiKov  yxKx,  1  Pet.  ii.  2. 


CHAP  II.] 


OF  A  MINISTER  OF  CHRIST. 


87 


m  the  doctrine  tlicy  had  received  from  him ; 
it  was  chiefly  in  one  point:  they  had  been 
^  persuaded  into  an  undue  regard  for  tlie  law 
of  Moses.  This,  some  may  tliink,  was  little 
more  than  a  circumstantial :  that  it  could  not 
have  any  great  or  direct  mfluence  upon  their 
moral  practice;  and  that  they  might  be  very 
good  men,  and  good  christians,  though,  in 
this  one  thing,  they  could  not  see  exactly 
with  their  teacher's  eyes.  But  how  different 
was  the  apostle's  judgment!  If  the  Galatians 
had  returned  to  the  practice  of  idolatry,  or 
broken  out  into  the  most  scandalous  im- 
moralities, he  could  hardly  have  expressed 
his  surprise  and  grief  in  stronger  terms ;  he 
changes  his  usual  manner  of  address,  and 
speaks  to  them  as  a  senseless  people  (Gal.  iii. 
1,)  under  the  power  of  some  unaccountable 
fascination;  he  tells  them,  that,  by  admitting 
sucii  an  addition  (Gal.  i.  6 — 9,)  small  and 
inconsiderable  as  they  might  think  it,  they 
had,  in  effect,  received  another  gospel,  which 
was,  however,  so  enervated  and  despoiled  of 
efficacy,  that  it  vi'as,  more  properly  speaking, 
become  no  gospel  at  all,  utterly  unworthy 
the  least  pretence  to  the  name.  Further,  he 
denounces  an  anathema  (the  highest  curse) 
upon  any  person  who  should  dare  to  preach 
any  such  pretended  gospel,  even  though,  if 
Buch  a  thing  were  possible,  it  should  be  him- 
self, or  an  angel  from  heaven;  and  this  de- 
nunciation he  immediately  repeats,  lest  it 
should  be  thought  that  he  spoke  rather  from 
warmth  of  temper  than  from  a  just  sense  of 
the  importance  of  the  case.  What  would 
some  of  my  readers  think  of  a  man  who 
should,  at  this  time,  express  himself  in  terms 
like  these  !  But  let  it  be  remembered,  that 
our  apostle,  who  was  so  ready  with  an  ana- 
thema upon  this  occasion,  and  who,  in  an- 
other place  (1  Cor.  xvi.  22,)  passes  the  same 
severe  judgment  upon  any  man  who  does  not 
love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  was  far  from 
speaking  thus  from  emotions  of  anger  and 
ill-will;  the  disposition  of  his  own  mind,  the 
tender  concern  with  which  he  viewed  the 
worst  of  sinners  may  be  judged  of  from  his 
willingne.ss  to  be  made  an  anathema  himself 
(Rom.  ix.  8,)  after  the  manner  of  Christ,  if, 
by  all  he  could  suffer,  he  might  be  a  means 
of  saving  the  Jews,  who  were  his  worst  ene- 
mies, and  from  whom  he  had  constantly  re- 
ceived the  most  unjust  and  cruel  treatment; 
but,  when  tiie  cause  of  the  gospel  and  the 
honour  of  Christ  were  in  question,  he  could 
not,  he  durst  not,  consult  with  the  feelings 
of  flesh  and  blood :  but  as  the  minister  and 
messenger  of  the  Lord,  he  solemnly  declared 
what  must,  and  will  be,  the  awful  conse- 
quence of  neglecting  or  corrupting  the  word 
of  life. 

Every  faithful  minister  of  the  gospel  is 
possessed  of  a  degree  of  the  same  attention 
to  the  purity  of  the  truth  and  fiiith  once  de- 
livered to  the  saints;  they  must  not  deviate 


from  their  instructions,  nor  can  they  behold 
with  indifference  tlie  specious  attempts  of 
others  to  mislead  the  unwary;  they  know 
what  censures  they  must  expect  upon  this 
account.  It  is  sufficient  for  them  that  they 
can  appeal  to  the  searcher  of  hearts,  that 
though,  as  the  servants  of  Christ,  they  dare 
not  aim  to  please  men  by  speaking  smooth 
things,  yet  they  act  from  principles  of  be- 
nevolence and  love,  and  would  rejoice  in  the 
salvation  of  their  greatest  opposers.  The 
world  perhaps  would  judge  more  favourably 
of  them  if  they  knew  all ;  if  they  were  wit- 
nesses to  the  prayers  and  tears  which  they 
pour  out  for  them  in  secret,  and  the  emotions 
of  mind  they  feel  when  they  are  constrained 
to  declare  the  more  awful  parts  of  their  mes- 
sage; but  as  ministers,  and  in  their  public 
work,  they  cannot  avoid  pointing  out  the 
danger  of  those  who  venture  their  souls  and 
eternal  hopes  upon  any  other  doctrine  than 
that  which  St.  Paul  preached. 

IV.  But  though  St.  Paul  was  so  tenacious 
of  the  great  foundation-truths  of  the  gospel, 
and  would  not  admit  or  connive  at  any  doc- 
trine that  interfered  with  them,  he  e.xercised, 
upon  all  occasions,  a  great  tenderness  to 
weak  consciences,  in  matters  that  were  not 
essential  to  the  faith,  and  when  the  scruples 
were  owing  rather  to  a  want  of  clear  light 
than  to  obstinacy.  This  was  evident  in  his 
conduct  with  regard  to  the  great  controversy 
that  soon  took  place  between  the  Jewish  and 
Gentile  converts,  about  the  distinction  of 
meats,  and  drinks,  and  other  rituals  enjoined 
by  the  law  of  Moses;  the  obligation  (Rom. 
xiv.)  of  which,  many  who  had  been  educated 
in  the  practice  of  those  observances,  did  not 
immediately  see  was  superseded  by  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ:  He  knew  and  asserted  his  own 
liberty;  yet,  in  condescension  to  the  weak- 
ness of  others,  he  often  abridged  hunself  of 
it,  and  declared  that,  rather  than  grieve  or 
cause  offence  to  a  weak  brother,  he  would 
eat  no  meat  while  the  world  stood.  His  prac- 
tice herein  will  probably  be  of  general  ap- 
plication, miitatis  mutnndis,  so  long  as  the 
present  state  of  human  infirmity  subsists.  A 
defect  in  knowledge,  the  prejudices  of  educa- 
tion and  custom,  the  remains  of  a  legal  spirit, 
the  influence  of  great  names,  and  other  causes 
of  a  like  nature,  will  probably  always  ope- 
rate, so  far  as  to  keep  up  lesser  differences  in 
judgment  and  practice  amongst  those  who 
aeree  in  the  great  and  fundamental  truths. 
The  enemy  gains  too  much  advantage  from 
these  things,  not  to  improve  such  differences 
into  divisions.  Self  is  too  prevalent  in  the 
best  men,  and  the  tendency  of  self  is,  to  exact 
submission,  to  hurry  to  extremes,  to  exag- 
gerate trifles  into  points  of  great  consequence, 
and  to  render  us  averse  to  the  healing  ex- 
pedients of  peace.  From  these  sources,  dis- 
cords and  evils  innumerable  have  been  mul- 
tiplied and  perpetuated  among  the  various 


88 


ST.  PAUL  AN  EXEMPLAR 


[book.  u. 


dpnoriiinations  under  which  the  Lord's  people 
have  been  ranged,  which  have  greatly  hin- 
dered the  welfare  and  progress  of  the  common 
cause,  and  exposed  each  contending  party  to 
the  scorn  of  their  real  enemies.  But  were 
the  spirit  and  conduct  of  our  apostle  more 
adopted,  many  dclxites  would  entirely  cease ; 
and  in  those  things  where  a  difference  of 
judgment  would  still  subsist,  the  exercise  of 
patience,  gentleness,  and  mutual  forbearance, 
would  periiaps  afford  fairer  occasion  for  the 
display  of  the  christian  character,  than  if  we 
were  all  exactly  of  a  mind;  then  the  strong 
would  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  the 
one  would  not  censure,  nor  the  other  despise ; 
nor  would  those  whose  minds  have  been  en- 
larged by  a  variety  of  experience  and  observa- 
tion, think  it  at  all  strange,  much  less  would 
they  be  angry,  if  others  who  have  not  had  the 
same  advantages  cannot  immediately  enter 
into  all  their  sentiments.  St.  Paul,  in  know- 
ledge, abilities,  and  usefulness,  was  eminently 
superior  to  all  those  among  whom  he  chiefly 
conversed,  and,  as  an  apostle,  he  had  a 
stronger  right  than  any  man  since  the  apos- 
tle's day  could  have  to  exact  an  implicit 
deference  and  submission;  but  he  had  drunk 
deeply  of  the  spirit  of  his  Master,  and  we  are 
concerned  to  follow  him,  as  he  followed 
Christ,  in  the  exercise  of  tenderness  to  the 
weakest  of  the  flock. 

It  is  not  my  present  business  to  define  what 
are  properly  essentials  in  the  christian  reli- 
gion, and  to  separate  them  clearly  from  the 
less  important  points,  which,  for  that  reason, 
and  in  contradistinction  to  the  other,  are 
called  circumstantials.  This  would  lead  me 
too  far,  though  perhaps  it  would  not  be  so 
difficult  as  a  person  might  at  first  expect, 
who  should  be  told  of  all  that  has  been  writ- 
ten (with  little  satisfaction)  upon  the  subject. 
I  foresee  a  future  period  in  our  history,  when 
a  di.squisition  of  this  kind  will  be  almost  ne- 
cessary ;  and  if  I  am  spared  to  reach  so  far, 
I  shall  probably  embrace  the  occasion.  In 
the  mean  time  I  would  just  hint  an  observa- 
tion or  two  upon  this  head,  which  the  intelli- 
gent reader  (if  he  thinks  them  just)  may  ap- 
ply as  he  sees  proper. 

1.  Circumstantials  and  essentials  in  reli- 
gion (if  we  speak  with  propriety)  are  derived 
from  the  same  source,  and  resolved  into  the 
same  authority.  To  consider  the  commands 
of  God  as  essentials,  and  the  inventions  and 
traditions  of  men  superadded  thereto  as  cir- 
cumstantials, would  be  a  very  improper,  and 
indeed  a  very  false  division  of  the  subject. 
Nothing  but  what  is  prescribed  by  the  word 
of  God,  or  may  be  fairly  deduced  from  it,  is 
worthy  the  name  even  of  circumstantial  in 
true  religion.  Human  appointments,  if  not 
repugnant  to  scripture  and  the  light  of  con- 
science, may  be  submitted  to  for  the  sake  of 
peace,  or  when  the  general  purpose  of  edifi- 
cation cannot  be  attained  without  them ;  but 


they  seem  not  to  deserve  a  place  even  among 
the  circumstantials  of  a  religion  which  is  of 
divine  institution.  All  the  laboured  argu- 
ments, whether  for  or  against  the  colour  of  a 
garment,  the  shape  of  a  building,  and  a  mul- 
titude of  other  things  equally  insignificant, 
seem  to  have  occasioned  a  needless  loss  of 
time  and  temper,  chiefly  by  a  mistake  of  the 
question  on  both  sides. 

2.  Essentials  in  Christianity  are  those  thinga 
without  which  no  man  can  be  a  christian  in 
the  sight  of  God,  and  by  the  decision  of  his 
word;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  those  things 
only  are  essential  which  whoever  possesses,  is 
by  scripture-declaration,  in  a  state  of  favour 
with  God  through  Christ.  These  might  be 
branched  out  into  many  particulars;  butthey 
are  fully  and  surely  comprised  in  two.  Faith 
and  Holiness.  These  are  essential  to  the  being 
of  a  Christian,  are  only  to  be  found  in  a  chris- 
tian, are  infallible  tokens  that  the  possessor 
is  accepted  in  the  Beloved,  and  whoever  dies 
without  them  must  assuredly  perish  :  These 
are  essentials,  because  they  are  absolutely 
necessary ;  for  it  is  written,  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  not  shall  be  damned"  (Mark  xvi.  16,) 
and  "  Without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the 
Lord"  (Heb.  xii.  14 :)  and  they  are  essential 
likewise,  because  they  demonstrate  an  inter- 
est in  the  promise  of  everlasting  life.  Thu3 
our  Lord  declares,  "  He  that  heareth  my 
words,  and  believeth  on  him  that  sent  me, 
hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into 
condemnation,  but  is  passed  from  death  unto 
life"  (John  v.  24 ;)  and  the  apostle,  writing 
to  the  believing  Romans,  tells  them,  "Now, 
being  made  free  from  sin,  and  become  the 
servants  of  God,  you  have  your  fruit  unto 
holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life,"  Rom. 
vi.  22.  These  then  are  the  essentials  of  re- 
ligion :  and  though  they  are  produced  by  the 
same  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  derived 
from  a  knowledge  of  the  same  truths,  and 
therefore  cannot  be  separated,  they  may 
properly  be  distinguished  for  the  conviction 
of  those  who  pretend  to  one  without  the 
other.  The  most  specious  appearances  of 
holiness,  which  are  not  accompanied  with 
faith  in  Christ,  may  be  safely  rejected  as 
counterfeits.  On  the  other  hand,  a  profession 
of  faith  which  is  not  evidenced  by  the  fruits 
of  holiness,  by  gracious  tempers,  and  a  tenor 
of  life  becoming  the  gospel,  is  dead,  delusory, 
and  destructive. 

If  the  question  is  removed  another  step, 
and  it  should  be  asked.  Which,  or  how  many, 
of  the  doctrines  of  scripture  are  necessary  to 
produce  the  faith  and  holiness  supposed  re- 
quisite ]  it  may  suffice  to  say,  That,  in  the 
nature  of  things,  no  person  can  be  expected 
to  believe  in  Christ,  till  convinced  of  his 
need  of  him,  and  of  his  ability,  as  a  Saviour, 
fully  to  answer  his  expectations  :  and  as  a 
supreme  love  to  God,  and  a  hatred  of  all  sin, 
are  evidently  included  in  the  idea  of  holiness. 


CHAP.  II.] 


OF  A  MLNISTER  OF  CHRIST. 


89 


it  supposes  a  (iisposition  of  mind,  wliicli  every 
man's  experience  proves  to  be  beyond  the 
power  of  fallen  nature  ;  and  therefore  a  com- 
petent knowledije  and  cordial  acceptance  of 
what  the  scriptures  teach  concerning  tiie  na- 
ture and  desert  of  sin,  the  person  and  media- 
tory acts  of  Christ,  the  causes,  ends,  and 
effects  of  his  mediation,  together  with  the 
necessity  of  that  change  of  heart  which  is 
expressed  by  a  being  born  again,  appear  to 
be  essentially  necessary  to  that  faith  and 
holiness  which  are  described  in  the  gospel. 

3.  The  circumstantials  of  religion  include 
all  those  particulars  of  revelation,  which  a 
person  possessed  of  the  above-mentioned  es- 
sentials may  as  yet  be  unacquainted  with,  or 
unable  to  judge  of  with  certainty.  A  care- 
ful application  to  the  scriptures,  a  diligent 
waiting  upon  God  in  prayer,  and  an  improve- 
ment of  the  means  of  grace,  will  (by  the  di- 
vine blessing,  which  is  promised  to  those  who 
seek  in  this  manner)  increase  our  light,  com- 
prehension, and  certainty,  with  regard  to 
these  points,  which  though  not  essentially 
necessary  to  the  being  of  a  Christian,  are  ex- 
ceedingly conducive  to  his  well-being,  to  his 
growth  and  establishment  in  the  truth. 

This  subject  may  be  perhaps  illustrated 
from  the  animal  frame,  in  which  what  we  call 
the  vital  parts  may  be  considered  as  essential 
to  life,  because  there  can  be  no  life  without 
them.  We  may  easily  conceive,  that  a  man 
may  live  without  an  arm  or  leg,  or  several 
members  and  organs,  which,  though  highly 
valuable  for  use  and  comfort,  are  not  neces- 
sarily connected  with  life ;  but  if  we  conceive 
of  him  as  deprived  of  his  head,  heart,  or  lungs, 
we  can  no  longer  consider  him  as  living ;  yet 
it  is  desirable  to  have  a  body  not  only  ani- 
mated, but  organized.  So  likewise  in  reli- 
gion, those  who  are  truly  partakers  of  it  will 
not  too  curiou.ily  inquire,  how  much  know- 
ledge, or  what  degree  of  practice  is  barely 
consistent  with  a  possibility  of  life,  but  they 
will  earnestly  desire  to  be  acquainted  with 
the  whole  will  of  God,  and  that  every  part  of 
it  may  have  a  suitable  influence  upon  their 
practice :  But,  in  the  mean  time,  a  consola- 
tion is  provided,  in  the  promises  of  God,  made 
to  those  who  have  received  the  seeds  of  faith 
and  true  holine.ss,  against  the  fears,  doubts, 
and  involuntary  mistakes,  which,  from  re- 
maining ignorance,  they  are  yet  subject  to  : 
He  will  supply  what  is  wanting,  pardon  what 
is  amiss,  and  lead  them  on  from  strength  to 
strength ;  they  are  to  walk  by  the  light  al- 
ready affordecl,  to  wait  on  him  for  an  in- 
crease, to  be  diffident  of  themselves,  and 
gentle  to  others,  and  things  which  as  yet 
they  know  not,  God  will,  in  his  due  time, 
reveal  to  them.  But  to  return  from  this 
digression : 

V.  Every  part  of  St.  Paul's  history  and 
writings  demonstrates  a  disinterested  spirit, 
and  that  his  uncommon  labours  were  directed 

Vol.  U.  M 


to  no  other  ends  than  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  good  of  men.  No  man  had  ])robably  so 
great  an  influence  over  his  hearers,  or  could 
have  a  juster  claim,  from  the  nature  and 
number  of  his  services,  to  a  suitable  provision 
for  himself;  but  he  could  say  with  truth.  We 
seek  not  yours,  but  you.  To  cut  off  all  oc- 
casions of  misapprehension  on  this  head,  he 
usually  submitted  to  work  with  his  own 
hands,  rather  than  be  chargeable  to  his 
friends.*  It  is  true,  he  does  not  propose  him- 
self to  us  a  pattern  in  this  respect ;  for  he  tells 
us  (1  Cor.  ix.  14,)  that  the  labourer  is  wor- 
thy of  his  hire ;  and  that  the  Lord  had  ordain- 
ed, that  those  who  preach  the  gospel  should 
live  by  the  gospel ;  and  when  he  saw  it  ex- 
pedient, he  did  not  refuse  to  be  himself  as- 
sisted by  others.  He  showed,  by  accepting 
such  assistance  from  some,  that  he  under- 
stood his  liberty,  and  did  not  act  from  a  spirit 
of  pride  or  singularity  when  he  declined  it ; 
and,  by  his  more  general  practice,  he  evi- 
denced that  he  was  superior  to  all  selfish 
and  mercenary  motives,  and,  upon  the  whole, 
he  was  content  to  appear  and  live  as  a  poor 
man ;  and  though  he  had  learned,  in  tlie 
school  of  Christ,  how  to  abound  as  well  as  to 
suffer  want,  the  latter  seems  to  have  been 
more  frequently  his  lot  (Phil.  iv.  12 :)  he 
saw  too  many  false  teachers,  who,  under  the 
sanction  of  a  sacred  character,  made  mer- 
chandize of  souls ;  and  he  not  only  severally 
censured  them,  but,  by  this  self-denial,  which 
they  were  unable  to  imitate,  he  manifested 
the  vanity  of  their  pretences  in  setting  them- 
selves forth  as  the  apostles  of  Christ.  This 
seems  to  have  been  the  chief  design  in  it, 
and  the  reason  of  his  repeating,  with  so  much 
earnestness,  his  determination  to  take  nothing 
from  the  Corinthians,  who  were  too  much  in- 
clined to  listen  to  some  of  these  teachers,  to 
his  disadvantage.  But  whatever  parade  they 
might  make  of  gifts  or  zeal,  or  however  they 
might  presume  to  equal  themselves  to  him 
in  other  respects,  he  knew  they  would  not 
attempt  to  share  with  him  in  the  glory  of 
preaching  the  gospel  freely,  which  was  dia- 
metrically inconsistent  with  their  whole  de- 
sign. The  circumstances  with  us  are  so  far 
different,  that,  in  proposing  St.  Paul  as  a 
pattern  of  disinterestedness,  we  do  not  lay  a 
stress  upon  his  preaching  the  gospel  without 
experise  to  his  hearers  ;  yet,  in  his  noble  con- 
tempt of  worldly  andvantages,  and  making 
every  thing  stoop  to  the  great  ends  of  his 
mission,  he  stands  as  a  precedent  to  all  chris- 
tian ministers  in  succeeding  times.  In  those 

»  1  Cor.  ix.  18.  That  I  may  make  the  gospel  of  Christ 
without  charKe.— Aj^'xv'.v  that  I  may  set  it 

before  you  ffratis,  or  a  free  ^o«pel.  The  messengers  of 
good  news  are  usually  gratified  with  a  reward  ;  but  the 
apostle,  though  he  brought  the  most  welrome  and  im- 
portant tidings  that  ever  rejoit^ed  the  hearts  of  men, 
would  not  encumber  or  disgrace  the  news,  by  receiving 
any  thing  for  it.  The  truth  is,  he  took  as  much  plea- 
sure in  delivering  his  message  as  they  could  in  hearing 
it,  and  found  his  reward  in  liis  employment. 


90 


ST.  PAUL  AN  EXEMPLAR 


[book  II. 


passages  of  his  epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus, 
wliere  the  neg-ative  part  of  a  minister's  cha- 
racter, whether  bisliop  or  deacon,  is  given, 
this  is  constantly  one  branch  of  it,  that  he  must 
not  be  influenced  by  a  love  of  gain  ;  and  as 
constantly  tlie  word  is  compounded  with  the 
epithet  filthy  :  "  Not  given  to  filthy  lucre ;" 
to  intimate,  tliat  nothing  can  be  more  dis- 
honest or  dishonourable  than  to  make  a  traffic 
of  this  service.  Nor  is  this  the  judgment  of 
scripture  only,  but  the  general  voice  of  man- 
kind. Notiitng  is  a  greater  bar  to  a  minis- 
ter's usefulness,  or  renders  his  person  and 
labours  more  contemptible,  than  a  known  at- 
tachment to  money,  a  gripping  fist,  and  a 
hard  heart.  They  who  enter  into  the  prigst's 
office  for  a  piece  of  bread,  who  are  less  con- 
cerned for  the  flock  than  the  fleece,  who  em- 
ploy all  their  arts  and  influence  to  exchange 
a  less  emolument  for  a  greater,  or  to  super- 
add one  to  another,  may  have  the  reward  they 
seek.  But  of  all  the  methods  of  acquiring 
wealth,  which  do  not  directly  expose  a  man 
to  the  lash  of  human  laws,  this  is  the  most  to 
be  lamented  and  avoided.  If  the  scriptures 
are  true,  if  St.  Paul  was  a  servant  of  Christ, 
and  if  the  authority  of  his  precepts  and  e.x- 
ample  is  still  binding,  a  day  will  come  when 
mercenary  preachers  will  wish  they  had  beg- 
ged their  bread  from  door  to  door,  or  been 
chained  to  the  oar  of  a  galley  for  life,  rather 
than  have  presumed  to  intrude  into  the  church 
upon  such  base  and  unworthy  views.  It  is 
to  be  feared,  that  too  many  read  the  awful 
denunciations  upon  this  head  in  the  prophets 
Jeremiah  (chap,  xxiii.)  and  Ezekiel  (chap, 
xiii.  and  xxxiv,)  with  indifference,  as  sup- 
posing they  only  relate  to  the  Jews  who 
lived  at  that  time  ;  but  they  are  equally  ap- 
plicable to  all  who  prostitute  the  word  and 
worship  of  God  to  the  purposes  of  ambition 
and  avarice. 

VI.  From  the  foregoing  particulars  we 
may  collect  the  idea  of  true  christian  zeal,  as 
exemplified  in  our  apostle.  Hardly  any  word 
in  our  language  is  more  misunderstood,  or 
abused  than  zeal.*  It  is  used  in  the  New 
Testament  indiff'erently  in  a  good  or  bad 
sense;  and  it  is  considered  as  a  vice  or  vir- 
tue, according  to  its  object  and  principle.  It 
sometimes  denotes  envy,t  indignation,  or  dis- 
dain, an  obstinate  and  ignorant  opposition  to 

*  All  religious  parties  profess  a  ^reat  regard  to  the 
precept,  Jude  3.  "Contend  earnestly  for  the  faith." 
Anil  if  noisy  anger,  bold  assertions,  harsh  censures,  and 
bitter  persecuting  zeal  can  singly  or  jointly  answer  the 
apostle's  design,  there  is  hardly  a  party  but  may  glory 
in  their  obedience.  But  if  the  weapons  of  our  warfare 
are  not  carnal; — if  the  wrath  of  man  worketh  not  the 
righteousness  of  God; — if  the  true  Christian  contention 
can  only  be  maintained  by  scripture  arguments,  meek- 
ness, patience,  prayer,  and  an  exemplary  conversation  ; 
— if  this  is  the  true  stale  of  the  case,  where  is  the  church 
or  party  (may  I  not  say,  where  is  the  person?)  that  has 
not  stiil  much  to  learn  and  to  practise  on  this  point? 

t  Compare  Acts  V.  17 ;  Rom.  xiii.l3,  x.  2;  Phil.  iii,6; 
Gal.  i.  14;  Acts  xvi.  20;  James  iii.  16;  in  all  which 
places  tlie  word  is  the  same  that  is  rendered  zeal  in 
2  Cor  ix.  2;  Col.  iv.  13;  Jolin  ii.  17. 


the  truth,  a  misguided  warmth  in  unneces- 
sary things,  and  a  contentious,  disputatious 
tem.per.  A  zeal  replete  with  these  characters 
has  too  frequently  been  the  bane  and  oppro- 
brium of  the  christian  cliurch ;  but  it  is  good 
to  be  zealously  aff'ected  in  a  good  thing;  and 
then  it  is  sinful  to  be  otherwise.  Our  passions 
were  not  given  us  in  vain.  When  the  judg- 
ment is  well  informed,  and  the  understanding 
duly  enlightened  by  the  word  of  God,  the 
more  warmtli  the  better ;  but  this  earnestness 
in  an  ignorant  or  prejudiced  person  is  dan- 
gerous, and  hurtful  to  himself  and  others;  it 
is  like  haste  in  a  man  in  the  dark,  who  knows 
not  where  he  is  going,  nor  what  mischiefs  he 
may  suffer  or  occasion.  False  zeal  spends  its 
strength  in  defence  of  names  and  forms,  the 
externals  of  religion,  or  the  inventions  of 
men ;  it  enforces  its  edicts  by  compulsion  and 
severity ;  it  would  willingly  call  for  fire  from 
heaven,  but,  unable  to  do  this,  it  kindles  the 
flame  of  persecution,  and,  if  not  providentially 
restrained,  wages  war  with  the  peace,  com- 
fort, and  liberty  of  all  who  disdain  to  wear  its 
chains,  and  breathes  threatening,  slaughter 
and  destruction  with  an  unrelenting  spirit. 
Its  mildest  weapons  (which  it  never  employs 
alone,  except  where  it  is  checked  by  a  supe- 
rior power)  are  calumny^  contempt  and  hatred; 
and  the  objects  it  seeks  to  worry  are  gene- 
rally the  quiet  in  the  land,  and  those  who 
worship  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth :  in  a  word, 
it  resembles  the  craft  by  which  it  works,  and 
is  earthly,  sensual,  devilish.  But  the  true 
christian  zeal  is  a  heavenly,  gentle  flame:  it 
shines  and  warms,  but  knows  not  to  destroy : 
it  is  the  spirit  of  Christ,  infused,  with  a  sense 
of  his  love,  into  the  heart :  it  is  a  generous 
philanthropy  and  benevolence,  which,  like 
the  light  of  the  sun,  diffuses  itself  to  every 
object,  and  longs  to  be  the  instrument  of 
good,  if  possible,  to  the  whole  race  of  man- 
kind. A  sense  of  the  worth  of  souls,  the  im- 
portance of  unseen  things,  and  the  awful 
condition  of  unawakened  sinners,  makes  it 
indeed  earnest  and  importunate,  but  this  it 
shows  not  by  bitterness  and  constraint,  but 
by  an  unwearied  perseverance  in  attempting 
to  overcome^  evil  with  good :  it  returns  bless- 
ings for  curses,  prayers  for  ill  treatment; 
and,  though  often  reviled  and  aff'ronted,  can- 
not be  discouraged  from  renewed  efforts  to 
make  others  partakers  of  the  happiness  itself 
possesses :  it  knows  how  to  express  a  becom- 
ing indignation  against  the  errors  and  follies 
of  men ;  but  towards  their  persons  it  is  all 


t  See  Romans  xxii.  20.  21.  This  practice  the  apostle 
recommends  by  the  metaphor  of  heaping  coals  of  tire  on 
an  enemy's  head.  As  metals  that  endure  a  moderate 
warmth  without  alteration  are  melted  down  and  quite 
dissolved  by  an  intense  heat,  so  the  hard  heart,  even  of 
an  enemy,  may  be  sometimes  softened  by  a  series,  and 
indefatigable  heaping  up  of  favours  and  obligations. 
This  is  a  noble  piece  of  chemistry,  but  almost  as  nmch 
out  of  repute  and  practice  as  the  search  after  the  philo- 
sopher's stone. 


CHAP.  11.] 


OF  A  MINISTER  OF  CHRIST. 


91 


gentleness  and  compassion:*  it  weeps  (and 
would,  if  possible,  weep  tears  of  blood)  over 
those  who  will  not  be  persuaded ;  but,  while 
it  plainly  represents  the  consequences  of 
their  obstinacy,  it  trembles  at  its  own  de- 
clarations,f  and  feels  for  them  who  cannot 
feel  for  tlicmselves,  it  is  often  grieved,  but 
cannot  be  provoked.  The  zealous  christian 
is  strictly  observant  of  his  own  failings,  can- 
did and  tender  to  the  faults  of  others:  he 
knows  what  allowances  are  due  to  the  frailty 
of  human  nature,  and  the  temptations  of  the 
present  state,  and  willingly  makes  all  the 
allowances  possible;  and  though  he  dare  not 
call  evil  good,  cannot  but  judge  according  to 
the  rule  of  the  scripture,  yet  he  will  conceal 
the  infirmities  of  men  as  much  as  he  can, 
will  not  speak  of  them  without  just  cause, 
much  less  will  he  aggravate  the  case,  or 
boast  himself  over  them.  Such  was  the  zeal 
of  our  apostle.  Bold  and  intrepid  in  the  cause 
of  God  and  truth,  unwearied  in  service,  in- 
flexible in  danger,  when  duty  called,  he  was 
not  to  be  restrained,  either  by  the  threats  of 
enemies,  the  solicitations  of  friends,  or  the 
prospect  of  any  hardships  to  which  he  might 
be  exposed:  he  cheerfully  endured  hunger 
and  thirst,  watching  |ind  weariness,  poverty 
and  contempt,  and  counted  not  his  life  dear, 
so  that  he  might  fulfil  the  great  purposes  of 
the  ministry  which  he  had  received  of  the 
Lord.  But  at  the  same  time,  in  all  his  inter- 
course with  men,  he  was  gentle,  mild,  and 
compassionate ;  he  studied  the  peace,  and  ac- 
comm.odated  himself  to  the  weakness  of  all 
about  him :  when  he  might  command,  he  used 
entreaties;  when  he  met  with  hard  and  in- 
jurious treatment,  he  bore  it  patiently,  and, 
if  opportunity  offered,  requited  it  with  kind- 
ness. Thus  as  he  had  drunk  of  the  spirit,  so 
he  walked  in  the  steps  of  his  Lord  and 
Master. 

All  who  bear  the  name  of  ministers  of 
Christ  would  do  well  to  examine  how  far 
their  tempers  and  conduct  are  conformable 
to  St.  Paul's.  Are  there  not  too  many  who 
widely  differ  from  him?  Where  he  was  im- 


*  When  St.  Paul,  speaking  of  the  Judaizin?  falsp 
teachers,  anil  their  adherents,  says,  "  I  would  they  were 
even  cut  off  which  trouble  50U,"  he  seems  to  allude  to 
the  circumcision  they  so  strenuously  enforced,  Gal.  v. 
12;  compare  Phil.  iii.  2.  His  wish  concerning  these 
Bectarie<  has  been  often  perverted,  to  give  sanction  to 
the  rage  of  persecutors;  but  he  does  not  mean  to  cut 
them  off  with  fire  and  sworil,  or  to  cut  them  off  from 
fire  and  water,  but  to  have  them  excluded  from  com- 
munion and  converse  with  true  believers. 

t  How  awful  to  declare,  to  denounce  the  terrors  of 
the  Lord!  those  terrors  which  are  represented  to  us  by 
lire  unquenchable,  with  the  additional  idea  of  eternity. 
Matth.  iii.  13;  Mark  ix.  43. — As  such  descriptions  shock 
and  alarm  a  guilty  conscience,  there  are  two  different 
m"thods  by  which  the  removal  of  this  alarm  is  attempt, 
ed:  some  seek  and  find  pcac«  and  security  from  the 
blood  of  Jesus;  and  some,  who  are  not  pleased  with 
this  method,  satisfy  themselves  and  their  friends  with 
criticisms  upon  the  termy,  and  tell  us  that  the  phrase 
"  for  ever  and  ever,"  signities  a  limited  space,  and  that 
"  lire  thai  cannot  be  quenched,"  denotes  lire  that  goes 
out  of  itself. 


moveable  as  an  iron  pillar,  they  are  flexible 
and  yielding  as  a  reed  waving  in  the  wind, 
suiting  their  doctrines  and  practice  to  the 
depraved  state  of  the  world,  and  prostituting 
their  talents  and  calling  to  the  unworthy 
pursuit  of  ambition  an.1  applause.  On  the 
other  hand,  in  things  less  essential,  or  not 
commanded,  they  invade  the  rights  of  private 
judgment,  and  attempt  to  bind  heavy  yokes|: 
and  impositions  upon  those  whom  Christ  has 
made  free;  and  while  they  readily  tolerate,  if 
not  countenance,  scepticism,  and  immorality, 
they  exert  all  their  strength  and  subtlety  to 
disquiet  or  suppress  those  who  differ  from 
them  in  the  slightest  circumstance,  if  they 
profess  to  differ  for  conscience  sake.  But 
Jesus  has  no  such  ministers:  their  claim  is 
utterly  vain ;  none  but  those  who  are  igno- 
rant of  the  plainest  truths  can  allow  them 
this  character :  their  tempers,  their  behaviour, 
the  tenor  of  their  professed  instructions,  and 
the  total  want  of  efficacy  and  influence  in 
their  ministrations,  plainly  demonstrate  that 
he  neither  sent  them  nor  owns  them. 

VII.  Havmg  considered  the  subject-mat- 
ter, and  the  leading  views  of  the  apostle's 
ministry,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  take  some 
notice  of  his  manner  as  a  preacher.  This  he 
reminds  the  Corinthians  of  They  were  re- 
puted a  polite  and  ingenuous  people.  St. 
Paul  was  aware  of  their  character,  and  ex- 
presses himself  as  if  he  had  been  deliberating 
before  he  saw  them  in  what  way  he  should 
address  them  with  the  fairest  probability  of 
success.  He  tells  them  (1  Cor.  ii.  2—4,) 
that  he  determined  to  know  nothing  among 
them  but  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified, 
including  in  this  one  comprehensive  expres- 
sion, the  whole  scheme  of  gospel-doctrine. 
And  as  to  the  manner  in  which  he  delivered 
this  doctrine,  he  says,  "  My  speech  and  my 
preaching  was  not  with  enticing  words  of 
man's  wisdom,  but  in  demonstration  of  the 
Spirit,  and  with  power."  We  are  sure  that 
he  did  not  renounce  justness  of  reasoning, 
or  propriety  of  expression ;  in  these  respects 
he  exceeded  their  most  admired  orators,  as 
may  appear  to  any  who  have  skill  and  can- 
dour to  compare  his  epistles  and  discourses, 
in  the  original,  with  the  best  perfonnances  of 
the  Greek  writers;  but  he  renounced  the  en- 
ticing or  plausible  words  of  man's  wisdom. 
In  the  term  man's  wisdom,  I  apprehend,  may 
be  included  whatever  the  natural  faculties  of 
man  are  capable  of  discovering  or  receiving, 
independent  of  the  peculiar  teaching  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  which  is  promised  and  re- 

t  Matth  xviii.  4.  "They  bind  heavy  burdens  and 
grievous  to  be  botne,"  a  weight  of  traditicuis  anil  ob. 
servances,  "and  lay  them  uijon  men's  shoulders;  hut 
they  themselves  will  not  mo\e  them  u  ith  one  of  their 
fingers."  There  is  a  double  opposition  in  this  passage, 
between  to  be  borne  and  to  viove.  and  between  the 
shouldrrs  and  a  jtntrer.  It  has  been  often  found  since, 
that  those  who  are  most  impatient  of  restraint  them- 
selves are  most  earnest  in  pressing  yokes  and  bands 
upon  others. 


92 


ST.  PAUL  AN  EXEMPLAR 


[book  II. 


strained  to  those  who,  sensible  of  their  own 
foolishness,  are  brouijht  to  believe  in  Jesus 
Christ,  tlie  wisdom  of  God;  and  the  enticing 
Words  of  man's  wisdom  may  include  all  those 
ways  and  arts  which  the  wise  men  of  the 
world  have  used  or  ajiproved,  as  most  effectual 
to  express,  adorn,*  or  defend  their  own  wise 
sentiments  and  discoveries.  These,  and  the 
methods  of  setting'  them  off  to  advantage, 
have  been  divided  into  many  branches,  and 
dignified  with  sounding  names;  but  all  the 
efforts  of  man's  wisdom,  considered  as  en- 
gaged in  the  subjects  of  religion  and  morals, 
may  be  sunmied  up  in  three  particulars:  1. 
A  vain  inquiry  into  things  which  lie  wholly 
beyond  the  capacity  of  man  in  his  present 
state,  and  which  can  only  be  discovered  by 
supernatural  revelation;  2.  A  vain  attempt 
to  account  for  every  thing  according  to  the 
light  and  principles  of  depraved  reason;  3. 
A  studious  exactness  in  language,  either  an 
easy  flow  of  words  to  please  and  amuse  the 
ear,  or  a  torrent  of  strong  and  figurative  ex- 
pressions to  engage  the  passions,  according  as 
a  different  taste  or  fashion  happens  to  prevail. 
It  would  be  too  dry  a  task  to  illustrate  these 
points  by  adducing  specimens  of  each  from 
the  works  of  the  ancient  and  modern  philo- 
sophers; but  if  we  had  not  other  employment 
in  hand,  it  would  be  easy  to  show  tliat  man's 
wisdom,  in  the  first  sense,  is  uncertainty,  in 
the  second,  prejudice,  in  the  third,  imposition 
and  artifice.  It  is  sufficient  for  my  present 
purpose  that  the  apostle  renounced  them  all. 
Instead  of  vainf  conjectures,  he  spoke  from 
certain  experience;  lie  could  say,  I  received 
of  the  Lord  that  which  I  also  delivered  to  you. 
Instead  of  accommodating  his  doctrine  to  the 
taste  and  judgment  of  his  hearers,  he  spoke 
with  authority,  in  the  name  of  God  whom  he 
served :  instead  of  losing  time  in  meSsuring 
words  and  syllables,  that  he  might  obtain  the 
character  of  a^ne  speaker,  he  spoke,  from 
tlie  feeling  and  fulne.ss  of  his  heart,  the  words 
of  simplicity  and  truth.  The  success  of  his 
preaching  did  not  at  all  depend  upon  the  soft- 
ness and  harmony  of  his  periods,  and  there- 

*  In  1  Cor.  xiv.  9.  St.  Paul  reromiiicniis  "  words 
easy  to  be  understood  "  His  reasoning  in  that  cliapter 
is  levelled,  not  only  against  the  absurdity  of  speaking  in 
an  unknown  tongue,  but  against  the  use  of  any  terms, 
or  tlie  treating  upon  any  subjects  which  are  not  adapted 
to  the  level  of  the  auditory.  Many  discourses  that  are 
expressed  in  English  phrases,  are  as  useless  to  the  bulk 
of  the  people  as  if  they  were  delivered  in  Greek;  for 
what  have  the  people  to  do  with  scholastic  or  metaphy- 
sical niceties,  or  curious  researches  into  antiquity,  or 
elegant  dissertations  upon  the  fitness  of  thinirs  ?  They 
cannot  understand  them ;  and  if  they  could,  they  would 
find  them  nothing  to  their  purpose. 

t  Tliough  the  apostle  disclaimed  the  light  sophistry 
which  obtained  in  the  schools,  the  tenor  of  his  preach- 
ing wa.s  founded  upon  the  clearest  principles,  ami  con- 
tained a  chain  of  the  justest  consequences.  He  did  not 
only  assert,  but  prove  and  demonstiate  the  truth  of  his 
doctrines,  by  ancient  prophecies,  by  recent  fads,  and  by 
a  present  incontestible  efficacy.  Yet  it  is  called  "  the 
demonstration  of  the  Spirit,"  to  intimate  that  the 
strongest  and  best  adapted  evidence  is  insufficient  to 
the  purposes  of  salvation  unless  accompanied  with  a 
divine  power. 


fore  he  disdained  an  attention  to  those  petty 
ornaments  of  speech,  which  were  quite  neces- 
sary to  help  out  the  poverty  of  man's  wisdom ; 
he  sought  something  else,  which  those  who 
preach  themselves  rather  than  Christ  Jesus 
the  Lord,  have  little  reason  to  expect; J  I 
mean  the  power  and  demonstration  of  the 
Spirit:  ho  knew  that  this  alone  could  give 
him  success;  and  ministers  may  learn  from 
him  what  to  avoid,  and  wliat  to  seek  for,  if 
they  would  be  useful  to  their  hearers.  Men 
can  but  declare  the  truths  of  the  gospel;  it  is 
the  Spirit  of  God  who  alone  can  reveal  them: 
nothing  less  than  a  divine  power  can  present 
them  to  the  mind  in  their  just  importance, 
and  throw  light  into  the  soul,  by  which  tliey 
may  be  perceived:  nothing  less  than  tiiis 
power  can  subdue  the  will,  and  open  the 
heart  to  receive  the  truth  in  the  love  of  it: 
without  this  concurring  agency,  even  St. 
Paul  would  have  preached  in  vain.  From 
what  has  been  said,  we  may  remark  two  ob- 
vious reasons,  amongst  others,  why  we  have 
so  much  unsuccessful  preaching  in  our  days, 
either  the  gospel-truths  are  given  up,  or  the 
gospel-simplicity  departed  from.  Where 
either  of  these  is  the  case,  the  Lord  refuses 
his  power  and  blessing 

VI  il.  Another  obserf-able  part  of  St.  Paul's 
character,  is  his  unaffected  humility.  In  the 
midst  of  his  eminent  and  extensive  services, 
he  retained  a  deep  sense  of  the  part  he  once 
acted  against  the  Lord.  He  speaks  of  him- 
self, on  this  account,  in  the  most  abasing  lan- 
guage, as  the  chief  of  sinners,  and  strongly 
expresses  his  unworthiness  of  the  grace  and 
apostleship  he  had  received,  by  comparing 
himself  to  an  untimely  birth  ;5  and  though 
his  insight  into  the  mysteries  of  the  gospel, 
the  communion  he  maintained  with  God,  by 
faith  in  his  Son,  and  the  beauty  of  holiness 
which  shone  in  his  conversation,  were  all 
beyond  the  common  measure;  yet  having,  in 
the  same  proportijn,  a  clearer  sense  of  his 
obligations,  and  of  the  extent  and  purity  of 
the  divine  precepts,  he  thought  nothing  of  his 
present  attainments,  in  comparison  of  those 
greater  degrees  of  grace  he  was  still  pressing 


t  A  man  who  has  languages  and  sciences  in  his  head, 
but  does  not  know  or  relish  the  gospel  of  Christ,  is  an 
ignorant,  indeed  a  stupid  person,  unaffected  with  the 
grandest  view  of  wisdom,  power,  and  goodness  that  ever 
was  or  can  be  displayed;  and  whoever  truly  knows  and 
embraces  this  mystery  of  godliness  is  a  wise  man,  a 
person  of  an  excellent  understanding,  though  he  may 
not  be  much  acquainted  with  those  uncertain,  unsatis- 
f\'ing  systems  which  men  have  agreed  to  honour  with 
the  name  of  knowledge.   See  Ps  cxi,  10. 

§  1  Cor.  XV.  8.  "  As  one  born  out  of  due  time." 
The  original  word  is  ^.cr*)..,c/.»,  that  is,  an  abortion.  He 
speaks  of  himself  under  this  despicable  image  (the  true 
sense  of  which  is  not  easily  perceived  by  an  English 
reader,)  to  show  the  deep  and  humbling  sense  he  re- 
tained of  the  part  he  once  acted  against  the  church  of 
Christ;  he  considered  himself  as  unworthy  and  con 
temptiide  to  the  last  degree,  as  one  of  whom  no  good 
hope  could  he  justly  formed  at  that  time,  much  less 
that  he  should  be  honoured  with  a  sight  of  the  Lord 
Ji'sus  from  heaven,  and  with  a  call  to  the  apostolic 
office. 


CHAP.  II.] 


OF  A  MINISTER  OF  CHRIST. 


93 


after.*  While,  in  the  eyes  of  others,  he  ap- 
peared not  only  exemplary,  but  unequalled, 
he  esteemed  himself  less  than  the  least  of  all 
saints  (Ephes.  iii.  9;)  and  his  patience  and 
condescension  towards  others,  and  his  acqui- 
escence under  all  the  trying  dispensations  of 
providence  with  which  he  was  exercised, 
were  a  proof  that  tliis  was  not  an  affected 
manner  of  expression,  but  the  genuine  dic- 
tate of  his  heart.  To  speak  of  one's  self  in 
abasing  terms  is  easy ;  and  such  language  is 
often  a  thin  veil,  through  which  the  motions 
of  pride  may  be  easily  discerned :  but  though 
the  language  of  humility  may  be  counter- 
feited, its  real  fruits  and  actings  are  inimita- 
ble. Here  again  he  is  a  pattern  for  christians. 
An  humble  frame  of  mind  is  the  strength 
and  ornament  of  every  other  grace,  and  the 
proper  soil  wherein  they  grow.  A  proud 
christian,  that  is,  one  who  has  a  high  con- 
ceit of  his  own  abilities  and  attainments,  is 
no  less  a  contradiction  than  a  sober  drunkard, 
or  a  generous  miser.  All  other  seeming 
excellencies  are  of  no  real  value,  unless  ac- 
companied with  this;  and  though  a  person 
should  appear  to  have  little  more  than  a 
consciousness  of  his  own  insufficiency,  and  a 
teachable  dependent  spirit,  and  is  waiting 
upon  the  Lord,  in  his  appointed  way,  for 
instruction  and  a  blessing,  he  will  infallibly 
thrive,  as  a  tree  planted  by  the  water-side; 
for  God,  who  resisteth  the  proud,  has  pro- 
mised to  give  grace  to  the  humble,  James 
iv.  6.  But,  in  an  especial  manner,  humility 
is  necessary  and  beautiful  in  a  minister ;  the 
greatest  abilities,  and  most  unwearied  dili- 
gence, will  not  insure  success  without  it ;  a 
secret  (if  allowed,)  apprehension  of  his  own 
importance,  will  deprive  him  of  that  assist- 
ance without  which  he  can  do  nothing ;  his 
arm  will  be  dried  up,  and  his  right  eye  will 
be  darkened  (Zech.  xi.  17 :)  for  the  Lord  of 
hosts  hath  purposed  to  stain  the  pride  of  all 
human  glory,  and  will  honour  none  but  those 
who  abase  themselves,  and  are  willing  to 
give  all  the  praise  to  him  alone.  If  any  man 
hath  ground  to  set  a  value  upon  his  know- 
ledge, gifts,  and  services,  St.  Paul  might 
justly  claim  the  pre-eminence:  but  though 
he  was  an  apostle,  and  an  inspired  writer ; 
though  he  had  planted  churches  through  a 
considerable  part  of  the  known  world ;  though 
he  was  received  as  an  angel  by  many  to 
whom  he  preached,  and,  by  a  peculiar  favour, 
had  been  caught  up  into  the  third  heaven ; 
yet  he  was,  by  grace,  preserved  from  being 
exalted  above  measure,  or  from  assuming  an 
undue  superiority  over  his  brethren.  The 
authority  with  which  he  was  entrusted  he 
employed  solely  to  their  advantage,  and  ac- 

*  Phil.  iii.  13.  "  Forgetting  the  things  that  are  be- 
hind." As  a  traveller  upon  urgent  business  posts  from 
place  to  place,  forgets  the  distance  and  inconveniences 
behind  him,  anil  has  all  his  thoughts  taken  up  with  the 
place  he  would  be  at,  and  the  remainder  of  the  road  that 
leads  to  it. 


counted  himself  the  least  of  all,  and  the  ser- 
vant of  all.  How  very  opposite  has  been  the 
conduct  of  many  since  his  time,  who  have 
aimed  to  appropriate  the  name  of  ministers 
of  Christ  exclusively  to  themselves. 

Such  was  our  apostle;  and  the  same  spirit 
(though  in  an  inferior  degree,)  will  be  found 
in  all  the  faithful  ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus : 
they  love  his  name;  it  is  the  pleasing  theme 
of  their  ministry;  and  to  render  it  glorious  in 
the  eyes  of  sinners  is  the  great  stu(fy  of  their 
lives ;  for  his  sake  they  love  all  who  love  him; 
and  are  their  willing  servants  to  promote  the 
comfort  and  edification  of  their  souls :  They 
love  his  gospel,  faithfully  proclaim  it  without 
disguise  or  alteration,  and  shun  not  to  de- 
clare the  whole  counsel  of  God,  so  far  as  they 
are  themselves  acquainted  with  it :  they  con- 
tend earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to 
the  saints,  and  are  desirous  to  preserve  and 
maintain  the  truth  in  its  power  and  purity. 
The  knowledge  of  their  own  weakness  and 
fallibility  makes  them  tender  to  the  weakness 
of  others;  and  though  they  dare  not  lay,  or 
allow,  any  other  foundation  than  that  which 
God  has  laid  in  Zion,  yet,  knowing  that  the 
kingdom  of  God  does  not  consist  in  meats 
and  drinks,  but  in  righteousness,  peace,  and 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  they  guard  against 
the  influence  of  a  party-spirit;  and,  if  their 
labours  are  confined  to  christians  of  one  de- 
nomination, their  love  and  prayers  are  not 
limited  within  such  narrow  Ijounds,  but  ex- 
tend to  all  who  love  and  serve  their  Master: 
they  have  entered  upon  the  ministry,  not  for 
low  and  sordid  ends,  for  popular  applause  or 
filthy  lucre,  but  from  a  constraining  sense  of 
the  love  of  Jesus,  and  a  just  regard  to  the 
worth  and  danger  of  immortal  souls :  their 
zeal  is  conducted  and  modelled  by  the  ex- 
ample and  precepts  of  their  Lord ;  their  de- 
sire is  not  to  destroy,  but  to  save,  and  they 
wish  their  greatest  enemies  a  participation  in 
their  choicest  blessings.  In  the  subject-mat- 
ter and  manner  of  their  preaching,  they  show 
that  they  seek  not  to  be  men-pleasers,  but  to 
commend  the  truth  to  every  man's  conscience 
in  the  sight  of  God ;  and  when  they  have 
done  their  utmost,  and  when  God  has  blessed 
their  labours,  and  given  them  acceptance  and 
success  beyond  their  hopes,  they  are  conscious 
of  the  defects  and  evils  attending  their  best 
endeavours,  of  the  weak  influence  the  truths 
they  preach  to  others  have  upon  their  own 
hearts,  that  their  sufficiency  of  every  kind  is 
of  God,  and  not  of  themselves ;  and  therefore 
they  sit  down  ashamed,  as  unprofitable  ser- 
vants, and  can  rejoice  or  glory  in  nothing, 
but  in  him  who  came  into  the  world  to  save 
the  chief  of  sinners. 

It  might  be  expected  that  a  spirit  and  con- 
duct, thus  uniformly  benevolent  and  disinte- 
rested and  witnessed  to,  in  a  greater  or  less 
degree,  by  the  good  effect  of  their  ministry 
and  example  amongst  their  hearers,  would 


94 


IRREGULARITIES  AND  OFFENCES 


[book  11. 


secure  them  tlie  good-will  of  mankind,  and 
entitle  them  to  peace,  if  not  to  respect. 
But,  on  the  contrary,  these  are  the  very 
people  who  are  represented  as  deceivers  of 
Eouls,  and  disturbers  of  society:  tliey  are 
Got  permitted  to  live  in  some  places;  and  it 
is  owing  to  a  concurrence  of  favourable  cir- 
cumstances, if  they  are  permitted  to  speak 
in  any :  The  eyes  of  many  are  upon  them, 
watching  for  their  halting ;  tlieir  infirmities 
ure  aggravated,  their  expressions  wrested, 
their  endeavours  counteracted,  and  their  per- 
«ons  despised.  The  design  of  our  history  is, 
to  show,  in  the  course  of  every  period  of 
the  church,  that  those  who  have  approached 
nearest  to  the  character  I  have  attempted  to 
delineate  from  St.  Paul,*  have  always  met 
with  such  treatment ;  and  from  his  dcclara- 
iion,  that  all  who  will  live  godly  in  Christ 
fesus  shall  suffer  persecution  (2  Tim.  iii. 
12,)  we  may  expect  it  will  always  be  so, 
while  human  nature  and  the  state  of  the  world 
remain  as  they  are.  However,  it  may  be  a 
consolation  to  those  who  suffer  for  righteous- 
ness sake,  to  reflect,  that  the  apostles  were 
treated  thus  before  them,  particularly  St. 
Paul,  who,  as  he  laboured,  so  he  suffered  more 
abundantly  than  the  rest;  his  person  was 
treated  with  contempt  and  despite,  his  cha- 
racter traduced,  his  doctrine  misrepresented; 
and  though  his  natural  and  acquired  abilities 
were  great,  and  he  spoke  with  power  and 
the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  yet  he  was 
esteemed  the  filth  and  off-scouring  of  all 
things,  a  babbler,  and  a  madman,|  Acts  xvii. 
18. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Of  the  irregularities  and  offences  which  ap- 
peared in  the  apostolic  churches. 

There  are  few  things  in  which  the  various 
divisions  of  professing  christians  are  so  gene- 
rally agreed,  as  in  speaking  highly  and  ho- 
nourably of  primitive  Christianity.    In  many 

*  Our  Lord's  declaration,  "  Behold,  t  send  you  forth 
as  Iambs  in  the  midst  of  wolves,"  is  applicable  to  all  his 
servants.  The  sight  of  a  lamb  is  suflicient  to  provoke 
the  rage  and  appetite  of  a  wolf:  Thus  the  spirit  of  the 
gospel  awakens  the  rase  and  opposition  of  the  world  ; 
they  have  an  antipathy  to  it,  and  owe  it  a  grudge 
wherever  they  see  it. 

\  2  Cor.  V.  13.  See  likewise  Mark  iii.  21.  "And 
when  his  friends  heard  it,  they  went  out  to  lay  hoM  of 
him,  for  they  said.  Ho  is  beside  himself:"  That  is  to 
say,  his  attention  to  the  office  he  has  undertaken  has 
transported  him  bi-yniirj  th"  Ixmnds  of  reason,  and  made 
Iiiin  fori;et  Ins  !:t:i(  jnii.  1:  ii  nJ.-,  arnl  his  s:if;'ty ;  there- 
fore, out  of  pire  ail'iiiiin  and  pnnlence,  thry  would 
liave  confined  him:  Nor  is  it  any  wcmder  that  our 
Lord's  friends  and  relatives  should  tliiis  think  and  spi-ak 
of  him.  since  we  are  assured  that  even  his  brethren  did 
not  believe  on  him,  John  vii.  3.  And  there  seems  to 
have  been  no  possible  medium.  All  who  were  convi  r- 
sant  with  him,  must  either  receive  him  as  the  Messiah, 
or  pity,  if  not  despise  him  as  a  madman.  This  was  the 
mildest  judgment  they  could  form ;  the  Pharisees  in- 
deed went  farther,  and  pronounced  him  an  impostor 
and  a  devil.   Such  was  the  treatment  our  Lord  and 


persons  this  is  no  more  than  an  ignorant  ad- 
miration, not  capable  of  distinguishing  what  is 
truly  praise-worthy,  but  disposed  to  applaud 
every.thing  in  the  gross  that  has  the  sanction 
of  antiquity  to  recommend  it.  The  primitive 
christians  have  been  looked  upon,  by  some, 
as  if  they  were  not  men  of  the  same  nature 
and  infirmities  with  ourselves,  but  nearly  in- 
fallible and  perfect.  This  is  often  taken  for 
granted  in  general ;  and  when  particulars  are 
insisted  on,  it  is  observable  that  they  are 
.seldom  taken  from  the  records  of  the  New 
Testament,  and  the  churches  which  flourished 
in  the  apostles'  times;  but  rather  from  those 
who  lived  in  and  after  the  second  century, 
when  a  considerable  deviation  in  'doctrine, 
spirit,  and  conduct,  from  those  wliich  were 
indeed  the  primitive  churches,  had  already 
taken  place,  and  there  were  evident  appear- 
ances of  that  curiosity,  ambition,  and  will- 
worship,  which  increased  by  a  swift  progress, 
till  at  length  professed  Christianity  degene- 
rated into  little  more  than  an  empty  name. 

If  christians  of  the  early  ages  are  supposed 
to  have  been  more  exemplary  than  in  after 
periods,  chiefly  because  they  lived  nearer  to 
the  times  of  our  Lord  and  his  apostles,  it  will 
follow  of  course,  that  the  earlier  the  better. 
We  may  then  expect  to  find  most  of  the 
christian  spirit  among  those  who  were  con- 
verted and  edified  by  the  apostles'  personal 
ministry:  and  though  we  cannot  allow  the 
assumption,  (for  the  power  of  godliness  de- 
pends not  upon  dates,  periods,  or  instruments, 
but  upon  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,) 
yet  we  are  content  to  join  issue  upon  the 
conclusion,  and  are  willing  that  all  claims  to 
a  revival  of  religion,  and  a  real  reformation 
of  manners,  shall  be  admitted  or  rejected,  as 
they  accord  or  disagree  with  the  accounts  we 
have  of  the  churches  planted  by  the  apostles, 
and  during  the  time  that  these  authorised 
ministers  of  Christ  presided  over  them.  We 
can  find  no  other  period  in  which  we  can, 
to  so  much  advantage,  propose  the  visible 
cliurches  of  Christ  as  a  pattern  and  specimen 
of  what  his  grace  and  gospel  may  be  expected 
to  produce  in  the  present  state  of  Imman 
nature;  for  the  apostles  were  furnished,  in  an 
extraordinary  manner,  with  zeal,  wisdom, 
and  authority  for  their  work,  and  God  was 
remarkably  present  with  them,  by  the  power 
of  his  Spirit.  Besides,  as  all  the  information 
we  have  concerning  this  period  is  derived 
from  the  inspired  writings,  we  have  that  cer- 
tainty of  facts  to  groimd  our  observations 
upon  wliich  no  other  liistory  can  afford. 

We  have  a  pleasing  description  of  the 
first  of  the.se  churclies,  which  was  formed  at 
Jerusalem  soon  after  our  Lord's  ascension. 


Master  found.  Let  not,  then,  his  disciples  and  servants 
be  surprised  or  grieved  that  they  are  misrepresented 
and  misunderstood,  on  account  of  clicir  attachment  to 
him  ;  but  let  them  comfort  tliumselves  with  his  gracious 
words,  John  xv.  18—21. 


CHAP.  III.] 


IN  THE  APOSTOLIC  CHURCHES. 


95 


On  the  day  of  Pentecost,  many  who  had 
personally  consented  to  the  death  of  Jesus, 
received  power  to  believe  in  his  name,  and 
publicly  joined  themselves  to  his  disciples ; 
a  sense  of  his  love  and  grace  to  each  united 
the  whole  body  so  closely  together,  that, 
though  they  were  a  multitude  of  several 
thousands,  it  is  said  (Acts  iv.  32,)  they  were 
of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul :  neither  said  any 
of  them,  that  aught  of  the  things  which  he 
possessed  was  his  own,  but  they  had  all 
things  common;  and  they  continued  stead- 
fastly in  the  apostles'  doctrine  and  fellowship, 
and  in  breaking  of  bread,  and  in  prayers. 
These  were  happy  times  indeed  !  No  inter- 
fering interests  or  jarring  sentiments,  no 
subtle  or  factious  spirits,  no  remissness  in 
the  means  of  grace,  no  instances  of  a  con- 
duct in  any  respect^unbecoming  the  gospel, 
were  to  be  found  among  them ;  it  seemed  as 
if  the  powerful  sense  of  divine  truths,  which 
they  had  received,  had  overborne,  if  not  ex- 
tirpated, every  evil  disposition  in  so  large  an 
assembly;  yet,  even  this  (the  difference  of 
numbers  excepted,)  is  no  peculiar  case.  The 
like  has  been  observable  again  and  again, 
when  God  has  been  pleased  to  honour  mi- 
nisters, far  inferior  to  the  apostles,  with  a 
sudden  and  signal  influence,  in  places  where 
the  power  of  the  gospel  had  been  little  known 
before.  In  such  circumstances,  the  truth 
has  been  often  impressed  and  received  with 
astonishing  effects ;  many,  who  before  were 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  having  been,  like 
those  of  old,  pierced  to  the  heart,  and  then 
filled  with  comfort,  from  a  believing  know- 
ledge of  him  on  whom  their  sins  were  laid, 
find  themselves,  as  it  were,  in  a  new  world  ; 
old  things  are  past  away ;  the  objects  of  time 
and  sense  appear  hardly  worth  their  notice : 
the  love  of  Christ  constrains  them,  and  they 
burn  in  love  to  all  who  will  join  them  in 
praising  the  Saviour.  Here  indeed  is  a  strik- 
ing changfe  wrought :  yet  the  infirmities  in- 
separable from  human  nature,  though  for  the 
present  overpowered,  will,  as  occasions  arise, 
discover  themselves  again,  so  far  as  to  prove 
two  things  universally:  1.  That  the  best  of 
men  are  still  liable  to  mistakes  and  weak- 
nesses, for  which  they  will  have  cause  to 
mourn  to  the  end  of  their  lives.  2.  That  in 
the  best  times  there  will  be  some  intruders, 
who  for  a  season  may  make  a  profession,  and 
yet  in  the  end  appear  to  have  neither  part 
nor  lot  in  the  matter.  Thus  it  was  in  the 
church  of  Jerusalem  :  the  pleasing  state  of 
things  mentioned  above  did  not  continue  very 
long ;  an  Ananias  and  a  Sapphira  were  soon 
found  amongst  them,  who  sought  the  praise 
of  men,  and  made  their  profession  a  cloak  for 
covetousness  and  hypocrisy  (Acts  v ;)  grudg- 
ings  and  murmurings  arose  in  a  little  time 
between  the  Jews  and  the  Hellenists  (Acts 
vi;)  and  it  was  not  long  before  they  were 
thrown  into  strong  debates,  and  in  danger  of 


divisions,  upon  account  of  the  question  first 
started  at  Antioch,  Whether  the  law  of  Moses 
was  still  in  force  to  believers  or  not !  Acts  xv. 

In  these  latter  times,  when  it  has  been  at- 
tempted to  vindicate  and  illustrate  a  revival 
of  religion,  by  appealing  to  the  writings  of 
St.  Paul,  and  the  delineation  he  has  given 
us  of  the  faith  and  practice  of  a  christian,  the 
attempt  has  often  excited  disdain :  it  has  been 
thought  a  sufficient  answer,  to  enumerate 
and  exaggerate  the  faults,  mistakes,  and  in- 
consistencies (or  what  the  world  is  pleased 
to  account  such,)  that  are  charged  upon  the 
persons  concerned  in  such  an  appeal,  as  ne- 
cessarily proving,  that  where  these  blemishes 
are  found,  there  can  be  no  resemblance  to 
the  first  christians.  If  the  frequency  did  not 
lessen  the  wonder,  it  might  seem  very  unac- 
countable that  any  person  who  has  read  the 
New  Testament  should  venture  upon  this 
method  in  a  Protestant  country,  where  the 
people  have  the  scriptures  in  their  hands, 
and  are  atliberty  to  judge  for  themselves.  But 
as  there  are  not  a  few,  even  among  Protest- 
ants, who  seem  to  expect  their  assertions 
will  pass  for  proofs,  I  propose,  in  this  chapter, 
to  point  out  several  things,  which,  though 
undoubtedly  wrong,  had  a  considerable  pre- 
valence among  the  first  christians,  leaving 
the  application  to  the  judicious  reader.  I  ac- 
knowledge my  firm  persuasion,  that  a  certain 
system  of  doctrine,  revived  of  late  years,  is 
the  doctrine  of  the  Reformation,  and  of  the 
New  Testament ;  which,  though  not  suited 
to  the  general  and  prevailing  taste,  is  at- 
tended, more  or  less,  with  the  blessing  and 
power  of  God,  in  turning  sinners  from  dark- 
ness to  light :  I  confess,  that  both  ministers 
and  people  who  espouse  this  despised  cause, 
have  sufficient  ground  for  humiliation :  we 
have  seen,  we  still  see,  many  things  amongst 
us  which  we  cannot  approve ;  we  fear  that 
too  many  are  a  real  discredit  to  the  cause 
they  profess;  and  we  are  conscious,  that  the 
best  of  us  fall  mournfully  short  of  what  might 
be  expected  from  the  sublime  principles 
which,  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  been 
taught  from  his  word :  we  desire  to  be  open 
to  conviction,  not  to  contend  for  errors,  or 
even  to  vindicate  any  thing  that  can  be  proved 
contrary  to  the  scripture;  but  if  some  things 
not  justifiable,  which  we  must  own  have  ac- 
companied what  we  verily  believe  to  be  a 
work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  are  (as  some 
would  represent  them,)  sufficient  to  discredit 
this  work,  to  impeach  the  truth  of  the  doc- 
trines, or  the  sincerity  of  the  instruments  in 
the  gross;  then  wo  are  sure  it  will  follow 
upon  the  same  principles,  that  the  Jews  and 
Heathens  had  just  ground  and  warrant  to 
reject  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles,  and  to 
treat  their  persons  with  contempt. 

A  competent  knowledge  and  consideration 
of  the  present  state  of  man,  in  himself,  and 
of  the  circumstances  in  which  he  is  nlaced, 


96 


iKrtfiGULATIONS 


AND  OFFENCES 


[book  II. 


are  necessary  to  preserve  us  from  being'  of- 
fenrlod  with  the  gjospel  of  Christ,  on  account 
of  the  imperfections  that  may  be  found  in  the 
conduct  of  those  who  have  sincerely  received 
it ;  due  allowances  must  be  made  for  the  re- 
mains of  ignorance  and  prejudice,  the  power 
of  habit,  temper,  and  constitution,  in  different 
persons.  The  various  combinations  of  these, 
and  other  particulars,  make  each  individual 
character,  thouijh  agreeing  in  one  common 
nature,  and  influenced  by  the  same  general 
principles,  in  some  respects  an  original.  The 
power  and  subtlety  of  Satan,  and  his  address 
in  suiting  his  temptations  to  the  peculiar  in- 
clinations and  situation  of  every  person,  must 
be  taken  into  the  account :  and  likewise  the 
immense  variety  of  occasions  arising  from 
without,  such  as,  the  provocations  and  arts  of 
enemies,  the  influence  of  mistaken  friends, 
the  necessary  engagements,  connexions,  and 
relations  of  common  life,  the  artifices  of 
seducers,  and  the  scandals  of  false  professors. 
These  things,  and  others  which  might  be 
named,  concur  to  make  the  path  of  duty  ex- 
ceeding difficult,  especially  to  young  begin- 
ners, who,  so  soon  as  they  become  sincerely  de- 
sirous to  serve  the  Lord,  find  themselves 
immediately  in  the  midst  of  scenes,  in  which 
they  can  only  be  fitted  to  act  their  parts 
aright  by  a  gradual  and  painful  experience. 
They,  whose  intentions  are  right,  usually 
set  out  with  warm  hearts  and  sanguine  ex- 
pectations, little  aware  of  the  difficulties  that 
are  before  them :  they  have  indeed  a  sure 
rule  to  act  by  in  the  scriptures,  and  they  have 
a  sure  promise,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  will 
be  their  guide  and  teacher;  but  at  first  they 
have  but  little  acquaintance  with  the  scrip- 
tures, and  until  they  are  humbled,  by  being 
left  to  commit  many  mortifying  mistakes, 
they  are  too  prone  to  lean  to  their  own  un- 
derstandings ;  every  day  brings  them  into 
some  new  difficulty,  wherein  they  can  get 
little  direction  from  what  they  have  passed 
through  before,  and  often  emergencies  are 
so  pressing  as  hardly  to  leave  room  for  deli- 
beration :  in  short,  it  seems  to  be  the  Lord's 
pleasure,  not  so  much  to  preserve  them  from 
mistakes  and  indiscretions  at  first,  as  to  take 
occasion  to  humble  them  upon  this  account, 
and  to  show  them  how  to  correct  them  when 
made.  Thus  they  are  more  confirmed  in  a 
sense  of  their  own  weakness,  and  of  his  good- 
ness, and  are  trained  up,  by  time,  observa- 
tion, and  repeated  trials,  to  a  more  perfect 
exercise  of  every  branch  of  christian  wisdom ; 
by  degrees  their  judgments  are  formed  to 
greater  maturity;  they  are  more  jealous  of 
themselves,  more  acquainted  with  Satan's 
devices,  more  capable  of  distinguishing  the 
spirit  and  conduct  of  mankind,  and  especially 
more  simply  dependent  upon  God  for  his 
teaching  and  direction ;  and  thus  they  grow 
into  a  participation  of  the  spirit  of  the  gospel, 
and  are  enabled  to  act  and  speak  as  becomes 


the  servants  of  Christ.  When  his  gospel  is 
faithfully  preached  and  cordially  received, 
there  always  will  be  some  who  are  able,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  to  put  to  silence  the  igno- 
rance of  foolish  men,  and  to  demean  them- 
selves so,  that  if  any  will  speak  evil  of  them, 
the  shame  is  retorted  upon  themselves ;  but 
among  the  numbers  who  are  forming  in  the 
same  school,  there  will  likewise  be  some  (for 
the  reasons  I  have  suggested)  whose  conduct 
will,  in  some  respects,  be  liable  to  censure, 
though  their  hearts  are  sincere ;  and  there 
will  frequently  be  others,  who  (like  the  hear- 
ers compared  by  our  Lord  to  seed  sown  upon 
rocky  ground)  will  thrust  themselves  amongst 
professors,  be  called  by  the  same  name,  and 
accounted  by  the  world  the  same  people,  who 
at  length  discover  themselves  to  be  mere 
hypocrites:  these  indeed  will  furnish  occa- 
sion enough  for  exception ;  and  they  who 
are  glad  to  have  it  so,  will  readily  suppose 
or  pretend  that  they  are  all  alike.  It  re- 
mains to  show,  that  in  this  sense  there  is  ho 
new  thing  under  the  sun.  It  was  so  from  the 
beginning. 

The  apostle  Paul  bears  an  honourable  tes- 
timony to  the  sincerity,  zeal,  and  grace  of  the 
believers  amongst  whom  he  had  preached, 
and  to  whom  he  had  written  ;  he  commends 
their  work  of  faith  and  labour  of  love;  he 
styles  them  his  joy,  his  glory,  and  his  crown, 
and  expresses  his  confidence,  that  the  Lord, 
who  had  begun  a  good  work  in  them,  would 
assuredly  complete  it :  but  though  he  knew 
there  were  many  persons  among  them  who 
were  well  established  in  the  truth,  and  judi- 
cious in  their  conduct,  his  admonitions  upon 
several  occasions  show  there  were  others, 
whose  judgments  were  weak  and  their  be- 
haviour unwarrantable. 

He  speaks  of  the  Corinthians  (2  Cor.  i.  5,) 
as  a  people  enriched  in  the  knowledge  of 
Christ,  and  honoured  with  the  eminency  of 
gifts;  yet  he  takes  notice  of  many  things 
blameable  in  them ;  insomuch  that  if  the  peo- 
ple who  now  censure  appearances  of  a  reli- 
gious kind,  because  they  are  not  wholly  free 
from  imperfection,  could  have  had  opportu- 
nity to  judge  of  the  christians  at  Corinth  in 
the  same  spirit,  it  is  probable  they  would 
have  despised  and  condemned  those  whom 
the  apostle  loved,  as  much  as  they  can  possi- 
bly do  any  set  of  people  now. 

They  had  first  received  the  gospel  from  St. 
Paul,  but  it  had  been  confirmed  to  them  af- 
terwards by  other  ministers.  The  servants  of 
Christ  all  preach  the  same  truths ;  but  the 
Holy  Spirit,  who  ftirnishes  them  all  for  the 
work  he  appoints  them  to,  distributes  to  each 
one  severally,  according  to  his  own  will ;  he 
communicates  a  diversity  of  gifts,  not  all  to 
one  person,  but  each  has  a  talent  given  him 
to  profit  witlial  ;'one  is  favoured  with  a  pecu- 
liar insight  into  the  mysteries  of  the  gospel; 
another  has  a  power  and  pathos  of  expres- 


"CHAP,  ni.] 


IN  THE  APOSTOLIC  CHURCHES. 


97 


sion ;  and  another  is  happy  in  a  facility  of 
applying  to  distressed  and  wounded  con- 
sciences. It  is  tiie  duty  and  privilcg-e  of 
christians  to  avail  themselves  of  these  differ- 
ent talents;  to  profit  by  each,  to  be  tiiankful 
for  all,  and  to  esteem  every  faithful  minister 
very  highly  for  his  work's  sake.  But  the  Co- 
rintiiians  were  unduly  influenced  by  personal 
attachments,  as  their  several  inclinations  led 
them ;  they  formed  imprudent  comparisons 
and  preferences,  were  divided  into  parties, 
and  drawn  into  contentions  upon  this  ac- 
count ;  one  saying  I  am  of  Paul ;  another, 
I  am  of  Apollos,  or,  I  of  Cephas  (1  Cor.  i. 
12  ;  and  iii.  4 :)  they  thought  it  a  mark  of 
zeal  to  be  strenuous  for  tli-eir  respective  fa- 
vourites ;  but  St.  Paul  assured  them,  that  it 
was  a  sign  they  were  weak  and  low  in  the 
christian  life,  and  a  means  to  keep  them  so. 
Disputes  and  prepossessions  of  this  kind  draw 
the  mind  away  from  its  proper  nourishment, 
and  afford  occasion  for  the  various  workings 
of  our  selfish  passions.  Wherever  the  Lord 
is  pleased  to  raise  up,  in  or  near  the  same 
place,  ministers  who  are  of  eminence  in  their 
different  gifts,  the  effects  of  tliis  spirit  will 
be  more  or  less  observable ;  and  it  is  eagerly 
observed  by  the  world,  and  amplified  to  the 
utmost,  as  a  weighty  objection  :  the  ministers 
are  represented  to  be  artful,  designing  men ; 
who,  under  the  sacred  names  of  Christ,  and 
the  gospel,  are  aiming  chiefly  or  solely  to 
form  a  party  of  dependants  upon  themselves; 
and  the  people  are  accounted  silly  sheep, 
carried  away  captive  by  the  influence  of  their 
popular  leaders,  insomuch  that  they  cannot, 
or  dare  not,  receive  the  doctrines  they  profess 
to  love  from  any  but  their  own  favourites. 
The  disposition  is  certainly  wrong;  but  let  it 
be  censured  with  candour,  not  as  the  pecu- 
liarity of  this  or  that  party,  but  as  a  fault 
which  human  nature  is  always  prone  to  in 
similar  circumstances :  it  showed  a  want  of 
solid  judgment  in  the  Corinthians,  but  was 
no  impeachment  of  their  sincerity:  much 
less  did  it  prove  that  Paul,  Apollos,  or  Cephas 
were  mercenary,  ambitious  men,  wlio  prosti- 
tuted their  talents  and  influence  to  gain  dis- 
ciples to  themselves,  rather  tiian  to  Christ. 
The  same  premises  will  admit  of  no  stronger 
conclusion  now  than  in  the  apostle.s'  days. 

The  proper  design  and  tendency  of  the  re- 
ligion of  .Tesus  is,  to  wean  the  affections  from 
the  world,  to  mortify  the  dictates  of  self-love, 
and  ta  teach  us  (by  his  example)  to  be  gentle, 
forbearing,  benevolent,  and  disinterested. 
This  the  world  is  aware  of ;  and  though  they 
declare  their  dislike  to  the  principles  which 
alone  can  produce  sucii  a  spirit,  they  always 
expect  it  from  the  people  who  profess  them  ; 
and  therefore  when,  amongst  the  numbers  of 
these,  they  can  find  a  few  instances  of  persons 
too  much  actuated  by  selfish,  worldly  or  angry 
tempers,  it  is  eagerly  objected :  These  are 
excellent  people,  if  you  would  judge  of  them 

Vol.  II.  N 


by  the  length  and  frequency  of  their  devo- 
tions, and  by  what  they  have  to  say  of  their 
persuasion  of  God's  love  to  them  ;  but  touch 
them  in  their  property,  and  they  show  them- 
selves as  unwilling  to  forego,  and  as  an.xious 
to  grasp,  the  good  things  of  this  world,  as  if 
they  had  no  better  claim  to  heaven  than  our- 
selves. It  is  much  to  be  lamented,  that  such 
occasions  of  reproach  are  af^brded  to  those 
who  seek  them.  But  what  would  they  have 
said  of  the  Corinthians,  whom  the  apostle  re- 
proves in  the  following  terms  :  "Now  there- 
fore there  is  utterly  a  fault  among  you,  be- 
cause you  go  to  law  one  with  another ;  why 
do  yoa  not  rather  take  wrong  1  why  do  you 
not  rather  suffer  yourselves  to  be  defrauded  ? 
Nay,  you  do  wrong  and  defraud,  and  that 
your  brethren,"  1  Cor.  vi.  7,  8.  And,  in  the 
preceding  chapter,  he  speaks  of  an  enormity 
among  them,  hardly  to  be  heard  of  among 
the  Heathens,  which,  though  the  fault  of  one 
person,  brought  dishonour  upon  them  all,  be- 
cause they  had  not  explicitly  disowned  it, 
and  proceeded  against  the  offender.  This  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at ;  for  we  have  often 
seen,  in  our  own  time,  that  though  evil  prac- 
tices have  been  censured  in  the  strongest 
terms  of  disallowance,  and  the  offenders  pub- 
licly and  notoriously  disclaimed,  yet  many 
will  still  be  so  destitute  of  candour  and  equity 
as  to  insist  on  it,  they  are  all  alike. 

The  irregularities  in  the  public  worship  at 
Corinth  were  such,  as  if  practised  amongst 
ourselves,  would  excite  a  greater  clamour 
than  any  thing  of  that  nature  which  has  been 
hitherto  complained  of  It  appears  that,  far 
from  conducting  their  assemblies  with  de- 
cency and  order,  they  were  sometimes  in  the 
greatest  confusion  :  different  persons  had  a 
psalm,  a  doctrine,  a  tongue,  a  revelation,  an 
interpretation,  many  speaking  together,  and 
sometimes  in  different  languages ;  so  that  the 
apostle  thought  it  very  probable,  that,  if  an 
unbeliever  came  in  amongst  them,  he  would 
of  course  say,  they  were  mad,  I  C-or.  xiv.  2.3. 
And  this  want  of  decorum  extended  to  their 
celebration  of  the  Lord's  supper;  where,  says 
the  apostle,  Every  one  taketh  before  another; 
and  one  is  hungry,  and  another  is  drunken, 
1  Cor.  xi.  2L  I  apprehend  that  these  instanceg 
of  disorder  cannot  be  paralleled  by  the  most 
irregular  proceedings  in  our  time,  amongst 
any  people  that  hold  the  principles  which  I 
am  at  present  engaged  to  vindicate. 

Many  of  the  Corinthians,  as  well  as  the 
Galatians,*  had  discovered  great  unsteadiness 
towards  St.  Paul,  and  had  been  subdued  by 

*  Yet  he  says  of  tlii?  Galatians, that  when  he  tirst  went 
among  thein.  they  received  hiiii  as  an  angel  of  (iud,  and, 
if  possible,  wouW  have  phickcd  out  their  own  eyes  to 
have  ^iven  them  to  him.  Gal  iv.  15.  Great  is  Ihe  power 
of  the  gospel ;  it  subdues  and  possesses  the  ht  art,  and 
conciliates  a  tenilerness  and  relation  between  ininislcrs 
and  people,  nearer  and  dearer  than  the  ties  of  tiesh  and 
blood.  But  alas!  how  great  likewise  is  the  inconstancy 
of  mortals!  the  apostle  experienced  it  to  his  grief ;  and 
where  he  had  tlie  greatest  prospect,  he  was  most  disap- 


1»  mREGULARITIES 

false  teachers  and  pretended  apostles.  Inex- 
perienced rninds  are  very  liable  to  such  de- 
ceptions :  meaning  well  themselves,  they  are 
too  apt  to  listen  to  the  fair  words  and  fine 
speeches  of  those  who  lie  in  wait  to  deceive. 
The  love  of  Christ,  and  the  love  of  holiness, 
are  the  leading  properties  of  a  gracious  heart, 
and  such  a  one,  till  experience  has  made  him 
wise,  conceives  a  good  opinion  of  all  who  pro- 
fess a  regard  for  Jesus,  or  for  sanctification  : 
he  is  not  aware,  at  first,  that  there  are  those 
in  the  world  who  attempt  to  divide  what  God 
has  joined  together.  When  the  blood  and 
righteousness  of  Christ  are  recommended,  not 
as  the  source,  but  as  a  substitute  for  vital 
experimental  religion :  or  when  some  other 
spirit  is  preached  than  that  whose  office  it  is 
to  testify  of  Jesus  ;  in  either  case  the  food  of 
die  soul  is  poisoned,  and  the  evil  begins  to 
operate  before  it  is  perceived.  Faithful  mi- 
nisters are  accounted  too  low  or  too  high,  too 
strict  or  too  remiss,  according  to  the  scheme 
newly  adapted;  they  are  first  disregarded, 
and  at  length  considered  as  enemies,  because 
they  persist  in  the  truth,  and  refuse  to  suit 
themselves  to  the  new  taste  of  their  hearers. 
Thus  error,  once  admitted,  makes  an  alarming 
progress :  and  no  power  but  that  of  God  can 
stop  it.  Hence  proceed  divisions,  subdivi- 
sions, distinctions,  refinements,  bitterness, 
strife,*  envyings,  and  by  degrees  enthusiasm, 
in  the  worst  sense  of  the  word  :  an  evil  to  be 
dreaded  and  guarded  against  no  less  earnestly 
than  the  beginning  of  a  fire  or  a  pestilence. 
Such  trying  circumstances  will  demonstrate 
who  are  indeed  upon  the  right  foundation ; 
for  others,  having  once  begun,  depart  from 
the  truth,  grow  worse  and  worse,  deceiving 
and  being  deceived ;  and  many  who  are  built 
upon  the  rock,  and  therefore  cannot  be  totally 
or  finally  drawn  away,  yet  suffer  unspeakable 
loss ;  the  wood,  hay,  and  stubble  (1  Cor.  iii. 
10 — 1.5,)  the  unadvised  additions  they  have 
made  to  the  scriptural  truths  they  once  re- 
ceived, are  burnt  up  in  the  time  of  tempta- 
tion; they  lose  much  of  their  comfort  and 
stability,  and  have  in  a  manner  all  to  begin 
again.  The  world,  that  knows  not  the  weak- 
ness of  man,  or  the  power  and  devices  of 
Satan,  laughs  at  those  things,  and  expects  to 
see  them  issue  in  universal  confusion,  like 
that  of  Babel.  In  the  same  light,  it  is  most 
probable,  the  Heathens  beheld  and  derided 
the  primitive  christians:  for  they  likewise 

pointed:  those  who  once  would  have  plucked  out  their 
own  eyes  for  his  service,  afterwards  accounted  him 
their  enemy,  for  tellin!»  them  the  truth.  We  need  not 
therefore  wonder  if  there  are  instances  of  this  kind  at 
present. 

*  That  bitterness  and  strife  were  too  frequent  in  the 
primitive  churches,  appears  from  James  iii.  14;  (ial. 
V.  15 ;  and  other  texts.  Our  Lord's  admonition,  Matth. 
vii.  3 — 5.  has  always  been  too  little  regarded  ;  and  few 
are  yet  sufficiently  convinced  of  the  folly  and  absurdity 
of  pointing  out,  and  in  an  angry  spirit  condemning, the 
mistakes  and  faults  of  others,  while  we  indulge  greater 
in  ourselves.  Reformation  (liku  modem  charity)  sbould 
Ijegin  at  home  1 


AND  OFFENCES  [bookh. 

had  their  shaking  and  shifting  times  ;  many 
amongst  them,  who  seemed  to  begin  in  the 
spirit,  were  stopped  short  in  their  course  by 
the  arts  of  false  teachers,  to  their  great  hin- 
derance,  and  some  to  tlieir  final  overthrow. 

St.  Paul  addresses  no  one  church  in  terms 
of  greater  tenderness  and  approbation  than 
the  Thessalonians ;  he  commends  their  work 
of  faith,  and  labour  of  love,  and  patience  of 
hope  in  our  Lord  Jesus ;  and  mentions  them 
as  a  pattern  to  the  other  churches  in  Mace- 
donia and  Greece.  Yet  even  among  these  he 
understood  there  were  some  who  walked  dis- 
orderly, and  were  busybodies,  not  working 
at  all ;  he  strongly  disapproved  their  conduct, 
declaring,  that  if  any  would  not  work,  nei- 
ther should  he  eat,  2  Thess.  iii.  10, 11.  When 
persons  are  newly  awakened  to  a  concern  for 
their  souls,  and  deeply  impressed  with  the 
importance  of  eternity,  it  is  no  wonder  (con- 
sidering the  animal  frame)  if  their  attention 
is  so  engaged  and  engrossed  for  a  season,  that 
they  cannot  attend  to  the  affairs  of  common 
life  with  their  usual  alacrity  and  freedom  :f 
if  their  concern  is  of  a  right  kind,  they  are 
gradually  brought  to  peace  and  hope  in  be- 
lieving ;  they  recover  their  spirits,  and  their 
civil  callings  being  now  sanctified  by  a  de- 
sire to  glorify  God  in  them,  their  diligence  is 
not  less,  but  frequently  greater  than  before; 
for  now  they  act  not  to  please  men,  or  to 
please  themselves,  but  what  they  do,  they  do 
heartily  as  to  the  Lord.  However,  amongst 
a  number  of  people,  natural  temper,  indiscre- 
tion, or  inadvertance,  may  cause  some  to 
deviate  from  the  general  rule;  and  though 
we  cannot  justify  any  who  are  remiss  in  the 
discharge  of  the  relative  duties  of  society,  we 
may  justify  the  doctrines  and  principles  they 
acknowledge,  from  the  charge  of  leading 
them  into  this  mistake,  unless  it  can  be 
proved  that  St.  Paul's  preaching  was  justly 
chargeable  with  the  same  fault. 

But  these  are  small  things  compared  to 
what  he  says  in  another  place.  He  complains 
to  the  Philippians  in  this  affecting  language 
(Phil.  iii.  18,  19:)  "Many  walk  (not  some 
only,  but  many,)  of  whom  I  have  told  you 
often,  and  now  tell  you  even  weeping,  that 
they  are  enemies  to  the  cross  of  Christ,^ 


t  Pee  James  iv.  9.  The  word  mriieMa  rendered  heavi- 
ness, answers  nearest  to  dejection;  the  derivation  im- 
porting a  downcast  countenance  :  and  it  expresses  that 
kind  of  sorrow  which  sinks  the  spirits,  and  fixes  the  ej  e 
upon  the  earth.  Something  of  this  is  usually  discern- 
able  when  a  real  conviction  of  sin  takes  place  in  the 
heart.  The  inspired  apostle  recommends  this  temper 
and  demeanour  as  most  suitable  to  the  case  of  sinners 
who  are  destitute  of  faith  and  love,  and  cannot  there- 
fore rejoice  upon  good  grounds;  and  yet  when  any  per- 
son begins  to  be  impressed  in  this  manner,  and  to  see 
the  propriety  of  the  apostle's  advice,  it  frequently  hap- 
pens, that  all  who  know  him,  both  friends  and  enemies, 
will  agree  to  pronounce  him  disordered  in  his  senses. 
So  ditferent,  so  opposite,  are  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  the 
spirit  of  the  world  ! 

I  What  disagreeable  things  the  apostle  was  apprehen- 
sive of  meeting,  when  he  should  revisit  Corinth,  we 
may  learn  firom  2  Cor.  xii.  20,  21. 


CHAP.  III.] 


IN  THE  APOSTOLIC  CHURCHES. 


99 


whoso  enJ  is  destruction,  whose  God  is  tlieir 
belly,  who  mind  earthly  things."  St.  Papl 
had  occasion  to  express  himself  thus,  and  that 
aj^ain  and  again,  even  in  the  golden  days  of 
primitive  Christianity.  Could  their  worst  ene- 
mies have  given  them  a  worse  character! 
Can  even  malice  itself  desire  to  fix  a  harsher 
imputation  upon  any  denomination  of  people 
now  subsisting]  Yet  these  are  tlie  words  of 
truth  and  soberness,  the  words  of  an  inspired 
apostle,  the  words  not  of  resentment  but  of 
grief:  he  spoke  of  it  weeping;  he  would 
willingly  have  hoped  better  things;  but  he 
knew  what  tempers  and  practices  were  in- 
consistent with  a  sincere  acceptance  of  the 
gospel ;  and,  unless  he  would  shut  his  eyes, 
and  stop  his  ears,  he  could  not  but  be  sensible 
that  many  who  were  reputed  christians  dis- 
honoured the  name  of  Christianity,  and  caused 
the  ways  of  truth  to  be  evil  spoken  of.  Now, 
what  is  the  consequence  !  Shall  the  apostle 
bear  the  blame  of  the  evils  and  abominations 
ne  lamented  !*  for,  if  he  had  not  preached, 
these  evils  would  not  have  appeared  under 
the  christian  name.  Shall  the  wickedness  of 
his  pretended  followers  be  charged  as  the 
necessary  effect  of  that  pure  and  heavenly 
doctrine  which  he  had  delivered!  By  no 
niean.s.  The  grace  of  God,  which  he  preach- 
ed, taught,  and  enabled  those  who  received  it 
in  their  hearts  to  deny  all  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously, 
and  godly  in  the  present  world.  If  inquiry 
was  made  concerning  the  tendency  of  his 
doctrine,  he  could  appeal  to  the  tempers  and 
lives  of  multitudes  (1  Cor.  iii.  2,  3,)  who  had 
been  thereby  delivered  from  the  lovo  and 
power  of  sin,  and  filled  with  the  fruits  of 
righteousness  which  are  by  .Tesus  Christ,  to 
the  glory  and  praise  of  God.  But  it  was  like- 
wise true  that  they  were  still  encumbered 
with  a  depraved  nature:  they  were  in  a 
world  full  of  temptations  and  snares;  and  as 
their  numbers  were  very  great,  some  in- 
stances had  occurred  of  persons  sincerely 
well  disposed,  who  had  too  visibly  declined 
from  the  rule  by  which  they  professed  and 
desired  to  walk.  Against  their  mistiikes  and 
faults  he  watchfully  directed  his  exhortations 
and  admonitions,  as  occasions  offered;  and 
they  were  generally  attended  with  a  good 
effect,  to  convince,  humble,  and  restore  the 
offenders  (2  Cor.  vii.  9,)  and  to  increase  their 
circumspection  for  the  time  to  come.  It  was 
true  likewise  that  there  were  some  gathered 

■•  The  apnsth'  kiifw  that  snme  ilid,  or  ivoulil  prnsninn 
t'l  infrr  a  librjrty  to  sin  from  the  doctriun  which  he 
pre.-ictiR(l  (Rom.  vi  \,]  yet  he  woiilil  not  suppress  or  ilis- 
piiisp  the  truths  of  God  to  prevent  such  a  poor  iJisin- 
frenuoiis  perversion  :  he  knew  likewise  that  no  one  who 
liati  tasted  th.it  the  Lord  is  ffracious,  can  eitlier  form 
such  a  conclusion  liimself,  or  listen  to  it  if  proposed  by 
others;  therefore  he  thoufflit  it  unnecessary  to  refute  it 
at  large.  Shall  we  continue  in  sin  that  grace  may 
abound  ?  God  forbirl !  This  is  a  sullirient  answer.  Thus 
absurd  blasiphemy  exposes  and  cont'utes  itself :  the  terms 
are  inconsistent,  iinpossi4>le,  and  contradictory  in  the 
highest  degree. 


by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  into  the  num- 
ber of  professors,  who  were  not  effectually 
called  and  changed  by  the  S])irit  of  God. 
These,  though  for  a  time  they  had  a  name  to 
live,  were  no  better  than  dead ;  and  one  rea- 
son why  the  Lord  permitted  the  offences  and 
divisions  we  have  mentioned  to  take  place 
was  that,  by  the  means  of  such  heresies,  tho.se 
that  were  approved  might  be  made  manifest, 
and  the  chaff  .separated  from  the  wheat;  for 
though  the  ignorant  world  would  call  even 
those  persons  christians,  whose  conduct 
proved  them  enemies  to  the  cross  of  Christ, 
yet  time,  the  test  of  truth,  imanswerably 
evinced  the  difference.  Thus  St.  John,  who 
lived  some  years  after  the  rest  of  the  apos- 
tles, and  saw  many  turn  their  backs  upon  the 
teachers  and  doctrines  they  had  once  owned, 
has  observed  to  this  purpose: — "They  went 
out  from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us :  for  if 
they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have 
continued  with  us:  but  they  went  out,  that 
they  might  be  made  manifest  that  they  were 
not  all  of  us,"  1  John  ii.  19.  In  a  word,  there 
were  too  many  pretenders;  some  things  amiss 
where  the  heart  and  views  were  right  in  the 
main,  and  imperfections  in  the  best:  the 
scorners  and  cavillers,  who  hated  the  light 
of  the  gospel,  and  wore  always  in  search  of 
something  to  confirm  their  prejudices  against 
it,  met  with  much  answerable  to  their  wishes, 
even  in  the  first  and  best  churches;  but  to 
men  of  candour,  who  were  ingenuous  seekers 
of  the  truth,  the  spirituality,  humility,  and 
brotherly  love  that  prevailed  among  the  chris- 
tians, and  the  powerful  effects  of  their  public 
ordinances,  demonstrated  that  the  truth  was 
on  their  side,  and  that  God  was  assuredly 
with  them. 

We  offer  the  same  apology,  the  same  train 
of  reasoning  in  behalf  of  what  is  now  so  ge- 
nerally deemed  the  foolishness  of  preaching. 
The  doctrines  we  defend,  which  some  (who 
cannot  do  it  ignorantly)  have  the  effrontery 
to  misrepresent  as  novel  opinions,  are,  we 
doubt  not,  the  doctrines  of  Christ  and  his 
apostles;  and  in  substance  the  doctrines 
taught  from  the  word  of  God  by  Wickliffe, 
Luther,  and  the  venerable  reformers  of  our 
own  churcli.  We  preach  Christ  crucified, 
Christ  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness, 
and  the  power  of  God  for  sanctification  to 
every  one  that  believeth;  we  preach  salva- 
tion by  e;race  through  faith  in  his  blood ;  and 
we  are  sure  that  they  who  receive  this  doc- 
trine unfeigncdly  will,  by  their  lives  and 
conversations,  demonstrate  it  to  be  a  doctrine 
according  to  godliness:  they  are  not  indeed 
delivered  from  infirmities,  they  are  liable  to 
mistakes  and  indiscretions,  and  see  more 
amiss  in  themselves  than  their  worst  enemies 
can  charge  them  with;  but  sin  is  their  bur- 
den; they  sigh  to  be  delivered  from  it,  nnd 
they  expect  a  complete  redemption.  We 
cannot  indeed  say  so  much  for  all  who  out- 


100 


OF  THE  HERESIES  PROPAGATED 


[book  ir. 


wardly  avow  a  belief  of  this  doctrine:  there 
are  pretenders  who,  while  they  profess  to 
believe  in  God,  in  works  they  deny  him. 
But  it  has  been  so  from  the  beginning-.  The 
miscarriages  of  such  persons  are  charged 
indiscriminately  upon  the  societies  among 
whom  they  are  mixed,  and  upon  the  truths 
which  they  seem  to  approve ;  but  there  is  a 
righteous  God,  wlio  in  due  time  will  vindi- 
cate his  own  gospel,  and  his  own  people  from 
all  aspersions.  St.  Paul  observed  such  things 
in  his  day,  and  he  spoke  of  them  likewise,  but 
he  spoke  of  them  weeping.  The  true  state 
of  the  mind  may  be  determined  from  the 
temper  with  which  the  miscarriages  of  pro- 
fessors are  observed.  The  profane  expatiate 
on  them  with  delight,  the  self-righteous  with 
disdain;  but  they  who  know  themselves,  and 
love  the  Lord,  cannot  speak  of  them  without 
the  sincerest  emotions  of  grief:  they  are  con- 
cerned for  the  honour  of  the  gospel,  which 
is  defamed  under  this  pretence;  they  are 
grieved  for  the  unhappy  and  dangerous  state 
of  those  by  whom  such  offences  come,  and 
they  fear  for  themselves,  lest  the  enemy 
should  gain  an  advantage  over  them  like- 
wise, for  they  know  they  have  no  strength 
nor  goodness  of  their  own ;  therefore,  avoid- 
ing unnecessary  reflections  on  others,  they 
endeavour  to  maintain  a  watchful  jealousy 
over  themselves,  and  to  fix  their  hearts  and 
hopes  upon  Christ  Jesus  their  Lord,  who, 
they  are  persuaded,  is  able  to  keep  them 
from  falling,  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost, 
and  at  length  to  present  them  faultless  before 
the  presence  of  his  glory,  with  exceeding  joy. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Of  the  heresies  propagated  by  false  teachers 
in  the  apostles'  days. 

The  parables  in  the  13th  chapter  of  St. 
Matthew  are  prophetical  of  the  reception  and 
event  of  the  gospel  in  succeeding  ages.  In 
this  view  our  Lord  himself  has  explained 
them.  Wherever  it  is  preached,  the  hearers 
may  be  classed  according  to  tlie  distribution 
in  the  parable  of  the  sower :  some  hear  with- 
out understanding  or  reflection ;  in  some  it 
excites  a  hasty  emotion  in  the  natural  affec- 
tions, and  produces  an  observable  and  sudden 
change  in  their  conduct,  resembling  the  ef- 
fects of  a  real  conversion  to  God ;  but  the 
truth  not  being  rooted  in  the  heart,  nor  the 
soul  united  to  Christ  by  a  living  faith,  these 
hopeful  appearances  are  sooner  or  later  blast- 
ed, and  come  to  nothing :  others  are  really 
convinced  in  their  judgment  of  the  truth  and 
importance  of  what  they  hear,  but  their  hearts 
cleave  to  the  dust,  and  the  love  of  this  world, 
the  care  of  what  they  have,  the  desire  of 
v/hat  they  have  not,  the  calls  of  business,  or 


the  solicitations  of  pleasure,  choke  the  word 
which  they  seem  to  receive,  so  that  it  brings 
forth  no  fruit  to  perfection :  a  part,  however, 
(usually  the  smallest  part,)  who  are  compared 
to  the  good  ground,  are  disposed  and  en- 
abled, by  divine  grace,  to  receive  it  thank- 
fully, as  life  from  the  dead.  And  though 
they  meet  with  many  difficulties,  and,  like 
the  corn  upon  the  ground,  pass  through  a 
succession  of  trying  and  changing  seasons, 
yet,  having  the  love,  promise,  and  power  of 
God  engaged  in  their  behalf,  in  defiance  of 
frosts,  and  blasts,  and  storms,  they  are  brought 
to  maturity,  and,  when  fully  ripe,  are  safely 
gathered  into  his  garner,  Matth.  iii.  12.  This 
is  an  epitome  of  the  ecclesiastical  history  of 
every  nation,  and  of  every  parish,  to  which 
this  word  of  salvation  is  sent. 

But  the  parable  of  the  tares  (Matth.  xiii. 
12,)  teaches  us  farther  to  expect,  that  besides 
the  general  influence  which  Satan,  as  the  God 
of  this  world,  will  exert  to  blind  the  eyes  of 
mankind,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel 
should  shine  upon  them  (2  Cor.  iv.  4,)  he 
will  take  occasion,  from  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  to  insinuate  a  variety  of  errors.  His 
first  attempts  in  this  way  are  often  so  specious 
and  unsuspected,  that  they  are  compared  to 
a  man's  sowing  seed  by  stealth,  and  in  the 
night,  but,  as  the  corn  grew,  a  large  crop  of 
tares  springing  up  with  it,  demonstrated  that 
an  enemy  had  been  there.  This,  in  fact,  has 
been  universally  the  case,  in  every  country 
and  age  where  the  gospel  has  been  received  ; 
and  we  may  remark,  that  the  sowing  the 
good  seed  was  the  occasion  of  the  tares  being 
cast  into  the  same  ground.  When  a  people 
are  involved  in  gross  darkness  and  ignorance, 
sleeping  in  a  false  peace,  and  buried  in  the 
pleasures  and  pursuits  of  the  world,  they  have 
neither  leisure,  nor  inclination,  to  invent  or 
attend  to  novelties  in  religion ;  each  one  is 
satisfied  with  that  form  (if  even  the  form  of 
godliness  is  retained,)  which  he  has  received 
from  his  parents,  and  neither  pretends  nor 
desires  to  be  wiser  than  those  who  went  before 
him :  but  when  the  truth  has  shone  forth  and 
been  received,  and  seems  to  bid  fair  for  far- 
ther success,  Satan  employs  all  his  power 
and  subtlety,  either  to  suppress  or  counterfeit 
it,  or  both.  Much  has  been  done  in  the  former 
way;  he  has  prevailed  so  far  as  to  enkindle 
the  fiercest  animosities  against  the  nearest 
relatives,  and  persuaded  men  that  they  might 
do  acceptable  service  to  God,  by  punishing 
his  faithful  servants  with  torture,  fire,  and 
sword  (John  xvi.  2 :)  and  no  less  industrious 
and  successful  has  he  been  in  practising 
upon  the  passions  and  prejudices  of  mankind 
to  admit  and  propagate,  instead  of  the  gospel 
of  Christ,  and  under  that  name,  an  endless 
diversity  of  opinions,  utterly  incompatible 
with  it.  Of  these  some  are  ingenious  and 
artful,  eidapted  to  gratify  the  pride  of  those 
who  are  wise  in  their  own  conceits ;  othera 


CHAP.  IV.] 


IN  THE  APOSTLES'  DAYS. 


101 


more  gross  and  extravagant,  suited  to  inflame 
the  imaginations,  or  to  gratify  the  appetites 
of  such  persons  as  liave  not  a  turn  for  specu- 
lation and  refinement. 

As  tiiese  appearances  have  always  accom- 
panied the  gospel,  so  they  have  always  been 
a  stumbling-block  and  offence  to  the  world, 
and  liave  furnished  those  who  hated  the  light 
with  a  pretext  for  rejecting  it :  and  tlie  doc- 
trines of  truth  have  been  charged  as  tlie 
source  and  cause  of  those  errors  which  have 
only  sprung  from  their  abuse  and  perver- 
sion. Wlien  Popery,  for  a  series  of  ages,  de- 
tained mankind  in  darkness  and  bondage, 
and  deprived  them  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
holy  scriptures,  the  tide  of  error  ran  uni- 
formly in  one  great  channel ;  when  dead 
works  were  substituted  in  the  place  of  living 
faith ;  and  the  worship  and  trust  which  is 
only  due  to  Jesus  the  great  Mediator,  was 
blasphemously  directed  to  subordinate  inter- 
cessors, to  angels  and  to  saints,  whether  real 
or  pretended  ;  when  forgiveness  of  sin  was 
expected,  not  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  but  by 
penances,  pilgrimages,  masses,  and  human 
absolutions,  by  the  repetition  of  many  prayers, 
or  the  payment  of  sums  of  money;  while 
things  continued  thus,  the  world  was  gene- 
rally in  that  state  of  stupidity  and  blind  se- 
curity which  is  miscalled  religious  peace 
and  uniformity  ;  and  tiie  controversies  of  the 
times  were  chiefly  confined  to  those  points 
which  immediately  ai3ected  the  power,  wealth, 
or  pre-eminence  of  the  several  religious  or- 
ders by  whom  the  people  were  implicitly 
Jed.  Some  differences  of  opinion  were  indeed 
known ;  but  the  charge  of  heresy  and  dange- 
rous innovations  was  seldom  so  much  as  pre- 
tended against  any,  but  the  few  who  refused 
to  wear  the  mark  of  the  beast  upon  their 
right  hands  and  foreheads,  and  who,  by  the 
mercy  of  God,  retained  and  professed  the 
main  truths  of  Christianity  in  some  degree  of 
power  and  purity.  But  when  it  pleased  God 
to  revive  tlie  knowledge  of  the  gospel,  by 
the  minLstry  of  Luther  and  his  associates,  and 
many  were  turned  from  darkness  to  light, 
the  enemy  of  mankind  presently  changed 
his  methods,  and,  by  his  influence,  the  sow- 
ing of  the  good  seed  was  followed  by  tares 
in  abundance.  In  the  course  of  a  few  years, 
the  glory  of  the  Reformation  was  darkened, 
and  its  progress  obstructed,  by  the  enthusiasm 
and  infatuation  of  men,  who,  under  a  pre- 
tence of  improving  upon  Luther's  plan,  pro- 
pagated the  wildest,  most  extravagant,  and 
blasphemous  opinions,  and  perpetrated,  under 
the  mask  of  religion,  such  acts  of  cruelty, 
villany,  and  licentiousness,  as  have  been  sel- 
dom heard  of  in  the  world.  The  papists 
beheld  these  excesses  with  pleasure:  many 
of  them  could  not  but  know  that  Luther,  and 
the  heads  of  the  Reformation,  did  all  that 
could  be  expected  from  them,  to  show  the 
fcllj  and  iniquity  of  such  proceedings ;  but, 


against  the  liglit  of  truth  and  fact,  they  la- 
boured to  persuade  the  world,  that  these 
were  the  necessary  consequences  of  Luther's 
doctrine;  that  no  better  issue  could  be 
justly  hopea  for  when  men  presumed  to  de- 
part from  the  authorised  standards  of  popes 
and  councils,  and  to  read  and  examine  the 
scriptures  for  themselves. 

This  religious  madness,  was,  however,  of 
no  long  duration :  the  people  who  held  tenets 
inconsistent  with  the  peace  of  society,  were 
deservedly  treated  as  rebels  and  incendiaries 
by  the  governing  powers;  the  ringleaders 
were  punished,  and  the  multitudes  dispersed ; 
their  most  obnoxious  errors  were  gradually 
abandoned,  and  are  now  in  a  manner  forgot. 
After  the  peace  of  Passau,  the  Reformation 
acquired  an  establishment  in  Germany,  and 
other  places;  and  since  that  time  error  has 
assumed  a  milder  form,  and  has  been  sup- 
ported by  softer  methods,  and  more  respecta- 
ble names. 

In  our  own  country,  the  same  spirit  of 
enthusiasm  and  disorder  has  appeared  at  dif- 
ferent times,  though  it  has  been  restrained 
by  tlie  providence  of  God,  from  proceeding 
to  the  same  extremities,  and  has  been  most 
notorious,  when,  or  soon  after,  the  power  of 
gospel-truth  has  been  more  eminently  re- 
vived ;  for,  as  I  have  already  observed,  when 
religion  is  upon  the  decline,  and  only  so  much 
of  a  profession  retained  as  is  consistent  with 
the  love  of  the  present  world,  and  a  confor- 
mity to  the  maxims  and  practices  of  the  many, 
we  seldom  hear  of  any  errors  prevailing,  but 
such  as  will  find  a  favourable  toleration,  and 
may  be  avowed  w^ithout  exciting  very  strong 
and  general  expressions  of  contempt  and  ill- 
will  against  those  who  maintain  them.  But 
whenever  real  religion,  as  a  life  of  faith  in  the 
Son  of  God,  is  set  forth  upon  the  principles  of 
scripture,  and,  by  the  operation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  witnesses  are  raised  up,  who  by  their 
conduct  demonstrate  that  they  arc  crucified 
with  Christ,  to  the  law,  to  sin,  and  to  the 
world,  then  is  the  time  for  Satan  to  discredit 
this  work,  by  imposing  a  variety  of  false 
views  and  appearances  upon  the  minds  of  tlie 
ignorant  and  unwary ;  and  he  is  seldom  at  a 
loss  for  fit  instruments  to  promote  liis  designs. 
Since  the  late  revival  of  tlie  Reformation 
doctrines  amongst  us,  we  have  perhaps  fewer 
things  of  this  kind  to  apologize  for,  than  have 
been  observable  on  any  similar  occasion ;  and 
the  best  apology  we  can  offer  for  what  has 
been  really  blameable,  is,  to  show  that  it  was 
even  thus  in  the  apostles'  days ;  and  that,  if 
any  arguments  taken  from  these  blemishes 
are  conclusive  against  what  some  choose  to 
call  the  novel  doctrines  now,  they  would, 
with  equal  reason,  conclude  against  the  va- 
lidity of  the  New  Testament. 

And  not  to  confine  myself  to  such  things 
as  the  world  is  most  prone  to  except  against, 
I  shall  endeavour  to  show,  that  the  seeds  of 


102  OF  THE  HERESIES  PROPAGATED  [book  n. 


all  errors  and  heresies,  the  fashionable  as  well 
as  those  which  arc  more  generally  despised, 
were  sown  in  the  first  age,  and  aj)peared  so 
early  as  to  g-ive  occasion  for  %e  apostles' 
censures  against  them.  I  do  not  mean  by 
this  to  parallel  every  name  and  every  singu- 
larity that  a  subtle  head  or  a  warm  imagina- 
tion may  have  started ;  but  to  assign,  in 
general,  the  principles  to  which  all  these  de- 
lusions may  be  reduced,  the  sources  to  which 
these  inebriating  and  dangerous  streams  may 
be  traced  :  for,  indeed,  the  operations  of  the 
human  mind  seem  to  be  much  more  simple 
and  limited  than  we  are  ordinarily  aware. 
As  there  can  be  no  new  truths,  though  every 
truth  appears  new  to  us  which  we  have  not 
known  before,  so  it  is  probable,  that  there 
can  be  now  no  new  errors ;  at  least  it  is  cer- 
tain, that  a  competent  knowledge  of  anti- 
quity, or  even  a  careful  perusal  of  the  apos- 
tles'writings,  will  furnish  sufficient  evidence, 
that  some  modern  authors  and  teachers  are 
by  no  means  the  inventors  of  the  ingenious 
schemes  they  have  presented  to  the  public. 
Truth,  like  the  sun,  maintains  a  constant 
course;  every  thing  would  stagnate  and  die 
if  we  were  deprived  of  it  for  a  single  day ; 
but  errors  are  like  comets ;  which,  though 
too  eccentric  to  be  subject  exactly  to  our 
computations,  yet  have  their  periods  of  ap- 
proach and  recess,  and  some  of  them  have 
appeared  and  been  admired,  have  been  with- 
drawn and  forgot,  over  and  over  again. 

Error,  in  the  simplest  form,  is  a  misappre- 
liension  of  the  truth.  Some  part  of  the  gos- 
pel must  be  known  before  any  erroneous  con- 
ceptions of  it  can  take  place.  Thus  we  read 
(Actsviii.  9 — 22,)  that  Simon  Magus  was 
struck  with  Philip's  preaching,  and  the  ef- 
fects which  attended  it :  he  was  so  far  im- 
pressed, that  it  is  said  he  believed ;  that  is, 
he  made  a  profession  of  faith ;  he  was  con- 
vinced there  was  something  extraordinary  in 
the  doctrine,  but  he  understood  it  not :  and 
the  event  showed  he  had  no  part  nor  lot  in 
the  matter.  He  is  thought  by  the  ancients 
to  have  been  the  founder  of  that  capital  sect, 
which  is  known  in  general  by  the  name  of 
Gnostics,  and  which,  like  a  gangrene,  spread 
far  and  wide,  in  various  branches  and  subdi- 
visions, each  successive  head  refining  upon 
the  system  of  the  preceding.  In  Sir  Peter 
King's  History  of  the  Apostles'  Creed,  and 
Mosheim's  Ecclesiastical  History,  the  Eng- 
lish reader  may  see  the  substance  of  the  fig- 
ments which  these  unhappy  men,  wise  in  their 
own  conceit,  vented  under  the  name  of  the 
christian  religion. 

The  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  him 
crucified,  which  St.  Paul  preached,  and  in 
which  he  gloried,  is  the  pillar  and  ground  of 
truth,  the  rock  upon  which  the  church  is 
built,  and  against  which  the  gates  of  hell 
shall  never  prevail,  1  Cor.  ii.  2;  Gal.  vi.  14; 
1  Tun.  iii.  1.5 ;  Matth.  xvi.  18.    Mistakes  hi 


this  point  are  fundamental,  dangerous,  and 
if  persisted  in,  destructive ;  for  as  such  a 
knowledge  of  God  as  is  connected  with  his 
favour  and  communion  is  eternal  life,  so  none 
can  come  to  the  Father  but  by  the  Son  (.lohn 
xvii.  ;  and  xiv.  6,)  nor  can  any  know  him, 
but  those  to  whom  the  Son  will  reveal  him, 
Matth.  xi.  27.  On  this  account  Satan's  great 
endeavour  (and  on  his  success  herein  the 
strength  of  his  kingdom  depends)  is  to  dark- 
en and  pervert  the  minds  of  men,  lest  they 
should  acknowledge  and  understand  what  the 
scriptures  declare  of  his  person,  character, 
and  office.s,  as  well  knowing,  that  if  these 
are  set  aside,  whatever  else  is  left  of  religion 
will  be  utterly  unavailing.  Jesus  Christ  ia 
revealed  in  the  scriptures,  and  was  preached 
by  his  first  disciples,  as  God  manifest  in  the 
flesh,  a  divine  person  in  the  human  nature, 
who,  by  submitting  to  ignominy,  pain,  and 
death,  made  a  full  and  proper  atonement  for 
sin,  and  wrought  out  an  everlasting  righte- 
ousness in  favour  of  all  who  should  believe  in 
his  name  ;  and  he  is  set  forth  in  that  nature 
in  which  he  suffered,  as  the  object  of  our  su- 
preme love,  trust,  and  adoration.  Other  im- 
portant doctrines,  largely  insisted  on  in  the 
word  of  Gotl,  such  as  the  demerit  of  sin,  the 
obnoxiousness  of  sinners  to  punishment,  and 
the  misery  and  incapacity  of  man  in  his  fallen 
state,  are  closely  connected  with  this,  and 
cannot  be  satisfactorily  explained  without  it. 
The  necessary  method  of  our  recovery  exhi- 
bits the  most  striking  view  of  the  ruin  in 
which  sin  has  involved  us,  and  is  the  only 
adequate  standard  whereby  to  estimate  the 
unspeakable  love  of  God  manifested  in  our 
redemption.  On  the  other  hand,  a  know- 
ledge of  the  true  state  of  mankind,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  fall,  is  necessary  to  obviate  the 
prejudices  of  our  minds  against  a  procedure, 
which,  though  in  itself  the  triumph  of  divine 
wisdom,  is  in  many  respects  contradictory  to 
our  natural,  and  therefore  false,  notions  of 
the  fitness  of  things.  St.  Paul  declares,  that 
the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of 
the  Spii-it  of  God,  neither  can  he  discern  them 
(1  Cor.  ii.  14 ;)  and  in  another  place,  that 
no  man  can  say  (that  is,  sincerely,  and  upon 
solid  conviction)  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  1  Cor.  xii.  3.  To  wor- 
ship him  who  had  been  hanged  on  a  cross, 
and  to  expect  eternal  happiness  from  his 
death,  was  to  the  Jews  a  stumbling-block  ;  it 
offended  their  notions  of  the  unity  of  the 
godhead,  and  opposed  their  high  esteem  of 
their  own  righteousness  ;  and  to  the  Greeks, 
or  Heathens,  it  appeared  the  greatest  folly 
and  absurdity  imaginable.  For  these  rea- 
sons the  gospel  was  rejected  by  multitudes  as 
soon  as  proposed,  and  those  who  preached  it 
were  accounted  babblers  and  madmen,  not 
because  they  were  at  a  loss  for  propriety  of 
expression,  or  discovered  any  thing  ridiculous 
in  their  conduct,  but  because  they  enforced 


CHAP,  nr.] 


IN  THE  APOSTLES'  DAYS. 


103 


tenets  which  were  ad  judged  inconsistent  with 
the  common  sense  of  mankind. 

But,  notwithstanding  these  prejudices,  the 
energy  of  their  preaching,  and  the  miracu- 
lous powers  with  which  it  was  accompanied, 
made  an  impression  upon  many  persons,  so 
far  as  to  induce  them  to  profess  the  name  of 
Jesus,  though  they  were  not  spiritually  en- 
lightened into  the  mysteries  of  his  religion, 
nor  their  hearts  thoroughly  subdued  to  the 
obedience  of  the  faith.  There  are  other  points 
within  the  compass  of  the  gospel-ministry 
more  adapted  to  affect  the  minds  of  men  in 
their  natural  state.  Few  are  so  hardened, 
but  they  have  a  conscience  of  sin,  some  fears 
with  respect  to  its  consequences,  and  a  pre- 
intimation  of  immortality.  Such  are  capable 
of  being  greatly  affected  and  moved  by  a  pa- 
thetic declaration  of  the  terrors  of  the  Lord, 
the  solemnities  of  a  future  judgment,  the  joys 
of  heaven,  or  the  torments  of  hell.  We  can- 
not doubt  that  these  topics,  when  insisted  on 
with  that  strength  of  argument  and  warmth 
of  spirit,  of  which  the  apostles  were  capable. 
Would  engage  the  attention  of  many  who 
were  not  partakers  of  that  divine  light,  by 
which  alone  the  whole  scheme  of  truth,  in 
its  harmony  and  beauty,  can  be  perceived. 
The  seed  sown  upon  the  rock  sprang  up  im- 
mediately, the  quickness  of  its  growth,  and 
the  suddenness  of  its  decay,  proceeding  from 
the  same  cause,  a  want  of  depth  in  the  soil. 
Not  a  few  of  these  hasty  believers  presently 
renounced  the  faith  altogether,  and  others, 
who  vvent  not  so  far  as  to  disown  the  name, 
endeavoured  to  accommodate  the  doctrine  to 
their  prepossessions,  and  to  explain  or  reject 
what  they  could  not  understand,  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  form  a  system  upon  the  whole 
agreeable  to  their  own  wills.  Men  of  corrupt 
and  prejudiced  minds  thus  tampered  with  the 
truth ;  and  their  inventions,  when  made 
known,  were  adopted  by  others  of  the  same 
cast  of  thought:  as  they  were  differently  in- 
clined, they  directed  their  in<[uiries  to  dif- 
ferent points,  and  each  found  partizans  and 
adiierents  in  their  respective  ways.  Thus 
errors,  and  in  consequence,  sects  and  divi- 
sions, were  multiplied  ;  for  when  men  depart 
from  the  unerring  guidance  of  God's  word, 
there  is  no  end  of  their  imaginations ;  one 
singularity  produces  another,  and  every  new 
leader  is  stimulated  to  carry  his  discoveries 
farther  than  those  who  have  gone  before  him. 
Farther,  as  human  nature  is  universally  the 
same,  we  may  judge  from  what  we  have 
seen,  thnt  there  always  have  been  persons 
inclined  to  join  in  a  religious  profession,  from 
the  unworthy  motives  of  worldly  interest, 
and  a  desire  to  stand  fair  with  their  fellow- 
creatures.  Temptations  to  this  were  not  so 
strong  indeed  at  first,  nor  so  general,  as  they 
have  often  been  since  ;  yet  the  force  of  friend- 
ship, relation,  (and  wlien  Christianity  had 
been  of  some  years  standing,)  education, 


custom,  and  human  authority,  is  very  consi- 
derable :  nor  is  even  persecution  a  sufficient 
bar  against  hypocrites  and  intruders.  They 
who  suffer  for  the  gospel,  though  despised  by 
the  world,  are  highly  esteemed  and  consider- 
ed by  their  own  side ;  it  procures  them  an 
attention  which  they  would  not  have  other- 
wise obtained  ;  it  may  give  them  an  import- 
ance in  their  own  eyes,  furnish  them  with 
something  to  talk  of,  and  make  them  talked 
of  by  others.  There  are  people  who,  for  the 
sake  of  these  advantages,  will,  for  a  season, 
venture  upon  many  hardships,  though,  when 
the  trial  comes  very  close,  they  will  not  en- 
dure to  the  end.  In  a  word,  there  is  no  rea- 
son to  doubt  but  that,  amongst  the  numbers 
who  professed  the  gospel  at  first,  there  would 
be  found  the  same  variety  of  tempers,  cir- 
cumstances, views,  and  motives,  as  have 
ordinarily  appeared  amongst  a  great  number 
of  people,  suddenly  formed  in  any  other  pe- 
riod of  time ;  and  the  apostles'  writings  prove 
that  it  was  really  so.  From  these  general 
principles,  we  may  easily  account  for  the 
early  introduction  and  increase  of  errors  and 
heresies,  and  that  they  should  be  in  a  manner 
the  same  as  they  have  sprung  up  with,  or 
followed  succeeding  revivals  of  the  truth.  Nor 
is  it  just  cause  of  surprise,  if  sincere  chris- 
tians have  been,  in  some  instances,  entan- 
gled in  the  prevailing  errors  of  the  times: 
designing  no  harm  themselves,  they  suspect 
none,  and  are  therefore  liable  to  be  imposed 
on  by  those  who  lie  in  wait  to  deceive, 
Ephes.  iv.  14. 

When  Christianity  first  appeared,  the  Hea- 
then wisdom,  known  by  the  name  of  Philo- 
sophy, was  in  the  highest  repute :  it  had  two 
principal  branches,  the  Grecian  and  the  East- 
ern. The  former  admitted  (at  least  did  not 
condemn)  a  multiplicity  and  subordination  of 
deities ;  amongst  whom,  as  agents  and  medi- 
ators between  their  supreme  Jupiter  and  mor- 
tals, the  care  and  concerns  of  mankind  were 
subdivided,  to  each  of  which  homage  and  sa- 
crifices were  due :  their  mythology,  or  the 
pretended  history  of  their  divinities,  was 
puerile  and  absurd,  and  many  of  their  reli- 
gious rites  inconsistent  with  the  practice  of 
public  decorum  and  good  morals.  Some  of 
the  philosophers  endeavoured  to  guard  against 
the  worst  abuses,  and  to  form  a  system  of 
religion  and  morality,  in  whicii  they  seem  to 
have  proceeded  as  far  as  could  be  expected 
from  men  who  were  totally  ignorant  of  the 
true  God,  and  of  their  own  state  :  some  truths 
they  were  accjuainted  with,  truths  in  theory, 
but  utterly  impracticable  upon  any  principles 
but  those  of  revelation.  Amongst  a  vast 
number  of  opinions  concerning  the  chief  good 
of  man,  a  few  held,  that  man's  honour  and 
happiness  must  consist  in  conformity  to,  and 
communion  with,  God ;  but  how  to  attain 
these  desirable  ends,  they  were  entirely  ig- 
norant. 


104 


OF  THE  HERESIES  PROPAGATED 


[book  II. 


TIic  eastern  pliilosophy  was  solemn  and 
mysterious,  and  not  less  fhbiilous  than  the 
other ;  but  the  tables  were  of  a  graver  cast.  It 
seeijed  to  mourn  under  the  sense  of  moral 
evil,  and  laboured  in  vain  to  account  for  its 
entrance ;  its  precepts  were  gloomy  and  se- 
vere ;  and  a  perfect  course  of  bodily  mortifi- 
cation was  recommended  as  the  great  expe- 
dient to  purify  the  soul  from  all  its  defilements, 
and  to  re-unite  it,  by  degrees,  to  its  great 
Author. 

St.  Paul,  in  several  passages  (Col.  ii.  8; 

1  Tim.  vi.  20,)  cautions  the  christians  against 
corrupting  the  simplicity  of  their  faith,  by 
admitting  the  reasoning  and  inventions  of 
vain  men.  In  some  places  (1  Tim.  i.  4 ;  2  Tim. 
cii.  9)  he  seems  to  speak  more  directly  of  the 
Gnostics,  whose  heresies  were  little  more 
than  the  fables  of  the  eastern  philosophy,  in 
a  new  dress,  with  an  acknowledgment  of 
.^esus  Christ  as  an  extraordinary  person,  yet 
so  as  utterly  to  exclude  and  deny  all  the  im- 
portant truths  revealed  in  the  scriptures  con- 
cerning him.  They  dignified  their  scheme 
with  the  name  of  Gnosis,  or  Science ;  but  it 
was  falsely  so  called,  and  stood  in  direct  op- 
position to  the  gospel.  On  other  occasions 
(Rom.  i.  21—23 ;  1  Cor.  i.  20—23,)  he  ap- 
pears to  have  had  the  Grecian  philosophy 
chiefly  in  view.  But,  notwithstanding  his 
admonitions,  it  was  not  long  before  the  errors 
of  philosophy  had  an  ill  influence  upon  the 
professors  of  the  christian  faith ;  and  even 
several  of  the  fathers  darkened  the  glory  of 
the  truth,  by  endeavouring  to  accommodate 
it  to  the  taste  and  genius  of  that  Heathen 
wisdom  which  they  had  before  admired,  and 
still  thought  might  be  useful  to  embellish 
and  recommend  the  gospel. 

But  to  confine  myself  to  the  apostles'  times, 
it  is  plain,  from  the  epistles  of  St.  Paul,  John, 
Jude,  and  Peter  (Tit.  i.  10 ;  1  John  iv.  1 ; 

2  Pet.  ii.  18,  19;  Jude  4,)  that  many  false 
prophets  and  teachers  had,  in  their  days,  crept 
in,  who  propagated  damnable  heresies,  even 
denying  the  Ix)rd  who  bought  them,  turning 
the  grace  of  God  into  licentiousness,  speak- 
ing great  swelling  words  of  vanity,  boasting 
themselves  of  freedom,  while  they  were  in 
bondage  to  their  own  lusts.  And  in  the  epis- 
tle to  the  church  of  Ephesus  (Rev.  ii.  6,)  our 
Lord  himself  mentions  a  sect,  who  bore  the 
name  of  Nicolaitans,  and  expresses  his  dis- 
approbation of  them  in  these  awful  terms: 
"  Whom  I  also  hate !"  The  peculiar  tenets 
of  the  people  condemned  in  these  passages  of 
scripture  are  not  expressly  mentioned;  but 
from  these  sources  were  most  probably  de- 
rived the  sects  which,  in  the  second  century, 
were  known  by  the  names  of  their  several 
leaders,  Cerinthus,  Satuminus,  Cerdo,  Mar- 
cion,  Basilides,  Valentinus,  and  others:  who 
all,  building  upon  the  common  foundation  of 
the  eastern  philosophy,  or  Gnosis,  superadded 
their  own  peculiarities,  and  were  diiferently, 


I  though  equall)',  remote  from  the  truth.  The 
one  thing  in  which  they  all  agreed  wa.s,  in 
perverting  and  opposing  the  scripture-doc- 
trine concerning  the  person  of  Christ.  On 
this  point  their  opinions  were  as  discordant 
as  absurd:  some  denied  that  Christ  was  come 
in  the  flesh ;  they  pretended  that  Christ  was 
sent  from  heaven  by  the  supreme  God,  and 
united  himself  to  Jesus,  the  son  of  Joseph 
and  Mary,  at  his  baptism;  and  that,  when 
the  Jews  apprehended  the  man  Jesus,  and 
nailed  him  to  the  cross,  Christ  returned  to 
heaven,  and  left  him  to  sufter  by  himself. 
Others  ascribed  a  heavenly  derivation  to  his 
body,  affirming  that  it  passed  through  the 
Virgin  Mar}',  witiiout  any  participation  of  her 
substance;  while  others  asserted,  that  he  had 
no  substantial  flesh;  but  that  his  body  was  a 
mere  phantom,  or  apparition,  which  was  nei- 
ther really  born,  nor  did  or  could  truly  suffer. 
Again,  there  were  others  who  held  the  reality 
of  his  human  nature,  yet  maintained,  that 
Christ  did  not  suffer  at  all,  but  that  Simon  of 
Cyrene,  the  bearer  of  his  cross,  being  taken 
by  the  Jews  for  him,  was  crucified  in  his 
stead,  while  he  stood  by,  and  laughed  at  their 
mistake.  A  brief  recital  of  these  extrava- 
gancies is  sufficient  for  my  present  purpose : 
for  a  more  particular  account,  I  refer  the 
reader  to  Sir  Peter  King's  History  of  the 
Creed,  already  mentioned.  Many  passages  in 
the  apostles'  writings  are  directed  against 
these  dangerous  errors;  for  they  strike  at  the 
root  of  the  faith  and  hope  of  the  gospel,  and 
are  subversive  of  the  whole  tenor  both  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testament.  It  was  believed  by 
the  ancients,  that  St.  John  wrote  his  gospel 
with  some  view  to  these  heresies;  and  it  is 
certain  that,  in  his  first  epistle,  where,  put- 
ting the  disciples  upon  their  guard  against 
the  many  false  prophets  who  were  gone  out 
into  the  world,  he  observes,  that  the  comm.on 
point,  in  which  all  tlieir  divers  opinions 
agreed,  was  a  denial  that  Jesus  Christ  was 
come  in  the  flesh,  1  John  ii.  22,  and  iv.  S. 
He  reminds  them,  that  as  they  had  heard 
Antichrist  must  come,  even  so  now  there 
were  many  Antichrists;  and  that  the  name 
was  applicable  to  all  who  denied  that  Jesus 
is  the  Christ.  He  admits  that  these  false 
teachers  went  out  from  amongst  themselves, 
that  is,  they  had  borne  the  christian  name; 
but  he  refers  to  the  doctrines  they  taught,  as 
a  sufficient  proof  that  they  had  never  been  of 
the  number  of  true  christians;  for  if  they  had 
been  of  us,  no  doubt  they  would  have  cork- 
tinued  with  us,  1  John  ii.  19.  If  opinions, 
equally  wild  and  extravagant,  were  at  this 
time  maintained  and  propagated  by  persons 
who,  for  a  season,  had  been  warm  for  truth 
and  reformation,  we  are  not  afraid  that  they 
would  prejudice  our  cause  with  any  who  will 
allow  due  weight  to  the  reasoning  of  St. 
John ;  for  if  they  had  been  really  of  us  once, 
they  would  have  still  continued  with  us. 


CHAP.  IV.] 


IN  THE  APOSTLES'  DAYS. 


105 


But  the  truth  is,  the  teachers  in  our  time, 
whose  leading  tenets  most  nearly  symbolize 
with  these  ancient  heresies,  are  not  charged, 
or  even  suspected  of  having  had  any  attach- 
ment to  the  doctrines  which  I  am  concerned 
to  vindicate;  nor  is  an  apology  expected  from 
them,  for  they  gave  but  little  offence.  Since 
the  fabulous  disguise,  under  which  the  Gnos- 
tics of  old  veiled  their  opinions,  has  been  laid 
aside,  their  opiwsition  to  the  deity  and  atone- 
ment of  Christ  has  been  adopted  by  so  many 
who  are  applauded  for  ingenuity,  fine  reason- 
ing, and  great  learning,  that  it  bids  fair  to 
be  the  fashionable  divinity  of  the  age ;  and 
though  the  sufferings  of  Jesus  ajre  not  denied, 
yet  their  proper  causes  and  ends  are  openly 
exploded;  and  the  attempt  has  often  proved 
an  easy  path  to  acceptance,  wealth,  and 
dignity. 

The  attachment  of  the  Jewish  converts  to 
the  law  of  Closes  was  another  source  of 
error,  which  occasioned  daily  disputes  in  the 
cliurches,  and  gave  rise,  in  the  issue,  to  dan- 
gerous heresies,  subversive  of  the  true  faith. 
Even  those  of  them  who  had  sincerely  re- 
ceived the  gospel,  could  not  easily  be  per- 
suaded, that  a  law  given  to  iloses  by  God 
himself,  with  so  much  solemnity,  from  Mount 
Sinai,  was  to  be  entirely  abrogated ;  and  that 
their  obligation  to  it  was,  ipso  facto,  ^-acated 
the  moment  they  believed  in  Jesus,  who,  by 
his  obedience  unto  death,  had  accomplished 
all  its  types  and  ceremonies,  and  wrought 
out  for  his  people  an  everlasting  righteous- 
ness commensurate  to  its  utmost  require- 
ments. The  apostles,  who,  after  the  pattern 
of  their  Lord,  were  gentle  and  tender  to  the 
weak  of  the  flock,  bore  with  their  infirmities 
(Rom.  xiv.  2.  6,)  and  allowed  them  to  retain 
a  distinction  of  meats,  and  days,  and  other 
observances,  provided  they  did  not  consider 
these  things  in  such  a  point  of  view  as  to 
interfere  with  God's  appointed  method  of 
justification  by  faith  in  his  Son.  But  the 
matter  was  carried  much  farther;  for  no 
sooner  was  there  a  church  formed  at  Antioch, 
tlian  they  were  troubled  with  perverse 
teachers  (Acts  xv.  1)  who  told  them,  that 
except  they  were  circumcised,  and  kept  the 
law  of  Moses,  tliey  could  not  be  saved.  The 
Galatians  were  greatly  hurt  by  teachers  of 
this  sort  (Gal.  v.  4;)  and  as  the  Jews  were 
dispersed  through  all  the  provinces,  the 
peace  of  the  church  was  more  or  less  affected 
by  their  attempts  to  enforce  the  observance 
of  the  law,  in  almost  every  place,  till  after 
the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  was  received,  and 
obedience  to  the  Levitical  law  rendered  im- 
practicable by  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
and  the  temple,  Col.  ii.  16.  Tit.  i.  10.  Phil, 
iii.  2.  1  Tim.  i.  7.  From  that  period,  it  is 
probable,  the  distinction  of  Jew  and  Gentile 
believers  ceased,  and  botii  parties  were  firmly 
incorporated  into  one  body:  but  a  great  num- 
ber of  the  zealots  for  the  law  separated  them- 

VoL.  U.  O 


selves,  and  were  known  in  tlie  follovi'ing  ago 
by  the  name  of  Ebionites,  adopting  for  their 
rule  a  mixture  of  law  and  gospel,  so  very 
different  from  the  gospel  St.  Paul  preached, 
that  tliey  openly  expressed  an  abhorrence 
both  of  his  person  and  writings. 

We  have  an  account  likewise  of  some  pre- 
tended teachers,  who  opposed  the  important 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection.  Some  expressly 
maintained,  that  there  was  no  resurrection, 
whom  St.  Paul  confutes  at  large,  in  the  15th 
chap,  of  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians. 
Others  afBrmed  that  the  resurrection  was 
past  already,  2  Tim.  18.  Perhaps  they  pre- 
tended that  a  moral  change  was  designed  by 
the  metaphorical  expression  of  a  resurrection. 
The  philosophers  had  used  the  word  in  this 
sense:  and  this  would  be  suiScient  to  gain  it 
admittance  with  some,  who  would  willingly 
reconcile  their  profession  to  the  wisdom  of 
the  world.  In  either  way  the  very  founda- 
tions of  hope  were  removed.  If  this  point  is 
denied,  the  whole  system  of  christian  doctrine 
falls  to  the  ground ;  and  that  dreadful  train  of 
consequences  must  be  admitted,  which  the 
apostle  enumerates  in  1  Cor.  xv.  14.  18.  "  If 
there  be  no  resurrection  of  the  dead,  then  is 
Christ  not  risen,  then  is  our  preaching  vain, 
and  your  faith  also  vain,  ye  are  yet  in  3'our 
sins ;  then  they  also  who  are  fallen  asleep  in 
Christ  are  perished."  Since  the  fertile  resur- 
rection of  ancient  mistakes,  which  is  the  sin 
and  scandal  of  the  present  age,  we  have  been 
gravely  told,  that  the  word  signifies  no  more 
than  the  soul's  awaking  from  the  long  sleep 
into  which  they  suppose  the  period  we  call 
death  will  plunge  it;  and  that  the  body  has 
no  share  in  the  revival,  but  dies  without 
hope:  but  we  may  thank  God  for  tlie  scrip- 
tures, which  brings  comfort  where  philosophy 
gives  up  the  cause  as  desperate.  Faitli  in 
Christ  is  so  closely  connected  with  the  doc- 
trine of  a  resurrection,  that  it  is  common  with 
those  who  oppose  the  former  to  use  all  their 
address  to  explain  the  latter  quite  away ;  and 
whether  they  say,  it  is  past  already,  or,  that 
it  will  never  come,  their  motives,  their  de- 
sign, and  their  manner  of  reasoning,  are  the 
same. 

That  there  were  persons  who  abused  the 
doctrines  of  grace,  as  an  encouragement  to 
continue  in  the  practice  of  sin,  may  be  infer- 
red from  the  epistle  of  St.  James,  and  several 
passages  of  the  other  apostles.  Such,  in  our 
modern  phrase,  are  styled  Antinomians;  a 
name,  it  must  be  confessed,  of  very  indeter- 
minate application:  it  is  an  epithet,  which 
many  would  fix,  indiscriminately,  upon  all 
who  preach  a  free  salvation  by  "faitli  in  the 
blood  of  Jesus.  If  it  is  all  of  grace,  and  we 
can  do  nothing  of  ourselves ;  if  it  is  not  of 
him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth, 
but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy ;  then  we  may 
live  as  we  please,  endeavours  are  u.seless, 
and  obedience  unnecessary,  Rom.  xi.  6,  and 


106 


OF  THE  HERESIES  PROPAGATED 


[book  n. 


ix.  16;  2Cor.  iii.  5.  These  are  the  inferences 
which  the  unenlightened  heart  charges  as 
unavoidable  consequences  from  the  g-ospel- 
doctrine;  and  from  hence  we  obtain  a  cor- 
roborating' proof,  that  we  do  not  mistake  St. 
Paul's  sense,  or  preach  a  gospel  different 
from  his,  because  he  foresaw  that  the  same 
objections  would  seem  to  lie  against  himself 
(Rom.  iii.  7,  and  ix.  19;)  and  he  guards  and 
protests  against  such  a  perversion,  "  Shall 
we  continue  in  sin,  that  grace  may  abound ! 
God  forbid,"  Rom.  vi.  1.  It  seems  to  have 
been  upon  this  account  that  he  was  slandered, 
and  by  some  affirmed  to  have  taught,  "  Let 
us  do  evil,  that  good  may  come"  (Rom.  iii. 
8;)  that  is,  in  modern  language  (and  such 
things  are  not  spoken  in  corners  amongst  us,) 
If  any  man  would  be  a  proper  subject  of  what 
they  call  grace,  let  him  become  still  more 
vile,  and  plunge  into  the  most  atrocious 
wickedness;  for  the  greater  the  sinner,  the 
better  qualified  for  mercy.  We  are  content 
to  be  reproached,  as  St.  Paul  was  in  his  time, 
for  the  truth's  sake ;  and  we  would  be  chiefly 
concerned  for  the  unhappy  scoffers,  who,  un- 
less God  is  pleased  to  give  them  repentance 
unto  life,  will  one  day  wish  they  had  been 
idiots,  or  lunatics,  rather  than  have  vented 
their  malicious  wit  against  the  grace  and 
gospel  of  the  Lord  Christ.  But  it  must  be 
allowed,  we  have  seen  Antinomians  in  the 
worst  sense  of  the  word,  men  who  have 
pleaded  for  sin,  and  while  they  have  laid 
claim  to  faith,  have  renounced  and  blas- 
phemed that  holiness,  without  which,  no  man 
shall  see  the  Lord.  We  cannot  wonder,  that 
even  candid  and  well-meaning  persons  have 
been  greatly  prejudiced  and  discouraged  in 
their  inquiries  after  truth,  by  the  presumption 
and  wickedness  of  such  pretended  christians. 
But  no  period  of  the  church,  in  which  the 
gospel-doctrine  was  known  and  preached,  has 
been  free  from  offences  of  this  sort.  It  was  so 
in  the  apostles'  days.  There  were  then  many 
unruly  and  vain  talkers,  and  deceivers,  who 
subverted  whole  houses,  teaching  things 
which  they  ought  not  (Tit.  i.  10,  11 ;)  who 
professed  that  they  knew  God,  but  in  works 
denied  him,  being  abominable,  and  disobe- 
dient, and  to  every  good  work  reprobate  (Tit. 
i.  16 ;)  who  pretended  to  faith,  but  were  des- 
titute of  those  fruits  which  true  faith  always 
produces,  James  ii.  14.  These  are  described 
(Jude  12,  13,)  as  clouds  without  water,  car- 
ried about  of  winds;  trees  whose  fruit 
withereth,  twice  dead,  plucked  up  by  the 
root;  raging  waves  of  the  sea,  foaming  out 
their  own  shame ;  wandering  stars,  to  whom 
is  reserved  the  blackness  of  darkness  for  ever ; 
sporting  themselves  with  their  own  deceiv- 
ings,  and  beguiling  unstable  souls,  2  Pet.  ii. 
13,  14.  In  opposition  to  such  deceivers,  it  is 
written.  If  we  say  that  we  have  fellowship 
with  him,  and  walk  in  darkness,  we  lie,  and 
do  not  the  truth,  1  Jolm  i.  6.    He  that  saith, 


I  know  him  and  keepeth  not  his  command- 
ments, is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him, 
1  John  ii.  4.  For  every  man  that  hath  this 
hope  in  him,  purifieth  himself  even  as  he  is 
pure,  1  John  iii.  3.  The  foundation  of  God 
standeth  sure,  having  this  seal.  The  Lord 
knoweth  them  that  are  his;  and,  Let  every 
one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart 
from  iniquity,  2  Tim.  ii.  19. 

St.  Paul,  writing  to  the  Thessalonians  con- 
cerning the  man  of  sin  (2  Thess.  ii.  3 — 10,) 
who  was  to  be  fully  revealed  in  the  follow- 
ing ages,  reminds  them,  that  the  mystery  of 
iniquity,  though  at  that  time  restrained  from 
a  full  manifestation,  did  already  work ;  teach- 
ing us,  that  the  seeds  of  that  grand  apostacy, 
which  at  length  overspread  the  whole  pro- 
fessing church,  were  sown,  and  sprmging  up, 
at  the  time  of  his  writing.  And  lie  mentions 
several  particulars  in  his  epistle  to  the  Colos- 
sians  (chap.  ii.  18 — 23 ;)  such  as  a  voluntary, 
or  self-devised  humility,  in  worshipping  an- 
gels as  mediators  or  intercessors ;  a  dogmatic 
inhibition  of  things  which  God  had  left  free ; 
and  a  specious  scheme  of  will-worship  and 
mortification,  which,  under  pretence  of  self- 
denial,  did  really  gratify  pride,  vanity,  and 
self-righteousness.  The  progress  of  our  his- 
tory will  show  what  a  harvest  of  dreadful  and 
wide-spreading  evils  were  produced  from 
these  principles,  until  at  length  the  gospel 
of  Christ  was  wholly  obscured,  and  the  lives 
and  consciences  of  men  were  given  up  to  the 
power  of  Antichrist,  who,  as  God,  inso.ently 
sat  down  in  the  temple  of  God,  and  exalted 
himself  above  all  laws,  human  and  divine. 
It  is  sufficient  to  my  purpose  at  present,  to 
take  notice,  that  the  beginnings  of  that  spiri- 
tual infatuation,  which  so  long  detained  the 
world  in  chains,  and  darkness,  and  slavery, 
under  the  tyranny  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
were  observable  in  St.  Paul's  time,  and  there- 
fore deserve  a  place  in  the  list  of  those  pesti- 
lent heresies  by  which  the  enemy  of  souls 
attempted  to  defile  the  faith,  and  disturb  the 
peace  of  the  primitive  church. 

Many  other  things  are  alluded  to,  which, 
for  want  of  authentic  records  of  the  first  cen- 
tury, we  cannot  with  certainty  explain.  Be- 
sides the  doctrine  of  the  Nicolaitans,  already 
mentioned,  we  read  of  the  blasphemy  of  them 
who  said  they  were  Jews  but  were  not,  but  of 
the  synagogue  of  Satan  (Rev.  iii.  9 ;)  of  them 
who  held  the  doctrine  of  Balaam,  and  of  the 
woman  Jezebel,  who  called  herself  a  pro- 
phetess, Rev.  ii.  14.  20.  These  were  cer- 
tainly heretics :  for  our  Lord  severely  rebukes 
the  churches  for  not  opposing  them  to  the  ut- 
most ;  and,  as  he  gives  different  names,  they 
probably  difl^ered  from  each  other,  though 
their  ultimate  tendency  was  the  same,  to  per- 
vert the  faith  of  the  hearers,  and  to  introduce 
licentiousness  of  practice.  The  gospel-truth 
is  a  doctrine  according  to  godliness,  and  has 
a  sanctifying  influence ;  for  the  srrace  of  God 


CHAP.  IV.] 


IN  THE  APOSTLES'  DAYS. 


107 


teaches  all  who  are  partakers  of  it,  to  forsake 
all  ung-odliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live 
soberl}',  rijfhteously,  and  g'odly,  in  the  pre- 
sent world,  Titus  ii.  11,  12.  But  errors  and 
heresies,  in  whatever  decree  they  prevail, 
liave  i)oisonous  ctfects  upon  those  who  admit 
them ;  some  are  calculated  to  set  aside  the 
whole  frame  of  obedience  which  we  owe  to 
our  God  and  Saviour,  and  the  most  refined 
and  plausible  will  deliver  the  soul  into  the 
power  of  some  easy,  besettin?,  and  beloved 
sin,  and  furnish  arms  and  arguments  to  main- 
tain it.  And  this  explains  what  would  other- 
wise seem  a  very  stransre  phenomenon.  When 
the  trutli  is  proposed  with  the  greatest  clear- 
ness, and  the  greatest  advantages,  its  votaries, 
at  all  times,  and  in  all  places,  have  been  but 
few;  but  whoever  will  stand  up  on  the  side 
of  error,  however  wild  and  absurd  his  opi- 
nions and  conduct  may  be,  will  hardly  fail 
of  obtaining  adherents.  It  is  because  error 
will  tolerate  those  lusts  and  follies  which 
truth  will  not  endure;  and  in  the  present 
state  of  human  depravity,  more  people  will 
be  found  willing  to  give  up  their  understand- 
ings than  to  part  with  their  sins. 

We  may  likewise  collect  from  several  texts 
in  the  epistles,  that  there  were  those  of  old 
who  denied  what  the  scriptures  teach  con- 
cerning the  depravity  of  human  nature,  the 
real  guilt  of  sin  (1  .John  i.  8.  10 ;)  the  influ- 
ences of  the  Holy  Spirit  (.lude  19,)  and  the 
terrors  of  a  future  judgment  (2  Pet.  iii.  9,) 
though  we  cannot  be  sure  that  these  doc- 
trines were  opposed  so  openly  and  .so  strenu- 
ously as  they  are  in  our  own  days.  But  I  have 
enumerated  enough  to  answer  my  purpose 
by  way  of  apology  for  the  evangelical  doc- 
trine, the  modern  opposers  of  the  last  men- 
tioned points  not  being  under  any  suspicion 
or  charge  of  what  is  called  enthusiasm ;  and 
all  who  are  despised  or  persecuted  for  rest- 
ing the  hope  of  their  salvation  solely  on  the 
mediation  of  Jesus  and  his  obedience  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross,  are  known 
to  acknowledge  them  as  essential  truths ;  in- 
deed, they  stand  inseparably  connected  with 
what  they  believe  of  his  person,  offices,  power, 
and  grace.  A  conscience  impressed  with  the 
majesty,  holiness,  and  justice  of  the  great 
God,  and  that  trembles  at  the  denunciations 
of  his  law  against  every  transgression,  dares 
not  hope  for  peace  without  the  discovery  of 
an  adequate  atonement  for  sin,  nor  venture  its 
eternal  concerns  upon  the  interposition  of  a 
creature.  To  such  a  one,  all  that  is  revealed 
of  the  love  and  sufferings  of  Jesus,  would 
afford  no  solid  ground  of  consolation,  if  the 
infinite  dignity  of  his  divine  nature,  and  his 
voluntary  substitution  in  the  place,  and  on 
the  behalf  of  sinners,  were  not  revealed  with 
equal  clearness ;  and  a  conviction  of  that  total 
insufficiency  for  every  good  work  (2  Cor. 
iii.  ."),)  and  the  prevalence  of  indwelling  sin 
(Rom.  vii.  18 — 34,)  which  the  scriptures  so 


expressly  declare  to  be  the  condition  of  every 
child  of  Adam,  would  plunge  an  awakened 
mind  into  hopeless  despair,  if  it  was  not  re- 
lieved by  the  gracious  promise  of  the  infalli- 
ble Spirit  (John  xiv.  26,  and  xvi.  7.  13,) 
whose  office  is  to  teach,  guide,  comfort,  and 
seal  the  children  of  God  unto  the  day  of  com- 
plete redemption  (Ephcs.  iv.  30;)  but  having 
such  a  great  high  priest  (Heb.  vii.  1,  and  ix. 
24,  and  x.  19,)  who,  by  his  own  blood,  has 
entered  into  the  holy  place,  to  appear  in  the 
presence  of  God  for  us,  and  having,  in  the 
promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (Rom.  viii.  16.  26, 
27,)  a  source  of  succour  and  comfort  answer- 
able to  all  our  ignorance,  weakness,  neces- 
sities, and  temptations,  we  are  enabled  in  the 
midst  of  fightings  and  fears  (2  Cor.  vii.  5,)  to 
maintain  a  humble  confidence  that  we  shall 
not  be  ashamed  before  him  at  his  coming,  but 
have  boldness  in  the  day  of  judgment,  the 
great  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord,  1  John 
ii.  23,  and  iv.  17.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  no 
wonder  that  those,  who  do  not  acknowledge 
the  deity  of  the  Saviour  (not  finding  any 
other  basis  whereon  to  rest  the  validity  of 
an  atonement  for  sin,)  should  embrace  every 
shadow  of  an  argument  against  its  necessity, 
and  be  willing  to  think  as  highly  as  possible 
of  their  own  righteousness  and  abilities;  or, 
that  being  thus  persuaded  that  they  can  please 
God,  without  the  influence  of  his  Spirit, 
themselves,  they  should  treat  all  claims  to 
this  assistiince  in  others  as  enthusiasm  and 
folly.  Nor  can  we  be  surprised,  that  many 
who  reject  the  scripture-te.stimony  concern- 
ing Christ  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  should  use 
all  their  address  to  prove,  that  the  soul  sinks 
into  sleep  and  inactivity  at  death,  that  the 
resurrection  of  the  flesh  is  improbable,  and 
that  it  is  injurious  to  the  goodness  of  God,  to 
suppose  he  will  inflict  eternal  punishment 
for  sins  committed  within  the  compass  of  a 
short  life.  Such  reasonings  may  be  expected 
from  men  who  presume  upon  the  sufficiency 
of  their  own  wisdom,  who  neither  expect  nor 
desire  divine  teaching,  and  who  find  a  little 
relief  in  these  sentiments,  against  the  fears 
and  forebodings  wiiich  will  sometimes  force 
themselves  upon  their  minds. 

It  appears,  however,  from  the  indisputable 
evidence  of  the  New  Testament,  that,  in  the 
first  age  of  the  church,  the  enemy  sowed  the 
tares  of  error  and  heresy  in  great  abundance, 
and  that  the  figments  published  in  that  pe- 
riod by  men  who  professed  some  regard  to 
the  name  of  Christ,  have  not  been  surpassed, 
either  as  to  absurdity  or  wickedness,  by  any 
attempts  of  the  same  kind,  in  any  age  or 
country  since.  It  is  true  the  vigilance  and 
authority  of  the  apostles  restrained  these  ex- 
cesses from  rising  to  thatheight  to  whirii  they 
afterwards  attained ;  but  if  the  people  who 
now  object  to  the  variety  of  names,  sects,  and 
sentiments,  which  have  gradually  prevailed 
amongst  us  within  these  thirty  years  past. 


103 


OP  THE  HERESIES 


PROPAGATED,  &c.  [book  il 


aad  lived  in  the  primitive  church,  they  would 
nave  had  at  least  equal  cause  for  making'  the 
like  objections.  It",  upon  these  accovmts,  they 
now  think  themselves  at  liberty  to  reject  all 
parties  alike,  without  examination,  as  empty 
pretenders  to  the  truth,  purity,  and  power  of 
religion,  there  is  little  doubt  but  they  would 
have  done  the  same  then.  The  apostles  were 
personally  present  with  the  first  churches : 
their  writings  were  appointed  to  be  the  rule 
of  succeeding'  times,  and,  through  the  mercy 
of  God  are  in  our  hands.  Whoever  is  sin- 
cerely desirous  to  Itnow  the  will  of  God,  by 
attending  to  these  lively  oracles  will  be  en- 
abled to  discern  the  path  of  truth  and  peace, 
through  the  midst  of  that  maze  of  opinions 
wherein  so  many  are  bewildered  and  lost ; 
but  whoever  is  too  wise  or  too  indolent  to 
search  the  scriptures  humbly  and  diligently 
for  himself,  would  have  paid  as  little  regard 
to  the  authority  of  the  apostles,  if  he  could 
have  conversed  with  them :  nay,  the  advan- 
tage is  on  our  side ;  for,  as  the  scriptures  are 
held  in  professed  veneration,  we  run  no  im- 
mediate risk  of  character  or  interest  by  con- 
sulting them ;  or  they  may  be  perused  in  re- 
tirement, unobserved  by  our  nearest  friends : 
whereas  the  apostles,  though  highly  spoken 
of  amongst  us,  were  accounted  while  they 
lived,  the  filth  and  oflf-scouring  of  all  things ; 
they  were  despised  for  their  poverty  and  the 
meanness  of  their  appearance,  and  detected 
as  bigots  and  enthusiasts ;  so  that  it  required 
some  degree  of  faith  and  grace  not  to  be 
ashamed  of  them. 

Let  not  the  reader  be  offended,  if  I  close 
this  book,  as  I  did  the  former,  with  entreating 
hun  to  reflect  on  the  importance  of  having 
right  views  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  and  of 
the  spirit  of  Christianity.  These  are  topics  of 
universal  concern.  A  believer  in  Jesus,  how- 
ever obscure,  unnoticed,  or  oppressed  in  the 
present  life,  is  happy:  he  is  a  child  of  God, 
the  charge  of  angels,  and  heir  of  glory  (Rom. 
viii.  14.  17;)  he  has  meat  to  eat  that  the  world 
knows  not  of ;  and  from  the  knowledge  of 
his  union  and  relation  to  his  Redeemer  (Phil, 
iv.  7,)  he  derives  a  peace  which  passes  under- 
standing, and  a  power  suited  to  every  service 
and  circumstance  of  life:  though  weak  in  him- 
self, he  is  strong  in  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  the  Lord  (2  Cor.  xii.  9 ;  2  Tim.  ii.  1,) 
upon  whom  he  relies,  as  his  wisdom,  righte- 
ousness, sanctification,  and  expects  from  him, 
in  due  time,  a  complete  redemption  from  every 
evil  (1  Cor.  i.  30:)  his  faith  is  not  merely 
speculative,  like  the  cold  assent  which  we 
give  to  a  mathematical  truth,  nor  is  it  the 
blind  impulse  of  a  warm  imagination,  but  it 
is  the  effect  of  an  apprehension  of  the  wis- 
dom, power,  and  love  displayed  in  the  re- 
demption of  sinners  by  Jesus  Christ ;  it  is  a 
constraining  principle  (Gal.  v.  6 ;  Acts  xv.  9 ; 
1  John  v.  4 ;  Heb.  xi.  1 ;  2  Cor.  iii.  18,)  that 
works  by  love,  purifies  the  heart,  and  over- 


comes the  world ;  it  gives  the  foretaste  and 
evidence  of  things  invisible  to  mortal  eyes, 
and,  transforming  the  soul  into  the  resem- 
blance of  what  it  beholds,  fills  the  heart  with 
benevolence,  gentleness,  and  patience,  and 
directs  every  action  to  the  sublimest  ends, 
tlie  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  mankind. 

But  whatever  is  styled  religion,  tliat  is  not 
thus  pure,  thus  peaceable,  thus  operative,  or 
at  least  that  does  not  lead  the  soul  to  desire 
the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  and  to  seek  them  in 
God's  appointed  way,  by  faith  in  his  Son,  is 
unworthy  of  the  name.  If  you  have  not  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  you  are  none  of  his  (Rom. 
viii.  9 ;)  whatever  else  you  may  have,  you 
have  no  interest  in  the  promised  blessings  of 
the  gospel ;  whatever  else  you  can  do,  you 
cannot  please  God,  Heb.  xi.  6.  Ifyoudonot 
count  all  things  loss,  and  of  no  value  (Phil, 
iii.  8,)  in  comparison  of  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  you  cer- 
tainly do  not  understand  the  word  gospel  in 
St.  Paul's  sense ;  if  you  did,  you  would  be  of 
his  mind  :  and  are  you  not  in  danger  of  incur- 
ring that  anathema  which,  under  the  influence 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  he  denounces  (1  Cor. 

xvi.  22)  against  all  who  love  not  the  Lord 
Jesus  ?  Search  the  scriptures,  if  you  really 
thhik  that  in  them  you  have  eternal  life,  John 
V.  39.  If,  indeed,  you  could  prove  them  to 
be  cunningly-devised  fables,  you  might  ne- 
glect them  without  danger  (2  Pet.  i.  16 ;) 
but,  if  the  scriptures  are  true,  there  is  a  day 
coming  when  God  shall  judge  the  world.  Acts 

xvii.  31.  I  need  not  appeal  to  scripture  to 
convince  you  that,  whatever  your  situation  in 
life  is  you  must  leave  it,  and  experience  a 
moment  when  the  pleasures  or  honours  of  this 
world  will  afford  you  no  comfort ;  but,  if  the 
scriptures  are  true,  you  must  then  appear  be- 
fore th'e  judgment-seat  of  Christ ;  you  must 
stand  either  at  the  right  hand  or  the  left, 
2  Cor.  V.  10.  Important  alternative  !  For  to 
those  on  the  left  hand  the  King  will  say, 
"Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,"  Matth.  xxv. 
41.  If  hitherto,  -while  you  have  professed 
his  name,  you  have  had  your  heart  filled  with 
enmity  against  his  doctrine  and  his  people; 
if  you  have  accounted  his  wisdom  foolishness, 
and  reproached  the  operations  of  his  Spirit  as 
enthusiasm  and  madness, — it  is  to  be  hoped 
you  have  done  it  through  ignorance ;  you 
knew  not  what  you  did  (1  Tim.  i.  15 ;  Luke 
xxiii.  34 :)  there  is,  then,  forgiveness  with 
him ;  as  yet  he  is  upon  a  throne  of  grace. 
May  the  Spirit  of  God  lead  you  to  him  be- 
fore he  takes  his  seat  upon  the  throne  of 
judgment !  otherwise  you  are  lost  for  ever. 
My  heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God,  for  my 
readers  will  be,  that  not  one  of  them  may 
fall  under  that  awful  sentence,  Behold,  ye 
despisers,  and  wonder,  and  perish ;  for  I  work 
a  work  in  your  days,  which  you  shall  in  nc 
wise  believe,  though  a  man  declare  it  unta 
you  Acts  xiii.  41. 


OLNEY  HYMNS, 


IN 


THREE  BOOKS. 


 ■  Cantabitis,  Arcades,  inquit, 

Montibus  hsc  vestiis,  soli  cantare  periti 

Arcades.    O  inihi  turn  qiiam  molliter  ossa  qiiiescant, 

Vestra  meos  olim  si  fistula  dicat  amores !— Fir^i/,  Eel.  x.  31. 

And  they  sun?  as  it  were  a  new  song  before  the  throne ;  and  no  man  could  learn  that  song,  but  the — 

redeemed  from  the  earth.— iien.  xiv.  3. 

As  sorrowful,  yet  always  rejoicing.  2  Cor.  vi.  10. 


PREFACE. 

CopiKS  of  a  few  of  these  Hymns  have  alreatly  appeared  in  periodical  publications,  and  in 
some  recent  collections.  I  have  observed  one  or  two  of  them  attributed  to  persons  who 
certainly  had  no  concern  in  them,  but  as  transcribers.  All  that  have  been  at  different  times 
parted  v/ith  in  manuscript  are  included  in  the  present  volume ;  and  (if  the  information 
were  of  any  great  importance)  the  public  may  be  assured,  that  the  whole  number  were 
composed  by  two  persons  only.  The  original  design  would  not  admit  of  any  other  associa- 
tion. A  desire  of  promoting  the  faith  and  comfort  of  sincere  christians,  though  the  principal, 
was  not  tlie  only  motive  to  this  undertaking.  It  was  likewise  intended  as  a  monument  to 
perpetuate  the  remembrance  of  an  intimate  and  endeared  friendship.  With  this  pleasing 
view,  I  entered  upon  my  part,  which  would  have  been  smaller  than  it  is,  and  the  book 
would  have  appeared  much  sooner,  and  in  a  very  different  form,  if  the  wise,  though  mys- 
terious providence  of  God,  had  not  seen  fit  to  cross  my  wishes.  We  had  not  proceeded  far 
upon  our  proposed  plan,  before  my  dear  friend  was  prevented,  by  a  long  and  affecting  indis- 
position, from  affording  me  any  farther  assistance.  My  grief  and  disappointment  were 
great;  I  hung  my  harp  upon  the  willows,  and  for  some  time  thought  myself  determined  to 
proceed  no  farther  without  him.  Yet  my  mind  was  afterwards  led  to  resume  the  service. 
My  progress  in  it,  amidst  a  variety  of  other  engagements,  has  been  slow;  yet,  in  a  course 
of  year."?,  the  Hymns  amounted  to  a  considerable  number;  and  my  deference  to  the  judg- 
ment and  desires  of  others,  has  at  length  overcome  the  reluctance  I  long  felt  to  see  thera 
in  print,  while  I  had  so  few  of  my  friend's  Hymns  to  insert  in  the  collection.  Though  it  is 
possible  a  good  judge  of  composition  might  be  able  to  distinguish  those  which  are  his,  I 
have  thought  it  proper  to  preclude  a  misapplication,  by  subjoining  the  letter  C*  to  each  of 
them.    For  the  rest  I  must  be  responsible. 

There  is  a  style  and  manner  suited  to  the  composition  of  Hymns,  which  may  be  more 
successfully,  or  at  least  more  easily,  attained  by  a  versifier  than  by  a  poet.  They  should  be 
Hymns,  not  Odes,  if  designed  for  public  worship,  and  for  the  use  of  plain  people.  Per- 
spicuity, simplicity,  and  ease,  should  be  chiefly  attended  to;  and  the  imagery  and  colouring 
of  poetry,  if  admitted  at  all,  ehould  be  indulged  very  sparingly,  and  with  great  judgment. 
The  late  Dr.  Watts,  many  of  whose  Hymns  are  admirable  patterns  in  this  species  of  writ- 
ing, might,  as  a  poet,  have  a  right  to  say.  That  it  coat  him  some  labour  to  restrain  his  fire- 


*  Cowper. 

109 


110 


PREFACE. 


and  to  accommodate  himseirto  the  capacities  of  common  readers.  But  it  would  not  become 
me  to  make  such  a  declaration.  It  behoved  me  to  do  my  best.  But  though  I  would  not 
offend  readers  of  taste  by  a  wilful  coarseness  and  neglifrence,  I  do  not  write  professedly  for 
them.  If  the  Lord,  whom  I  serve,  has  been  pleased  to  favour  me  with  that  mediocrity  of 
talent,  which  may  qualify  me  for  usefulness  to  the  weak  and  the  poor  of  his  flock,  without 
quite  disg-usting'  persons  of  superior  discernment,  I  have  reason  to  be  satisfied. 

As  the  workings  of  the  heart  of  man,  and  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  are  in  general  the  same  in 
all  who  are  the  subjects  of  grace,  I  hope  most  of  these  Hymns,  being  the  fruit  and  expres- 
sion of  my  own  e-xperience,  will  coincide  with  the  views  of  real  christians  of  all  denomina- 
tions. But  I  cannot  expect  that  every  sentiment  I  have  advanced  will  be  universally 
•  approved.  However,  I  am  not  conscious  of  having  written  a  single  line,  with  an  intention 
either  to  flatter  or  to  ofiend  any  party  or  person  upon  earth.  I  have  simply  declared  my 
own  views  and  feelings,  as  I  might  have  done  if  I  had  composed  Hymns  in  some  of  the 
newly-discovered  islands  in  the  South  Sea,  where  no  person  had  any  knowledge  of  the  name 
of  Jesus  but  myself  I  am  a  friend  of  peace ;  and  being  deeply  convinced,  that  no  one  can 
profitably  understand  the  great  truths  and  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  any  farther  than  he  is 
taught  of  God,  I  have  not  a  wish  to  obtrude  my  own  tenets  upon  others,  in  a  way  of  contro- 
versy: yet  I  do  not  think  myself  bound  to  conceal  them.  Many  gracious  persons  (for  many 
such  I  am  persuaded  there  are,)  who  differ  from  me,  more  or  less,  in  those  points  which  are 
called  Calvinistic,  appear  desirous  that  the  Calvinists  should,  for  their  sakes,  studiously 
avoid  every  expression  which  they  cannot  approve.  Yet  few  of  them.  I  believe,  impose  a 
like  restraint  upon  themselves,  but  think  the  importance  of  what  they  deem  to  be  truth, 
justifies  them  in  speaking  their  sentiments  plainly  and  strongly.  May  I  not  plead  for  an 
equal  liberty?  The  views  I  have  received  of  the  doctrines  of  grace  are  essential  to  my 
peace;  I  could  not  live  comfortably  a  day  or  an  hour  without  them.  I  likewise  believe,  yea, 
so  far  as  my  poor  attainments  warrant  me  to  speak,  I  know  them  to  be  friendly  to  holiness, 
and  to  have  a  direct  influence  in  producing  and  maintaining  a  gospel-conversation ;  and 
therefore  I  must  not  be  ashamed  of  them. 

The  Hymns  are  distributed  into  three  Books.  In  the  first,  I  have  classed  those  which 
are  formed  upon  select  passages  of  scripture,  and  placed  them  in  the  order  of  the  boolvs  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testament.  The  second  contains  occasional  Hymns,  suited  to  particular 
seasons,  or  suggested  by  particular  events  or  subjects.  The  third  book  is  miscellaneous, 
comprising  a  variety  of  subjects  relative  to  a  life  of  faith  in  the  Son  of  God,  which  have  no 
express  reference  either  to  a  single  text  of  scripture,  or  to  any  determinate  season  or  inci- 
dent. These  are  farther  subdivided  into  distinct  heads.  This  arrangement  is  not  so  accurate, 
but  that  several  of  the  Hymns  might  have  been  differently  disposed.  Some  attention  to 
method  may  be  found  convenient,  though  a  logical  exactness  was  hardly  practicable.  As 
some  subjects  in  the  several  books  are  nearly  coincident,  I  have,  under  the  divisions  in  the 
third  Book,  pointed  out  those  which  are  similar  in  the  two  former.  And  I  have  likewise, 
here  and  there,  in  the  first  and  second,  made  a  reference  to  Hymns  of  a  like  import  in 
the  third. 

This  Publication,  which,  with  my  humble  prayer  to  the  Lord  for  his  blessing  upon  it,  I 
offer  to  the  service  and  acceptance  of  all  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,  of 
every  name  and  in  every  place,  into  whose  hands  it  may  come,  I  more  particularly  dedicate 
to  my  dear  friends  in  the  parish  and  neighbourhood  of  Olney,  for  whose  use  the  Hymns  were 
originally  composed ;  as  a  testimony  of  the  sincere  love  I  bear  them,  and  as  a  token  of  my 
gratitude  to  the  Lord,  and  to  them,  for  the  comfort  and  satisfaction  with  which  the  discharge 
of  my  ministry  among  them  has  been  attended. 

The  hour  is  approaching,  and,  at  my  time  of  life,  cannot  be  very  distant,  when  my  heart, 
my  pen,  and  my  tongue,  will  no  longer  be  able  to  move  in  tlieir  service.  But  I  trust,  while 
my  heart  continues  to  beat,  it  will  feel  a  warm  desire  for  the  prosperity  of  their  souls ;  and 
while  my  hand  can  write,  and  my  tongue  speak,  it  will  be  the  business  and  the  pleasure  of 
my  life,  to  aim  at  promoting  their  growth  and  establishment  in  the  grace  of  our  God  and 
Savio\ir.  To  this  precious  grace  I  commend  them,  and  earnestly  entreat  them,  and  all  who 
love  his  name,  to  strive  mightily  with  their  prayers  to  God  for  me,  that  I  may  be  preserved 
faithful  to  the  end,  and  enabled  at  last  to  finish  my  course  with  joy. 

JOHN  NEWTON. 

>  Olney,  Bucks,  Feb.  15th  1779 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


BOOK  I. 

ON  SELECT  PASSAGES  OP  SCRIPTURE. 


GENESIS. 


HYMN  I. 
Adam.    Chap.  iii. 

1  On  man,  in  his  own  image  made, 

How  much  did  God  bestow ! 
The  whole  creation  homage  paid, 
And  ovvn'd  him  Lord  below. 

2  He  dwelt  in  Eden's  garden,  stor'd 

With  sweets  for  every  sense ; 
And  there,  with  his  descendmg  Lord, 
He  walk'd  in  confidence. 

3  But  oh !  by  sin  how  quickly  chang'd ! 

His  honour  forfeited. 
His  heart  from  God  and  truth  estrang'd, 
His  conscience  fill'd  with  dread ! 

4  Now  from  his  Maker's  voice  he  flees, 

Which  was  before  his  joy. 
And  thinks  to  hide,  amidst  the  trees. 
From  an  all-seeing  eye. 

5  Compell'd  to  answer  to  his  name, 

With  stubbornness  and  pride. 
He  cast  on  God  himself  the  blame, 
Nor  once  for  mercy  cried. 

6  But  grace,  unask'd,  his  heart  subdu'd. 

And  all  his  guilt  forgave ; 
By  faith  the  promis'd  Seed  he  view'd, 
And  felt  his  power  to  save. 

7  Thus  we  ourselves  would  justify, 

Tliough  we  the  law  transgress; 
Like  him,  unable  to  deny. 
Unwilling  to  confess. 

8  But  when,  by  faith,  the  sinner  sees 

A  pardon,  bought  with  blood, 
Then  he  forsakes  his  foolish  pleas. 
And  gladly  turns  to  God. 

Ill 


HYMN  n. 
Cain  and  Abel.    Chap.  iv.  3 — 8. 

1  When  Adam  fell,  he  quickly  lost 
God's  image,  which  he  once  possess'd : 
See  all  our  nature  since  could  boast. 
In  Cain,  his  first-bom  son,  express'd ! 

2  The  sacrifice  the  Lord  ordain'd. 
In  type  of  the  Redeemer's  blood. 
Self-righteous  reas'ning  Cain  disdain'd, 
And  thought  his  own  first-fruits  as  good. 

3  Yet  rage  and  envy  fill'd  his  mind. 
When,  with  a  sullen  downcast  look, 
He  saw  his  brother  favour  find. 
Who  God's  appointed  method  took. 

4  By  Cain's  own  hand  good  Abel  died, 
Because  the  Lord  approv'd  his  faith ; 
And  when  his  blood  for  vengeance  cried. 
He  vainly  thought  to  hide  his  death. 

5  Such  was  the  wicked  murd'rer  Cain; 
And  such  by  nature  still  are  we. 
Until  by  grace  we  're  born  again. 
Malicious,  blind,  and  proud  as  he. 

6  Like  him,  the  way  of  grace  we  slight. 
And  in  our  own  devices  trust; 

Call  evil  good,  and  darkness  light, 
And  hate  and  persecute  the  just. 

7  The  saints  in  ev'ry  age  and  place. 
Have  found  his  history  fulfill'd; 

The  numbers  all  our  thoughts  surpass. 
Of  Abels  whom  the  Cains  have  kill'd.* 

8  Thus  Jesus  fell — but,  oh  !  his  blood 
For  bettor  things  than  Abel's  cries;! 
Obtains  his  murd'rers  peace  with  God, 
And  gains  them  mansions  in  the  skies. 

*  Rom.  viii.  36.  t  Heb.  xil.  24. 


112 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[book  I. 


HYMN  m. 
Walking  with  God.    Chap.  v.  24. 

1  Oh  !  for  a  closer  walk  with  God, 

A  calm  and  heavenly  frame ; 
A  light  to  shine  upon  the  road 
That  leads  me  to  the  Lamb ! 

2  Where  is  the  blessedness  I  knew, 

When  first  I  saw  the  Lord  ? 
Where  is  the  soul-refreshing  view 
Of  Jesus  and  his  word? 

3  What  peacefril  hours  I  once  enjoyed ! 

How  sweet  their  mem'ry  still ! 
But  they  have  left  an  aching  void, 
The  world  can  never  fill. 

4  Return,  O  holy  Dove,  return. 

Sweet  messenger  of  rest; 
I  hate  the  sins  that  made  thee  mourn. 
And  drove  thee  from  my  breast : 

5  The  dearest  idol  I  have  known, 

Whate'er  that  idol  be, 
Help  me  to  tear  it  from  thy  throne, 
And  worship  only  thee. 

6  So  shall  my  walk  be  close  with  God, 

Calm  and  serene  my  frame ; 
So  purer  light  shall  mark  the  road. 
That  leads  me  to  the  Lamb.  C. 


HYMN  rV. 

ANOTHER. 

1  By  faith  in  Christ  I  walk  with  God, 
With  heaven,  my  journey's  end,  in  view ; 
Supported  by  his  staff  and  rod,* 

My  road  is  safe  and  pleasant  too. 

2  I  travel  through  a  desert  wide. 
Where  many  round  me  blindly  stray; 
But  he  vouchsafes  to  be  my  guide,f 
And  will  not  let  me  miss  my  way. 

3  Though  snares  and  dangers  throng  my  path, 
And  earth  and  hell  my  course  withstand, 
I  triumph  over  all  by  faith, J; 

Guarded  by  his  almighty  hand. 

4  The  wilderness  affords  no  food. 
But  God  for  my  support  prepares ; 
Provides  me  every  needful  good. 

And  frees  my  soul  from  wants  and  cares. 

5  With  him  sweet  converse  I  maintain. 
Great  as  he  is,  I  dare  be  free ; 

Tell  him  all  my  grief  and  pain. 
And  he  reveals  his  love  to  me. 

6  Some  cordial  from  his  word  he  brings. 
Whene'er  my  feeble  spirit  faints ; 

At  once  my  soul  revives  and  sings. 
And  yields  no  more  to  sad  complaints. 

7  I  pity  all  that  worldlings  talk 

Of  pleasures  that  will  quickly  end : 
Be  this  my  choice,  O  Lord,  to  walk 
With  thee,  my  guide,  my  guard,  my  friend ! 


HYMN  V. 
Lot  in  Sodom.    Chap.  xiii.  10. 

1  How  hurtful  was  the  choice  of  Lot, 

Who  took  up  his  abode 
(Because  it  was  a  fruitful  spot) 
With  them  who  fear'd  not  God ! 

2  A  pris'ner  he  was  quickly  i^nade, 

Bereav'd  of  all  his  store ; 
And,  but  for  Abram's  timely  aid, 
He  had  return'd  no  more. 

3  Yet  still  he  seem'd  resolv'd  to  stay. 

As  if  it  were  his  rest ; 
Although  their  sins  from  day  to  dayj 
His  righteous  soul  distress'd. 

4  A  while  he  stayed,  witli  anxious  mind, 

Expos'd  to  scorn  and  strife ; 
At  last  he  left  his  all  behind. 
And  fled  to  save  his  life. 

5  In  vain  his  sons-in-law  he  warn'd. 

They  thought  he  told  but  dreams ; 
His  daughters,  too,  of  them  had  learn'd. 
And  perish'd  in  the  flames. 

6  His  wife  escap'd  a  little  way. 

But  died  for  looking  back: 
Does  not  her  case  to  pilgrims  say, 
"  Beware  of  growing  slack !" 

7  Yea,  Lot  himself  could  ling'ring  stand, 

Though  vengeance  was  in  view; 
'Twas  mercy  pluck'd  him  by  the  hand, 
Or  he  had  perish'd  too. 

8  The  doom  of  Sodom  will  be  ours, 

If  to  the  earth  we  cleave: 
Lord,  quicken  all  our  drowsy  powers, 
To  flee  to  thee,  and  live. 


HYMN  VI. 
Jehovah-Jireh  ;  or,  the  Lord  will  provide. 
Cliap.  xxi).  14. 

1  The  saints  should  never  be  dismayed, 

Nor  sink  in  hopeless  fear : 
For  when  they  least  expect  his  aid, 
The  Saviour  will  appear. 

2  This  Abram  found — he  rais'd  the  knife, 

God  saw,  and  said,  "  Forbear : 
Yon  ram  shall  yield  his  meaner  life; 
Behold  the  victim  there  !" 

3  Once  David  seem'd  Saul's  certain  prey ; 

But  hark !  the  foe's  at  hand;|| 
Saul  turns  his  arms  another  way, 
To  save  the  invaded  land. 

4  WTien  Jonah  sunk  beneath  the  wave. 

He  thought  to  rise  no  more;ir 
But  God  prepar'd  a  fish  to  save, 
And  bear  him  to  the  shore. 


*  rsal.  xiiii.  4.      j  Psal.  cvii.      t  Psal.  xxvii.  1, 2. 


§2Pet.  ii.8.      |)  1  Sam.  xxiii.  7       U  Jonah  i.  17. 


HYMN  VIII.] 


GENESia 


113 


5  BlcssM  proofs  of  power  and  grace  divine, 
That  meet  us  in  his  word  ! 
May  ev'ry  deep-felt  care  of  mine 
Be  trusted  witii  the  Lord. 

t>  Wait  for  his  seasonable  aid. 
And  though  it  tarry,  wait ; 
The  promise  may  be  long  delayed. 
But  cannot  come  too  late.  C. 


HYMN  m 

ANOTHER. 

1  Thoiioh  troubles  assail, 
And  dangers  affright, 
Though  friends  should  all  fail, 
And  foes  all  unite ; 

Yet  one  thing  secures  us. 
Whatever  betide. 
The  scripture  assures  us, 
The  Lord  will  provide. 

2  The  birds  without  barn 
Or  storehouse  are  fed ; 
From  them  let  us  learn 
To  trust  for  our  bread : 
His  saints,  what  is  fitting. 
Shall  ne'er  be  denied. 

So  long  as  'tis  written, 
The  Lord  will  provide. 

3  We  may,  like  the  ships,  . 
By  tempests  be  tossed, 
On  perilous  deeps. 

But  cannot  be  lost : 
Though  Satan  enragas 
The  wind  and  the  tide, 
The  promise  engages, 
The  Lord  will  provide. 

4  His  call  we  obey, 
Like  Abram  of  old, 
Not  knowing  our  way. 
But  faith  makes  us  bold ; 
For  though  v/e  are  strangers, 
We  have  a  good  guide, 

And  trust  in  all  dangers, 
The  Lord  will  provide. 

5  When  Satan  appears 
To  stop  up  our  path. 
And  fill  us  with  fears. 
We  triumph  by  faith ; 
He  cannot  take  from  us. 
Though  oft  he  has  tried. 
This  heart-cheering  promise, 
The  Lord  will  provide. 

6  He  tells  us  we're  weak, 
Our  hope  is  in  vain. 
The  good  that  we  seek 
We  ne'er  shall  obtain ; 
But  when  such  suggestions 
Our  spirits  have  plied. 
This  answers  all  questions, 
The  Lord  will  provide. 

Vol.  n.  P 


7  No  strength  of  our  own. 
Or  goodness  we  claim ; 
Yet  since  we  have  known 
The  Saviour's  great  name. 
In  this  our  strong  tower 
For  safety  we  hide, 

The  Lord  is  our  power. 
The  Lord  will  provide. 

8  When  life  sinks  apace. 
And  death  is  in  view. 
This  \vord  of  his  grace 
Shall  comfort  us  through ; 
No  fearing  or  doubting. 
With  Christ  on  our  side. 
We  hope  to  die  shouting, 
The  Lord  will  provide. 

HYMN  Vin. 
Esau.    Chap.  xxv.  34.    Heb.  xii.  16. 

1  Poor  Esau  repented  too  late. 

That  once  he  his  birth-right  despis'd, 
And  sold  for  a  morsel  of  meat. 
What  could  not  too  highly  be  priz'd : 
How  great  was  his  anguish  when  told. 
The  blessing  he  sought  to  obtain, 
Was  gone  with  the  birth-right  he  sold. 
And  none  could  recall  it  again ! 

2  He  stands  as  a  warning  to  all. 
Wherever  the  gospel  shall  come ; 
O  hasten  and  yield  to  the  call. 

While  yet  for  repentance  there's  room! 
Your  season  will  quickly  be  past; 
Then  hear  and  obey  it  to-day. 
Lest  when  you  seek  mercy  at  last. 
The  Saviour  should  frown  you  away 

3  What  is  it  the  world  can  propose 
A  morsel  of  meat  at  the  best ! 
For  this  are  you  willing  to  lose 
A  share  in  the  joys  of  the  blest  T 
Its  pleasures  will  speedily  end, 

Its  favour  and  praise  are  but  breath ; 
And  what  can  its  profits  befriend 
Your  soul  in  the  moment  of  death  1 

4  If  Jesus,  for  these,  you  despise. 
And  sin  to  the  Saviour  prefer ; 
In  vain  your  entreaties  and  cries. 
When  summoned  to  stand  at  his  bar : 
How  will  you  his  presence  abide  1 
What  anguish  will  torture  your  heart  1 
The  saints  all  enthron'd  by  his  side. 
And  you  be  compell'd  to  depart. 

5  Too  often,  dear  Saviour,  have  I 
Pref"T'd  some  poor  trifle  to  thee; 
How  IS  it  thou  dost  not  deny 

The  blessing  and  birth-right  to  met 
No  better  than  Esau  I  am, 
Though  pardon  and  heaven  be  mine  • 
To  me  belongs  notliing  but  shame ; 
The  praise  and  the  glory  be  thine. 


114 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[book  I. 


HYMN  IX. 
JacoVs  Ladder.    Cliap.  xxviii.  12. 

1  If  the  Lord  our  leader  be, 
We  may  follow  without  fear ; 
East  or  west,  by  land  or  sea. 
Home  with  him,  is  ev'ry  where. 
When  from  Esau  Jacob  fled. 
Though  his  pillow  was  of  stone, 
And  the  ground  his  humble  bed, 
Yet  he  was  not  left  alone. 

2  Kings  are  often  waking  kept, 
Rack'd  with  cares  on  beds  of  state ; 
Never  king  like  Jacob  slept. 

For  he  lay  at  heaven's  gate ; 
Lo !  he  saw  a  ladder  rear'd 
Reaching  to  the  heavenly  throne ; 
At  the  top  the  Lord  appear'd. 
Spake,  and  claim'd  him  for  his  own. 

3  "  Fear  not,  Jacob,  thou  art  mine. 
And  my  presence  with  thee  goes : 
On  tliy  heart  my  love  shall  shine, 
And  my  arm  subdue  thy  foes : 
From  my  promise  comfort  take. 
For  my  help  in  trouble  call ; 
Never  will  I  thee  forsake, 

Till  I  have  accomplish'd  all." 

4  Well  does  Jacob's  ladder  suit. 
To  the  gospel-throne  of  grace; 
We  are  at  the  ladder's  foot, 
Ev'ry  hour,  in  ev'ry  place  : 
By  assuming  flesh  and  blood, 
Jesus  heaven  and  earth  unites ; 
We  by  faith  ascend  to  God,* 
God  to  dwell  with  us  delights. 

5  They  who  know  the  Saviour's  name, 
Are  for  all  events  prepar'd ; 
What  can  changes  do  to  them. 
Who  have  such  a  guide  and  guard  I 
Should  they  traverse  earth  around, 
To  the  ladder  still  they  come ; 
Ev'ry  spot  is  holy  ground, 

God  is  there — and  he 's  their  home. 


HYMN  X. 
My  name  is  Jacob.    Chap,  xxxii.  27. 

1  Nay,  I  cannot  let  thee  go, 
Till  a  blessing  thou  bestow ; 
Do  not  turn  away  thy  face. 
Mine 's  an  urgent  pressing  case. 

2  Dost  thou  ask  me  who  I  am  1 

Ah !  my  Lord,  thou  know'st  my  name ; 
Yet  the  question  gives  a  plea, 
To  support  my  suit  with  thee. 

3  Thou  didst  once  a  wretch  behold, 
In  rebellion  blindly  bold. 

Scorn  thy  grace,  thy  power  defy  ; 
That  poor  rebel.  Lord,  was  I. 


*  2  Cot.  vi.  16. 


4  Once  a  sinner  near  despair, 
Sought  thy  mercy-seat  by  prayer ; 
Mercy  heard  and  set  him  free ; 
Lord  that  mercy  came  to  me. 

5  Many  years  have  pass'd  since  then, 
Many  changes  I  have  seen, 

Yet  have  been  upheld  till  now: 
Wlio  could  hold  me  up  but  thou  1 

6  Thon  hast  help'd  in  ev'ry  need  ; 
This  emboldens  me  to  plead ; 
After  so  much  mercy  past. 
Canst  thou  let  me  sink  at  last  ? 

7  No — I  must  maintain  my  hold  ; 
'Tis  thy  goodness  makes  me  bold ; 
I  can  no  denial  take. 

When  I  plead  for  Jesus'  sake. 

HYMN  XI. 
Plenty  in  the  Time  of  Dearth.  Chap.  xli.  56. 

1  My  soul  once  had  its  plenteous  years, 
And  throve,  with  peace  and  comfort  fill'd ; 
Like  the  fat  kine  and  ripen'd  ears, 
Which  Pharaoh  in  his  dream  beheld. 

2  With  pleasing  frames  and  grace  receiv'd, 
With  means  and  ordinances  fed. 

How  happy  for  a  while  I  liv'd. 
And  little  fear'd  the  want  of  bread. 

3  But  famine  came,  and  left  no  sign 
Of  all  the  plenty  I  had  seen; 

Like  the  dry  ears  and  half-starv'd  kine, 
I  then  look'd  wither'd,  faint,  and  lean. 

4  To  Joseph  the  Egyptians  went ; 
To  Jesus  I  made  known  my  case ; 
He,  when  my  little  stock  was  spent, 
Open'd  his  magazine  of  grace. 

5  For  he  the  time  of  dearth  foresaw, 
And  made  provision  long  before  : 

That  famish'd  souls,  like  me,  might  draw 
Supplies  from  his  unbounded  store. 

6  Now  on  his  bounty  I  depend, 

And  live  from  fear  of  dearth  secure; 
Maintain'd  by  such  a  mighty  friend, 
I  cannot  want  till  he  is  poor. 

7  O  sinners,  hear  his  gracious  call ! 
His  mercy's  door  stands  open  wide; 
He  has  enough  to  feed  you  all, 
And  none  who  come  shall  be  denied. 

HYMN  Xn. 

Joseph  made  known  to  his  Brethren, 
Chap.  xlv.  3,  4. 
1  When  Joseph  his  brethren  beheld 
Afflicted,  and  trembling  with  fear, 
His  heart  with  compassion  was  fill'd. 
From  weeping  he  could  not  forbear. 
A  while  his  behaviour  was  rough. 
To  bring  their  past  sin  to  their  mind  ; 
But  when  they  were  humbled  enough, 
He  hastened  to  sliow  himself  kind. 


HTMN  XV.] 

2  How  little  they  thought  it  was  ho, 
Whom  they  liad  ill-treated  and  sold  ! 
How  great  their  confusion  must  be, 
As  soon  as  his  name  he  had  told  ! 

"  I 'm  Joseph  your  brother,"  he  said, 
*'  And  still  to  my  heart  you  are  dear ; 
You  sold  nie,  and  thought  I  was  dead, 
But  God,  for  your  sakes,  sent  me  here." 

3  Though  greatly  distressed  before. 
When  charg'd  with  purloining  the  cup. 
They  now  were  confounded  much  more, 
Not  one  of  them  durst  to  look  up. 
"Can  Joseph,  whom  we  would  have  slain. 
Forgive  us  the  evil  we  did  ! 

And  will  he  our  household  maintain  1 
O,  this  is  a  brother  indeed  !" 

4  Thus  dragg'd  by  my  conscience,  I  came. 
And  laden  with  guilt,  to  the  J^ord, 
Surrounded  with  terror  and  shame, 
Unable  to  utter  a  word. 

At  first  he  look'd  stern  and  severe. 
What  anguish  then  pierced  my  heart ! 
Expecting  each  moment  to  hear 
The  sentence  "  Thou  cursed  depart !" 

o  But,  oh !  what  surprise  when  he  spoke, 
While  tenderness  beam'd  in  his  face; 
My  heart  then  to  pieces  was  broke, 
O'erwhelmed  and  confounded  by  grace  : 
"  Poor  sinner,  I  know  thee  full  well, 
By  thee  I  was  sold  and  was  slain ; 
But  I  died  to  redeem  thee  from  hell. 
And  raise  thee  in  glory  to  reign. 

6  "  I 'm  Jesus,  whom  thou  hast  blasphem'd. 
And  crucified  often  afresh  ; 

But  let  me  henceforth  be  esteem'd 
Thy  brother,  thy  bone,  and  thy  flesh : 
My  pardon  I  freely  bestow. 
Thy  wants  I  will  fully  supply; 
1  '11  guide  thee  and  guard  thee  below. 
And  soon  will  remove  thee  on  high. 

7  "  Go,  publish  to  sinners  around. 
That  they  may  be  willing  to  come, 
The  mercy  which  now  you  have  found. 
And  tell  them  that  yet  there  is  room." 
O  sinners !  the  message  obey, 

No  more  vain  excuses  pretend  ; 
But  come  witiiout  further  delay. 
To  Jesus  our  brother  and  friend. 

EXODUS. 


HYMN  XIII. 
The  bitter  Waters.   Chap.  xv.  23.  25. 

1  Bitter,  indeed,  the  waters  are. 

Which  in  this  desert  flow; 
Though  to  the  eye  they  promise  fair. 
They  taste  of  sin  and  woe. 

2  Of  pleasing  draughts  I  once  could  dream. 

But  now  awake,  I  find 
That  sin  has  poison'd  ev'ry  stream, 
And  left  a  curse  behind. 


115 

3  But  there 's  a  wonder-working  wood, 

I 've  heard  believers  say, 
Can  make  these  bitter  waters  good. 
And  take  the  curse  away. 

4  The  virtues  of  this  healing  tree 

Are  known  and  priz'd  by  few  ; 
Reveal  this  secret,  Lord,  to  me. 
That  I  may  prize  it  too. 

5  The  cross  on  which  the  Saviour  died. 

And  conquer'd  for  his  saints ; 
This  is  the  tree,  by  faith  applied. 
Which  sweetens  all  complaints. 

6  Thousands  have  found  the  bless'd  efiect, 

No  longer  mourn  their  lot: 
While  on  his  sorrows  they  reflect, 
Their  own  are  all  forgot. 

7  When  they,  by  faith,  behold  the  cross. 

Though  many  griefs  they  meet ; 
They  draw  again  from  ev'ry  loss. 
And  find  the  bitter  sweet. 

HYMN  XIV. 
Jehovah-Rophi ;  or,  the  Lord  my  Healer 
Chap.  XV.  26. 

1  Heal  us,  Emmanuel,  here  we  are, 

Waiting  to  feel  thy  touch ; 
Deep-wounded  souls  to  thee  repair, 
And  Saviour  we  are  such. 

2  Our  faith  is  feeble,  we  confess. 

We  faintly  trust  thy  word ; 
But  wilt  thou  pity  us  the  less  ] 
Be  that  far  from  thee,  Lord  ! 

3  Remember  him  who  once  applied 

With  trembling  for  relief ; 
"  Lord,  I  believe,"  with  tears  he  cried,* 
"  O  help  my  unbelief!" 

4  She  too  who  touch'd  thee  in  the  press, 

And  healing  virtue  stole. 
Was  answered,  "  Daughter  go  in  peace, 
Thy  faith  hath  made  the  whole."! 

5  Conceal'd  amid  the  gathering  throng, 

She  would  have  shunn'd  thy  view  ; 
And  if  her  faith  was  firm  and  strong. 
Had  strong  misgivings  too. 

6  Like  her,  with  hopes  and  fears,  we  come. 

To  touch  thee  if  we  may  ; 
Oh  !  send  us  not  despairing  home. 
Send  none  unheal'd  away  !  C. 

HYMN  XV. 
Manna.    Chap.  xvi.  18. 

1  Manna  to  Israel  well  supplied 

The  want  of  other  bread ; 
While  God  is  able  to  provide, 
His  people  shall  be  fed. 

2  Thus,  though  the  corn  and  wine  should  fail. 

And  creature-streams  be  dry, 
The  prayer  of  faith  will  still  prevail. 
For  blessings  from  on  high. 

*  Mark  ix.  24.  t  Maik  v.  34. 


EXODUS. 


116 


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[book  I. 


3  Of  this  kind  care  how  sweet  a  proof! 

It  suited  ev'ry  taste ; 
Who  gather'd  most  had  just  enough, 
Enough  wlio  gatlier'd  least. 

4  'Tis  thus  our  gracious  Lord  divides 

Our  comforts  and  our  cares ; 
His  own  unerring  hand  provides, 
And  gives  us  each  our  shares. 

5  He  knows  how  much  the  weak  can  bear. 

And  helps  them  when  they  cry  ; 
The  strongest  have  no  strength  to  spare. 
For  such  he  '11  strongly  try. 

6  Daily  they  saw  the  manna  come. 

And  cover  all  the  ground ; 
But  what  they  tried  to  keep  at  home, 
Corrupted  soon  was  found. 

7  Vain  their  attempt  to  store  it  up. 

This  was  to  tempt  the  Lord ; 
Israel  must  live  by  faith  and  hope, 
And  not  upon  a  hoard. 

HYMN  XVI. 
Manna  Hoarded.    Chap.  xvi.  20. 

1  The  manna,  favour'd  Israel's  meat. 

Was  gather'd  day  by  day ; 
When  all  the  host  was  serv'd,  the  heat 
Melted  the  rest  away. 

2  In  vain  to  hoard  it  up  they  tried. 

Against  to-morrow  came ; 
It  then  bred  worms  and  putrified, 
And  prov'd  their  sin  and  shame. 

3  'Twas  daily  bread,  and  would  not  keep, 

But  must  be  still  renew'd ; 
Faith  should  not  want  a  hoard  or  heap. 
But  trust  the  Lord  for  food. 

4  The  truths  by  which  the  soul  is  fed. 

Must  thus  be  had  afresh ; 
For  notions  resting  in  the  head 
Will  only  feed  the  flesh. 

5  However  true  they  have  no  life 

Or  unction  to  impart ; 
They  breed  the  worms  of  pride  and  strife, 
But  cannot  cheer  the  heart. 

6  Nor  can  the  best  experience  past 

The  life  of  faith  maintain ; 
The  brightest  hope  will  faint  at  last. 
Unless  supplied  again. 

7  Dear  Lord,  while  we  in  prayer  are  found. 

Do  thou  the  manna  give ; 
Oh !  let  it  fall  on  all  around. 
That  we  may  eat  and  live  ! 


HYMN  XVn. 
Jehovah-Nissi ;  or,  the  Lord  my  Banner. 

Chap.  xvii.  15. 
1  By  whom  was  David  taught 
To  aun  the  dreadful  blow, 
When  he  Goliah  fought, 
And  laid  the  Gittite  low  ? 


No  sword  nor  spear  the  stripling  took, 
But  chose  a  pebble  from  the  brook. 

2  'Twas  Israel's  God  and  King 

Who  sent  him  to  the  fight ; 
Who  gave  him  strength  to  sling. 

And  skill  to  aim  aright. 
Ye  feeble  saints,  your  strength  endures, 
Because  young  David's  God  is  yours. 

3  Who  order'd  Gideon  forth 

To  storm  the  invader's  camp,* 
With  arms  of  little  worth, 

A  pitcher  and  a  lamp  ? 
The  trumpets  made  his  coming  known, 
And  all  the  host  was  overthrown. 

4  Oh  !  I  have  seen  the  day, 

When  with  a  single  word, 
God  helping  me  to  say, 

My  trust  is  in  the  Lord, 
My  soul  has  quell'd  a  thousand  foes, 
Fearless  of  all  that  could  oppose. 

5  But  unbelief,  self-will. 

Self-righteousness,  and  pride, 
How  often  do  they  steal 
My  weapon  from  my  side  ? 
Yet  David's  Lord,  and  Gideon's  friend. 
Will  help  his  servant  to  the  end.  C. 


HYMN  XVni. 
The  golden  Calf.    Chap,  xxxii.  4.  21. 

1  When  Israel  heard  the  fiery  law 

From  Sinai's  top  proclaim'd, 
Their  hearts  seem'd  full  of  holy  awe, 
Their  stubborn  spirits  tam'd. 

2  Yet,  as  forgetting  all  they  knew, 

Ere  forty  days  were  past, 
With  blazing  Sinai  still  in  view, 
A  molten  calf  they  cast. 

3  Yea,  Aaron,  God's  anointed  priest. 

Who  on  the  mount  had  been, 
He  durst  prepare  the  idol  beast. 
And  lead  them  on  to  sin. 

4  Lord,  what  is  man,  and  what  are  we. 

To  recompense  thee  thus ! 
In  their  offence  our  own  we  see. 
Their  story  points  at  us. 

5  From  Sinai's  top  we  heard  thee  speak, 

And  from  mount  Calv'ry  too ; 
And  yet  to  idols  oft  we  seek. 
While  thou  art  in  our  view. 

6  Some  golden  calf,  or  golden  dream. 

Some  fancied  creature  good, 
Presumes  to  share  the  heart  with  him 
Who  bought  the  whole  with  blood. 

7  Lord,  save  us  from  our  golden  calves, 

Our  sin  with  grief  we  own ; 
We  would  no  more  be  thine  by  halves, 
But  live  to  thee  alone. 


*  Judges  vii.  20. 


BTHN  XXII.] 

LEVITICUS. 

HYMN  XIX. 
The  true  Aaron.    Chap.  viii.  7 — 9. 

1  See  Aaron,  God's  anointed  priest. 

Within  the  vail  appear, 
In  robes  of  mystic  meaning  drest, 
Presenting  Israel's  prayer. 

2  The  plate  of  gold  which  crowns  his  brows 

His  holiness  describes ; 
His  breast  displays,  in  shining  rows, 
The  names  of  all  the  tribes. 

3  With  the  atoning  blood  he  stands 

Before  the  mercy-seat; 
And  clouds  of  incense  from  his  hands 
Arise  with  odour  sweet. 

4  Urim  and  Thummim  near  his  heart, 

In  rich  engravings  worn. 
The  sacred  light  of  truth  impart, 
To  teach  and  to  adorn. 

5  Through  him  the  eye  of  faith  descries 

A  greater  priest  than  he : 
Thus  Jesus  pleads  above  the  skies, 
For  you,  my  friends,  and  me. 

6  He  bears  the  names  of  all  his  saints 

Deep  on  his  heart  engrav'd ; 
Attentive  to  the  state  and  wants 
Of  all  his  love  has  saved. 

7  In  him  a  holiness  complete, 

Light  and  perfections  shine, 
And  wisdom,  grace,  and  glory  meet ; 
A  Saviour  all  divine  ! 

8  The  blood,  which  as  a  priest  he  bears 

For  sinners,  is  his  own : 
The  incense  of  his  prayers  and  tears 
Perfume  the  holy  throne. 

9  In  him  my  weary  soul  has  rest, 

Though  I  am  weak  and  vile, 
I  read  my  name  upon  his  breast. 
And  see  the  Father  smile. 


NUMBERS. 

HYMN  XX. 
Balaam's  Wish*    Chap,  xxiii.  10. 

1  How  blcss'd  the  righteous  are, 

When  they  resign  their  breath ; 
No  wonder  Balaam  wish'd  to  share 
In  such  a  happy  death. 

2  "  Oh  !  let  me  die,"  said  he, 

"  The  death  the  righteous  do ; 
When  life  is  ended,  let  me  be 
Found  with  the  faithful  few." 

3  The  force  of  truth,  how  great ! 

When  enemies  confess. 
None  but  the  righteous,  whom  they  hate, 
A  solid  hope  possess. 


*  Book  III.  Hymn  Ixii. 


117 

4  But  Balaam's  wish  was  vain. 

His  heart  was  insincere ; 
He  thirsted  for  unrighteous  gain. 
And  sought  a  portion  here. 

5  He  seem'd  the  Lord  to  know. 

And  to  offend  him  loth  ; 
But  Mammon  prov'd  his  overthrow  ; 
For  none  can  serve  them  both. 

6  May  you,  my  friends,  and  I, 

Warning  from  hence  receive ; 
If  like  the  righteous  we  would  die. 
To  choose  the  life  they  live. 

JOSHUA. 

HYMN  XXI. 
Gibeon.    Chap.  x.  6. 

1  When  Joshua,  by  God's  command. 
Invaded  Canaan's  guilty  land, 
Gibeon,  unlike  the  nations  round. 
Submission  made,  and  mercy  found. 

2  Their  stubborn  neighbours,  who,  enrag'd. 
United  war  against  them  wag'd, 

By  Joshua  soon  were  overthrown. 
For  Gibeon's  cause  was  now  his  own. 

3  He  from  whose  arm  they  ruin  fear'd, 
Their  leader  and  ally  appear'd ; 

An  emblem  of  the  Saviour's  grace. 
To  those  who  humbly  seek  his  face. 

4  The  men  of  Gibeon  wore  disguise. 
And  gain'd  their  peace  by  framing  lies; 
For  Joshua  had  no  power  to  spare. 

If  he  had  known  from  whence  they  were. 

5  But  Jesus  invitation  sends. 
Treating  with  rebels  as  his  friends ; 
And  holds  the  promise  forth  in  view. 
To  all  who  for  his  mercy  sue. 

6  Too  long  his  goodness  I  disdain'd. 
Yet  went  at  last,  and  peace  obtained ; 
But  soon  the  noise  of  war  I  heard. 
And  former  friends  in  arms  appear'd. 

7  Weak  in  myself,  for  help  I  cried. 
Lord,  I  am  press'd  on  every  side ; 
The  cause  is  thine,  they  fight  with  me, 
But  every  blow  is  aimed  at  thee. 

8  With  speed  to  my  relief  he  came. 
And  put  my  enemies  to  shame  : 
Thus  sav'd  by  grace,  I  live  to  sin.g 
The  love  and  triumphs  of  my  King. 

JUDGES. 

HYMN  XXII. 
Jehovah- Shalom  ;  or,  the  Lord  is  Peace. 
Chap.  vi.  24. 

1  Jesus,  whose  blood  so  freely  stream'd. 
To  satisfy  the  law's  demand. 
By  thee  from  guilt  and  wrath  redeem'd. 
Before  the  Father's  face  I  stand. 


JUDGES. 


118 


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HYMNS, 


[book  I. 


2  To  reconcile  offending  man, 
Make  Justice  drop  her  angry  rod  ; 
What  creature  could  have  form'd  the  plan, 
Or  who  fulfil  it,  but  a  God? 

3  No  drop  remains  of  all  the  curse, 

For  wretches  who  deserv'd  the  whole ; 
No  arrows  dipt  in  wrath  to  pierce 
The  guilty,  but  returning  soul. 

4  Peace  by  such  means  so  dearly  bought. 
What  rebel  could  have  hop'd  to  see  1 
Peace,  by  his  injur'd  Sovereign  wrought, 
His  Sovereign  fastened  to  the  tree. 

5  Now,  Lord,  thy  feeble  worm  prepare ! 
For  strife  with  earth  and  hell  begins; 
Confirm  and  gird  me  for  the  war, 
They  hate  the  soul  that  hates  his  sins. 

6  Let  them  in  horrid  league  agree  ! 
They  may  assault,  they  may  distress ; 
But  cannot  quench  thy  love  to  me, 
Nor  rob  me  of  the  Lord,  my  peace.  C. 

HYMN  XXin. 
Gideon's  Fleece.    Chap.  vi.  37 — 40. 

1  The  signs  which  God  to  Gideon  gave 
His  holy  sovereignty  made  known, 
That  he  alone  has  power  to  save. 
And  claims  the  glory  as  his  own. 

2  The  dew  which  first  the  fleece  had  fill'd, 
When  all  the  earth  was  dry  around. 
Was  from  it  afterwards  withheld. 

And  only  fell  upon  the  ground. 

3  To  Israel  thus  the  heavenly  dew 
Of  saving  truth  was  long  restrain'd  ; 
Of  which  the  Gentiles  nothing  knew, 
But  dry  and  desolate  remain'd. 

4  But  now  the  Gentiles  have  receiv'd 
The  balmy  dew  of  gospel-peace ; 
And  Israel,  who  his  Spirit  griov'd, 
Is  left  a  dry  and  empty  fleece. 

5  This  dew  still  falls  at  his  command, 
To  keep  his  chosen  plants  alive ; 
They  shall,  though  in  a  thirsty  land, 

"  Like  willows  by  the  waters  thrive."* 

6  But  chiefly  when  his  people  meet, 
To  hear  his  word  and  seek  his  face. 
The  gentle  dew,  with  influence  sweet, 
Descends,  and  nourishes  their  grace. 

7  But,  ah  !  what  numbers  still  are  dead. 
Though  under  means  of  grace  they  lie  ! 
The  dew  still  falling  round  their  head. 
And  yet  their  heart  untouch'd  and  dry. 

8  Dear  Saviour !  hear  us  when  we  call. 
To  wrestling  prayer  an  answer  give ; 
Pour  down  thy  dew  upon  us  all, 
That  all  may  feel,  and  all  may  live. 

HYMN  XXIV. 
Samson's  lAon.    Chap.  xiv.  8. 
1  The  lion  that  on  Samson  roar'd, 
And  thirsted  for  his  blood, 

*  lea.  xliv.  4. 


With  honey  afterwards  was  stor'd, 
And  furnish'd  him  with  food. 

2  Believers,  as  they  pass  along. 

With  many  lions  meet. 
But  gather  sweetness  from  the  strong, 
And  from  the  eater  meat. 

3  The  lions  rage  and  roar  in  vain, 

For  Jesus  is  their  shield ; 
Their  losses  prove  a  certain  gain. 
Their  troubles  comfort  yield. 

4  The  world  and  Satan  join  their  strength. 

To  fill  their  souls  with  fears ; 
But  crops  of  Joy  they  reap  at  length, 
From  what  they  sow  in  tears. 

5  Afflictions  make  them  love  the  word. 

Stir  up  their  hearts  to  prayer, 
And  many  precious  fruits  aflTord 
Of  their  Redeemer's  care. 

6  The  lions  roar,  but  cannot  kill ; 

Then  fear  them  not,  my  friends. 
They  bring  us,  though  against  their  will. 
The  honey  Jesus  sends. 


I.  SAMUEL. 

HYMN  XXV. 
Hannah ;  or.  The  Throne  of  Grace. 
Chap.  i.  18. 

1  When  Hannah,  prcss'd  with  grief, 

Pour'd  forth  her  soul  in  prayer. 
She  quickly  found  relief. 
And  left  her  burden  there : 
Like  her,  in  ev'ry  trying  case. 
Let  us  approach  the  throne  of  grace. 

2  When  she  began  to  pray. 

Her  heart  was  pain'd  and  sad ; 
But  ere  she  went  away. 

Was  comforted  and  glad : 
In  trouble  what  a  resting-place 
Have  they  who  know  the  throne  of  grace ; 

3  Though  men  and  devOs  rage. 

And  threaten  to  devour. 
The  saints,  from  age  to  age, 

Are  safe  from  all  their  power; 
Fresh  strength  they  gain  to  run  their  race, 
By  waiting  at  the  throne  of  grace. 

4  Eli  her  case  mistook ; 

How  was  her  spirit  mov'd 
By  his  unkind  rebuke  ! 

But  God  her  cause  approv'd. 
We  need  not  fear  a  creature's  face. 
While  welcome  at  a  throne  of  grace. 

5  She  was  not  fill'd  with  wine, 

As  Eli  rashly  thought ; 
But  with  a  faith  divine. 

And  found  the  help  she  sought : 
Though  men  despise  and  call  us  base. 
Still  let  us  ply  the  throne  of  grace. 

6  Men  have  not  power  or  skill 

With  troubled  souls  to  bear; 


HYMN  xxvra.] 


I.  SAMUEL. 


119 


Thougli  they  express  gt)od-will, 
Poor  comforters  they  are : 
But  swellinof  sorrows  sink  apace, 
When  we  approach  the  throne  of  grace. 

7  Numbers  before  have  tried. 

And  found  the  promise  true ; 
Nor  yet  one  been  denied, 
Then  why  should  I  or  you  1 
Let  us  by  faith  their  footsteps  trace, 
And  hasten  to  the  throne  of  grace. 

8  As  fogs  obscure  the  light. 

And  taint  the  morning  air, 
But  soon  are  put  to  flight, 

If  the  bright  sun  apjiear: 
Thus  Jesus  will  our  troubles  chase. 
By  shining  from  the  throne  of  grace.* 

HYMN  XXVL 
Dagon  before  the  Ark.    Chap.  v.  4,  5. 

1  When  first  to  make  my  heart  his  own. 
The  Lord  reveal'd  his  mighty  grace ; 
Self  reigned  like  Dagon  on  the  throne. 
But  could  not  long  maintain  its  place. 

2  It  fell,  and  own'd  the  power  divine, 
(Grace  can  with  ease  the  victory  gain) 
But  soon  this  wretched  heart  of  mine 
Contriv'd  to  set  it  up  again. 

3  Again  the  Lord  his  name  proclaimed. 
And  brought  the  hatefu^  idol  low ; 
Then  self,  like  Dagon,  broken,  maimed. 
Seemed  to  receive  a  mortal  blow. 

4  Yet  self  is  not  of  life  bereft. 
Nor  ceases  to  oppose  his  will ; 
Though  but  a  maimed  stump  be  left 
'Tis  l3agon,  'tis  an  idol  still. 

5  Lord,  must  I  always  guilty  prove. 
And  idols  in  my  heart  have  room  3  f 
Oil !  let  the  fire  of  heavenly  love 
The  very  stump  of  self  consume ! 

HYMN  XXVIL 
The  Milch-kine  Drawing  the  Ark : — Faith's 
Surrender  of  all.    Chap.  vi.  12. 

1  The  kine  unguided  went 

By  the  directest  road. 
When  the  Philistines  homeward  sent 
The  ark  of  Israel's  God. 

2  Lowing  they  passed  along. 

And  left  their  calves  shut  up ; 
They  felt  an  instinct  for  their  young 
But  would  not  turn  or  stop. 

3  Shall  brutes,  devoid  of  thought. 

Their  Maker's  will  obey. 
And  we  who  by  his  grace  are  taught. 
More  stubborn  prove  than  theyl 

4  He  shed  his  precious  blood. 

To  make  us  his  alone; 
If  wash'd  in  that  atoning  flood, 
We  are  no  more  our  own. 


5  If  he  his  will  reveal. 

Let  us  obey  his  call ; 
And  think,  whate'er  the  flesh  may  {ee\ 
His  love  deserves  our  all. 

6  We  should  maintain  in  view 

His  glory,  as  our  end ; 
Too  much  we  cannot  bear  or  do, 
For  such  a  matchless  friend. 

7  His  saints  should  stand  prepared 

In  duty's  path  to  run ; 
Nor  count  their  greatest  trials  hard. 
So  that  his  will  be  done. 

8  With  Jesus  for  our  guide, 

The  path  is  safe,  though  rough ; 
The  promise  says,  "  I  will  provide," 
And  faith  replies,  "  Enough." 

HYMN  XXVm. 
SauFs  Armour.    Chap.  xvii.  38 — 40. 

1  When  first  my  soul  enlisted 

My  Saviour's  foes  to  fight, 
Mistaken  friends  insisted 

I  was  not  arm'd  aright. 
So  Saul  advised  David, 

He  certainly  would  fail. 
Nor  could  his  life  be  saved, 

Without  a  coat  of  mail. 

2  But  David,  though  he  yielded 

To  put  the  armour  on. 
Soon  found  he  could  not  wield  it, 

And  ventur'd  forth  with  none. 
With  only  sling  and  pebble. 

He  fought  the  fight  of  faith; 
The  weapons  seem'd  but  feeble. 

Yet  prov'd  Goliah's  death. 

8  Had  I  by  him  been  guided. 

And  quickly  thrown  away 
The  armour  men  provided, 

I  might  have  gain'd  the  day : 
But  arm'd  as  they  advis'd  me, 

My  expectations  fail'd ; 
My  enemy  surpris'd  me. 

And  had  almost  prevail'd. 

4  Furnish'd  v/ith  books  and  notions, 

And  arguments  and  pride, 
I  practis'd  all  my  motions. 

And  Satan's  pow'r  defied ; 
But  soon  pcrceiv'd  with  trouble. 

That  these  would  do  no  good ; 
Iron  to  him  is  stubble,];  * 

And  brass  like  rotten  wood. 

5  I  triumph'd  at  a  distance, 

While  he  was  out  of  sight ; 
But  faint  was  my  resistance. 

When  forc'd  to  join  in  fight : 
He  broke  my  sword  in  shivers. 

And  pierc'd  my  boasted  shield; 
Laugh'd  at  my  vain  endeavours. 

And  drove  me  from  the  field. 


*  Book  II.  Ilymn  Ixi. 


t  Hosea  xiv.  8. 


}  Job  xli.  27. 


120 


OLNEY 


HYMNS. 


[boot  I. 


6  Satan  will  not  be  braved 

By  such  a  worm  as  I ; 
Then  let  me  learn,  with  David, 

To  trust  in  the  Most  High ; 
To  plead  the  name  of  Jesus, 

And  use  the  aVmg  of  prayer; 
Thus  arm'd,  when  Satan  sees  us. 

He  '11  tremble  and  despair. 


II.  SAMUEL. 

HYMN  XXIX. 
David's  Fall.    Chap.  xi.  27. 

1  How  David,  when  by  sin  deceiv'd. 

From  bad  to  worse  went  on ! 
For  when  the  Holy  Spirit's  griev'd, 
Our  strength  and  guard  are  gone. 

2  His  eye  on  Bathsheba  once  fix'd, 

With  poison  fill'd  his  soul ; 
He  ventnr'd  on  adult'ry  next. 
And  murder  crown'd  the  whole. 

3  So  from  a  spark  of  fire  at  first, 

That  has  not  been  descried, 
A  dreadful  flame  has  oflen  burst, 
And  ravag'd  far  and  wide. 

4  When  sin  deceives,  it  hardens  too, 

For  though  he  vainly  sought 
To  hide  his  crimes  from  public  view, 
Of  God  he  little  thought. 

5  He  neither  would  nor  could  repent, 

No  true  compunction  felt ; 
Till  God  in  mercy  Nathan  sent, 
His  stubborn  heart  to  melt. 

6  The  parable  held  forth  a  fact, 

Design'd  his  case  to  show  ; 
But  though  the  picture  was  exact, 
Himself  he  did  not  know. 

7  "  Thou  art  the  man,"  the  prophet  said. 

That  word  his  slumber  broke ; 
And  when  he  own'd  his  sin,  and  prayed, 
The  Lord  forgiveness  spoke. 

8  Let  those  who  think  they  stand  beware, 

For  David  stood  before ; 
Nor  let  the  fallen  soul  despair. 
For  mercy  can  restore. 

HYMN  XXX. 
Is  this  thy  Kindness  to  thy  Friend  ? 
Chap.  XV  i.  17. 

1  Poor,  weak,  and  worthless  though  I  am, 
I  have  a  rich  almighty  Friend ; 

Jesus,  the  Saviour,  is  his  name ; 
He  freely  loves,  and  without  end. 

2  He  ransom'd  me  from  hell  with  blood. 
And  by  his  power  my  foes  control'd ; 
He  found  me,  wand'ring  far  from  God, 
And  brought  me  to  his  chosen  fold. 


3  He  cheers  my  heart,  my  want  supplies, 
And  says  that  I  shall  shortly  be 
Enthron'd  with  him  above  the  skies. 
Oh  .'  what  a  friend  is  Christ  to  me, 

4  But,  ah  !  my  inmost  spirit  mourns. 
And  well  my  eyes  with  tears  may  swim. 
To  think  of  my  perverse  returns; 

I 've  been  a  faithless  friend  to  him. 

5  Oflen  my  gracious  Friend  I  grieve. 
Neglect,  distrust,  and  disobey. 
And  oflen  Satan's  lies  believe. 
Sooner  than  all  my  Friend  can  say. 

6  He  bids  me  always  freely  come. 
And  promises  whate'er  I  ask; 

But  I  am  straiten'd,  cold,  and  dumb, 
And  count  my  privilege  a  task. 

7  Before  the  world,  that  hates  his  cause, 
My  treach'rous  heart  has  throbb'd  witL 

shame ; 

Loth  to  forego  the  world's  applause, 
I  hardly  dare  avow  his  name. 

8  Sure,  were  not  I  most  vile  and  base, 
I  could  not  thus  my  Friend  requite  ! 
And  were  not  he  the  God  of  grace. 
He'd  frown,  and  spurn  me  from  his  sight. 

KINGS. 

HYMN  XXXI. 
Ask  what  I  shall  give  Thee.    Chap.  iii.  5. 

1  Come,  my  soul,  thy  suit  prepare, 
Jesus  loves  to  answer  prayer ; 
He  himself  has  bid  thee  pray. 
Therefore  will  not  say  thee  nay. 

2  Thon  art  coming  to  a  King,* 
Large  petitions  with  thee  bring ; 
For  his  grace  and  power  are  such, 
None  can  ever  ask  too  much. 

3  With  my  burden  I  begin, 
Lord,  remove  this  load  of  sin ! 
Let  thy  blood,  for  sinners  spilt. 
Set  my  conscience  free  from  guilt. 

4  Lord,  I  come  to  thee  for  rest. 
Take  possession  of  my  breast ; 

There  thy  blood-bought  right  maintain. 
And  without  a  rival  reign. 

5  As  the  image  in  the  glass 
Answers  the  beholder's  face; 
Thus  unto  my  heart  appear. 
Print  thine  own  resemblance  there. 

6  While  I  am  a  pilgrim  here. 
Let  thy  love  my  spirit  cheer; 

As  my  Guide,  my  Guard,  my  Friend, 
Lead  me  to  my  journey's  end. 

7  Show  me  what  I  have  to  do, 
Ev'ry  hour  my  strength  renew; 
Let  me  live  a  life  of  faith. 

Let  me  die  thy  people's  death. 

*  Psalm  Ixsxi.  10. 


HlfMN  XXXIT.] 

HYMN  XXXn. 

ANOTHER. 

1  If  Solomon  for  wisdom  prayed, 
The  Lord  before  had  made  him  wise, 
Else  he  another  choice  had  made, 

And  ask'd  for  what  the  worldlings  prize. 

2  Thus  he  invites  his  people  still ; 

He  first  instructs  them  how  to  choose. 
Then  bids  them  ask  whate'er  they  will, 
Assur'd  that  he  will  not  refuse. 

3  Our  wishes  would  our  ruin  prove, 
Could  we  our  wretched  choice  obtain. 
Before  we  feel  the  Saviour's  love 
Kindle  our  love  to  him  again. 

4  But  when  our  hearts  perceive  his  worth. 
Desires,  till  then  unknown,  take  place  ; 
Our  spirits  cleave  no  more  to  earth. 
But  pant  for  holiness  and  grace. 

5  And  dost  thou  say,  "  Ask  what  thou  wilt 
Lord,  I  would  seize  the  golden  hour ; 

I  pray  to  be  releas'd  from  guilt. 

And  freed  from  sin  and  Satan's  power. 

6  More  of  thy  presence,  Lord,  impart, 
More  of  thine  image  let  me  bear; 
Erect  thy  throne  within  my  heart, 
And  reign  without  a  rival  there. 

7  Give  me  to  read  my  pardon  seal'd, 
And  from  thy  joy  to  draw  my  strength ; 
To  have  thy  boundless  love  reveal'd, 

In  all  its  height,  and  breadth,  and  length. 

8  Grant  these  requests,  I  ask  no  more, 
But  to  thy  care  the  rest  resign  ; 
Sick,  or  in  health,  or  rich,  or  poor. 
All  shall  be  well  if  thou  art  mine. 


HYMN  XXXm. 

ANOTHER. 

1  Behold  the  throne  of  grace  ! 
The  promise  calls  me  near ; 

There  Jesus  shows  a  smiling  face, 
And  waits  to  answer  prayer. 

2  That  rich  atoning  blood, 
Which  sprinkled  round  I  see. 

Provides  for  tliose  who  come  to  God, 
An  all-prevailing  plea. 

3  My  soul,  ask  what  thou  wilt, 
Thou  canst  not  be  too  bold  ; 

Since  his  own  blood  for  thee  he  spilt, 
What  else  can  he  withhold  ] 

4  Beyond  tliy  utmost  wants. 
His  love  and  power  can  bless : 

To  praying  souls  he  always  grants 
More  than  they  can  express. 

5  Since  'tis  the  Lord's  command, 
My  mouth  I  open  wide  ; 

Lord,  open  thou  thy  bounteous  hand, 
That  I  may  be  supplied. 

6  Thine  image.  Lord,  bestow. 
Thy  presence  and  thy  love , 

Vol.  II.  O 


121 

I  ask  to  serve  thee  here  below, 
And  reign  with  thee  above. 

7  Teach  me  to  live  by  faith. 
Conform  my  will  to  thine  ; 

Let  me  victorious  be  in  death. 
And  then  in  glory  shine. 

8  If  thou  these  blessings  give. 
And  wilt  my  portion  be. 

Cheerful  the  world's  poor  toys  I  leave 
To  them  who  know  not  thee. 

HYMN  XXXIV. 
The  Queen  of  Sheba.    Chap.  x.  1 — 9. 

1  From  Sheba  a  distant  report. 
Of  Solomon's  glory  and  fame. 
Invited  the  queen  to  his  court. 

But  all  was  outdone  when  she  came ; 
She  cried,  witii  a  pleasing  surprise. 
When  first  she  before  him  appear'd, 
"How  much  what  I  see  with  my  eyes, 
Surpasses  the  rumour  I  heard !" 

2  When  once  to  Jerusalem  come. 

The  treasure  and  train  she  had  brought. 
The  wealth  siie  possessed  at  home. 
No  longer  had  place  in  her  thought ; 
His  house,  his  attendants,  his  throne. 
All  struck  her  with  wonder  and  awe: 
The  glory  of  Solomon  shone 
In  every  object  she  saw. 

3  But  Solomon  most  she  admir'd, 
Whose  spirit  conducted  the  whole  ; 
His  wisdom,  which  God  had  inspir'd. 
His  bounty  and  greatness  of  soul ; 
Of  all  the  hard  questions  she  put, 

A  ready  solution  he  showed  ; 

Exceeded  her  wish  and  her  suit. 

And  more  than  she  ask'd  him  bestowed. 

4  Thus  I,  when  the  gospel  proclaim'd 
The  Saviour's  great  name  in  my  ears. 
The  wisdom  for  which  he  is  fam'd, 
The  love  which  to  sinners  he  bears ; 

I  long'd,  and  I  was  not  denied. 
That  I  in  his  presence  might  bow ; 
"  I  saw,  and  transported  I  cried, 
"  A  greater  than  Solomon  thou !" 

5  My  conscience  no  comfort  could  find. 
By  doubts  and  hard  questions  opposed ; 
But  he  restor'd  peace  to  my  mind, 
And  answer'd  each  doubt  I  proposed, 
Beholding  me  poor  and  distress'd. 

His  bounty  supplied  all  my  wants ; 
My  prayer  could  have  never  express'd 
So  much  as  this  Solomon  grants. 

6  I  heard,  and  was  slow  to  believe. 
But  now  with  my  eyes  I  behold. 

Much  more  than  my  heart  could  conceive 
Or  language  could  ever  have  told ; 
How  happy  thy  servants  must  be. 
Who  always  before  thee  appear  ! 
Vouchsafe,  Lord,  this  blessing  to  me, 
I  find  it  is  good  to  be  here. 


L  KINGS. 


122 


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HYMNS. 


[book  I. 


HYMN  XXXV. 
Elijah  fed  by  Ravens.*    Chap.  xvii.  6. 

1  Elijah's  example  declares, 
Whatever  distress  may  betide, 

The  saints  may  commit  all  their  cares 
To  him  who  will  surely  provide : 
When  rain  long  withheld  from  the  earth. 
Occasioned  a  famine  of  bread, 
Tiie  prophet,  secur'd  from  the  dearth. 
By  ravens  was  constantly  fed. 

2  More  likely  to  rob  than  to  feed. 
Were  ravens  who  live  upon  prey : 
But  when  the  Lord's  people  have  need, 
His  goodness  will  find  out  a  way. 

This  instance  to  those  may  seem  strange, 
Who  know  not  how  faith  can  prevail ; 
But  sooner  all  nature  shall  change, 
Than  one  of  God's  promises  fail. 

3  Nor  is  it  a  singular  case. 
The  wonder  is  often  renew'd ; 
And  many  can  say  to  his  praise, 

He  sends  them  by  ravens  their  food  : 
Thus  worldlings,  though  ravens  indeed, 
Though  greedy  and  selfish  their  mind, 
If  God  has  a  servant  to  feed, 
Against  their  own  wills  can  be  kind. 

4  Thus  Satan,  that  raven  unclean, 
Who  croaks  in  the  ears  of  the  saints, 
Compell'd  by  a  power  unseen. 
Administers  ofl  to  their  wants  ; 

God  teaches  them  how  to  find  food. 
From  all  the  temptations  they  feel : 
This  raven  who  thirsts  for  my  blood, 
Has  help'd  me  to  many  a  meal. 

5  How  safe  and  how  happy  are  they, 
Who  on  the  good  Shepherd  rely  ! 

He  gives  them  out  strength  for  their  day. 
Their  wants  he  will  surely  supply ; 
He  ravens  and  lions  can  tame. 
All  creatures  obey  his  command  : 
Then  let  me  rejoice  in  his  name. 
And  leave  all  my  cares  in  his  hand. 

HYMN  XXXVI. 
The  Meal  and  Cruise  of  Oil.  Chap.  xvii.  16. 

1  By  the  poor  widow's  oil  and  meal 

Elijah  was  sustain'd  ; 
Though  small  the  stock,  it  lasted  well, 
For  God  the  store  maintain'd. 

2  It  seem'd  as  if  from  day  to  day, 

They  were  to  eat  and  die ; 
But  still,  though  in  a  secret  way, 
He  sent  a  fresh  supply. 

3  Thus  to  his  poor  he  still  will  give 

Just  for  the  present  hour : 
But  for  to-morrow  they  must  live 
Upon  his  word  and  power. 

4  No  barn  or  store-house  they  possess, 

On  which  they  can  depend ; 


Yet  h8~e  no  cause  to  fear  distress, 
For  Jesus  is  their  friend. 

5  Then  let  no  doubt  your  mind  assail : 

Remember  God  has  said, 
"  The  cruise  and  barrel  shall  not  fail, 
My  people  shall  be  fed." 

6  And  thus,  though  faint,  it  often  seems. 

He  keeps  their  grace  alive ; 
Supplied  by  his  refreshing  streams, 
Their  dying  hopes  revive. 

7  Though  in  ourselves  we  have  no  stock, 

The  Lord  is  nigh  to  save  : 
His  door  flies  open  when  we  knock, 
And  'tis  but  ask  and  have. 

11.  KINGS. 

HYMN  XXXVIL 
Jericho  ;  or,  the  Waters  healed. 
Chap.  ii.  19—22. 

1  Though  Jericho  pleasantly  stood. 
And  look'd  like  a  promising  soil; 
The  harvest  produc'd  little  food, 
To  answer  the  husbandman's  toil. 
The  water  some  property  had. 
Which  poisonous  prov'd  to  the  ground  ; 
The  springs  were  corrupted  and  bad. 
The  streams  spread  a  barrenness  round. 

2  But  soon  by  the  cruise  and  the  salt, 
Prepar'd  by  Elijah's  command. 
The  water  was  cur'd  of  its  fault. 
And  plenty  enriched  the  land  : 

An  emblem  sure  this  of  the  grace, 
On  fruitless  dead  sinners  bestow'd ; 
For  man  is  in  Jericho's  case. 
Till  cured  by  the  mercy  of  God. 

3  How  noble  a  creature  he  seems ! 
What  knowledge,  invention,  and  skill ! 
How  large  and  extensive  his  schemes ! 
How  much  can  he  do  if  he  will ! 

His  zeal  to  be  learned  and  wise 
Will  yield  to  no  limits  and  bars  ; 
He  measures  the  earth  and  the  skies. 
And  numbers  and  marshals  the  stars. 

4  Yet  still  he  is  barren  of  good ; 
In  vain  are  his  talents  and  art ; 
For  sin  has  infected  his  blood. 

And  poison'd  the  springs  of  his  heart : 
Though  cockatrice  eggs  he  can  hatch,* 
Or,  spider-like,  cobwebs  can  weave; 
'Tis  madness  to  labour  and  watch 
For  what  will  destroy  or  deceive. 

5  But  grace,  like  the  salt  in  the  cruise, 
When  cast  in  the  spring  of  the  souJ, 
A  wonderful  change  will  produce, 
Diffusing  new  life  through  the  whole; 
The  wilderness  blooms  like  a  rose, 
The  heart  which  was  vile  and  abhorr'd, 
Now  fruitful  and  beautifi  1  grows. 
The  garden  and  joy  of  the  Lord. 


*  Book  III.  Hymn  xlvii. 


*  Isa.  lix.  5. 


HYMN  XLI.] 


I.  CHRONICLES- 


123 


HYMN  XXXVin. 
Naaman.    Chap.  v.  14. 

1  Before  Elisha's  gate 

The  Syrian  leper  stood  ; 
But  could  not  brook  to  wait, 
He  deem'd  himself  too  g'ood : 
Pie  thought  the  prophet  would  attend, 
And  not  to  him  a  message  send. 

2  Have  I  this  journey  come, 

And  will  he  not  be  seenl 
I  were  as  well  at  home, 

Would  washing  make  me  clean ; 
Why  must  I  wash  in  Jordan's  flood  1 
Damascus'  tivers  are  as  good. 

3  Thus,  by  his  foolish  pride. 

He  almost  miss'd  a  cure  ; 
Howe'er  at  length  he  tried. 
And  found  the  method  sure : 
Soon  as  his  pride  was  brought  to  yield, 
The  leprosy  was  quickly  heal'd. 

4  Leprous  and  proud  as  he. 

To  Jesus  thus  I  came, 
From  sin  he  set  rne  free, 

When  first  I  heard  his  fame ; 
Surely,  thought  I,  my  pompous  train 
Of  vows  and  tears  will  notice  gain. 

5  My  heart  devis'd  the  way 

Which  I  suppos'd  he'd  take, 
And  when  I  found  delay, 

Was  ready  to  go  back ; 
Had  he  some  painful  task  enjoin'd, 
I  to  performance  soem'd  inclin'd. 

6  When  by  his  word  he  spake, 

"That  fountain  opened  see; 
'Twas  opened  for  thy  sake. 

Go  wash,  and  thou  art  free." 
Oh  !  how  did  my  proud  heart  gainsay ; 
I  fear'd  to  trust  this  simple  way. 

7  At  length  I  trial  made. 

When  I  had  much  endur'd ; 
The  message  I  obeyed, 

I  wash'd,  and  I  was  cur'd : 
Sinners,  this  healing  fountain  try, 
Which  cleans'd  a  wretch  so  vile  as  I. 

HYMN  XXXIX. 
The  borrowed  Axe.    Chap.  vi.  .5,  6. 

1  The  prophet's  sons,  in  times  of  old. 

Though  to  appearance  poor. 
Were  rich,  without  possessing  gold. 
And  honoured,  though  obscure. 

2  In  peace  their  daily  bread  they  ate, 

By  honest  labour  earned ; 
While  daily  at  Elisha's  feet, 
They  grace  and  wisdom  learned. 

3  The  prophet's  presence  cheer'd  their  toil, 

They  watch'd  the  words  he  spoke  ' 
Whether  they  turn'd  the  furrow'd  soU, 
Or  fell'd  the  spreading  oak. 

4  Once  as  they  listened  to  his  theme, 

Their  conference  was  stopped ; 


For  one  beneath  the  yielding  stream, 
A  borrowed  axe  had  dropped. 

5  "Alas!  it  was  not  mine  (he  said,) 

How  shall  I  make  it  good  !" 
Elisha  heard,  and  when  he  prayed. 
The  iron  swam  like  wood. 

6  If  God,  in  such  a  small  affair, 

A  miracle  performs ; 
It  shows  his  condescending  care 
Of  poor  unworthy  worms. 

7  Though  kings  and  nations,  in  his  view 

Are  but  as  motes  and  dust; 
His  eye  and  ear  are  fixed  on  you, 
Who  in  his  mercy  trust. 

8  Not  one  concern  of  ours  is  small, 

If  we  belong  to  him  ; 
To  teach  us  this,  the  Lord  of  all 
Once  made  the  iron  swim. 

HYMN  XL. 
More  with  us  than  with  them.   Chap.  vi.  16. 

1  AiAS  !  Elisha's  servant  cried. 
When  he  the  Syrian  army  spied ; 
But  he  was  soon  released  from  care, 
In  answer  to  the  prophet's  prayer. 

2  Straightway  he  saw,  with  other  eyes, 
A  greater  army  from  the  skies, 

A  fiery  guard  around  the  hill : — 
Thus  are  the  saints  preserved  still. 

3  Wlien  Satan  and  his  host  appear, 
Like  him  of  old,  I  faint  and  fear ; 
Like  him,  by  faith,  with  joy  I  see, 
A  greater  host  engaged  for  me. 

4  The  saints  espouse  my  cause  by  prayer, 
The  angels  make  my  soul  their  care ; 
Mine  is  the  promise  sealed  with  blood, 
And  Jesus  lives  to  make  it  good. 

I.  CHRONICLES. 

HYMN  XLI. 
Faith's  Review  and  Expectation. 
Chap.  xvii.  16,  17. 

1  Amazing  grace  !  (how  sweet  the  sound) 

That  sav'd  a  wretch  like  me  ! 
I  once  was  lost,  but  now  am  found. 
Was  blind,  but  now  I  see. 

2  'Twas  grace  that  taught  my  heart  to  fear 

And  grace  my  fears  reliev'd ; 
How  precious  did  that  grace  appear. 
The  hour  I  first  believ'd. 

3  Through  many  dangers,  toils,  and  snares, 

I  have  alreEidy  come ; 
'Tis  grace  has  brought  me  safe  thus  far, 
And  grace  will  lead  me  home. 

4  The  Lord  has  promis'd  good  to  me, 

His  word  my  hope  secures  ; 
He  will  my  shield  and  portion  be, 
As  long  as  life  endures. 


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[book  I. 


5  Yea,  when  this  lieart  and  flesh  shall  fail, 

And  mortal  life  shall  cease; 
I  shall  possess,  within  the  vail, 
A  life  of  joy  and  peace. 

6  The  earth  shall  soon  dissolve  like  snow, 

The  sun  forbear  to  shine ; 
But  God,  who  call'd  me  here  below, 
Will  be  for  ever  mine. 


NEHEMIAH. 

HYMN  XLII. 
The  Joy  of  the  Lord  is  your  Strength. 
Chap.  viii.  10. 
1  Joy  is  a  fruit  that  will  not  grow 
In  nature's  barren  soil ; 
All  we  can  boast,  till  Christ  we  know, 
Is  vanity  and  toil. 
?  But  where  the  Lord  has  planted  grace. 
And  made  his  glories  known  ; 
There  fruits  of  heavenly  joy  and  peace 
Are  found,  and  there  alone. 

3  A  bleeding  Saviour,  seen  by  faith, 

A  sense  of  pard'ning  love, 
A  hope  that  triumphs  over  death, 
Give  joys  like  those  above. 

4  To  take  a  glimpse  within  the  vail, 

To  know  that  God  is  mine. 
Are  springs  of  joy  that  never  fail. 
Unspeakable  !  divine ! 

5  These  are  the  joys  which  satisfy. 

And  sanctify  the  mind  ; 
Which  make  the  spirit  mount  on  high. 
And  leave  the  world  behind. 

6  No  more,  believers,  mourn  your  lot, 

But  if  you  are  the  Lord's, 
Resign  to  them  that  know  him  not 
Such  joys  as  earth  affords. 

JOB. 

HYMN  XLin. 
Oh  that  I  were  as  in  Months  past. 
Chap.  xxix.  2. 

1  Sweet  was  the  time  when  first  I  felt 

The  Saviour's  pard'ning  blood 
Applied  to  cleanse  my  soul  from  guilt, 
And  bring  me  home  to  God. 

2  Soon  as  the  morn  the  light  reveal'd, 

His  praises  tuned  my  tongue; 
And  when  the  ev'ning  shades  prevail'd. 
His  love  was  all  my  song. 

3  In  vain  the  tempter  spread  his  wiles, 

The  world  no  more  could  charm; 
I  lived  upon  my  Saviour's  smiles. 
And  lean'd  upon  his  arm. 

4  In  prayer  my  soul  drew  near  the  Lord, 

And  saw  his  glory  shine ; 


And  when  I  read  his  holy  word, 
I  call'd  each  promise  mine. 

5  Then  to  his  saints  I  often  spoke 

Of  what  his  love  had  done ; 
But  now  my  heart  is  almost  broke. 
For  all  my  joys  are  gone. 

6  Now,  when  the  ev'ning  shade  prevails, 

My  soul  in  darkness  mourns ; 
And  when  the  morn  the  light  reveals, 
No  light  to  me  returns. 

7  My  prayers  are  now  a  chatt'ring  noise, 

For  Jesus  hides  his  face  ; 
I  read, — the  promise  meets  my  eyes, 
But  will  not  reach  my  case. 

8  Now  Satan  threatens  to  prevail. 

And  make  my  soul  his  prey ; 
Yet,  Lord,  thy  mercies  cannot  fail, 
O  come  without  delay  ! 

HYMN  XLIV. 

The  Change*  Ibid. 

1  Saviour,  shine,  and  cheer  my  soul, 

Bid  my  dying  hopes  revive ; 
Make  my  wounded  spirit  whole. 

Far  away  the  tempter  drive ; 
Speak  the  word,  and  set  me  free, 
Let  me  live  alone  to  thee. 

2  Shall  I  sigh  and  pray  in  vain. 

Wilt  thou  still  refuse  to  hear ; 
Wilt  thou  not  return  again, 

Must  I  yield  to  black  despair  T 
Thou  hast  taught  my  heart  to  pray. 
Canst  thou  turn  thy  face  away  1 

3  Once  I  thought  my  mountain  strong. 

Firmly  fix'd,  no  more  to  move ; 
Then  thy  grace  was  all  my  song. 

Then  my  soul  was  fiU'd  with  love  ; 
Those  were  happy  golden  days, 
Sweetly  spent  in  prayer  and  praise. 

4  When  my  friends  have  said,  "  Beware, 

Soon  or  late  you  '11  find  a  change," 
I  could  see  no  cause  for  fear. 

Vain  their  caution  seem'd,  and  strange ; 
Not  a  cloud  obscur'd  my  sky. 
Could  I  think  a  tempest  nigh  ? 

5  Little,  then,  myself  I  knew. 

Little  thought  of  Satan's  power; 
Now  I  find  their  words  were  true. 
Now  1  feel  the  stormy  hour ! 
Sin  has  put  my  joys  to  flight, 
Sin  has  chang'd  my  day  to  night. 

6  Satan  asks,  and  mocks  my  woe, 

"  Boaster,  where  is  now  your  God;" 
Silence,  Lord,  this  cruel  foe. 

Let  him  know  I 'm  bought  with  blood : 
Tell  him,  since  I  know  thy  name, 
Though  I  change,  thou  art  the  same. 


*  Book  II.  Hymn  xxxiv.  and  Book  III.  Hymn  ixxvi. 


HTUN  XL VIII.] 


PSALMS. 


125 


PSALMS. 

HYMN  XLV. 
Pleading  for  Mercy.    Psalm  vi. 

1  In  mercy,  not  in  wrath,  rebuke 

Thy  feeble  worm,  my  God  ! 
My  spirit  dreads  thine  angry  look, 
And  trembles  at  thy  rod. 

2  Have  mercy,  Lord,  for  I  am  weak, 

Regard  my  heavy  groans ; 
O,  let  thy  voice  of  comfort  speak. 
And  heal  my  broken  bones. 

3  By  day,  my  busy  beating  head 

Is  fiU'd  with  anxious  fears; 
By  night,  upon  my  restless  bed, 
I  weep  a  flood  of  tears. 

4  Thus  I  sit  desolate  and  mourn, 

Mine  eyes  grow  dull  with  grief; 
How  long,  my  Lord,  ere  thou  return. 
And  bring  my  soul  relief] 

5  O,  come  and  show  thy  p{>w*;r  to  save. 

And  spare  my  fainting  breath  ; 
For  who  can  praise  thee  in  the  grave, 
Or  sing  thy  name  in  death  ? 

6  Satan,  my  cruel  envious  foe, 

Insults  me  in  my  pain  ; 
He  smiles  to  see  me  brought  so  low, 
And  tells  me  hope  is  vain. 

7  But  hence  thou  enemy,  depart ! 

Nor  tempt  me  to  despair ; 
My  Saviour  comes  to  cheer  my  heart. 
The  Lord  has  heard  my  prayer. 

'  HYMN  XLVI. 

None  upon  Earth  I  desire  besides  Thee. 
Psalm  Ixxiii.  25. 

1  How  tedious  and  tasteless  the  hours, 

When  Jesus  no  longer  I  see ; 
Sweet  prospects,  sweet  birds,  and  sweet 
flowers. 

Have  lost  all  their  sweetness  with  me ; 
The  midsummer  sun  shines  but  dim, 

The  fields  strive  in  vain  to  look  gay  ; 
But  when  I  am  happy  in  him, 

December 's  as  pleasant  as  May. 

2  His  name  yields  the  richest  perfume. 

And  sweeter  than  music  his  voice  ; 
His  presence  disperses  my  gloom. 

And  makes  all  within  me  rejoice : 
I  should,  were  he  always  thus  nigh, 

Have  nothing  to  wish  or  to  fear ; 
No  mortal  so  happy  as  I, 

My  summer  would  last  all  the  year. 

3  Content  with  beholding  hia  face, 

My  all  to  his  pleasure  resign'd, 
No  changes  of  season  or  place, 

Would  make  any  change  in  my  mind  : 
While  bless'd  with  a  sense  of  his  love, 

A  palace  a  toy  would  appear ; 
And  prisons  would  palaces  prove. 

If  Jesus  would  dwell  with  me  there. 


4  Dear  Lord,  if  indeed  I  am  thine. 

If  thou  art  my  sun  and  my  song ; 
Say  why  do  I  languish  and  pine, 

And  why  are  my  winters  so  long  1 
O  drive  these  dark  clouds  from  my  sky, 

Thy  soul-cheering  presence  restore ; 
Or  take  me  unto  thee  on  high. 

Where  winter  and  clouds  are  no  more. 

HYMN  XLVn. 
The  Believer^s  Safety.    Psalm  xci. 

1  Incarnate  God  !  the  soul  that  knows 

Thy  name's  mysterious  power. 
Shall  dwell  in  undisturb'd  repose. 
Nor  fear  the  trying  hour. 

2  Thy  wisdom,  faithfulness,  and  love. 

To  feeble  helpless  worms, 
A  buckler  and  a  refuge  prove 
From  enemies  and  storms. 

3  In  vain  the  fowler  spreads  his  net. 

To  draw  them  from  thy  care ; 
Thy  timely  call  instructs  their  feet 
To  shun  their  artful  snare. 

4  When  like  a  baneful  pestilence, 

Sin  mows  its  thousands  down 
On  ev'ry  side,  without  defence. 
Thy  grace  secures  thine  own. 

5  No  midnight  terrors  haunt  their  bed, 

No  arrow  wounds  by  day ; 
Unhurt  on  serpents  they  shall  tread, 
If  found  in  duty's  way. 

6  Angels,  unseen,  attend  the  saints. 

And  bear  them  in  their  arms. 
To  cheer  their  spirit  when  it  faints, 
And  guard  their  life  from  harms. 

7  The  angels'  Lord  himself  is  nigh 

To  them  that  love  his  name; 
Ready  to  save  them  when  they  cry. 
And  put  their  foes  to  shame. 

8  Crosses  and  charges  are  their  lot. 

Long  as  they  sojourn  here ; 
But  since  their  Saviour  changes  not. 
What  have  the  saints  to  fear  1 

HYMN  XLVIH. 

ANOTHER. 

1  That  man  no  guard  or  weapon  needs. 
Whose  heart  tlie  blood  of  Jesus  knows ; 
But  safe  may  pass,  if  duty  leads. 
Through  burning  sands  or  mountain-snows 

2  Releas'd  from  guilt,  he  feels  no  fear; 
Redemption  is  his  shield  and  tower: 
He  sees  his  Saviour  always  near. 
To  help  in  ev'ry  trying  hour. 

3  Though  I  am  weak,  and  Satan  strong. 
And  often  to  assault  me  tries ; 
When  Jesus  is  my  sliield  and  song, 
Abash'd,  the  wolf  before  me  flies. 

4  His  love  possessing  I  am  blest. 
Secure  whatever  change  may  come; 
Whether  I  go  to  east  or  west, 
With  him  I  still  shall  be  at  home. 


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[book  I. 


5  If  plac'd  beneath  the  northern  pole, 
Thoug-h  winter  reigns  with  rigour  there, 
His  gracious  beams  would  cheer  my  soul. 
And  make  a  spring  throughout  the  year: 

6  Or  if  the  desert's  sun-burnt  soil, 

My  lonely  dwelling  e'er  should  prove ; 
His  presence  would  support  my  toil. 
Whose  smile  is  life,  whose  voice  is  love. 

HYMN  XUX. 
He  led  them  by  a  right  way.    Psalm  cvii.  7. 

1  When  Israel  was  from  Egypt  freed. 

The  Lord,  who  brought  them  out, 
HelpVl  them  in  ev'ry  time  of  need, 
But  led  them  round  about.* 

2  To  enter  Canaan  soon  they  hop'd, 

But  quickly  chang'd  their  mind, 
When  the  Red  Sea  their  passage  stopp'd, 
And  Pharaoh  march'd  behind. 

3  The  desert  fill'd  them  with  alarms, 

For  water  and  for  food ; 
And  Amalek,  by  force  of  arms, 
To  check  their  progress  stood. 

4  They  often  murmur'd  by  the  way, 

Because  they  judg'd  by  sight; 
But  were  at  length  constrain'd  to  say, 
The  Lord  had  led  them  right. 

5  In  the  Red  Sea,  that  stopp'd  them  first, 

Their  enemies  were  drown'd ; 
The  rocks  gave  water  for  their  thirst. 
And  manna  spread  the  ground. 

6  By  fire  and  cloud  their  way  was  shown 

Across  the  pathless  sands ; 
And  Amalek  was  overthrown 
By  Moses's  lifted  hands. 

7  The  way  was  right  their  hearts  to  prove. 

To  make  God's  glory  known ; 
And  show  his  wisdom,  power,  and  love, 
Engag'd  to  save  his  own. 

8  Just  so,  the  true  believer's  path, 

Through  many  dangers  lies ; 
Though  dark  to  sense,  'tis  right  to  faith, 
And  leads  us  to  the  skies. 

HYMN  L. 
What  shall  I  render  ?t  Psalm  cxvi.  12, 13. 

1  For  mercies,  countless  as  the  sands. 

Which  daily  I  receive 
From  Jesus  my  Redeemer's  hands. 
My  soul,  what  canst  thou  give  1 

2  Alas !  from  such  a  heart  as  mine. 

What  can  I  bring  him  fortli ! 
My  best  is  stain'd  and  dyed  with  sin, 
My  all  is  nothing  worth. 

3  Yet  this  acknowledgment  I  '11  make 

For  all  he  has  bestowed. 
Salvation's  sacred  cap  I  '11  take, 
And  call  upon  my  God. 


*  Exod.  xiii.  17.  t  Book  HI-  Hymn  Uvii. 


4  The  best  returns  for  one  like  me. 

So  wretched  and  so  poor. 
Is  from  his  gifts  to  draw  a  plea. 
And  ask  him  still  for  more. 

5  I  cannot  serve  him  as  I  ought, 

No  works  have  I  to  boast ; 
Yet  would  I  glory  in  the  thought. 
That  I  shall  owe  hhn  most. 

HYMN  LL 
Dwelling  in  Mesech.    Psalm  cxx.  5 — 7 

1  What  a  mournful  life  is  mine, 
Fill'd  with  crosses,  pains,  and  cares ! 
Ev'ry  work  defiled  with  sin, 

Ev'ry  step  beset  with  snares ! 

2  If  alone  I  pensive  sit, 

I  myself  can  hardly  bear ; 
If  I  pass  along  the  street. 
Sin  and  riot  triumph  there. 

3  Jesus !  how  my  heart  is  pain'd. 
How  it  mourns  for  souls  deceiv'd ! 
When  I  hear  thy  name  profan'd, 
When  I  see  thy  Spirit  griev'd. 

4  When  thy  children's  griefs  I  view, 
Their  distress  becomes  my  own ; 
All  I  hear,  or  see,  or  do, 

Makes  me  tremble,  weep,  and  groan. 

5  Mourning  thus  I  long  had  been. 
When  I  heard  my  Saviour's  voice : 
"  Thou  hast  cause  to  mourn  for  sin, 
But  in  me  thou  may'st  rejoice." 

6  This  kind  word  dispell'd  my  grief, 
Put  to  silence  my  complaints : 
Though  of  sinners  I  am  chief. 

He  has  rank'd  me  with  his  saints. 

7  Though  constrain'd  to  dwell  a  while 
Where  the  wicked  strive  and  brawl, 
Let  them  frown,  so  he  but  smile. 
Heaven  will  make  amends  for  all. 

8  There,  believers,  we  shall  rest. 
Free  from  sorrow,  sin,  and  fears; 
Nothing  shall  our  peace  molest, 
Through  eternal  rounds  of  years. 

9  Let  us  then  the  fight  endure. 
See  our  Captain  looking  down ; 
He  will  make  the  conquest  sure. 
And  bestow  the  promis'd  crown. 

PROVERBS. 

HYMN  LIL 
Wisdom.    Chap.  viii.  22—31. 
1  Ere  God  had  built  the  mountains, 
Or  rais'd  the  fruitful  hills ; 
Before  he  fill'd  the  fountains 
That  feed  tlie  running  ; 
In  me,  from  everlasting, 
The  wonderful  i  am, 
Found  pleasures  never  wasting. 
And  Wisdom  is  my  name. 


HYMN  LV.] 


ECCLESIASTES. 


127 


2  When,  like  a  tent  to  dwell  in, 
He  spread  the  skies  abroad, 
And  swath'd  about  the  swelling 
Of  ocean's  mighty  flood ; 

He  wrought  by  weight  and  measure, 
And  I  was  with  him  then ; 
Myself  the  Father's  pleasure, 
And  mine  the  sons  of  men. 

3  Thus  Wisdom's  words  discover 
Thy  glory  and  thy  grace. 
Thou  everlasting  lover 

Of  our  unworthy  race ! 
Thy  gracious  eye  surveyed  us. 
Ere  stars  were  seen  above ; 
In  wisdom  thou  hast  made  us, 
And  died  for  us  in  love. 

4  And  couldst  thou  be  delighted 
With  creatures  such  as  we  ! 
Who,  when  we  saw  thee,  slighted. 
And  nail'd  thee  to  a  tree  1 
Unfathomable  wonder, 

And  mystery  divine ! 

The  voice  that  speaks  in  thunder. 

Says,  "  Siimer,  I  am  thine  !"  C. 

hyiSn" Lni. 

A  Friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a  Brother. 
Chap,  xviii.  24. 

1  One  there  is,  above  all  others. 
Well  deserves  the  name  of  Friend ; 
His  is  love  beyond  a  brother's. 
Costly,  free,  and  knows  no  end : 

They  who  once  his  kindness  prove. 
Find  it  everlasting  love. 

2  Which  of  all  our  friends  to  save  us. 
Could  or  would  have  shed  their  blood ! 
But  our  Jesus  died  to  have  us 
Reconcil'd  to  him  in  God : 

This  was  boundless  love  indeed ! 
Jesus  is  a  friend  in  need. 

3  Men,  when  rais'd  to  lofty  stations, 
Often  know  their  friends  no  more ; 
Slight  and  scorn  their  poor  relations. 
Though  they  valued  them  before ; 

But  our  Saviour  always  owns 

Those  whom  he  redeem'd  with  groans. 

4  When  he  liv'd  on  earth  abased. 
Friend  of  sinners  was  his  name ; 
Now  above  all  glory  raised, 

He  rejoices  in  the  same : 

Still  he  calls  them  brethren,  friends. 
And  to  all  their  wants  attends. 

5  Could  we  bear  from  one  another 
What  he  daily  bears  from  us ;  • 

Yet  this  glorious  Friend  and  Brother 
Loves  us  though  we  treat  him  thus : 
Though  for  good  we  render  ill. 
He  accounts  us  brethren  still. 

6  0  for  grace  our  hearts  to  soften ! 
Teach  us,  Lord,  at  length  to  love ; 
We,  alas !  forget  too  often. 
What  a  friend  we  have  above : 

But  when  home  our  souls  are  brought, 
We  will  love  thee  as  we  ought. 


ECCLESIASTES. 

HYMN  LTV. 
Vanity  of  Life*    Chap.  i.  2. 

1  The  evils  that  beset  our  path, 

Who  can  prevent  or  cure '! 
We  stand  upon  the  brink  of  death, 
When  most  we  seem  secure. 

2  If  we  to-day  sweet  peace  possess. 

It  soon  may  be  withdrawn  ; 
Some  change  may  plunge  us  in  distress 
Before  to-morrow's  dawn. 

3  Disease  and  pain  invade  our  health, 

And  find  an  easy  prey ; 
And  oft,  when  least  expected,  wealth 
Takes  wings  and  flies  away. 

4  A  fever  or  a  blow  can  shake 

Our  wisdom's  boasted  rule. 
And  of  the  brightest  genius  make 
A  madman  or  a  fool. 

5  The  gourds  from  which  we  look  for  fruit, 

Produce  us  only  pain ; 
A  worm  unseen  attacks  the  root. 
And  all  our  hopes  are  vain. 

6  I  pity  those  who  seek  no  more 

Than  such  a  world  can  give ; 
Wretched  they  are,  and  blind,  and  poor, 
And  dying  while  they  live. 

7  Since  sin  has  fill'd  the  earth  with  woe. 

And  creatures  fade  and  die  ; 
Lord,  wean  our  hearts  from  things  below, 
And  fix  our  hopes  on  high. 

HYMN  LV. 
Vanity  of  the  World.  Ibid. 

1  God  gives  his  mercies  to  be  spent ; 
Your  hoard  will  do  your  soul  no  good ; 
Gold  is  a  blessing  only  lent. 

Repaid  by  giving  others  food. 

2  The  world's  esteem  is  but  a  bribe  ; 
To  buy  their  peace  you  sell  your  own ; 
The  slave  of  a  vain-glorious  tribe, 

Who  hate  you  while  they  make  you  known. 

3  The  joy  that  vain  amusements  give, 
Oh  !  sad  conclusion  that  it  brings ! 
The  honey  of  a  crowded  hive, 
Defended  by  a  thousand  stings. 

4  'Tis  thus  the  world  rewards  the  fools 
That  live  upon  her  treacherous  smiles  ; 
She  leads  them  blindfold  by  her  rules, 
And  ruins  all  whom  she  beguiles. 

5  God  knows  the  thousands  who  go  down 
From  pleasure  into  endless  woe ; 

And  with  a  long  despairing  groan, 
Blaspheme  their  Maker  as  they  go. 

6  O  fearful  thought !  be  timely  wise  ; 
Delight  but  in  a  Saviour's  charms; 
And  God  shall  take  you  to  the  skies, 
Embrac'd  in  everlasting  arms.  C, 

*  Book  II.  Ilynin  vi. 


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[book  I. 


HYMN  LVT. 
Vanity  of  the  Creature  Sanctified.  Ibid. 

1  Honey  though  the  bee  prepares, 
An  envenom'd  stinor  it  wears ; 
Piercing  thorns  a  guard  compose 
Round  the  fragrant  blooming  rose. 

2  Where  we  think  to  find  a  sweet, 
Oft  a  painful  sting  we  meet; 
When  the  rose  invites  our  eye. 
We  forget  the  thorn  is  nigh. 

3  Why  are  thus  our  hopes  beguil'd  1 
Why  are  all  our  pleasures  spoil'd  1 
Why  do  agony  and  woe 

From  our  choicest  comforts  grow  1 

4  Sin  has  been  the  cause  of  all ! 
'Twas  not  thus  before  the  fall ; 
What  but  pain,  and  thorn,  and  sting, 
From  the  root  of  sin  can  spring  1 

5  Now  with  every  good  we  find 
Vanity  and  grief  entwined  ; 
What  we  feel,  or  what  we  fear, 
All  our  joys  embitter  here. 

6  Yet,  through  the  Redeemer's  love, 
These  afflictions  blessings  prove ; 
He  the  wounding  stings  and  thorns 
Into  healing  med'cines  turns. 

7  From  the  earth  our  hearts  they  wean, 
Teach  us  on  his  arm  to  lean, 

Urge  us  to  a  throne  of  grace. 
Make  us  seek  a  resting-place. 

8  In  the  mansions  of  our  King, 
Sweets  abound  without  a  sting ; 
Thornless  there  the  roses  blow. 
And  the  joys  unmingled  flow. 

SOLOMON'S  SONG. 

HYMN  LVII. 
The  Name  of  Jesus.    Chap.  i.  3. 

1  How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds 

In  a  believer's  ear ! 
It  sooths  his  sorrows,  heels  his  wounds. 
And  drives  away  his  fear. 

2  It  makes  tlie  wounded  spirit  whole, 

And  calms  the  troubled  breast ; 
'Tis  manna  to  the  hungry  soul, 
And  to  the  weary  rest. 

3  Dear  name  !  the  rock  on  which  I  build. 

My  shield  and  hiding-place : 
My  never-failing  treasury,  fill'd 
With  boundless  stores  of  grace. 

4  By  thee  my  prayers  acceptance  gain. 

Although  with  sin  defil'd ; 
Satan  accuses  me  in  vain. 
And  I  am  own'd  a  child. 

5  Jesus !  my  Shepherd,  Husband,  Friend, 

My  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King ! 
My  Lord,  my  Life,  my  Way,  my  End  ! 
Accept  the  praise  I  bring. 


6  Weak  is  the  effort  of  my  heart, 

And  cold  my  warmest  thought ; 
But  when  I  see  thee  as  thou  art, 
I  '11  praise  thee  as  I  ought. 

7  Till  then  I  would  thy  love  proclaim 

With  ev'ry  fleeting  breath  ; 
And  may  the  music  of  thy  name 
Refresh  my  soul  in  death  ! 

ISAIAH. 

HYMN  LVIII. 
O  Lord,  I  will  praise  Thee !    Chap.  xii. 

1  I  WILL  praise  thee  ev'ry  day, 
Now  thine  anger's  turn'd  away  ! 
Comfortable  thoughts  arise 
From  the  bleeding  sacrifice. 

2  Here,  in  the  fair  gospel-field. 
Wells  of  free  salvation  yield 
Streams  of  lite  a  plenteous  store. 
And  my  soul  shall  thirst  no  more. 

3  Jesus  is  become  at  length 

My  salvation  and  my  strength  ; 
And  his  praises  shall  prolong. 
While  I  live,  my  pleasant  song. 

4  Praise  ye,  then,  his  glorious  name. 
Publish  his  exalted  fame  ! 

Still  his  worth  your  praise  exceeds, 
Excellent  are  all  his  deeds. 

5  Raise  again  the  joyful  sound. 
Let  the  nations  roll  it  round  ! 
Zion  shout,  for  this  is  he  : 

God,  the  Saviour,  dwells  in  thee.  C. 

HYMN  LIX. 
The  Refuge,  River,  and  Rock  of  the  Church. 
Chap,  xxxii.  2. 

1  He  who  on  earth  as  man  was  known, 

And  bore  our  sins  and  pains. 
Now  seated  on  the  eternal  throne. 
The  God  of  glory  reigns. 

2  His  hands  the  wheels  of  nature  guide. 

With  an  unerring  skill ; 
And  countless  worlds,  extended  wide, 
Obey  his  sovereign  will. 

3  While  harps  unnumber'd  sound  his  praise. 

In  yonder  world  above ; 
His  saints  on  earth  admire  his  ways, 
And  glory  in  his  love. 

4  His  righteousness  to  faith  reveal'd. 

Wrought  out  for  guilty  worms. 
Affords  a  hiding-place  and  shield 
From  enemies  and  storms. 

5  This  land,  through  which  his  pUgrims  go, 

Is  desolate  and  dry  ; 
But  streams  of  grace  from  him  o'erflow, 
Their  thirst  to  satisfy. 

6  When  troubles,  like  a  burning  sun. 

Beat  heavy  on  their  head. 
To  this  almighty  Rock  they  run. 
And  find  a  pleasing  shade. 


ISAIAH. 


129 


7  How  o-lorious  he,  how  liappy  they 
In  such  a  glorious  Friend  ! 
Whose  love  secures  them  all  the  way 
Aad  crowns  them  at  the  end. 

HYMN  LX. 
Zion,  or  the  City  of  God.* 
Chap,  xxxiii.  20,  21. 

1  Glorious  things  of  thee  are  spoken,! 
Zion,  city  of  our  God  ! 

He,  whose  word  cannot  be  broken, 
Form'd  thee  for  his  own  abode  :J 
On  the  Rock  of  ages  founded, { 
What  can  shake  thy  sure  repose"! 
With  salvation's  walls  surrounded,  [j 
Thou  may'st  smile  at  all  thy  foes. 

2  See !  the  streams  of  living  waters, 
Springing  from  eternal  love,1T 
Well  supply  thy  sons  and  daughters, 
And  all  fear  of  want  remove. 

Who  can  faint  when  such  a  river. 
Ever  flows  their  thirst  to  assuage  1 
Grace,  which,  like  the  Lord,  the  giver. 
Never  fails  from  age  to  age. 

3  Round  each  habitation  hov'ring, 
See  the  cloud  and  fire  appear  1** 
For  a  glory  and  a  cov'ring. 
Showing  that  the  Lord  is  near ; 
Thus  deriving,  from  their  banner. 
Light  by  night,  and  shade  by  day : 
Safe  they  feed  upon  the  manna 
Which  he  gives  them  when  they  pray. 

4  Bless'd  inhabitants  of  Zion, 
Wash'd  in  the  Redeemer's  blood ! 
Jesus,"  whom  their  souls  rely  on, 
Makes  them  kings  and  priests  to  God.ff 
'Tis  his  love  his  people  raises 

Over  self  to  reign  as  kings. 

And  as  priests,  his  solemn  praises 

Each  for  a  thank-off  ring  brings. 

5  Saviour,  if  of  Zion's  city 

I  through  grace  a  member  am. 
Let  the  world  deride  or  pity, 
I  will  glory  in  thy  name: 
Fading  is  the  worldling's  pleasure, 
All  his  boasted  pomp  and  show: 
Solid  joys  and  lasting  treasure, 
None  but  Zion's  children  know. 

HYMN  LXI. 
Look  unto  me,  and  he  ye  saved. 
Chap.  xlv.  22. 
1  As  the  serpent  raised  by  MosesJ;| 
Healed  the  burning  serpent's  bite : 
Jesus  thus  himself  discloses 
To  the  wounded  sin 
Hear  his  gracious  ii 
"  I  have  life  and  pee 


I  have  wrought  out  full  salvation ; 
Sinner,  look  to  me,  and  live. 

2  "  Pore  upon  your  sins  no  longer. 
Well  I  know  their  mighty  guilt; 
But  my  love  than  death  is  stronger 
I  my  blood  have  freely  spilt : 

Though  your  heart  has  long  been  harden'd, 
Look  on  me, — it  soft  shall  grow ; 
Past  transgressions  shall  be  pardon'd, 
And  I  '11  wash  you  white  as  snow. 

3  "  I  have  seen  what  you  were  doing, 
Though  you  little  thought  of  me ; 
You  were  madly  bent  on  ruin. 

But  I  said, — It  shall  not  be : 
You  had  been  for  ever  wretched, 
Had  not  I  espous'd  yortr  part ; 
Now  behold  my  arms  outstretched 
To  receive  you  to  my  heart. 

4  "  Well  may  shame,  and  joy,  and  wonder, 
All  your  inward  passions  move : 

I  could  crush  thee  with  my  thunder 
But  I  speak  to  thee  in  love : 
See  !  your  sins  are  all  forgiven, 
I  have  paid  the  countless  sum  ; 
Now  my  death  h-as  open'd  heaven. 
Thither  you  shall  shortly  come." 

5  Dearest  Saviour,  we  adore  thee 
For  thy  precious  life  and  death  ; 
Melt  each  stubborn  heart  before  thee. 
Give  us  all  the  eye  of  faith  : 

From  the  law's  condemning  sentence. 
To  thy  mercy  we  appeal ; 
Thou  alone  canst  give  repentance. 
Thou  alone  our  souls  canst  heal. 

HYMN  LXII. 

The  good  Physician. 

1  How  lost  was  my  condition. 
Till  Jesus  made  me  whole ! 
There  is  but  one  Physician 
Can  cure  a  sin-sick  soul. 

Next  door  to  death  he  found  me. 
And  snatch'd  me  from  the  grave  ■ 
To  tell  to  all  around  me. 
His  wondrous  power  to  save. 

2  The  worst  of  all  diseases 
Is  light  compar'd  with  sin ; 
On  every  part  it  seizes, 
But  rages  most  within : 

'Tis  palsy,  plague,  and  fever. 
And  madness, — all  combin'd ; 
And  none  but  a  believer. 
The  least  relief  can  find. 


er's  sight : 
citation, 
e  to  give. 


t  Psal.  Ixxxvii.  3. 
§  Matth.  xvi.  18. 
IT  I'sal.  xlvi.  4. 
tt  Kev.  i.  G. 


R 


3  From  men  great  skill  professing 
I  thought  a  cure  to  gain  ; 
But  this  proved  more  distressing 
And  added  to  my  pain. 
Some  said  that  nothing  ail'd  me, 
Some  gave  me  tip  for  lost : 
Thus  every  refuge  fail'd  me, 
And  all  my  hopes  were  cross'd. 


*  Book  II.  Hymn  xxiv. 
1  Psal.  cxxiii.  14. 
il  Isaiah  xxvi.  1. 
**  Isaiah  iv.  5,  6. 
t\  Nuini)er3  ixi.  9. 

Vol.  XL 


130 


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[book  I. 


4  At  length  this  great  Physician, 
How  matchless  is  his  grace, 
Accepted  my  petition, 

And  undertook  my  case : 
First  g-ave  me  sight  to  view  him, 
For  sin  my  eyes  had  seal'd. 
Then  bid  me  look  unto  him  ; 
I  look'd,  and  I  was  heal'd. 

5  A  dying,  risen,  Jesus, 
Seen  by  the  eye  of  faith. 

At  once  from  danger  frees  us, 
And  saves  the  soul  from  death. 
Come,  then,  to  this  Physician, 
His  help  he  '11  freely  give: 
He  makes  no  hard  condition, 
'Tis  only — look  and  live. 

HYMN  LXm. 

To  the  Afflicted,  tossed  with  Tempests,  and 
not  comforted.    Chap.  liv.  .5—11. 

1  Pensive,  doubting,  fearful  heart. 
Hear  what  Christ  the  Saviour  says ; 
Every  word  should  joy  impart. 
Change  thy  mourning  into  praise  : 
Yes,  he  speaks,  and  speaks  to  thee, 
May  he  help  thee  to  believe ! 
Then  thou  presently  wilt  see 
Thou  hast  little  cause  to  grieve. 

o  II  Fear  thou  not,  nor  be  asham'd, 
All  thy  sorrows  soon  shall  end  : 
I  who  heaven  and  earth  have  fram'd. 
Am  thy  husband  and  thy  friend : 
I  the  High  and  Holy  One, 
Israel's  God,  by  all  ador'd, 
As  thy  Saviour  will  be  known, 
Thy  Redeemer  and  thy  Lord. 

3  "  For  a  moment  I  withdrew, 

And  thy  heart  was  fili'd  with  pain ; 
But  my  mercies  I  '11  renew. 
Thou  shalt  soon  rejoice  again  : 
Though  I  seem  to  hide  my  face. 
Very  soon  my  wrath  shall  cease; 
'Tis  but  for  a  moment's  space, 
Ending  in  eternal  peace. 

4  "  When  my  peaceful  bow  appears,* 
Painted  on  the  wat'ry  cloud, 

'Tis  to  dissipate  thy  fears, 

Lest  the  earth  should  be  o'erflow'd : 

'Tis  an  emblem  too  of  grace. 

Of  my  cov'nant-love  a  sign  ; 

Though  the  mountains  leave  their  place, 

Thou  shalt  be  for  ever  mine. 

5  "  Though  afflicted,  tempest-toss'd, 
Comfortless  a  while  thou  art. 

Do  not  think  thou  canst  be  lost, 

Thou  art  graven  on  my  heart : 

All  thy  wastes  I  will  repair,  * 

Thou  shalt  bo  rebuilt  anew  ; 

And  in  thee  it  shall  appear 

What  a  God  of  love  can  do." 


•  Gen.  ix.  13, 14. 


HYMN  LXIV. 
The  contrite  Heart.    Chap.  Ivii.  15. 

1  The  Lord  will  happiness  divine 

On  contrite  hearts  bestow ; 
Then  tell  me,  gracious  God,  is  mine 
A  contrite  heart  or  no  ? 

2  I  hear,  but  seem  to  hear  in  vain, 

Insensible  as  steel ; 
If  aught  is  felt,  'tis  only  pain, 
To  find  I  cannot  feel. 

3  I  sometimes  think  myself  inclined 

To  love  thee  if  I  could, 
But  often  feel  another  mind. 
Averse  to  all  that 's  good. 

4  My  best  desires  are  faint  and  few, 

I  fain  would  strive  for  more ; 
But  when  I  cry,  "  My  strength  renew," 
Seem  weaker  than  before. 

5  Thy  saints  are  comforted,  I  know. 

And  love  thy  house  of  prayer  ; 
I  therefore  go  where  others  go, 
But  find  no  comfort  there. 

6  O  make  this  heart  rejoice  or  ache ! 

Decide  this  doubt  for  me ; 
And  if  it  be  not  broken,  break, 

And  heal  it,  if  it  be.  C. 

HYMN  LXV. 
The  future  Peace  and  Glory  of  the  Church, 
Cliap.  Ix.  1.5—20. 

1  Hear  what  God  the  Lord  hath  spoken, 
O  my  people,  faint  and  few. 
Comfortless,  afflicted,  broken. 

Fair  abodes  I  build  for  you  ; 
Themes  of  heart-felt  tribulation 
Shall  no  more  perplex  your  ways ; 
You  shall  name  your  walls  Salvation, 
And  your  gates  shall  all  be  Praise. 

2  There,  like  streams  that  feed  the  garden, 
Pleasures  without  end  shall  flow ; 

For  the  Lord,  your  fliith  rewarding, 
All  his  bounty  shall  bestow : 
Still  in  undisturb'd  possession. 
Peace  and  righteousness  shall  reign ; 
Never  shall  you  feel  oppression. 
Hear  the  voice  of  war  again. 

3  Ye  no  more  your  suns  descending, 
Waning  moons  no  more  shall  see ; 
But,  your  griefs  for  ever  ending. 
Find  eternal  noon  in  me ; 

God  shall  rise,  and  shining  o'er  you, 
Change  to  day  the  gloom  of  night ; 
He  the  Lord  shall  be  your  glory, 
God  your  everlasting  light.  C. 

JEREMIAH. 

HYMN  LXVL 
Trust  of  the  Wicked  and  the  Righteous 

compared.    Chap.  xvii.  5 — 8. 
1  As  parched  in  the  barren  sands, 
Beneath  a  burning  sky, 


HVMN  LXX.] 


EZEKIEL. 


ISl 


The  worthless  bramble  with'ring  stands, 
And  only  grows  to  die  : 

2  Such  is  tlie  sinner's  awful  case, 

Who  makes  the  world  his  trust. 
And  dares  his  confidence  to  place 
In  vanity  and  dust. 

3  A  secret  curse  destroys  his  root. 

And  dries  his  moisture  up; 
He  lives  a  while  but  bears  no  fruit. 
Then  dies  without  a  iiope. 

4  But  happy  he  whose  hopes  depend 

Upon  the  Lord  alone ; 
The  soul  that  trusts  in  such  a  friend 
Can  ne'er  be  overthrown. 

5  Though  gourds  should  wither,  cisterns 

break. 

And  creature-comforts  die, 
No  change  his  solid  hope  can  shake, 
Or  stop  his  sure  supply. 

6  So  thrives  and  blooms  the  tree  whose  roots 

By  constant  streams  are  fed  ; 
Arrayed  in  green,  and  rich  in  fruits. 
It  rears  its  branching  head. 

7  It  thrives  though  rain  should  be  denied, 

And  drougiit  around  prevail ; 
'Tis  planted  by  a  river's  side, 
Whose  waters  cannot  fail. 

HYMN  LXVII. 
Jehovah-Tsidkenu ;  or,  the  Lord  our  righ- 
teousness.   Chap,  xxiii.  6. 

'  1  My  God,  how  perfect  are  thy  ways ! 
But  mine  polluted  are  ; 
Sin  twines  itself  about  my  praise. 
And  slides  into  my  prayer. 

2  When  I  would  speak  what  thou  hast  done 

To  save  me  from  my  sin, 
-    I  cannot  make  thy  mercies  known, 
But  self-applause  creeps  in. 

3  Divine  desire,  that  holy  flame 

Thy  grace  creates  in  me, 
Alas !  impatience  is  its  name, 
When  it  returns  to  thee, 

4  This  heart  a  fountain  of  vile  thoughts, 

How  does  it  overflow ! 
While  self  upon  the  surface  floats, 
Still  bubbling  from  below. 

5  Let  others  in  the  gaudy  dress. 

Of  fancied  merit  shine, 
The  Lord  shall  be  my  righteousness. 
The  Lord  for  ever  mine.  C. 

I  HYMN  LXVIII. 

'    Ephraim  repenting.    Chap.  xxxi.  18 — 20. 

1  My  God,  till  I  receiv'd  thy  stroke. 

How  like  a  beast  was  I '. 
So  unaccustom'd  to  the  yoke. 
So  backward  to  comply. 

2  With  grief  my  just  reproach  I  bear, 

Shame  fills  me  at  the  thought ; 


How  frequent  my  rebellions  were  ! 
What  wickedness  I  wrought! 

3  Thy  merciful  restraint  I  scorn'd, 

And  left  the  pleasant  road  ; 
Yet  turn  me,  and  I  shall  be  turn'd. 
Thou  art  the  Lord  my  God. 

4  Is  Ephraim  banish'd  from  my  thoughts 

Or  vile  in  my  esteem  ] 
No,  saith  the  Lord,  with  all  his  faults, 
I  still  remember  him. 

5  Is  he  a  dear  and  pleasant  cliild! 

Yes,  dear  and  pleasant  still ; 
Though  sin  his  foolish  heart  beguil'd, 
And  he  withstood  my  will. 

6  My  sharp  rebuke  has  laid  him  low. 

He  seeks  my  face  again  ; 
My  pity  kindles  at  his  woe. 

He  shall  not  seek  in  vain.  C 

LAMENTATIONS. 

HYMN  LXIX. 
The  Lord  is  my  Portion.    Chap.  iii.  24. 

1  From  pole  to  pole  let  others  roam, 

And  search  in  vain  for  bliss; 
My  soul  is  .satisfied  at  home. 
The  Lord  my  portion  is. 

2  Jesus,  who  on  his  glorious  throne 

Rules  heaven,  and  earth,  and  sea, 
Is  pleas'd  to  claim  me  for  iiis  own. 
And  give  himself  to  me. 

3  His  person  fixes  all  my  love, 
*   His  blood  removes  my  fear ; 

And  while  he  pleads  for  me  above. 
His  arm  preserves  me  here. 

4  His  word  of  promise  is  my  fix)d, 

His  Spirit  is  my  guide  : 
Thus  daily  is  my  strength  renew'd. 
And  all  my  wants  supplied.* 

5  For  him  I  count  as  gain  each  loss. 

Disgrace,  for  him,  renown  ; 
Well  may  I  glory  in  my  cross. 

While  he  prepares  my  crown ! 
G  Let  worldlins-s  then  indulge  their  boast. 

How  much  they  gain  or  spend : 
Their  joys  must  soon  give  up  the  ghost, 

But  mine  shall  know  no  end. 

EZEKIEL. 


HYMN  LXX. 
Humbled  and  silenced  by  Mercy, 
Chap.  xvi.  63. 

1  Once  perishing  in  blood  I  lay. 
Creatures  no  help  could  give; 
But  Jesus  pass'd  me  in  the  way. 
He  saw,  and  h'A  me  live. 


*  Book  III.  Hymn  li.v. 


132 


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[book  I. 


2  Though  Satan  still  his  rule  maintain'd, 

And  all  his  arts  employed ; 
That  niio-hty  word  his  rage  restrain'd, 
I  could  not  be  destroyed. 

3  At  lentrth  the  time  of  love  arriv'd, 

When  I  my  Lord  should  know ; 
Then  Satan,  of  his  power  depriv'd, 
Was  forc'd  to  let  me  go. 

4  O  can  I  e'er  that  day  forget, 

When  Jesus  kindly  spoke  ! 
"  Poor  soul !  my  blood  has  paid  thy  debt. 
And  now  I  break  thy  yoke. 

5  "Henceforth  I  take  thee  for  my  own, 

And  give  myself  to  thee ; 
Forsake  the  idols  thou  hast  known, 
And  yield  thyself  to  me." 

6  Ah,  worthless  heart !  it  promis'd  fair, 

And  said  it  would  be  thine ; 
I  little  thought  it  e'er  would  dare 
Again  with  idols  join. 

7  Lord,  dost  thou  such  backslidings  heal. 

And  pardon  all  that's  past? 
Sure,  if  I  am  not  made  of  steel, 
Thou  hast  prevail'd  at  last. 

8  My  tongue  which  rashly  spoke  before. 

This  mercy  will  restrain ; 
Surely  I  now  shall  boast  no  more. 
Nor  censure,  nor  complain. 

HYMN  LXXI. 
The  Covenant.    Chap,  xxxvi.  25 — 29. 

1  The  Lord  proclaims  his  grace  abroad ! 
Behold  I  change  your  hearts  of  stone ; 
Each  shall  renounce  his  idol-god, 
And  serve,  henceforth,  the  Lord  alone. 

2  My  grace,  a  flowing  stream,  proceeds 
To  wash  your  filthiness  away ; 

Ye  shall  abhor  your  former  deeds. 
And  learn  my  statutes  to  obey. 

3  My  truth  the  great  design  ensures, 
I  give  myself  away  to  you  ; 

You  shall  bo  mine,  I  will  be  yours, 
Your  God  unalterably  true. 

4  Yet  not  unsought,  or  unimplor'd, 
The  plenteijus  grace  shall  I  confer;* 

No — your  whole  heart  shall  seek  the  Lord, 
I  '11  put  a  praying  spirit  there. 

5  From  the  first  breath  of  life  divine, 
Down  to  the  last  expiring  hour, 
The  gracious  work  shall  all  be  mine, 
BegTin  and  ended  in  my  power.  C. 

HYMN  LXXU. 
Jehovah- Shammah ;  or,  the  Lord  is  there. 
Chap,  xlviii.  35. 

1  "  As  birds  their  infant  brood  protect,! 
And  spread  their  wings  to  shelter  them," 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  his  elect, 
"  Thus  will  I  guard  Jerusalem." 

•  Ver.  37.  t  Isaiah  xxi.  5. 


2  And  what  then  is  Jerusalem, 
This  darling  object  of  his  care  1 
Where  is  its  worth  in  God's  esteem'? 
Who  built  it  ?  who  inhabits  there  I 

3  Jehovah  founded  it  in  blood, 
The  blood  of  his  incarnate  Son ; 

There  dwell  the  saints,  once  foes  to  God, 
The  sinners  whom  he  calls  his  own. 

4  There,  though  besieg'd  o;i  every  side, 
Yet  much  belov'd  and  guarded  well. 
From  age  to  age  they  have  defied 
The  utmost  force  of  earth  and  hell. 

5  Let  earth  repent,  and  hell  despair. 
This  city  has  a  sure  defence ; 

Her  name  is  call'd,  The  Lord  is  there. 
And  who  has  power  to  drive  him  thence  1 

C. 


DANIEL. 


HYMN  LXXni, 
The  Power  and  Triumph  of  Faith, 
Chap.  iii.  6. 

1  Supported  by  the  word. 
Though  in  himself  a  worm. 
The  servant  of  the  Lord 
Can  wondrous  acts  perform : 

Without  dismay  he  boldly  treads 
Where'er  the  path  of  duty  leads. 

2  The  haughty  king  in  vain. 
With  fury  on  his  brow, 
Believers  would  constrain 
To  golden  gods  to  bow ; 

The  furnace  could  not  make  them  fear, 
Because  they  knew  the  Lord  was  near. 

3  As  vain  was  the  decree 

Which  charg'd  them  not  to  pray ; 
Daniel  still  bow'd  his  knee. 
And  worshipp'd  thrice  a-day : 
Trusting  in  God,  he  fear'd  not  men. 
Though  threaten'd  with  the  lions'  den. 

4  Secure  they  might  refuse 
Compliance  with  such  laws; 
For  what  had  they  to  lose, 
When  God  espous'd  their  cause  ? 

He  made  the  hungry  lions  crouch. 
Nor  durst  the  fire  his  chOdren  touch. 

5  The  Lord  is  still  the  same, 
A  mighty  shield  and  tower, 
And  they  who  trust  his  name 
Are  guarded  by  his  power ; 

He  can  the  rage  of  lions  tame. 

And  bear  them  harmless  through  the  flame. 

6  Yet  we  too  often  shrink 
When  trials  are  in  view; 
Expecting  we  must  sink, 
And  never  can  get  through: 

But  could  we  once  believe  indeed. 
From  all  these  fears  we  should  be  freed. 


mUN  LXXVII.] 


ZECHARIAH. 


183 


HYMN  LXXrV. 
Belshazzar.    Chap.  v.  5,  6. 

1  Poor  sinners  !  little  do  they  think 

With  whom  they  have  to  do  ! 
But  stand  securely  on  the  brink 
Of  everlasting  woe. 

2  Belshazzar  thus,  profanely  bold, 

The  Lord  of  hosts  defied  ; 
But  vengeance  soon  his  boasts  control'd, 
And  humbled  all  his  pride. 

3  He  saw  a  hand  upon  the  wall, 

(And  trembled  on  his  throne) 
Which  wrote  his  sudden  dreadful  fall 
In  characters  unknown. 

4  Why  should  he  tremble  at  the  view 

Of  what  he  could  not  read  ! 
Foreboding  conscience  quickly  knew 
His  ruin  was  decreed. 

5  See  him  o'erwhelm'd  with  deep  distress! 

His  eyes  with  anguish  roll ; 
His  looks  and  loosen'd  joints  express 
The  terrors  of  his  soul. 

6  His  pomp  and  music,  guests  and  wine, 

No  more  delight  afford ; 
O  sinner  !  ere  this  case  be  thine. 
Begin  to  seek  the  Lord. 

7  The  law,  like  this  hand-writing  stands, 

And  speaks  the  wrath  of  God  ;* 
But  Jesus  answers  its  demands. 
And  cancels  it  with  blood. 

JONAH. 

HYMN  LXXV. 
The  Gourd.    Chap.  iv.  7. 

1  As  once  for  Jonah,  so  the  Lord, 

To  soothe  and  cheer  my  mournful  hours, 

Prepar'd  for  me  a  pleasing  gourd  : 

Cool  was  its  shade,  and  sweet  its  flowers. 

2  To  prize  his  gift  was  surely  right ; 
But  through  the  folly  of  my  heart, 
It  hid  the  giver  from  my  sight, 

And  soon  my  joy  was  turn'd  to  smart. 

3  While  I  adrair'd  its  beauteous  form. 
Its  pleasant  shade  and  grateful  fruit, 
The  Lord  displeas'd  sent  forth  a  worm 
Unseen  to  prey  upon  the  root. 

4  I  trembled  when  I  saw  it  fade, 

But  guilt  restrain'd  the  murm'ring  word ; 
My  folly  I  confess'd  and  pray'd, 
Forgive  my  sin,  and  spare  my  gourd. 

5  His  wondrous  love  can  ne'er  be  told : 
He  heard  me,  and  reliev'd  my  pain ; 

His  word  the  threatening  worm  control'd, 
And  bid  my  gourd  revive  again. 

6  Now,  Lord,  my  gourd  is  mine  no  more, 
'Tis  thine,  who  only  could'st  it  raise ; 
The  idol  of  my  heart  before. 
Henceforth  shall  flourish  to  thy  praise. 

•  Co  .  ii.  IV 


ZECHARIAH. 

HYMN  LXXVI. 
Prayer  for  the  Lord's  promised  Presence. 
Chap.  ii.  10. 

1  Son  of  God,  thy  people  shield  ! 
Must  we  still  thine  absence  mourn  1 
Let  thy  promise  be  fulfiU'd, 

Thou  hast  said,  "  I  will  return." 

2  Gracious  Leader,  now  appear ! 
Shine  upon  us  with  thy  light ! 
Like  the  spring,  when  thou  art  near. 
Days  and  suns  are  doubly  bright. 

3  As  a  mother  counts  the  days 
Till  her  absent  son  she  see. 

Longs  and  watches,  weeps  and  prays. 
So  our  spirits  long  for  thee. 

4  Come,  and  let  us  feel  tliee  nigh, 
Then  thy  sheep  shall  feed  in  peace. 
Plenty  bless  us  from  on  high, 

Evil  from  amongst  us  cease. 

5  With  thy  love,  and  voice,  and  aid, 
Thou  canst  every  care  assuage  : 
Then  we  shall  not  be  afraid 
Though  the  world  and  Satan  rage. 

6  Thus  each  day  for  thee  we  '11  spend, 
While  our  callings  we  pursue, 
And  the  thoughts  of  such  a  friend. 
Shall  each  night  our  joy  renew. 

7  Let  thy  light  be  ne'er  withdrawn ; 
Golden  days  afford  us  long ; 
Thus  we  pray  at  early  dawn. 
This  shall  be  our  evening  song. 

HYMN  LXXVn. 
A  Brand  plucked  out  of  the  Fire, 
Chap.  iii.  1 — 5. 

1  With  Satan,  my  accuser,  near, 
My  spirit  trembled  when  I  saw 
The  Lord  in  majesty  appear. 

And  heard  the  language  of  his  law. 

2  In  vain  I  wish'd  and  strove  to  hide 
The  tatter'd  filthy  rags  I  wore, 
While  my  fierce  foe  insulting  cried, 
"  See  what  you  trusted  in  before  !" 

3  Struck  dumb,  and  left  without  a  plea, 
I  heard  my  gracious  Saviour  say, 
"Know,  Satan,  I  this  sinner  free, 

I  died  to  take  his  sins  away. 

4  "  This  is  a  band  which  I,  in  love, 
To  save  from  wratii  and  sin  design  : 
In  vain  thy  accusations  prove, 

I  answer  all,  and  claim  him  mine." 

5  At  his  rebuke  the  tempter  fled  ; 
Then  he  removed  my  filthy  dress ; 

"  Poor  sinner,  take  this  robe,"  he  said, 
"  It  is  thy  Saviour's  righteousness. 

6  "  And  see  a  crown  of  life  prepared : 
That  I  might  thus  thy  head  adorn, 

I  thought  no  shame  or  suff'ring  hard. 
But  wore  for  thee  a  crown  of  thorn." 


134 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[book  I. 


7  O  how  I  heard  these  gracious  words  ! 
They  broke  and  lioaFd  iriy  heart  at  once, 
Constrain'd  me  to  become  the  Lord's, 
And  all  my  idol-gods  renounce. 

8  Now,  Satan,  tliou  hast  lost  tliy  aim. 
Against  this  brand  thy  threats  are  vain ; 
Jesus  has  pluck'd  it  from  the  flame, 
And  who  shall  put  it  in  again  ] 

HYMN  LXXVIII. 

On  one  Stone  shall  be  seven  Eyes. 
Chap.  iii.  9. 

1  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord's  anointed, 
Who  his  blood  for  sinners  spilt, 
Is  the  stone  by  God  appointed, 

And  the  church  is  on  him  built:  [guilt. 
He  delivers  all  who  trust  in  him  from  their 

2  Many  eyes  at  once  are  fixed 
On  a  person  so  divine : 

Love,  with  awful  justice  mixed, 
In  his  great  redemption  shine :       [mine ! 
Mighty  Jesus,  give  me  leave  to  call  thee 

3  By  the  Father's  eye  approved, 
ho,  a  voice  is  heard  from  heaven,* 
"  Sinners,  tliis  is  my  beloved. 
For  your  ransom  freely  given. 

All  offences  for  his  sake  shall  be  forgiven." 

4  Angels  with  their  eyes  pursued  him,f 
When  he  left  his  glorious  throne ; 
With  astonishment  they  viewed  him 
Put  the  form  of  servant  on :  [known. 

Angels  wor.shipp'd  him  wiio  was  on  earth  un- 

5  Satan  and  his  host  amazed. 
Saw  this  stone  in  Zion  laid  ; 
Jesus,  though  to  death  abased, 

Bruis'd  the  subtle  serpent's  head, J  [shed. 
When,  to  save  us,  on  the  cross  his  blood  he 

6  When  a  guilty  sinner  sees  him, 
While  he  looks  his  soul  is  heal'd : 
Soon  this  sight  from  anguisli  frees  him. 
And  imparts  a  pardon  seal'dij  [veal'd. 

May  this  Saviour  be  to  all  our  hearts  re- 

7  With  desire  and  admiration. 

All  his  blood-bought  flock  behold: 
Him  who  wrought  out  their  salvation, 
And  enclos'd  them  in  his  fold;||  [cold. 
Yet  their  warmest  love  and  praises  are  too 

8  By  the  eye  of  carnal  reason. 
Many  view  him  with  disdain  ;ir 
How  will  they  abide  the  season. 

When  he  '11  come  with  all  his  train  1  [vain. 
To  escape  him  then  they  '11  wish,  but  wish  in 

9  How  their  hearts  will  melt  and  tremble 
When  they  hear  his  awful  voice  ;** 
But  his  saints  he  '11  tlien  assemble. 

As  his  portion  and  his  choice, 
And  receive  them  to  his  everlasting  joys. 


*  Matth.  Hi.  17  t  1  Tim  iii.  16. 

John  xii.  31.  §  John  iii.  15. 

1  Pet.  ii.  7.  IT  Psal.  ciLviii.  22. 
**  Kev.  i.  7. 


HYMN  LXXIX. 
Praise  for  the  Fountain  opened. 

1  There  is  a  fountain  fill'd  with  blood 

Drawn  from  Emmanuel's  veins; 
And  sinners  plung'd  beneath  that  flood, 
Lose  all  their  guilty  stains. 

2  The  dying  thief  rejoic'd  to  see 

That  fountain  in  his  day ; 
And  there  have  I,  as  vile  as  he, 
Wash'd  all  my  sins  away. 

3  Dear  dying  Lamb,  thy  precious  blood 

Shall  never  lose  its  power. 
Till  all  the  ransom'd  cliurch  of  God 
Be  sav'd  to  sin  no  more. 

4  E'er  since,  by  faith,  I  saw  the  stream 

Thy  flowing  wounds  supply. 
Redeeming  love  has  been  my  theme, 
And  shall  be  till  I  die. 

5  Then  in  a  nobler,  sweeter  song, 

I  '11  sing  thy  power  to  save ; 
When  this  poor  lisping  stamm'ring  tongue 
Lies  silent  in  the  grave. 

6  Lord,  I  believe  thou  hast  prepar'd 

(Unworthy  though  I  be) 
For  me  a  blood-bought  free  reward, 
A  golden  harp  for  me  ! 

7  'Tis  strung,  and  tuned,  for  endless  years, 

And  forin'd  by  pov/er  divine ; 
To  sound  in  God  the  Father's  ears 
No  other  name  but  thine.  C. 

MALACHL 

HYMN  LXXX. 
They  shall  be  mine,  saiih  the  Lord. 
Chap.  iii.  16—18. 

1  When  sinners  utter  boasting  words. 

And  glory  in  their  shame ; 
The  Lord,  well  pleas'd,  an  ear  affords 
To  those  who  fear  his  name. 

2  They  often  meet  to  seek  his  face. 

And  what  they  do,  or  say. 
Is  noted  in  his  book  of  grace 
Against  another  day, 

3  For  they  by  faith  a  day  descry. 

And  joyfully  expect, 
When  he,  descending  from  the  sky, 
Ilis  jewels  will  collect: 

4  Unnotic'd  now,  because  unknown, 

A  poor  and  suffering  few; 
He  comes  to  claim  them  for  his  own, 
And  bring  tliem  forth  to  view. 

5  With  transport  then  their  Saviour's  care 

And  favour  they  shall  prove; 
As  tender  parents  guard  and  spare 
The  children  of  their  love. 

6  Assembled  worlds  will  then  discern 

The  saints  alone  are  blest ; 
When  wrath  shall  like  an  oven  burn. 
And  vengeance  strike  the  rest. 


HYMN  LXXXm.] 


MATTHEW. 


135 


MATTHEW. 

HYMN  LXXXI. 
The  Beggar.    Chap.  vii.  7, 8. 

1  Encourag'd  by  thy  word 
Of  promise  to  the  poor, 
Behold,  a  begg'ar,  Lord, 
Waits  at  thy  mercy's  door ! 

No  hand,  no  heart,  O  Lord,  but  thine, 
Can  help  or  pity  wants  like  muie. 

2  The  ben-o-ar's  usual  plea. 
Relief  from  men  to  gain, 
If  offerVl  unto  thee, 

I  know  thou  would'st  disdain  ; 
And  pleas  which  move  thy  gracious  ear, 
Are  such  as  men  would  scorn  to  hear. 

3  I  have  no  rig-ht  to  say. 
That  though  I  now  am  poor, 
Yet  once  there  was  a  day 
When  I  possessed  more ; 

Thou  know'st  that,  from  my  very  birth, 
I 've  been  the  poorest  wretch  on  earth. 

4  Nor  can  I  dare  profess, 
As  beggars  often  do. 
Though  great  is  my  distress. 
My  wants  have  been  but  few; 

If  thou  should'st  leave  my  soul  to  starve. 
It  would  be  wliat  I  well  deserve. 

5  'Twerc  folly  to  pretend 
I  never  begg'd  before ; 
Or  if  thou  now  befriend, 

I  '11  trouble  thee  no  more : 
Thou  often  hast  reliev'd  my  pain. 
And  often  I  must  come  again. 

6  Though  crumbs  are  much  too  good 
For  such  a  dog  as  I, 

No  less  tiian  children's  food 
My  soul  can  satisfy: 

0  do  not  frown  and  bid  me  go, 

1  must  have  all  thou  canst  bestow. 

7  Nor  can  I  willing  be 
Thy  boimty  to  conceal 
From  others  who,  like  me, 
Their  wants  and  hunger  feel : 

I  '11  tell  them  of  thy  mercy's  store, 
And  try  to  send  a  thousand  more. 

8  Thy  thnunrhts,  thou  only  wise  ! 
Our  thoutrhts  and  ways  transcend. 
Far  as  the  arched  skies 

Above  the  earth  extend  :* 
Such  pleas  as  mine  men  would  not  hear, 
But  God  receives  a  beggar's  prayer. 

HYMN  LXXXn. 
The  Leper.    Chap.  viii.  2,  3. 

1  Oft  asi  the  leper's  case  I  read, 
My  own  describ'd  T  feel ; 
Sin  is  a  leprosy  indeed, 

Which  none  but  Christ  can  heal. 


»  iBaiah  Iv.  8.  9. 


2  A  while  I  would  have  pass'd  for  well, 

And  strove  my  spots  to  hide : 
Till  it  broke  out  incurable. 
Too  plain  to  be  denied. 

3  Then  from  the  saints  I  thought  to  flee. 

And  dreaded  to  be  seen : 
I  thought  they  all  would  point  at  me, 
And  cry,  "  Unclean,  unclean !" 

4  What  anguish  did  my  soul  endure 

Till  hope  and  patience  ceas'd  ! 
The  more  I  strove  myself  to  cure, 
The  more  the  plague  increas'd. 

.5  While  thus  I  lay  distress'd,  I  saw 
The  Saviour  passing  by ; 
To  him,  though  fill'd  with  shame  and  awe, 
I  rais'd  my  mournful  cry. 

6  Lord,  thou  canst  heal  me  if  thou  wilt. 

For  thou  canst  all  things  do ; 
O  cleanse  my  leprous  soul  from  guilt, 
My  filthy  heart  renew  i 

7  He  heard,  and,  with  a  gracious  look, 

Pronounc'd  the  healing  word ; 
"  I  will, — be  clean :"  and  while  he  spoke, 
I  felt  my  health  restor'd. 

8  Come,  lepers,  seize  the  present  hour, 

The  Saviour's  grace  to  prove ; 
He  can  relieve,  for  he  is  power; 
He  will,  for  he  is  love. 

HYMN  LXXXHL 
A  sick  Soul.    Chap.  ix.  12. 

1  Physician  of  my  sin-sick  soul, 

To  thee  I  bring  my  case ; 
My  raging  malady  control. 
And  heal  me  by  thy  grace. 

2  Pity  the  anguish  I  endure. 

See  how  I  mourn  and  pine ; 
For  never  can  I  hope  a  cure 
From  any  hand  but  thine. 

3  I  would  disclose  my  whole  complaint, 

But  where  shall  I  begin  1 
No  words  of  mine  can  fully  paint 
That  worst  distemper,  sin. 

4  It  lies  not  in  a  single  part. 

But  through  my  frame  is  spread, 
A  burning  fever  in  my  heart, 
A  palsy  in  my  head. 

5  It  makes  me  deaf,  and  dumb,  and  blind, 

And  impotent  and  lame ; 
And  overclouds,  and  fills  my  mind 
With  folly,  fear,  and  shame. 

6  A  thousand  evil  thoughts  intrude, 

Tumultuous,  in  my  breast; 
Which  indispose  me  for  my  food. 
And  rob  me  of  my  rest. 

7  Lord,  I  am  sick,  regard  my  cry. 

And  set  my  spirit  free ; 
Say,  canst  thou  let  a  sinner  die. 
Who  longs  to  live  to  thee  ^ 


136 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[boos  I. 


'     HYMN  LXXXrV. 
Satan  returning.    Chap.  xii.  43 — 45. 

1  When  Jesus  claims  the  sinner's  heart, 

Where  Satan  ruled  before; 
The  evil  spirit  must  depart. 
And  dares  return  no  more. 

2  But  when  he  goes  without  constraiint, 

And  wanders  from  his  home, 
Althoug'h  withdrawn,  'tis  but  a  feint, 
He  means  again  to  come. 

3  Some  outward  change  perhaps  is  seen, 

If  Satan  quit  the  place ; 
But  though  the  house  seem  swept  and  clean, 
'Tis  destitute  of  grace. 

4  Except  the  Saviour  dwell  and  reign 

Within  the  sinner's  mind, 
Satan,  when  he  returns  again. 
Will  easy  entrance  find. 

0  With  rage,  and  malice  seven-fold. 

He  then  resumes  his  sway. 
No  more  by  checks  to  be  controFdr 
No  more  to  go  away. 

6  The  sinner's  former  state  was  bad, 

But  worse  the  latter  far : 
He  lives  possessed,  blind,  and  mad, 
And  dies  in  dark  despair. 

7  Lord  save  me  from  this  dreadful  end, 

And  from  this  heart  of  mine  ! 
O  drive  and  keep  away  the  fiend. 
Who  fears  no  voice  but  thine ! 

HYMN  LXXXV. 
7%e  Sower.    Chap.  xiii.  3. 

1  Ye  sons  of  earth,  prepare  the  plough, 

Break  up  your  fallow-ground : 
The  sower  is  gone  forth  to  sow, 
And  scatter  blessings  round. 

2  The  seed  that  finds  a  stony  soil 

Shoots  forth  a  hasty  blade. 
But  ill  repays  the  sower's  toil, 

Soon  wither'd,  scorch'd,  and  dead. 

3  The  thorny  ground  is  sure  to  baulk 

All  hopes  of  harvest  there : 
We  find  a  tall  and  sickly  stalk. 
But  not  the  fruitful  ear. 

4  The  beaten  path  and  high-way  side 

Receive  the  trust  in  vain ; 
The  watchful  birds  the  spoil  divide. 
And  pick  up  all  the  grain. 

5  But  where  the  Lord  of  grace  and  power 

Has  bless'd  the  happy  field. 
How  plenteous  is  the  golden  store 
The  deep-wrought  furrows  yield. 

6  Father  of  mercies,  we  have  need 

Of  thy  preparing  grace : 
Let  the  same  hand  that  gives  the  seed 
Provide  a  fruitful  place.  C. 

HYMN  LXXXVI. 
The  Wheat  and  Tares.  Chap.  xiii.  37 — 42. 
1  Though  in  the  outward  church  below 
The  wheat  and  tares  together  grow, 


Jesus  ore  long  will  weed  the  crop. 
And  pluck  the  tares  in  anger  up. 

2  Will  it  relieve  their  horrors  there. 
To  recollect  their  stations  here  1 

How  much  they  heard,  how  much  they 
knew. 

How  long  amongst  the  wheat  they  grew  1 

3  O  this  will  aggravate  their  case. 
They  perish'd  under  means  of  grace : 
To  them  the  word  of  life  and  faith 
Became  an  instrument  of  death. 

4  We  seem  alike  when  thus  we  meet. 
Strangers  might  think  we  all  are  wheat; 
But  to  the  Lord's  all-searching  eyes. 
Each  heart  appears  without  disguise. 

5  The  tares  are  spar'd  for  various  ends , 
Some  for  the  sake  of  praying  friends ; 
Others  the  Lord,  against  their  will, 
Employs  his  counsels  to  fulfil. 

6  But  though  they  grow  so  tall  and  strong'. 
His  plan  will  not  require  them  long : 

In  harvest,  when  he  saves  his  own. 
The  tares  shall  into  hell  be  thrown. 

HYMN  LXXXVn. 
Peter  walking  upon  the  Water. 
Chap.  xiv.  28—31. 

1  A  WORD  from  Jesus  calms  the  sea. 

The  stormy  wind  controls. 
And  gives  repose  and  liberty 
To  tempest-tossed  souls. 

2  To  Peter  on  the  waves  he  came. 

And  gave  him  instant  peace : 
Thus  he  to  me  reveal'd  his  name. 
And  bid  my  sorrows  cease. 

3  Then,  fill'd  with  wonder,  joy,  and  love, 

Peter's  request  was  mine : 
Lord,  call  me  down,  I  long  to  prove 
That  I  am  wholly  thine. 

4  Unmov'd  at  all  I  have  to  meet 

On  life's  tempestuous  sea. 
Hard  shall  be  easy,  bitter  sweet. 
So  I  may  follow  thee. 

5  He  heard  and  smil'd,  and  bid  me  try: 

I  eagerly  obeyed ; 
But  when  from  him  I  turn'd  my  eye. 
How  was  my  soul  dismayed. 

6  The  storm  increas'd  on  ev'ry  side, 

1  felt  my  spirit  shrink. 
And  soon,  with  Peter,  lood  I  cried, 
"  Lord,  save  me  or  I  sink  !" 

7  Kindly  he  caught  me  by  the  hand. 

And  said,  "  Why  dost  thou  fearl 
Since  thou  art  come  to  my  command. 
And  I  am  always  near. 

8  "  Upon  my  promise  rest  thy  hope. 

And  keep  my  love  in  view : 
I  stand  engag'd  to  hold  thee  up. 
And  guide  tliee  safely  through." 


HYMN  XC] 


MATTHEW. 


187 


HYMN  LXXXVIII. 
Woman  of  Canaan.    Chap.  xv.  22 — 28. 

1  Prayer  an  answer  will  obtain, 
Tliough  the  Lord  a  while  delay : 
None  shall  seek  his  face  in  vain, 
None  be  empty  sent  away. 

2  When  the  woman  came  from  Tyre, 
And  for  help  to  Jesus  sought, 
Thouffh  he  granted  her  desire, 
Yet  at  first  he  answer'd  not. 

3  Could  she  guess  at  his  intent. 
When  he  to  his  followers  said, 
"  I  to  Israel's  sheep  am  sent, 

Dogs  must  not  have  children's  bread." 

4  She  was  not  of  Israel's  seed, 
But  of  Canaan's  wretched  race. 
Thought  herself  a  dog  indeed : 
Was  not  this  a  hopeless  case  ] 

5  Yet  although  from  Canaan  sprung, 
Though  a  dog  herself  she  styl'd. 
She  liad  Israel's  faith  and  tongue, 
And  was  own'd  for  Abrah'm's  child. 

6  From  his  words  she  draws  a  plea : 

"  Though  unworthy  children's  bread, 
'Tis  enough  for  one  like  me 
If  with  crumbs  I  may  be  fed." 

7  Jesus  then  his  heart  reveal'd : 

"  Woman,  canst  thou  thus  believe  1 

I  to  thy  petition  yield  ; 

All  that  thou  canst  wish,  receive." 

8  'Tis  a  pattern  set  for  us, 

How  we  ought  to  wait  and  pray : 
None  who  plead  and  wrestle  thus, 
Shall  be  empty  sent  away. 

HYMN  LXXXIX. 
What  think  ye  of  Christ  ?    Chap.  xxii.  42. 

1  What  think  ye  of  Christ?  is  the  test 
To  try  both  your  state  and  your  scheme, 
You  cannot  be  right  in  the  rest. 
Unless  you  think  rightly  of  him. 

As  Jesus  appears  in  your  view, 
As  he  is  beloved  or  not ; 
So  God  is  disposed  to  you. 
And  mercy  or  wrath  is  your  lot. 

2  Some  take  him  a  creature  to  be, 
A  man,  or  an  angel  at  most; 

Sure  these  have  not  feelings  like  me. 
Nor  know  themselves  wretched  and  lost : 
So  guilty,  so  helpless  am  I, 
I  durst  not  confide  in  his  blood, 
Nor  on  his  protection  rely. 
Unless  I  were  sure  he  is  God. 

3  Some  call  him  a  Saviour,  in  word. 

But  mix  their  own  works  with  his  plan. 
And  hope  he  his  help  will  afford. 
When  they  have  done  all  that  they  can. 
If  doings  prove  rather  too  light 
(A  little,  they  own,  they  may  fail,) 
Vol.  II.  S 


They  purpose  to  make  up  full  weight, 
By  casting  his  name  in  the  scale. 

4  Some  style  him  the  Pearl  of  great  price. 
And  say  he 's  the  fountain  of  joys ; 

Yet  feed  upon  folly  and  vice, 
And  cleave  to  the  world  and  its  toys: 
Like  Judas,  the  Saviour  they  kiss. 
And,  while  they  salute  him,  betray ; 
Ah  I  what  will  profession  like  this 
Avail  in  the  terrible  day  ] 

5  If  ask'd,  what  of  Jesus  I  think  1 
Though  still  my  best  thoughts  are  but  poor, 
I  say,  He's  my  meat  and  my  drink. 

My  life,  and  my  strength,  and  my  store; 
My  shepherd,  my  husband,  my  friend. 
My  Saviour  from  sin  and  from  thrall ; 
My  hope  from  beginning  to  end, 
My  portion,  my  Lord,  and  my  all. 

HYMN  XC. 
The  foolish  Virgins*    Chap.  xxv.  1. 

1  When,  descending  from  the  sky. 

The  Bridegroom  shall  appear, 
And  the  solemn  midnight  cry 

Shall  call  professors  near. 
How  the  sound  our  hearts  will  damp' 
How  will  shame  o'erspread  each  fac  '  J 
If  we  only  have  a  lamp. 
Without  the  oil  of  grace. 

2  Foolish  virgins  then  will  wake, 

And  seek  for  a  supply ; 
But  in  vain  the  pains  they  take, 

To  borrow  or  to  buy. 
Then  with  those  they  now  despise, 
Earnestly  they  wish  to  share ; 
But  the  best  among  the  wise 
Will  have  no  oil  to  spare. 

3  Wise  they  are,  and  truly  blest, 

Who  then  shall  ready  be  ! 
But  despair  will  seize  the  rest, 

And  dreadful  misery ; 
Once  they  '11  cry,  we  scorn  to  doubt. 
Though  in  lies  our  trust  we  put ; 
Now  our  lamp  of  hope  is  out. 
The  door  of  mercy  shut. 

4  If  they  then  presume  to  plead, 

"  Lord,  open  to  us  now  ; 
We  on  earth  have  heard  and  prayed. 

And  with  thy  .saints  did  bow :" 
He  will  answer  from  his  throne, 
"  Though  you  with  my  people  mix'd. 
Yet  to  me  ye  ne'er  were  known ; 
Depart,  your  doom  is  fix'd." 

5  O  that  none  who  worship  here 

May  hear  that  word,  "  Depart," 
Lord,  impress  a  godly  fear 

On  each  professor's  heart : 
Help  us,  Lord,  to  search  the  camp. 
Let  us  not  ourselves  beguile ; 
Trusting  to  a  dying  lamp. 
Without  a  stock  of  oil. 


*  Book  III.  Hymn  Ixxii. 


138 


OLNEY 


HYMNS. 


[book  I. 


HYMN  XCI. 

Peter  sinning  and  repenting. 
Chap.  xxvi.  73. 

1  When  Peter  boasted,  soon  he  fell, 

Yet  was  by  grace  restor'd ; 
His  case  should  be  regarded  well 
By  all  who  fear  the  Lord. 

2  A  voice  it  has,  and  helping  hand, 

Backsliders  to  recall ; 
And  cautions  those  who  think  they  stand, 
Lest  suddenly  they  fall. 

3  He  said,  "  Whatever  others  do, 

With  Jesus  I '11  abide;" 
Yet  soon,  amidst  a  murd'rous  crew, 
His  suffering  Lord  denied. 

4  He  who  had  been  so  bold  before, 

Now  trembled  like  a  leaf; 
Not  only  lied,  but  curs'd  and  swore, 
To  gain  the  more  belief 

5  When  he  blasphem'd,  he  heard  the  cock, 

And  Jesus  look'd  in  love ; 
At  once,  as  if  by  lightning  struck, 
His  tongue  forebore  to  move. 

6  Deliver'd  thus  from  Satan's  snare, 

He  starts  as  from  a  sleep  ; 
His  Saviour's  look  he  could  not  bear, 
But  hasted  forth  to  weep. 

7  But  sure  the  faithful  cock  had  crow'd 

A  hundred  times  in  vain, 
Had  not  the  Lord  that  look  bestow'd, 
The  meaning  to  explain. 

8  As  I,  like  Peter,  vows  have  made. 

Yet  acted  Peter's  part ; 
So  conscience,  like  the  cock,  upbraids 
My  base,  ungrateful  heart. 

9  Lord  Jesus,  hear  a  sinner's  cry, 

My  broken  peace  renew; 
And  grant  one  pitying  look,  that  I 
May  weep  with  Peter  too. 

MARK. 

HYMN  XCn. 
The  Legion  dispossessed.    Chap.  v.  18,  19. 

1  Legion  was  my  name  by  nature, 
Satan  rag'd  within  my  breast; 
Never  misery  was  greater. 
Never  sinner  more  possess'd : 
Mischievous  to  all  around  me, 
To  myself  the  greatest  foe ; 
Thus  I  was  when  Jesus  found  me, 
Fill'd  with  madness,  sin,  and  woe. 

2  Yet  in  this  forlorn  condition, 
When  he  came  to  set  me  free, 
I  replied  to  my  Physician, 

"  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee  1" 
But  he  would  not  be  prevented, 
Rescu'd  me  against  my  will ; 
Had  he  staid  till  I  consented, 
I  had  been  a  captive  still. 


3  "  Satan,  though  thou  fain  wouldst  have  it. 
Know  this  soul  is  none  of  thine ; 

I  have  shed  my  blood  to  save  it, 
Now  I  challenge  it  for  mine  :* 
Tliough  it  long  has  thee  resembled, 
Henceforth  it  shall  me  obey." 
Tluis  he  spoke,  while  Satan  trembled, 
Gnash'd  his  teeth,  and  fled  away. 

4  Thus  my  frantic  soul  he  healed, 
Bid  my  sins  and  sorrow  cease ; 

"  Take,"  said  he,  my  pardon  sealed, 
I  have  sav'd  tliee,  go  in  peace :" 
Rather  take  me,  Lord,  to  heaven, 
Now  tliy  love  and  grace  I  know ; 
Since  thou  hast  my  sins  forgiven. 
Why  should  I  remain  below  ! 

5  "  Love,"  he  said,  "  will  sweeten  labours, 
Thou  hast  something  yet  to  do ; 

Go  and  tell  your  friends  and  neighbours 
What  my  love  has  done  for  you  : 
Live  to  manifest  my  glory, 
Wait  for  heaven  a  little  space ; 
Sinners,  when  they  hear  thy  story, 
Will  repent,  and  seek  my  face." 

HYMN  XCin. 
The  Rider's  DawrJitcr  raised. 
Chap.  V.  39—42. 

1  Could  the  creatures  help  or  ease  us, 
Seldom  should  we  think  of  prayer; 
Few,  if  any,  come  to  Jesus, 

Till  reduc'd  to  self-despair; 
Long  we  either  slight  or  doubt  him ; 
But  when  all  the  means  we  try 
Prove  we  cannot  do  without  him, 
Then  at  last  to  him  we  cry. 

2  Thus  the  ruler,  when  his  daughter 
Suffer'd  mucli,  though  Christ  was  nigh. 
Still  deferr'd  it  till  he  thought  her 

At  the  very  point  to  die : 

Though  he  mourn'd  for  lier  condition. 

He  did  not  entreat  the  Lord, 

Till  he  found  that  no  physician 

But  himself  could  help  afford. 

3  Jesus  did  not  once  upbraid  him. 
That  he  had  no  sooner  come  ; 
But  a  gracious  answer  made  him. 

And  went  straightway  with  him  home : 
Yet  his  faith  was  put  to  trial, 
When  his  servants  came,  and  said, 
"  Though  he  gave  thee  no  denial. 
'Tis  too  late,  the  child  is  dead." 

4  Jesus,  to  prevent  his  grieving, 
Kindly  spoke,  and  eas'd  his  pain ; 
"  Be  not  fearful,  but  believing, 
Thou  shalt  see  her  live  again." 
When  he  found  the  people  weeping, 

"  Cease,"  he  said  ;  "  no  longer  mourn ; 
For  she  is  not  dead,  but  sleeping:" 
Then  they  laughed  him  to  scorn. 

*  Book  III.  Hymn  liv. 


HYMN  XCVII.] 


MARK. 


139 


5  O  tliou  meek  and  lowly  Saviour, 
How  (leterinin'd  is  thy  love  ! 
Not  this  rude  unkind  behaviour 
Could  tliy  gracious  purpose  move ; 
Soon  as  he  the  room  had  enter'd, 
Spoke,  and  took  her  by  the  hand ; 
Death  at  once  his  prey  surrender'd, 
And  she  liv'd  at  his  command. 

6  Fear  not,  then,  distress'd  believer, 
Venture  on  his  mig-hty  name  ; 
He  is  able  to  deliver. 

And  liis  love  is  still  the  same : 
Can  his  pity  or  his  power 
Suffer  thee  to  pray  in  vain] 
Wait  but  Ills  appointed  hour. 
And  thy  suit  thou  shalt  obtain. 

HYMN  XCIV. 
But  one  Loaf*    Chap.  viii.  14. 

1  When  the  disciples  crossed  the  lake 

With  but  one  loaf  on  board, 
How  strangely  did  their  hearts  mistake 
The  caution  of  their  Lord ! 

2  "  The  leaven  of  the  Pharisees 

Beware,"  the  Saviour  said  : 
They  thought,  it  is  because  he  sees 
We  have  forgotten  bread. 

3  It  seems  they  had  forgotten  too, 

Wliat  tlieir  own  eyes  had  view'd ; 
How  with  what  scarce  suffic'd  for  few. 
He  fed  a  multitude. 

4  If  five  small  loaves,  by  his  command. 

Could  many  thousands  serve  ; 
Might  they  not  trust  his  gracious  hand. 
That  they  should  never  starve  1 

5  They  oft  his  power  and  love  had  known. 

And  doubtless  were  to  blame ; 
But  we  have  reason  good  to  own. 
That  we  are  just  the  same. 

6  How  often  has  he  brought  relief. 

And  every  want  supplied  ! 
Yet  soon,  again,  our  unbelief 
Says,  "Can  the  Lord  provided" 

7  Be  thankful  for  one  loaf  to-day. 

Though  that  be  all  your  store  ; 
To-morrow,  if  you  trust  and  pray. 
Shall  timely  bring  you  more. 

HYMN  XCV. 
Bartimcus.    Chap.  x.  47,  48. 

1  "  Mercy,  O  thou  Son  of  David !" 
Thus  blind  Bartimeus  prayed  ; 

"  Others  by  this  word  are  saved, 
Now  to  me  afford  thine  aid." 
Many  for  his  crying  chid  him, 
But  he  called  the  louder  still ; 
Till  the  gracious  Saviour  bid  him, 
"  Come,  and  ask  me  what  you  will." 

2  Money  was  not  what  he  wanted. 
Though  by  begging  us'd  to  live  ; 

*  Book  III.  Hrmn  Ivii. 


But  he  ask'd,  and  Jesus  granted. 
Alms  which  none  but  he  could  give : 
"  Lord  remove  this  grievous  blindness 
I>et  my  eyes  behold  the  day  ;" 
Strait  he  saw,  and,  won  by  kindness, 
Follow'd  Jesus  in  the  way. 

3  Oh  !  methinks  I  hear  him  praising, 
Publishing  to  all  around, 
"  Friends,  is  not  my  case  amazing  1 
What  a  Saviour  I  have  found : 
O  that  all  the  blind  but  knew  him, 
And  would  be  advis'd  by  me  ! 
Surely  would  they  hasten  to  him. 
He  would  cause  them  all  to  see." 

HYMN  XCVI. 
The  House  of  Prayer.    Chap.  xi.  17. 

1  Thy  mansion  is  the  christian's  heart, 

0  Ijord,  thy  dwelling-place  secure! 
Bid  the  unruly  throng  depart, 
And  leave  the  consecrated  door. 

2  Devoted  as  it  is  to  thee, 

A  thievish  swarm  frequents  this  place ; 
They  steal  away  my  joys  from  me. 
And  rob  my  Saviour  of  his  praise. 

3  There,  too,  a  sharp  desig-ning  trade. 
Sin,  Satan,  and  the  world  maintain  ; 
Nor  cease  to  press  me,  and  persuade 
To  part  with  ease,  and  purchase  pain. 

4  I  know  them,  and  I  hate  their  din. 
Am  weary  of  the  bustling  crowd  ; 
But  while  their  voice  is  heard  within, 

1  cannot  serve  thee  as  I  would. 

.5  Oh  !  for  the  joy  thy  presence  gives, 

What  peace  shall  reign  when  thou  art  here ; 
Thy  presence  makes  this  den  of  thieves 
A  calm  delightful  house  of  prayer. 

6  And  if  thou  make  thy  temple  shine. 
Yet,  self-abas'd,  will  1  adore  ; 
The  gold  and  silver  are  not  mine, 
I  give  thee  what  was  thine  before.  C. 

HYMN  XCVn. 
The  Masted  Fig-Tree.    Chap.  xi.  20. 

1  One  awful  word  which  Jesus  spoke 
Against  the  tree  wiiich  bore  no  fruit. 
More  piercing  than  the  lightning's  stroke, 
Blasted  and  dried  it  to  the  root. 

2  But  could  a  tree  the  Lord  offend 
To  make  him  show  his  anger  thus] 
He  surely  had  a  farther  end. 

To  be  a  warning  word  to  us. 

3  The  fig-tree  by  its  leaves  was  known ; 
But  having  not  a  fig  to  show, 

It  brought  a  heavy  sentence  down, 
"  Let  none  hereafter  on  thee  grow." 

4  Too  many,  who  tlie  gospel  hear. 
Whom  Satan  blinds,  and  sin  deceives. 
We  to  this  fig-tree  may  compare. 
They  yield  no  fruit,  but  only  leaves. 


140 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[book  r. 


5  Knowledge,  and  zeal,  and  gifts,  and  talk, 
Unless  combin'd  with  faitli  and  love, 
And  witness'd  by  a  gospel-walk. 

Will  not  a  true  profession  prove. 

6  Without  the  fruit  the  Lord  expects, 
Knowledge  will  make  our  state  the  worse; 
The  barren  trees  he  still  rejects. 

And  soon  will  blast  them  with  his  curse. 

7  O  Lord,  unite  our  hearts  in  prayer ! 
On  each  of  us  thy  Spirit  send, 

That  we  the  fruits  of  grace  may  bear, 
And  find  acceptance  in  the  end. 


LUKE. 

HYMN  XCVin. 
The  two  Debtors.    Chap.  viii.  47. 

1  Once  a  woman  silent  stood, 

While  Jesus  sat  at  meat; 
From  her  eyes  she  pour'd  a  flood, 

To  wash  his  sacred  feet; 
Shame  and  wonder,  joy  and  love, 

All  at  once  possess'd  her  mind, 
That  she  e'er  so  vile  could  prove, 

Yet  now  forgiveness  find. 

2  "  How  came  this  vile  woman  here  ? 

Will  Jesus  notice  such  ? 
Sure,  if  he  a  prophet  were, 

He  would  disdain  her  touch  !" 
Simon  thus,  with  scornful  heart, 

Slighted  one  whom  Jesus  lov'd  ; 
But  her  Saviour  took  her  part, 

And  thus  his  pride  reprov'd : 

3  "  If  two  men  in  debt  were  bound. 

One  less,  the  other  more, 
Fifty,  or  five  hundred  pound. 

And  both  alike  were  poor : 
Should  the  lender  both  forgive. 

When  he  saw  them  both  distress'd, 
Which  of  them  would  you  believe 

Engag'd  to  love  him  best  ?" 

4  "  Surely  he  who  most  did  owe," 

The  Pharisee  replied : 
Then  our  Lord,  "By  judging  so. 

Thou  dost  for  her  decide ; 
Simon,  if,  like  her,  you  knew 

How  much  you  forgiveness  need ; 
You  like  her  had  acted  too, 

And  welcom'd  me  indeed. 

5  "  When  the  load  of  sin  is  felt, 

And  much  forgiveness  known. 
Then  the  heart  of  course  will  melt. 

Though  hard  before  as  stone : 
Blame  not  then  her  love  and  tears. 

Greatly  she  in  debt  has  been  ; 
But  I  have  remov'd  her  fears. 

And  pardon'd  all  her  sin." 

6  When  I  read  this  woman's  case, 

Her  love  and  humble  zeal, 
I  confess,  with  shame  of  face. 
My  heart  is  made  of  steel. 


Much  has  been  forgiven  to  me, 
Jesus  paid  my  heavy  score  ; 

What  a  creature  must  I  be. 
That  I  can  love  no  more  ! 


HYMN  XCIX. 
The  good  Samaritan.    Chap.  x.  33 — 35. 

1  How  kind  the  good  Samaritan 

To  him  who  fell  among  the  thieves  ! 

Thus  Jesus  pities  fallen  man. 

And  heels  the  wounds  the  soul  receives. 

2  Oh  !  I  remember  well  the  day. 
When  sorely  wounded,  nearly  slain. 
Like  that  poor  man  I  bleeding  lay. 

And  groan'd  for  help,  but  groan'd  in  vain. 

3  Men  saw  me  in  this  helpless  case. 
And  pass'd  without  compassion  by ; 
Each  neighbour  turn'd  away  his  face. 
Unmoved  by  my  mournful  cry. 

4  But  he  whose  name  had  been  my  scorn, 
(As  Jews  Samaritans  despise) 

Came,  when  he  saw  me  thus  forlorn, 
With  love  and  pity  in  his  eyes. 

5  Gently  he  rais'd  me  from  the  ground, 
Press'd  me  to  lean  upon  his  arm, 
And  into  every  gaping  wound, 

He  pour'd  his  own  all-healing  balm. 

6  Into  his  church  my  steps  he  led. 
The  house  prepar'd  for  sinners  lost. 
Gave  charge  I  should  be  clotli'd  and  fed. 
And  took  upon  him  all  the  cost. 

7  Thus  sav'd  from  death,  from  want  secur'd, 
I  wait  till  he  again  shall  come, 

(When  I  shall  be  completely  cur'd) 
And  take  me  to  his  heavenly  home. 

8  There,  through  eternal  boundless  days, 
When  nature's  wheel  no  longer  rolls. 
How  shall  I  love,  adore,  and  praise, 
This  good  Samaritan  to  souls ! 

HYMN  C. 
Martha  and  Mary.    Chap.  x.  38 — 42. 

1  Martha  her  love  and  joy  express'd. 
By  care  to  entertain  her  guest ; 
While  Mary  sat  to  hear  her  Lord, 
And  could  not  bear  to  lose  a  word. 

2  The  principle,  in  both  the  same, 
Produc'd  in  each  a  different  aim  ; 
The  one  to  feast  the  L<?rd  was  led. 
The  other  waited  to  be  fed. 

3  But  Mary  chose  the  better  part. 

The  Saviour's  words  refresh'd  her  heart; 
While  busy  Martha  angry  grew, 
And  lost  her  time  and  temper  too. 

4  With  warmth  she  to  her  sister  spoke. 
But  brought  upon  herself  rebuke  : 

"  One  thing  is  needful,  and  but  one. 
Why  do  thy  thoughts  on  many  run  1" 


HYMN  cm.] 


LUKE. 


141 


5  I  low  oft  are  we,  like  Martha,  vex'd, 
Encuniber'd,  hurried,  and  pcrplex'd  1 
While  trifles  so  engross  our  thought 
The  one  thing  needful  is  forgot. 

6  lyord,  teach  us  this  one  thing  to  choose, 
Which  they  who  gain  can  never  lose ; 
Sufficient  in  itself  alone, 

And  needful,  were  the  world  our  own. 

7  I>et  grov'lling  hearts  the  world  admire, 
Thy  love  is  all  that  I  require : 
Gladly  I  may  the  rest  resign, 

If  tlie  one  needful  thing  be  mine ! 

HYMN  CI, 
The  Heart  taken.    Chap.  xi.  21,  22. 

1  The  castle  of  the  human  heart. 

Strong  in  its  native  sin. 
Is  guarded  well  in  every  part, 
By  him  who  dwells  within. 

2  For  Satan  there  in  arms  resides, 

And  calls  the  place  his  own : 
With  care  against  assaults  provides, 
And  rules  as  on  a  throne. 

3  Each  traitor  thought,  on  him  as  chief. 

In  blind  obedience  waits  ; 
And  pride,  self-will,  and  unbelief. 
Are  posted  at  the  gates. 

4  Thus  Satan  for  a  season  reigns. 

And  keeps  his  goods  in  peace ; 
The  soul  is  pleas'd  to  wear  his  chains. 
Nor  wishes  a  release. 

5  But  Jesus,  stronger  far  than  he, 

In  his  appointed  hour, 
Appears  to  set  his  people  free 

From  the  usurper's  power. 
•6  "  This  heart  I  bought  with  blood,"  he  says, 

"  And  now  it  shall  be  mine  :" 
His  voice  the  strong  one  arm'd  dismays. 

He  knows  he  must  resign. 

7  In  spite  of  unbelief  and  pride. 

And  self  and  Satan's  art. 
The  gates  of  brass  fly  open  wide, 
And  Jesus  wins  the  heart. 

8  The  rebel  soul  that  once  withstood 

The  Saviour's  kindest  call, 
Rejoices  now,  by  grace  subdued, 
To  serve  him  with  her  all. 

HYMN  CII. 
The  Worldling.    Chap.  xii.  16—21. 

1  "  My  barns  are  full,  my  stores  increase. 

And  now,  for  many  years, 
Soul,  eat  and  drink,  and  take  thine  ease, 
Secure  from  wants  and  fears." 

2  Thus  while  a  worldling  boasted  once, 

As  many  now  presume, 
He  heard  the  Lord  himself  pronounce 
Ilis  sudden,  awful  doom. 

3  "This  night,  vain  fool,  thy  soul  must  pass 

Into  a  world  unknown ; 


And  who  shall  tiien  the  stores  possess, 
Which  thou  hast  call'd  thine  own!" 

4  Thus  blinded  mortals  fondly  scheme 

For  happiness  below ; 
Till  death  disturbs  the  pleasing  dream, 
And  they  awake  to  woe. 

5  Ah !  who  can  speak  the  vast  dismay 

That  fills  the  sinner's  mind, 
When,  torn  by  death's  strong  hand  away 
He  leaves  his  all  behind  ! 

6  Wretches,  who  cleave  to  earthly  things^ 

But  are  not  rich  to  God, 
Their  dying  hour  is  full  of  stings. 
And  hell  their  dark  abode. 

7  Dear  Saviour,  make  us  timely  wise, 

Thy  gospel  to  attend. 
That  we  may  live  above  the  skies. 
When  this  poor  life  shall  end. 

HYMN  CIII. 
The  barren  Fig-Tree.    Chap,  xiii,  6 — 9. 

1  The  church  a  garden  is. 
In  which  believers  stand. 
Like  ornamental  trees 
Planted  by  God's  own  hand ; 

His  Spirit  waters  all  their  roots, 
And  ev'ry  branch  abounds  with  fruits. 

2  But  other  trees  there  are. 
In  this  inclosure  grow. 
Which,  though  they  promise  fair, 
Have  only  leaves  to  show ; 

No  fruits  of  grace  are  on  them  found, 
They  stand  but  cumb'rers  of  the  ground. 

3  The  under  gard'ner  grieves. 
In  vain  his  strength  he  spends. 
For  heaps  of  useless  leaves 
Afford  him  small  amends: 

He  hears  the  Lord  his  will  make  known, 
To  cut  the  barren  fig-trees  down. 

4  How  difficult  his  post, 
What  pangs  his  bowels  move, 
To  find  his  wishes  cross'd. 
His  labours  useless  prove  ! 

His  last  relief,  his  earnest  prayer, 
"  Lord,  spare  them  yet  another  year: 

5  Spare  them,  and  let  me  try. 
What  farther  means  may  do ; 
I  '11  fresh  manure  apply. 
My  digging  I  '11  renew; 

Who  knows  but  yet  they  fruit  may  yield ! 
If  not — 'tis  just  they  must  be  fell'd." 

6  If  under  means  of  grace 
No  gracious  fruits  appear. 
It  is  a  dreadful  case ; 
Though  God  may  long  forbear. 

At  length  he  '11  strike  the  threaten'd  blow,* 
And  lay  the  barren  fig-tree  low. 


*  Book  U.  Hymn  zzvi. 


142 


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HYMNS. 


[book  I. 


HYxMN  CIV. 
The  Prodigal  Son.    Chap.  xv.  11—24. 

1  Afflictions,  though  they  seem  severe, 

In  mercy  oft  are  sent ; 
They  stopp'd  the  prodigal's  career, 
And  forc'd  him  to  repent. 

2  Although  he  no  relentings  felt, 

Till  he  had  spent  his  store ; 
His  stubborn  heart  began  to  melt 
When  famine  pinch'd  him  sore. 

3  "  What  have  I  gain'd  by  sin  (he  said,) 

But  hunger,  shame,  and  fear  1 
My  father's  house  abounds  with  bread, 
While  I  am  starving  here. 

4  "  I  '11  go  and  tell  him  all  I 've  done, 

And  fall  before  his  face  ; 
Unworthy  to  be  call'd  his  son, 
I  '11  seek  a  servant's  place." 

5  His  father  saw  him  coming  back, 

He  saw,  and  ran,  and  smiled ; 
And  threw  his  arms  around  the  neck 
Of  his  rebellious  child. 

6  "  Father,  I 've  sinn'd — but,  O  forgive !" 

"  I 've  heard  enough,"  he  said  ; 
"Rejoice,  my  house,  my  son's  alive, 
For  whom  I  mourn'd  as  dead : 

7  Now  let  the  fatted  calf  be  slain, 

And  spread  the  news  around ; 
My  son  was  dead,  but  lives  again, 
Was  lost,  but  now  is  found." 

8  'Tis  thus  the  Lord  his  love  reveals, 

To  call  poor  sinners  home ; 
More  than  a  father's  love  he  feels, 
And  welcomes  all  that  come. 

HYMN  CV. 
The  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus. 
Chap.  xvi.  19—25. 

1  A  woRLDLiNQ  Spent  each  day 
In  luxury  and  state. 

While  a  believer  lay 

A  beggar  at  his  gate  : 
Think  not  the  Lord's  appointment  strange, 
Death  made  a  great  and  lasting  change. 

2  Death  brought  the  saint  release 
From  want,  disease,  and  scorn ; 
And  to  the  land  of  peace, 

His  soul,  by  angels  borne. 
In  Abrah'm's  bosom  safely  placed, 
Enjoys  an  everlasting  feast. 

3  The  rich  man  also  died, 
And  in  a  momGiit  fell 
From  all  his  pomp  and  pride 
Into  the  flames  of  hell ; 

The  beggar's  bliss  from  far  beheld. 
His  soul  with  double  anguish  fill'd. 

4  "  O  Abrah'm,  send,"  he  cries, 
(But  his  request  was  vain) 

"  The  beggar  from  the  skies, 
To  mitigate  my  pain ! 


One  drop  of  water  I  entreat. 

To  sootlie  my  tongue's  tormenting  heat." 

5  Let  all  who  worldly  pelf 
And  worldly  spirits  have. 
Observe,  each  for  himself, 
Tlie  answer  Abrah'm  gave : 

"  Remember  thou  wast  fiU'd  with  good, 
While  tlie  poor  beggar  pin'd  for  food. 

6  "  Neglected  at  thy  door. 

With  tears  he  begg'd  his  bread : 
But  now  he  weeps  no  more. 
His  griefs  and  pains  are  fled ; 
His  joys  eternally  will  flow. 
While  thine  expire  in  endless  woe." 

7  Lord,  make  us  truly  wise. 
To  clioose  thy  people's  lot. 
And  earthly  joys  despise. 
Which  soon  will  be  forgot: 

The  greatest  evil  we  can  fear. 
Is  to  possess  our  portion  here  ! 

HYMN  CVI. 
The  importunate  Widow.*  Chap,  xviii.  1 — 7. 

1  Our  Lord,  who  knows  full  well 

The  heart  of  every  saint, 
Invites  us  by  a  parable. 
To  pray  and  never  faint. 

2  He  bo\vs  liis  gracious  ear. 

We  never  plead  in  vain ; 
Yet  we  must  wait  till  he  appear, 
And  pray,  and  pray  again. 

3  Though  unbelief  suggest, 

Why  should  we  longer  wait"! 
He  bids  us  never  give  him  rest, 
But  be  importunate. 

4  'T was  0ms  a  widow  poor, 

Without  support  or  friend. 
Beset  the  unjust  judge's  door. 
And  gain'd  at  last  her  end. 

5  For  her  he  little  car'd, 

As  little  for  the  laws; 
Nor  God  nor  man  did  he  regard, 
Yet  he  espous'd  her  cause. 

6  She  urg'd  him  day  and  night, 

Would  no  denial  take ; 
At  length  he  said,  "  I  '11  do  her  right, 
For  my  own  quiet's  sake." 

7  And  shall  not  Jesus  hear 

His  chosen  when  they  cry? 
Yes,  though  he  may  a  while  forbear. 
He  '11  help  them  from  on  high. 

8  'Tis  nature,  truth,  and  love. 

Engage  him  on  their  side ; 
When  they  are  griev'd,  his  bowels  move, 
And  can  they  be  denied  1 

9  Then  let  us  earnest  be, 

And  never  faint  in  prayer ; 
He  loves  our  importunity, 

And  makes  our  cause  his  care. 


*  Book  II.  Hymn  U. 


BTMM  ex.] 

HYMN  cvn. 

Zacchciis.    Chap.  xix.  1 — 6. 

1  Zaccheus  climb'd  the  tree, 
And  thoujjlit  himself  unknown ; 
But  how  surpris'd  was  he, 
When  Jesus  call'd  hhn  down  ! 

The  Lord  beheld  him,  though  conceal'd, 
And  by  a  word  his  power  reveal'd. 

2  Wonder  and  joy  at  once 
Were  painted  in  his  face : 
"  Does  he  my  name  pronounce, 
And  docs  he  know  my  case  1 

Will  Jesus  deign  with  me  to  dine  1 
Lord,  I,  with  all  I  have,  am  thine." 

3  Thus  where  the  gospel's  preach'd, 
And  sinners  come  to  hear. 
The  hearts  of  some  are  reach'd 
Before  they  are  aware : 

The  word  directly  speaks  to  them. 
And  seems  to  point  them  out  by  name. 

4  'Tis  curiosity 
Oft  brings  them  in  the  way, 
Only  the  man  to  see. 
And  hear  what  he  can  say: 

But  how  the  sinner  starts  to  fmd, 
The  preacher  knows  his  inmost  mind. 

5  His  long  forgotten  faults 
Are  brought  again  in  view. 
And  all  his  secret  thoughts 
Reveal'd  in  public  too ; 

Though  compass'd  with  a  crowd  about, 
The  searching  word  has  found  him  out. 

6  While  tlms  distressing  pain 
And  sorrow  fills  his  heart: 
He  hears  a  voice  again. 
That  bids  his  fears  depart. 

Then,  like  Zaccheus,  he  is  blest, 
And  Jesus  deigns  to  be  his  guest. 

HYMN  CVin. 
The  Believer'' s  Danger,  Saffty,  and  Duty. 
Chap.  xxii.  31,' 32. 

1  "  Simon,  beware  !"  the  Saviour  said, 

"  Satan,  your  subtle  foe. 
Already  has  his  measures  laid. 
Your  soul  to  overthrow. 

2  "  He  wants  to  sifl  you  all  as  wheat, 

And  thinks  his  victory  sure ; 
But  I  his  malice  will  defeat. 
My  prayer  shall  faith  secure." 

3  Believers,  tremble  and  rejoice. 

Your  help  and  danger  view; 
This  warning  has  to  you  a  voice, 
This  promise  speaks  to  you. 

4  Satan  beholds,  with  jealous  eye, 

Your  privilege  and  joy ; 
He 's  always  watchful,  always  nigh. 
To  tear  and  to  destroy. 

5  But  Jesus  lives  to  intercede, 

That  faith  may  still  prevail ; 
He  will  support  m  time  of  need, 
And  Satan's  art  shall  fail. 


143 

6  Yet  let  us  not  the  warning  slight. 

But  watchful  still  be  found ; 
Though  faith  cannot  be  slain  in  fight. 
It  may  receive  a  wound. 

7  While  Satan  vv'atches,  dare  we  sleep? 

We  must  our  guard  maintain  ; 
But,  Lord,  do  thou  the  city  keep. 
Or  else  we  watch  in  vain.* 

HYMN  CLX. 
Father  forgive  them.    Chap,  xxiii.  34. 

1  "  Father,  forgive,"  the  Saviour  said, 

"  They  know  not  what  they  do ;" 
His  heart  was  mov'd  when  thus  he  prayed 
For  me,  my  friends,  and  you. 

2  He  saw  that,  as  the  Jews  abus'd 

And  crucified  his  flesh. 
So  he  by  us  would  be  refus'd. 
And  crucified  afresh. 

3  Through  love  of  sin,  we  long  were  prone 

To  act  as  Satan  bid  ; 
But  now,  with  grief  and  shame  we  own 
We  Itnew  not  what  we  did. 

4  We  knew  not  the  desert  of  sin, 

Nor  whom  we  thus  defied  ; 
Nor  where  our  guilty  souls  had  been, 
If  Jesus  had  not  died. 

5  We  knew  not  what  a  law  we  broke. 

How  holy,  just,  and  pure ! 
Nor  what  a  God  we  durst  provoke. 
But  thought  ourselves  secure. 

6  But  Jesus  all  our  guilt  foresaw. 

And  shed  his  precious  blood. 
To  satisfy  the  holy  law. 

And  make  our  peace  with  God. 

7  My  sin,  dear  Saviour,  made  thee  bleed, 

Yet  didst  thou  pray  for  me  ! 
I  knew  not  what  I  did  indeed, 
When  ignorant  of  thee. 

HYMN  ex. 
The  two  Malefactors.    Chap,  xxiii.  39 — 43. 

1  Sovereign  grace  has  power  alone 
To  subdue  a  heart  of  stone  ; 

And  the  moment  grace  is  felt. 
Then  the  hardest  heart  will  melt. 

2  When  the  Lord  was  crucified. 
Two  transgressors  with  him  died  ; 
One  with  vile  blaspheming  tongue, 
Scoff''d  at  Jesus  as  he  hung. 

3  Thus  he  spent  his  wicked  breath, 
In  the  very  jaws  of  death; 
Perish'd  as  too  many  do, 

With  the  Saviour  in  his  view. 

4  But  the  other,  touch'd  with  grace. 
Saw  the  danger  of  his  case ; 
Faith  receiv'd  to  own  the  Lord, 
Whom  the  scribes  and  priests  abhorr'd. 


*  Psalm  cxxvii.  1. 


LUKE. 


144 


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HYMNS. 


[book  r. 


5  "  Lord,"  ho  prayed,  "  remember  me, 
When  in  glory  thou  shall  be." 

"  Soon  with  me,"  the  Lord  replies, 
"  Thou  shalt  rest  in  Paradise." 

6  This  was  wondrous  grace  indeed, 
Grace  vouchsaf 'd  in  time  of  need ; 
Sinners,  trust  in  Jesus'  name. 
You  shall  find  him  still  the  same. 

7  But  beware  of  unbelief. 
Think  upon  the  harden'd  thief; 
If  the  gospel  you  disdain, 
Christ,  to  you,  will  die  in  vain. 

JOHN. 

HYMN  CXI. 
The  Woman  of  Samaria.    Chap.  iv.  28. 

1  Jesus,  to  what  didst  thou  submit. 

To  save  thy  dear-bought  flock  from  hell ! 
Like  a  poor  traveller,  see  him  sit, 
Athirst  and  weary,  by  the  well. 

2  The  woman  who  for  water  came, 
(What  great  events  on  small  depend !) 
Then  learnt  the  glory  of  his  name. 
The  well  of  life,  the  sinner's  friend. 

3  Taught  from  her  birth  to  hate  the  Jews, 
And  fiU'd  with  party-pride,  at  first 

Her  zeal  induc'd  her  to  refuse 
Water  to  quench  the  Saviour's  thirst. 

4  But  soon  she  knew  the  gift  of  God ; 
And  Jesus,  whom  she  scorn'd  before, 
Unask'd,  that  drink  on  her  bestowed. 
Which  whoso  tastes  shall  thirst  no  more. 

5  His  words  her  prejudice  remov'd. 
Her  sin  she  felt,  relief  she  found  ; 
She  saw  and  heard,  believ'd  and  lov'd. 
And  ran  to  tell  her  neighbours  round. 

6  O  come,  this  wondrous  man  behold, 
The  promis'd  Saviour  I  this  is  he 
Whom  ancient  prophecies  foretold, 
Born,  from  our  guilt  to  set  us  free. 

7  Like  her,  in  ignorance  content, 

I  worshipp'd  long  I  knew  not  what; 
Like  her,  on  other  things  intent, 
I  found  him  when  I  sought  him  not. 

8  He  told  me  all  that  e'er  I  did. 
And  told  me  all  was  pardon'd  too ; 
And  now,  like  her,  as  he  has  bid, 

I  live  to  point  him  out  to  you. 

HYMN  CXn. 
The  Pool  of  Bethesda*    Chap.  v.  2—4. 

1  Beside  the  gospel-pool 
Appointed  for  the  poor, 

From  year  to  year  my  helpless  soul 
Has  waited  for  a  cure. 

2  How  often  have  I  seen 
The  healing  waters  move, 


*  Book  III.  Hymn  vii. 


And  others,  round  me,  stepping  in, 
Their  efficacy  prove ! 

3  But  my  complaints  remain ; 
I  feel  the  very  same, 

As  full  of  guilt,  and  fear,  and  pain. 
As  when  at  first  I  came. 

4  O  would  the  Lord  appear. 
My  malady  to  heal ; 

He  knows  how  long  I 've  languish'd  here, 
And  what  distress  I  feel. 

5  How  often  have  I  thought. 
Why  should  I  longer  lie  1 

Surely  the  mercy  I  have  sought 
Is  not  for  such  as  I. 

6  But  whither  can  I  go"! 
There  is  no  other  pool 

Where  streams  of  sovereign  virtue  flow 
To  make  a  sinner  whole. 

7  Here  then,  from  day  to  day, 
I  '11  wait,  and  hope,  and  try : 

Can  Jesus  hear  a  sinner  pray. 
Yet  suffer  him  to  die  1 

8  No :  he  is  full  of  grace ; 
He  never  will  permit 

A  soul  that  fain  would  see  his  face, 
To  perish  at  his  feet. 

'  HYMN  CXHL 

ANOTHER. 

1  Here  at  Bethesda's  pool,  the  poor. 

The  wither'd,  halt,  and  blijid. 
With  waiting  hearts  e.xpect  a  cure. 
And  free  admittance  find. 

2  Here  streams  of  wondrous  virtue  flow, 

To  heal  a  sin-sick  soul ; 
To  wash  the  filthy  white  as  snow 
And  make  the  wounded  whole. 

3  The  dumb  break  forth  in  songs  of  praise 

The  blind  their  sight  receive. 
The  cripple  run  in  wisdom's  ways. 
The  dead  revive  and  live. 

4  Restrain'd  to  no  one  case  or  time. 

These  waters  always  move ; 
Sinners  in  ev'ry  age  and  clime 
Their  vital  influence  prove. 

5  Yet  numbers  daily  near  them  lie. 

Who  meet  with  no  relief ; 
With  life  in  view,  they  pine  and  die, 
In  hopeless  unbelief. 

6  'Tis  strange  they  should  refuse  to  bathe, 

And  yet  frequent  the  poo] : 
But  none  can  even  wish  for  faitn 
While  love  of  sin  bears  rule. 

7  Satan  their  consciences  has  scal'd. 

And  stupified  their  thought. 
For,  were  they  willing  to  be  heal'd. 
The  cure  would  soon  be  wrought. 

8  Do  thou,  dear  Saviour,  interpose. 

Their  stubborn  will  constrain  ; 
Or  else  to  them  the  water  flows 
And  grace  is  preach'd  in  vain. 


BTMN  CXVn.] 


JOHN. 


145 


HYMN  CXW. 
The  Disciples  at  Sea*     Chap.  vi.  16—21. 

1  Constrain'd  by  their  Lord  to  embark, 
And  venture  without  him  to  sea, 
The  season  tempestuous  and  dark, 
How  griev'd  the  disciples  must  be ! 
But  thou<j;h  he  remain'd  on  the  shore. 
He  spent  the  night  for  them  in  prayer; 
They  still  were  as  safe  as  before, 

And  equally  under  his  care. 

2  They  strove,  though  in  vain,  for  a  while. 
The  force  of  the  waves  to  withstand ; 
But  when  they  were  wearied  with  toU, 
They  saw  their  dear  Saviour  at  hand- 
They  gladly  received  him  on  board. 

His  presence  their  spirits  reviv'd. 
The  sea  became  calm  at  his  word. 
And  soon  at  their  port  they  arriv'd. 

3  We,  like  the  disciples,  are  toss'd 
By  storms  on  a  perilous  deep. 
But  cannot  be  possibly  lost. 

For  Jesus  has  charge  of  the  ship. 
Though  billows  and  winds  are  enrag'd, 
And  threaten  to  make  us  their  sport, 
This  pilot  his  word  has  engag'd 
To  bring  us  in  safety  to  port. 

4  If  sometimes  we  struggle  alone. 
And  he  is  withdrawn  from  our  view. 
It  makes  us  more  willing  toovra 
We  nothing  without  him  can  do : 
Then  Satan  our  hopes  would  assail, 
But  Jesus  is  still  within  call ; 

And  when  our  poor  efforts  quite  fail. 
He  comes  in  good  time,  and  does  all. 

5  Yet,  Lord,  we  are  ready  to  shrink. 
Unless  we  thy  presence  perceive  ; 

0  save  us,  we  cry,  or  we  sink. 
We  would,  but  we  cannot  believe. 
The  night  has  been  long  and  severe. 
The  winds  and  the  seas  are  still  high ; 
Dear  Saviour,  this  moment  appear. 
And  say  to  our  souls,  "  It  is  I  !"! 

HYMN  CXV. 
Will  ye  also  go  aioay  1    Chap.  vi.  67 — 69. 

1  When  any  turn  from  Zion's  way, 

(Alas !  what  numbers  do  I) 
Methinks  I  hear  my  Saviour  say, 
"  Wilt  thou  forsake  me  too  V 

2  Ah  !  Lord,  with  such  a  heart  as  mine, 

Unless  thou  hold  me  fast, 

1  feel  I  must,  I  shall  decline. 
And  prove  like  them  at  last. 

3  Yet  thou  alone  hast  power,  I  know. 

To  save  a  wretch  like  me : 
To  whom,  or  whither  could  I  go. 
If  I  should  turn  from  thee  ? 

4  Beyond  a  doubt  I  rest  assur'd. 

Thou  art  the  Christ  of  God, 


*  Book  II.  Hymn  Ixxxvii. 
t  Book  III  Hymn  xviii. 

Vol.  XL  T 


Who  hast  eternal  life  secur'd 
By  promise  and  by  blood. 

5  The  help  of  men  and  angels  join'd 

Could  never  reach  my  case, 
•    Nor  can  I  hope  relief  to  find 
But  in  thy  boundless  grace. 

6  No  voice  but  thine  can  give  me  rest, 

And  bid  my  fears  depart, 
No  love  but  thine  can  make  me  blest, 
And  satisfy  my  heart. 

7  What  anguish  has  that  question  stirr'd 

If  I  will  also  go? 
Yet,  Lord,  relying  on  thy  word, 
I  humbly  answer,  No. 

HYMN  CXVT. 
The  Resurrection  and  the  Life.  Chap.  xi.  25. 

1  "  I  AM,"  saith  Christ,  "  your  glorious  Head, 

(May  we  attention  give  !) 
The  resurrection  of  the  dead. 
The  life  of  all  that  live. 

2  "  By  faith  in  me  the  soul  receives 

New  life,  though  dead  before  ; 
And  he  that  in  my  name  believes. 
Shall  live,  to  die  no  more. 

3  "  The  sinner,  sleeping  in  his  grave, 

Shall  at  my  voice  awake ; 
And  when  I  once  begin  to  save. 
My  work  I  ne'er  forsake." 

4  Fulfil  thy  promise,  gracious  Lord, 

On  us  assembled  here ; 
Put  forth  thy  Spirit  with  the  word, 
And  cause  the  dead  to  hear. 

5  Preserve  the  power  of  faith  alive 

In  those  who  love  thy  name ; 
For  sin  and  Satan  daily  strive 
To  quench  the  sacred  flame. 

6  Thy  power  and  mercy  first  prevail'd, 

From  death  to  set  us  free ; 
And  often  since  our  life  had  fail'd. 
If  not  renew'd  by  thee. 

7  To  thee  we  look,  to  thee  we  bow, 

To  thee  for  help  we  call ; 
Our  life  and  resurrection  thou, 
Our  hope,  our  joy,  our  all. 

HYMN  CXVIL 
Weeping  Mary.    Chap.  xx.  11 — 16. 

1  Mary  to  her  Saviour's  tomb 
Hasted  at  the  early  dawn ; 

Spice  she  brought,  and  sweet  perfume ; 
But  the  Lord  she  lov'd  was  gone. 
For  a  while  she  weeping  stood, 
Struck  with  sorrow  and  surprise, 
Shedding  tears,  a  plenteous  flood. 
For  her  heart  supplied  her  eyes. 

2  Jesus,  who  is  always  near, 
Though  too  often  unperceiv'd, 
Came,  his  drooping  child  to  cheer, 
Kindly  asking  why  she  griev'd? 


146 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[booe  l, 


Though  at  first  she  knew  him  not, 
When  he  call'd  her  by  her  name, 
Then  her  griefs  were  all  forgot, 
For  she  found  he  was  the  same. 

3  Grief  and  sighing  quickly  fled, 
When  she  heard  his  welcome  voice; 
Just  before  she  thought  him  dead, 
Now  he  bids  her  heart  rejoice. 
What  a  change  his  word  can  make. 
Turning  darkness  into  day ! 

You  who  weep  for  Jesu's  sake, 
He  will  wipe  your  tears  away. 

4  He  who  came  to  comfort  her, 
When  she  thought  her  all  was  lost. 
Will  for  you  relief  appear, 
Though  you  now  are  tempest-toss'd. 
On  his  word  your  burden  cast, 

On  his  love  your  thoughts  employ ; 
Weeping  for  a  while  ntay  last. 
But  the  morning  brings  the  joy. 


HYMN  CXVin. 
Lovest  thou  me  ?    Chap.  xxi.  16. 

1  Hark,  my  soul !  it  is  the  Lord, 
'Tis  thy  Saviour,  hear  his  word ; 
Jesus  speaks,  and  speaks  to  thee, 

"  Say,  poor  sinner,  lov'st  thou  me  ? 

2  "  I  deliver'd  thee  when  bound. 

And,  when  wounded,  heal'd  thy  wound ; 
Sought  thee  wand'ring,  set  thee  right, 
Turn'd  thy  darkness  into  light. 

3  "  Can  a  woman's  tender  care 
Cease  towards  the  child  she  barel 
Yes,  she  may  forgetful  be. 

Yet  will  I  remember  thee. 

4  "  Mine  is  an  unchanging  love. 
Higher  than  the  heights  above. 
Deeper  than  the  depths  beneath. 
Free  and  faithful,  strong  as  death, 

5  "  Thou  shalt  see  my  glory  soon, 
When  the  work  of  grace  is  done, 
Partner  of  my  throne  shalt  be. 
Say,  poor  sinner,  lov'st  thou  me  1" 

6  Lord,  it  is  my  chief  complaint. 
That  my  love  is  weak  and  faint ; 
Yet  I  love  thee  and  adore : 

O  for  grace  to  love  thee  more !  C. 

HYMN  CXIX. 

ANOTHER. 

1  'Tis  a  point  I  long  to  know. 
Oft  it  causes  anxious  thought, 
Do  I  love  the  Lord  or  no  1 
Am  I  his,  or  am  I  not  1 

2  If  I  love,  why  am  I  thus  7 

Why  this  dull  and  lifeless  frame  T 
Hardly,  sure,  can  they  be  worse, 
Who  have  never  heard  his  name. 


3  Could  my  heart  so  hard  remain. 
Prayer  a  task  and  burden  prove, 
Ev'ry  trifle  give  me  pain, 

If  I  knew  a  Saviour's  love  ] 

4  When  I  turn  my  eyes  within. 
All  is  dark,  and  vain,  and  wild ; 
Fill'd  with  unbelief  and  sin. 
Can  I  deem  myself  a  child  I 

5  If  I  pray,  or  hear,  or  read. 
Sin  is  mix'd  with  all  I  do ; 
You  that  love  the  Lord  indeed, 
Tell  me,  is  it  thus  with  youl 

6  Yet  I  mourn  my  stubborn  will, 
Find  my  sin  a  grief  and  thrall : 
Should  I  grieve  for  what  I  feel, 
If  I  did  not  love  at  all  1 

7  Could  I  joy  his  saints  to  meet. 
Choose  the  ways  I  once  abhorr'd. 
Find  at  times  the  promise  sweet. 
If  I  did  not  love  the  Lord  1 

8  Lord,  decide  the  doubtful  case : 
Thou,  who  art  thy  people's  sun, 
Shine  upon  thy  work  of  grace. 
If  it  be  indeed  begun. 

9  Let  me  love  thee  more  and  more. 
If  I  love  at  all,  I  pray ; 

If  I  have  not  lov'd  before, 
Help  me  to  begin  to-day. 


ACTS. 

HYMN  CXX. 
The  Death  of  Stephen.    Chap.  vii.  54—60 

1  As  some  tall  rock  amidst  the  waves, 
The  fury  of  the  tempest  braves. 
While  the  fierce  billows,  tossing  hi^. 
Break  at  its  foot,  and,  murm'ring,  die : 

2  Thus  they  who  in  the  Lord  confide, 
Though  foes  assault  on  ev'ry  side. 
Cannot  be  mov'd  or  overthrown. 

For  Jesus  makes  their  cause  his  own. 

3  So  faithful  Stephen,  undismayed. 
The  malice  of  the  Jews  surveyed: 
The  holy  joy  which  fill'd  his  breast 
A  lustre  on  his  face  impress'd. 

4  "  Behold  !"  he  said,  "  the  world  of  light 
Is  open'd  to  my  strengthen'd  sight ; 
My  glorious  Lord  appears  in  view. 
That  Jesus  whom  ye  lately  slew." 

5  With  such  a  friend  and  witness  near, 
No  form  of  death  could  make  him  fear ; 
Calm,  amidst  showers  of  stones,  he  kneels. 
And  only  for  his  murd'rers  feels. 

6  May  we,  by  faith,  perceive  thee  thus, 
Dear  Saviour,  ever  near  to  us ! 

This  sight  our  peace  through  life  shall  keep, 
And  death  be  fear'd  no  more  than  sleep. 


HYMN  CXXIII.] 


ACTS. 


147 


HYMN  CXXI. 
The  RebeVs  Surrender  to  Grace.  Lord, 
what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do!  Chap.  ix.  6. 

1  Lord,  thou  hast  won,  at  length  I  yield  ; 
My  heart,  by  mighty  grace  compell'd, 

Surrenders  all  to  thee ; 
Against  thy  terrors  long  I  strove, 
But  who  can  stand  agamst  thy  love  1 

Love  conquers  even  me, 

2  All  that  a  wretch  could  do  I  tried. 
Thy  patience  scorn'd,  thy  power  defied, 

And  trampled  on  thy  laws  ; 
Scarcely  thy  martyrs  at  the  stake, 
Could  stand  more  steadfast  for  thy  sake, 

Than  I  in  Satan's  cause. 

3  But  since  thou  hast  thy  love  reveal'd 
And  shown  my  soul  a  pardon  seal'd, 

I  can  resist  no  more ; 
Couldst  thou  for  such  a  sinner  bleed  ] 
Canst  thou  for  such  a  rebel  plead  ] 

I  wonder  and  adore  ! 

4  If  thou  had'st  bid  thy  thunders  roll. 
And  lightnings  flash,  to  blast  my  soul, 

I  still  had  stubborn  been  : 
But  mercy  has  my  heart  subdu'd, 
A  bleeding  Saviour  I  have  view'd, 

And  now  I  hate  my  sin. 

5  Now,  Lord,  I  would  be  thine  alone. 
Come,  take  possession  of  thine  own. 

For  thou  hast  set  me  free ; 
Releas'd  from  Satan's  hard  command, 
See  all  my  powers  waiting  stand. 

To  be  employed  by  thee. 

6  My  will  conform'd  to  thine  would  move ; 
On  thee  my  hope,  desire,  and  love. 

In  fix'd  attention  join ; 
My  hands,  my  eyes,  my  ears,  my  tongue, 
Have  Satan's  servants  been  too  long, 

But  now  they  shall  be  thine. 

7  And  can  I  be  the  very  same, 

Who  lately  durst  blaspheme  thy  name, 

And  on  thy  gospel  tread  7 
Surely  each  one  who  hears  my  case, 
Will  praise  tJiee,  and  confess  thy  grace 

Invincible  indeed ! 

HYMN  CXXn. 
Peter  released  from  Prison. 
Chap.  xii.  .5 — 9. 

1  Fervent  persevering  prayers 

Are  faith's  assur'd  resource ; 
Brazen  gates  and  iron  bars 

In  vain  withstand  their  force. 
Peter,  when  in  prison  cast, 

Though  by  soldii^rs  kept  with  care, 
Though  the  doors  were  bolted  fast, 

Was  soon  releas'd  by  prayer. 

2  While  ho  slept,  an  angel  came, 

And  spread  a  light  around, 
Touch'd,  and  call'd  him  by  his  name, 
And  rais'd  him  from  the  ground. 


All  his  chains  and  fetters  burst, 

Ev'ry  door  wide  open  flew: 
Peter  thought  he  dream'd  at  first, 

But  found  the  vision  true. 

3  Thus  the  Lord  can  make  a  way 

To  bring  his  saints  relief ; 
Theirs  it  is  to  wait  and  pray, 

In  spite  of  unbelief. 
He  can  break  through  walls  of  stone, 

Sink  the  mountain  to  a  plain  ; 
They  to  whom  his  name  is  known, 

Can  never  pray  in  vain. 

4  Thus,  in  chains  of  guilt  and  sin, 

Poor  sinners  sleeping  lie ; 
No  alarm  is  felt  within. 

Although  condemn'd  to  die ; 
Till,  descending  from  above, 

(Mercy  smiling  in  his  eyes) 
Jesus,  with  a  voice  of  love. 

Awakes,  and  bids  them  rise. 

5  Glad  the  summons  they  obey, 

And  liberty  desire ; 
Straight  their  fetters  melt  away. 

Like  wax  before  the  fire  : 
By  the  word  of  him  who  died. 

Guilty  prisoners  to  release, 
Every  door  flies  open  wide, 

And  they  depart  in  peace. 

HYMN  CXXIIL 
The  trembling  Gaoler.    Chap.  xvi.  29 — 31 

1  A  BELIEVER  free  from  care. 
May  in  chains  or  dungeons  sing, 
If  the  Lord  be  with  him  there. 
And  be  happier  than  a  king: 
Paul  and  Silas  thus  confin'd, 

Though  their  backs  were  torn  by  whips, 
Yet,  possessing  peace  of  mind. 
Sung  his  praise  with  joyful  lips. 

2  Suddenly  the  prison  shook, 
Open  flew  the  iron  doors ; 
And  the  gaoler,  terror-struck. 
Now  his  captives, help  implores: 
Trembling  at  their  feet  he  fell, 
"Tell  me.  Sirs,  what  must  I  do. 
To  be  saved  from  guilt  and  hell'! 
None  can  tell  me  this  but  you." 

3  "  Look  to  Jesus,"  they  replied ; 
"If  on  him  thou  canst  believe. 
By  the  death  which  ho  hath  died, 
Thou  salvation  shalt  receive." 
While  the  living  word  he  heard, 
Faith  sprang  up  within  his  heart; 
And,  releas'd  from  all  he  fear'd. 
In  their  joy  his  soul  had  part. 

4  Sinners,  Christ  is  still  the  same, 
O  that  you  could  likewise  fear! 
Then  the  mention  of  his  name 
Would  be  music  to  your  ear : 
Jesus  rescues  Satan's  slaves, 

His  dear  woimds  still  plead,  "Fcrgive!" 
Jesus  to  the  utmost  saves ; 
Sinners,  look  to  him  and  live. 


148 


OLNEY 


HYMNS. 


[book  I. 


ITYMN  CXXrV. 
The  Exorcists.    Chap.  xix.  13 — 16. 

1  When  the  apostle  wonders  wrought, 
And  heal'd  the  sick  in  Jesu's  name, 
The  sons  of  Sceva  vainly  thought 
That  they  had  power  to  do  the  same. 

2  On  one  possess'd  they  tried  their  art, 
And,  naming  Jesus  preached  by  Paul, 
They  charg'd  the  spirit  to  depart, 
Expecting  he'd  obey  their  call. 

3  The  spirit  answered  with  a  mock, 
"  Jesus  I  know,  and  Paul  I  know ; 

[  must  have  gone  if  Paul  had  spoke : 
But  who  are  ye  that  bid  me  go  ] 

4  With  fury  then  the  man  he  fill'd. 
Who  on  the  poor  pretenders  flew ; 
Naked  and  wounded,  almost  kill'd. 
They  fled  in  all  the  people's  view. 

5  Jesus !  that  name  pronounc'd  by  faith, 
Is  full  of  wonder-working  power ; 

It  conquers  Satan,  sin,  and  death. 
And  cheers  in  trouble's  darkest  hour. 

6  But  they  who  are  not  born  again. 
Know  nothing  of  it  but  the  sound ; 
They  do  not  take  his  name  in  vain. 
When  most  their  zeal  and  pains  abound. 

7  Satan  their  vain  attempts  derides. 
Whether  they  talk,  or  pray,  or  preach ; 
Long  as  the  love  of  sin  abides. 

His  power  is  safe  beyond  their  reach. 

8  But  you,  believers,  may  rejoice, 
Satan  well  knows  your  mighty  Friend ; 
He  trembles  at  your  Saviour's  voice, 
And  owns  he  cannot  gain  his  end. 

HYMN  CXXV. 
PauVs  Voyage.    Chap,  xxvii. 

1  If  Paul  in  Caesar's  court  must  stand, 

He  need  not  fear  the  sea ; 
Secur'd  from  harm  on  every  hand 
By  the  divine  decree. 

2  Although  the  ship  in  which  he  sail'd 

By  dreadful  storms  was  toss'd ; 
The  promise  over  all  prevail'd. 
And  not  a  life  was  lost. 

3  Jesus,  the  God  whom  Paul  ador'd, 

Who  saves  in  time  of  need. 
Was  then  confess'd,  by  all  on  board, 
A  present  help  indeed  ! 

4  Though  neither  sun  nor  stars  were  seen. 

Paul  knew  the  Lord  was  near ! 
And  faith  preserv'd  his  soul  serene. 
When  others  shook  for  fear. 

5  Believers  thus  are  toss'd  about. 

On  life's  tempestuous  main ; 
But  grace  assures,  beyond  a  doubt 
They  shall  their  port  attain. 

6  They  must,  they  shall  appear  one  day. 

Before  their  Saviour's  throne ; 
The  storms  they  meet  with  by  the  way, 
But  make  his  power  known. 


7  Their  passage  lies  across  the  brink 

Of  many  a  threatening  wave ; 
The  world  expects  to  see  them  sink. 
But  Jesus  lives  to  save. 

8  Lord,  though  we  are  but  feeble  worms, 

Yet  since  thy  word  is  past. 
We  '11  venture  through  a  thousand  storms, 
To  see  thy  face  at  last. 

ROMANS. 

HYMN  CXXVT. 
The  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not. 
Chap.  vii.  19. 

1  I  WOULD,  but  cannot  sing. 
Guilt  has  untun'd  my  voice ; 

The  serpent's  sin-envenom'd  sting 
Has  poison'd  all  my  joys. 

2  I  know  the  Lord  is  nigh. 
And  would,  but  cannot  pray ; 

For  Satan  meets  me  when  I  try. 
And  frights  my  soul  away. 

3  I  would,  but  can't  repent, 
Though  I  endeavour  oft ; 

This  stony  heart  can  ne'er  relent, 
Till  Jesus  make  it  soft. 

4  I  would,  but  cannot  love, 
Though  wooed  by  love  divine ; 

No  arguments  have  power  to  move 
A  soul  so  base  as  mine. 

5  I  would,  but  cannot  rest. 
In  God's  most  holy  will ; 

I  know  what  he  appoints  is  best. 
Yet  murmur  at  it  still. 

6  Oh  could  I  but  believe ! 
Then  all  would  easy  be : 

I  would,  but  cannot, — Lord,  relieve ; 
My  help  must  come  from  thee ! 

7  But  if  indeed  I  would. 
Though  I  can  nothing  do ; 

Yet  the  desire  is  something  good, 
For  which  my  praise  is  due. 

8  By  nature  prone  to  ill. 
Till  thine  appointed  hour, 

I  was  as  destitute  of  will. 
As  now  I  am  of  power. 

9  Wilt  thou  not  crown  at  length 
The  work  thou  hast  begun  1 

And  with  a  will,  afford  me  strength. 
In  all  thy  ways  to  run  ? 

HYMN  CXXVn. 
Salvation  drawing  nearer.    Chap.  xiiL 

1  Darkness  overspreads  us  here. 
But  the  night  wears  fast  away ; 
Jacob's  Star  will  soon  appear. 
Leading  on  eternal  day! 
Now  'tis  time  to  rouse  from  sleep. 
Trim  our  lamps,  and  stand  prepar'd 
For  our  Lord  strict  watch  to  keep. 
Lest  he  find  us  ofl"  our  guard. 


BTUN  CXXX.] 


GALATIANS. 


149 


2  Let  his  people  courage  take, 
Bear  with  a  submissive  mind 
All  they  suffer  for  his  sake, 
Rich  amends  they  soon  will  find : 
He  will  wipe  away  their  tears, 
Near  himself  appoint  their  lot ; 
All  their  sorrows,  pains,  and  fears, 
Quickly  then  will  be  forgot. 

3  Though  already  sav'd  by  grace, 
From  the  hour  we  first  believ'd ; 
Yet  while  sin  and  war  have  place. 
We  have  but  a  part  receiv'd ; 
Still  we  for  salvation  wait, 
Every  hour  it  nearer  comes ! 
Death  will  break  the  prison  gate. 
And  admit  us  to  our  homes. 

4  Sinners,  what  can  you  expect? 
You  who  now  the  Saviour  dare, 
Break  liis  laws,  his  grace  reject, 
You  must  stand  before  his  bar ! 
Tremble,  lest  he  say.  Depart ! 
Oh  the  horrors  of  that  sound ! 
Lord,  make  every  careless  heart 
Seek  thee  while  thou  may'st  be  found. 

I.  CORINTHIANS. 

HYMN  CXXVm.  ' 
That  Rock  was  Christ.    Chap.  x.  4. 

1  When  Israel's  tribes  were  parch'd  with 

thirst, 

Forth  from  the  rock  tiie  waters  burst. 
And  all  their  future  journey  through 
Yielded  them  drink,  and  gospel  too ! 

2  In  Moses'  rod  a  type  they  saw 
Of  his  severe  and  fiery  law ; 

The  smitten  rock  prefigur'd  him  [stream. 
From  whose   pierc'd  side  all  blessings 

3  But,  ah,  the  types  were  all  too  faint, 
His  sorrows  or  his  worth  to  paint ; 
Slight  was  the  stroke  of  Moses'  rod. 
But  he  endur'd  the  wrath  of  God. 

4  Their  outward  rock  could  feel  no  pain. 
But  ours  was  wounded,  torn,  and  slain ; 
The  rock  gave  but  a  watery  flood, 
But  Jesus  pour'd  forth  streams  of  blood. 

5  The  earth  is  like  their  wilderness, 
A  land  of  drought  and  sore  distress; 
Without  one  stream  from  pole  to  pole, 
To  satisfy  a  thirsty  soul. 

6  But  let  the  Saviour's  praise  resound ; 
In  him  refreshing  streams  are  found ; 
Which  pardon,  strength,  and  comfort  give. 
And  thirsty  sinners  drink  and  live. 

II.  CORINTHIANS. 

HYMN  CXXIX. 
My  Grace  is  sufficient  for  thee.  Chap.  xii.  9. 
1  Oppress'd  with  unbelief  and  sin. 
Fightings  without,  and  fears  within ; 


^Vhile  earth  and  hell,  with  force  combin'd, 
Assault  and  terrify  my  mind  : 

2  What  strength  have  I  against  such  foes, 
Such  hosts  and  legions  to  oppose? 
Alas !  I  tremble,  faint,  and  fall ; 

Lord,  save  me,  or  I  give  up  all. 

3  Thus  sorely  press'd  I  sought  the  Lord, 
To  give  me  some  sweet  cheering  word ; 
Again  I  sought,  and  yet  again ; 

I  waited  long  but  not  in  vain. 

4  Oh !  'twas  a  cheering  word  indeed ! 
Exactly  suited  to  my  need  ; 

"  Sufficient  for  thee  is  my  grace; 

Thy  weakness  my  great  power  displays." 

5  Now  I  despond  and  mourn  no  more, 
I  welcome  all  I  fear'd  before; 

Though  weak,  I'm  strong,  though  troubled, 
blest. 

For  Christ's  own  power  shall  on  me  rest, 

6  My  grace  would  soon  exhausted  be. 
But  his  is  boundless  as  the  sea ; 
Then  let  me  boast,  with  holy  Paul, 
That  I  am  nothing,  Christ  is  all. 


GALATIANS. 

HYMN  CXXX. 
The  inward  Warfare.    Chap.  v.  17. 

1  Strange  and  mysterious  is  my  life, 
What  opposites  I  feel  within ! 

A  stable  peace,  a  constant  strife ; 

The  rule  of  grace,  the  power  of  sin : 
Too  often  I  am  captive  led, 
Yet  daily  triumph  in  my  Head. 

2  I  prize  the  privilege  of  prayer. 

But  oh  !  what  backwardness  to  pray ! 

Though  on  the  Lord  I  cast  my  care, 

I  feel  its  burden  every  day ; 
I  seek  his  will  in  all  I  do. 
Yet  find  my  own  is  working  too. 

3  I  call  the  promises  my  own, 

And  prize  them  more  than  mines  of  gold; 
Yet  though  their  sweetness  I  have  known, 
They  leave  me  unimpress'd  and  cold : 
One  hour  upon  the  truth  I  feed. 
The  next  I  know  not  what  I  read. 

4  I  love  the  holy  day  of  rest. 

When  Jesus  meets  his  gather'd  saints : 
Sweet  day,  of  all  the  week  the  best! 
For  its  return  my  spirit  pants ; 
Yet  often,  through  my  unbelief. 
It  proves  a  day  of  guilt  and  grief. 

5  While  on  my  Saviour  I  rely, 

I  know  my  foes  shall  lose  their  aim. 
And  therefore  dare  their  power  defy, 
Assur'd  of  conquest  through  his  name ; 
But  soon  my  confidence  is  slain, 
And  all  my  fears  return  again. 

6  Thus  difTrent  powers  within  ine  strive, 
And  grace  and  sin  by  turns  prevail ; 


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[book  l 


I  grieve,  rejoice,  decline,  revive, 
And  victory  hangs  in  doubtful  scale : 
But  Jesus  has  his  promise  past. 
That  grace  shall  overcome  at  last. 

PHILIPPIANS. 

HYMN  CXXXI. 
Contentment.*    Chap.  iv.  11. 

1  Fierce  passions  discompose  the  mind, 

As  tempests  vex  the  sea ; 
But  calm  content  and  peace  we  find, 
When,  Lord,  we  turn  to  thee. 

2  In  vain  by  reason  and  by  rule 

We  try  to  bend  the  will ; 
For  none  but  in  the  Saviour's  school 
Can  learn  the  heavenly  skill. 

3  Since  at  his  feet  my  soul  has  eat 

His  gracious  words  to  hear, 
Contented  with  my  present  state, 
I  cast  on  him  my  care. 

4  "  Art  thou  a  sinner,  soul  1"  he  said, 

"  Then  how  canst  thou  complain  1 
How  light  thy  troubles  here,  if  weigh'd 
With  everlasting  pain ! 

5  "  If  thou  of  murm'ring  wouldst  be  cur'd, 

Compare  thy  griefs  with  mine ; 
Think  what  my  love  for  thee  endur'd, 
And  thou  wilt  not  repine. 

6  "'Tis  I  appoint  thy  daily  lot, 

And  I  do  all  things  well ; 
Thou  soon  shalt  leave  this  wretched  spot. 
And  rise  with  me  to  dwell. 

7  "  In  life  my  grace  shall  strength  supply, 

Proportion'd  to  thy  day 
At  death  thou  still  shalt  find  me  nigh 
To  wipe  thy  tears  away." 

8  Thus  I,  who  once  my  wretched  days 

In  vain  repinings  spent. 
Taught  in  my  Saviour's  school  of  grace, 
Have  learn'd  to  be  content.  C. 

HEBREWS. 

HYMN  CXXXn. 
Old  Testament  Gospel.    Chap.  iv.  2. 

1  Israel,  in  ancient  days, 
Not  only  had  a  view 
Of  Sinai  in  a  blaze. 

But  learn'd  the  gospel  too : 
The  types  and  figures  were  a  glass, 
In  which  they  saw  the  Saviour's  face. 

2  The  paschal  sacrifice, 

And  blood-besprinkled  door,f 
Seen  with  enlighten'd  eyes. 
And  once  applied  with  power, 

Would  teach  the  need  of  other  blood, 

To  reconcile  an  angry  God. 


*  Book  III.  Hymn  Iv.         t  Exodus  xii.  13. 


3  The  lamb,  the  dove,  set  forth 
His  perfect  innocence,* 
Whose  blood  of  matchless  worth. 
Should  be  the  soul's  defence ; 

For  he  who  can  for  sin  atone, 
Must  have  no  failings  of  his  own. 

4  The  scape-goat  on  his  headf 
The  people's  trespass  bore, 
And  to  the  desert  led. 
Was  to  be  seen  no  more : 

In  him  our  Surety  seem'd  to  say, 
"  Behold,  I  bear  your  sins  away." 

5  Dipt  in  his  fellow's  blood. 
The  living  bird  went  free;! 
The  type,  well  understood, 
Express'd  the  sinner's  plea ; 

Describ'd  a  guilty  soul  enlarg'd, 
And  by  a  Saviour's  death  discharg'd. 

6  Jesus,  I  love  to  trace, 
Throughout  the  sacred  page, 
The  footsteps  of  thy  grace, 
The  same  in  ev'ry  age. 

O  grant  that  I  may  faithful  be 

To  clearer  light  vouchsaf 'd  to  me !  C, 


HYMN  CXXXin. 

TTie  Word  quick  and  powerful. 
Chap.  iv.  12, 13. 

1  The  word  of  Christ,  our  Lord, 
With  whom  we  have  to  do, 

Is  sharper  than  a  two-edg'd  sword, 
To  pierce  the  sinner  through  : 

2  Swift  as  the  lightning's  blaze, 
When  awful  thunders  roll, 

It  fills  the  conscience  with  amaze. 
And  penetrates  the  soul. 

3  No  heart  can  be  conceal'd 
From  his  all-piercing  eyes ; 

Each  thought  and  purpose  stands  reveal'd, 
Naked,  without  disguise. 

4  He  sees  his  people's  fears. 
He  notes  their  mournful  cry. 

He  counts  their  sighs  and  falling  tears. 
And  helps  them  from  on  high. 

5  Though  feeble  is  their  good, 
It  has  its  kind  regard  ; 

Yea,  all  they  would  do  if  they  could,^ 
Shall  find  a  sure  reward. 

6  He  sees  the  wicked  too, 
And  will  repay  them  soon, 

For  all  the  evil  deeds  they  do. 
And  all  they  would  have  done.|I 

7  Since  all  our  secret  ways 

Are  mark'd  and  known  by  thee, 
Afford  us.  Lord,  thy  light  of  grace. 
That  we  ourselves  may  see. 


*  Lev.  xii.  6.  '  t  Lev.  xvi.  21.     J  Lev.  xiv.  51 — 53. 
§  1  Kings  viii.  18.         J  Matlh.  v.  28. 


SITUS  CXXXVII.] 


REVELATION. 


151 


HYMN  CXXXIV. 
Looking  unto  Jesus.    Chap.  xii.  2. 

1  By  various  maxims,  forms,  and  rules, 
That  pass  for  wisdom  in  the  schools, 
I  strove  my  passion  to  restrain, 

But  all  my  efforts  prov'd  in  vain. 

2  But  since  the  Saviour  I  have  known, 
My  rules  are  all  reduc'd  to  one, 

To  keep  my  Lord,  by  faith,  in  view; 
This  strength  supplies,  and  motives  too. 

<3  I  sec  him  lead  a  suff'ring  life. 
Patient  amidst  reproach  and  strife  ; 
And  from  his  pattern  courage  take, 
To  bear  and  suffer  for  his  sake. 

4  Upon  the  cross  I  see  him  bleed. 

And  by  the  sight  from  guilt  am  freed ; 
This  sight  destroys  the  life  of  sin. 
And  quickens  heavenly  life  within. 

5  To  look  to  Jesus  as  he  rose. 
Confirms  my  faith,  disarms  my  foes; 
Satan  I  shame  and  overcome. 

By  pointing  to  my  Saviour's  tomb. 

6  Exalted  on  his  glorious  throne, 

I  see  him  make  my  cause  his  own ; 
Then  all  my  anxious  cares  subside, 
For  Jesus  lives,  and  will  provide. 

7  I  see  him  look  with  pity  down. 

And  hold  in  view  the  conq'ror's  crown ; 
If  press'd  with  griefs  and  cares  before, 
My  soul  revives,  nor  asks  for  more. 

8  By  faith  I  see  the  hour  at  hand. 
When  in  his  presence  I  shall  stand; 
Then  it  will  be  my  endless  bliss. 
To  see  him  where,  and  as  he  is. 


HYMN  CXXXV. 
Love-tokens.    Chap.  xii.  5 — ^11. 

1  Afflictions  do  not  come  alone, 

A  voice  attends  the  rod  ; 
By  both  he  to  his  saints  is  known, 
A  Father  and  a  God  ! 

2  "  Let  not  my  children  slight  the  stroke 

I  for  chastisement  send. 
Nor  faint  beneath  my  kind  rebuke, 
For  still  I  am  their  friend. 

3  "  The  wicked  I  perhaps  may  leave 

A  while,  and  not  reprove  ; 
But  all  the  children  I  receive, 
I  scourge,  because  I  love. 

4  "  If,  therefore,  you  are  left  without 

This  needful  discipline, 
You  might  with  cause  admit  a  doubt. 
If  you,  indeed,  were  mine. 

5  "  Shall  earthly  parents  then  expect 

Their  children  to  submits 
And  will  not  you,  when  I  correct. 
Be  humbled  at  my  feet] 

6  "To  please  themselves  they  ofl chastise. 

And  put  their  sons  to  pain ; 


But  you  are  precious  in  my  eyes, 
And  shall  not  smart  in  vain. 

7  "  I  see  your  hearts  at  present  fill'd 

With  grief  and  deep  distress ; 
But  soon  these  bitter  seeds  shall  yield 
The  fruits  of  righteousness." 

8  Break  through  the  clouds,  dear  Lord,  and 

Let  us  perceive  thee  nigh  !  [sliine. 
And  to  each  mourning  child  of  thine 
These  gracious  words  apply. 


REVELATION. 

HYMN  CXXXVI. 
Ephesus.    Chap.  ii.  1 — 7. 

1  Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  Ephesus, 
And  thus  he  speaks  to  some  of  us : — 
"  Amidst  my  churches,  lo,  I  stand. 
And  hold  the  pastors  in  my  hand: 

2  "  Thy  works  to  me  are  fully  known. 
Thy  pati«nce  and  thy  toil  I  own ; 
Thy  views  of  gospel-trutls  are  clear. 
Nor  canst  thou  other  doctrine  bear. 

3  "  Yet  I  must  blame  while  I  approve ; 
Where  is  thy  first,  thy  fervent  love  1 
Dost  thou  forget  my  love  to  thee  1 
That  thine  is  grown  so  faint  to  me  1 

4  "  Recall  to  mind  the  happy  days, 

When  thou  wast  fill'd  with  joy  and  firaifie, 
Repent,  thy  former  works  renew, 
Then  I  '11  restore  thy  comforts  too. 

5  "  Return  at  once,  when  I  reprove. 
Lest  I  thy  candlestick  remove  ; 
And  thou,  too  late,  thy  loss  lament, 
I  warn  before  I  strike, — Repent" 

6  Hearken  to  what  the  Spirit  saith, 
To  him  that  overcomes  by  faith, 

"  The  fruit  of  life's  unfading  tree. 
In  paradise  his  food  shall  be." 

HYMN  CXXXVn. 
Smyrna.    Chap.  ii.  11. 

1  The  message  first  to  Smyrna  sent, 

A  message  full  of  grace. 
To  alrthe  Saviour's  flock  is  meant. 
In  ev'ry  age  and  place. 

2  Thus  to  his  church,  his  chosen  bride 

Saith  the  great  First  and  Last, 
Who  ever  lives,  though  once  he  died, 
"  Hold  thy  profession  fast. 

3  "  Thy  works  and  sorrow  well  I  know 

Perform'd  and  borne  for  me ; 
Poor  though  thou  art,  despis'd  and  low 
Yet  who  is  rich  like  thee] 

4  "  I  know  thy  foes,  and  what  they  say, 

How  long  they  have  blasphem'd ; 
The  synagogue  of  Satan  they. 

Though  they  would  Jews  be  deem'J. 


152 


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HYMNS. 


[book  I. 


5  "  Though  Satan  for  a  season  rage,  ■ 

And  prisons  be  your  lot, 
I  am  your  friend,  and  I  engage 
You  shall  not  be  forgot. 

6  "  Be  faithful  unto  death,  nor  fear 

A  few  short  days  of  strife ; 
Behold '.  the  prize  you  soon  shall  wear, 
A  crown  of  endless  life  !" 

7  Hear  what  the  Holy  Spirit  saith 

Of  all  who  overcome ; 
'  They  shall  escape  the  second  death, 
The  sinner's  awful  doom  !" 

HYMN  CXXXVin. 
Sardis.    Chap.  iii.  1 — 6. 

1  "  Write  to  Sardis,"  saith  the  Lord, 

And  write  what  he  declares. 
He  whose  Spirit,  and  whose  Word, 

Uphold  the  seven  stars : 
*'  All  thy  works  and  ways  I  search. 
Find  thy  zeal  and  love  decayed ; 
Thou  art  call'd  a  living  church. 

But  thou  art  cold  and  dead. 

2  "  Watch,  remember,  seek,  and  strive, 

Exert  thy  former  pains  ; 
Let  thy  timely  care  revive 

And  strengthen  what  remains; 
Cleanse  thine  heart,  thy  works  amend, 
Former  times  to  mind  recall. 
Lest  my  sudden  stroke  descend. 

And  smite  thee  once  for  all. 

3  "  Yet  I  number  now  in  thee 

A  few  that  are  upright ; 
These  my  Father's  face  shall  see, 

And  walk  with  me  in  white : 
When  in  judgment  I  appear. 
They  for  mine  shall  be  confess'd : 
Let  my  faithful  servants  hear. 

And  woe  be  to  the  rest !"  C. 

HYMN  CXXXIX. 
Philadelphia.    Chap.  iii.  7 — 13. 

1  Thxjs  saith  the  holy  One  and  true. 
To  his  beloved  faithful  few, 

Of  heaven  and  hell  I  hold  the  keys, 
To  shut,  or  open,  as  I  please. 

2  "  I  know  thy  works,  and  I  approve ; 
Though  small  thy  strength,  sincec^thy  love. 
Go  on,  my  word  and  name  to  own. 

For  none  shall  rob  thee  of  thy  crown. 

8  "  Before  thee  see  my  mercy's  door 
Stands  open  wide,  to  shut  no  more ; 
Fear  not  temptation's  fiery  day, 
For  I  will  be  thy  strength  and  stay. 

4  "  Thou  hast  my  promise,  hold  it  fast. 
The  trying  hour  will  soon  be  past; 
Rejoice,  for,  lo !  I  quickly  come, 

To  take  thee  to  my  heavenly  home. 

5  "  A  pillar  there,  no  more  to  move, 
Inscrib'd  with  all  my  names  of  love 
A  monument  of  mighty  grace, 
Thou  shalt  for  ever  have  a  place." 


6  Such  is  the  conqueror's  reward, 
Prepar'd  and  promis'd  by  the  Lord ! 
Let  him  that  hath  the  ear  of  faith, 
Attend  to  what  the  Spirit  saith. 

HYMN  CXL. 
Laodicea.    Chap.  iii.  14 — 20. 

1  Hear  what  the  Lord,  the  great  Amen, 
The  true  and  faithful  witness  says! 
He  form'd  the  vast  creation's  plan. 
And  searches  all  our  hearts  and  waySw 

2  To  some  he  speaks,  as  once  of  old, 

"  I  know  thee,  thy  profession's  vain : 
Since  thou  art  neither  hot  nor  cold, 
I  '11  spit  thee  from  me  with  disdain. 

3  "  Thou  boasted,  '  I  am  wise  and  rich, 
Increas'd  in  goods,  and  nothing  need ; 
And  dost  not  know  thou  art  a  wretch. 
Naked,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  dead. 

4  "  Yet  while  I  thus  rebuke,  I  love, 
My  message  is  in  mercy  sent ; 

That  thou  may'st  my  compassion  prove. 
I  can  forgive  if  thou  repent. 

5  "  Wouldst  thou  be  truly  rich  and  wise ! 
Come,  buy  my  gold  in  fire  well  tried. 
My  ointment  to  anoint  thme  eyes. 

My  robe  thy  nakedness  to  hide. 

6  "  See  at  thy  door  I  stand  and  knock  I 
Poor  sinner,  shall  I  wait  in  vain  I 
Quickly  thy  stubborn  heart  unlock, 
That  I  may  enter  with  my  train. 

7  "  Thou  canst  not  entertain  a  king. 
Unworthy  thou  of  such  a  guest, 
But  I  my  own  provisions  bring, 

To  make  thy  soul  a  heavenly  feast." 

HYMN  CXLL 
The  Little  Book*    Chap.  x. 

1  When  the  belov'd  disciple  took 
The  angel's  little  open  book. 

Which,  by  the  Lord's  command,  he  ate. 
It  tasted  bitter  after  sweet. 

2  Thus  when  the  gospel  is  embrac'd. 
At  first  'tis  sweeter  to  the  taste 
Than  honey,  or  the  honey-comb, 
But  there 's  a  bitterness  to  come. 

3  What  sweetness  does  the  promise  yield. 
When  by  the  Spirit's  power  seal'd ! 
The  longing  soul  is  fill'd  with  good. 
Nor  feels  a  wish  for  other  food. 

4  By  these  inviting  tastes  allur'd 
We  pass  to  what  must  be  endur'd ; 
For  soon  we  find  it  is  decreed, 
That  bitter  must  to  sweet  succeed. 

5  When  sin  revives,  and  shows  its  power, 
When  Satan  threatens  to  devour, 
When  God  afflicts,  and  men  revile. 
We  draw  our  steps  with  pain  and  toil. 


•  Book  III.  Hymn  xxvii. 


HYMN  IT.] 

6  When  thus  deserted,  tempest-toss'd, 
The  sense  of  former  sweetness  lost, 
We  tremble  lest  we  were  deceiv'd, 
In  thinking  that  we  once  believ'd. 

7  The  Lord  first  makes  the  sweetness  known, 
To  win  and  fix  us  for  his  own ; 

And  though  we  now  some  bitter  meet, 
We  hope  for  everlasting  sweet. 


BOOK  II. 

ON  OCCASIONAL  SUBJECTS. 


I.  SEASONS. 

NEW- YEAR  HYMKS. 

HYMN  I. 
Time  how  swift. 

1  While  with  ceaseless  course  the  sun 
Hasted  through  the  former  year. 
Many  souls  their  race  have  run, 
Never  more  to  meet  us  here : 

Fix'd  in  an  eternal  state, 
They  have  done  with  all  below; 
Wo  a  little  longer  wait, 
But  how  little  none  can  know. 

2  As  the  winged  arrow  flies. 
Speedily  the  mark  to  find ; 

As  the  lightning  from  the  skies 
Darts,  and  leaves  no  trace  behind : 
Swiftly  thus  our  fleeting  days 
Bear  us  down  life's  rapid  stream ; 
Upwards,  Lord,  our  spirits  raise, 
All  below  is  but  a  dream. 

3  Thanks  for  mercies  past  receive, 
Pardon  of  our  sins  renew ; 
Teach  us  henceforth  how  to  live, 
With  eternity  in  view  : 

Bless  thy  word  to  young  and  old, 
Fill  us  with  a  Saviour's  love ; 
And  when  life's  short  tale  is  told, 
May  we  dwell  with  thee  above. 

HYMN  n. 
Time  how  short. 

1  Time,  with  an  unwearied  hand. 
Pushes  round  the  seasons  past: 
And  in  life's  frail  glass  the  sand 
Sinks  apace,  not  long  to  last; 
Many  as  well  as  you  or  I, 
Who  last  year  assembled  thus. 
In  their  silent  graves  now  lie; 
Graves  will  open  soon  for  us. 

2  Daily  sin,  and  care,  and  strife. 
While  the  Lord  prolongs  our  breath, 
Make  it  but  a  dying  life, 

Or  a  kind  of  living  death  : 
Wretched  they,  and  most  forlorn, 
Who  no  better  portion  know ; 
Vol.  II.  U 


153 

Better  ne'er  to  have  been  born 
Than  to  have  our  all  below. 

3  When  constrain'd  to  go  alone, 
Leaving  all  you  love  behind, 
Ent'ring  on  a  world  unknown. 
What  will  then  support  your  mindl 
When  the  Lord  his  summons  sends,* 
Earthly  comforts  lose  their  power ; 
Honour,  riches,  kindred,  friends. 
Cannot  cheer  a  dying  hour. 

4  Happy  souls,  who  fear  the  Lord ; 
Time  is  not  too  swift  for  you ; 
When  your  Saviour  gives  the  word. 
Glad  you  '11  bid  the  world  adieu : 
Then  he  '11  wipe  away  your  tears, 
Near  himself  appoint  your  place ; 
Swifter  fly,  ye  rolling  years. 
Lord,  we  long  to  see  thy  face. 

HYMN  in. 
Uncertainty  of  lAfe. 

1  See,  another  year  is  gone ! 
Quickly  have  the  seasons  pass'd  ! 
This  we  enter  now  upon 

May  to  many  prove  their  last : 
Mercy  hitherto  has  spar'd. 
But  have  mercies  been  improv'd  1 
Let  us  ask.  Am  I  prepar'd. 
Should  I  be  this  yeai  remov'd  7 

2  Some  we  now  no  longer  see, 
Who  their  mortal  race  have  run, 
Soem'd  as  fair  for  life  as  we. 
When  the  former  year  begun : 
Some,  but  who  God  only  knows, 
Who  are  here  assembled  now. 
Ere  the  present  year  shall  close, 
To  the  stroke  of  death  must  bow. 

3  Life  a  field  of  battle  is. 
Thousands  fall  within  our  view, 
And  the  next  death-bolt  that  flies. 
May  be  sent  tc  me  rr  you. 

While  we  preach  and  while  we  near, 
Help  us,  Lord,  each  one  to  think, 
Vast  eternity  is  near, 
I  am  standing  on  the  brink. 

4  If,  from  guilt  and  sin  set  free, 
By  the  knowledge  of  thy  grace, 
Welcome,  then,  the  call  will  be, 
To  depart  and  see  thy  face. 

To  thy  saints,  while  here  below, 
With  new  years,  new  mercies  come ; 
But  the  happiest  year  they  know. 
Is  their  last,  which  leads  them  home. 

HYMN  rV. 
A  New-  Year's  Thought  and  Prayer. 
1  Time  by  moments  steals  away. 
First  the  hour,  and  then  the  day; 
Small  the  daily  loss  appears. 
Yet  it  soon  amounts  to  years : 

Isaiah  x.  .3. 


SEASONS. 


154 


OLNEY 


HYMNS. 


[book  n. 


Thus  anotlier  year  is  flown, 
Now  it  is  no  more  our  own, 
If  it  brought  or  promis'd  g'ood. 
Than  the  years  before  the  flood. 

2  But  (may  none  of  us  forget) 
It  has  left  us  much  in  debt; 
Favours  from  the  Lord  receiv'd. 
Sins  that  have  his  Spirit  griev'd, 
Mark'd  by  an  unerring  hand, 

In  his  book  recorded  stand : 
Wlio  can  tell  the  vast  amount 
Plac'd  to  each  of  our  account? 

3  Happy  the  believing  soul, 

Christ  for  you  has  paid  the  whole : 
While  you  own  the  debt  is  large, 
You  may  plead  a  full  discharge  ; 
But,  poor  careless  sinner,  say. 
What  can  you  to  justice  pay  ] 
Tremble,  lest  when  life  is  past, 
Into  prison  you  be  cast. 

4  Will  you  still  increase  the  score  7 
Still  be  careless  as  before? 

O  forbid  it,  gracious  Lord  ! 
Touch  their  spirits  by  thy  word  ! 
Now  in  mercy  to  them  show 
What  a  mighty  debt  they  owe! 
All  their  unbelief  subdue. 
Let  them  find  forgiveness  too. 

5  Spar'd  to  see  another  year. 
Let  thy  blessing  meet  us  here : 
Come,  thy  dying  work  revive. 
Bid  thy  droopifig  garden  thrive. 
Sun  of  righteousness,  arise ! 

Warm  our  hearts,  and  bless  our  eyes ; 
Let  our  prayer  thy  bowels  move, 
Make  this  year  a  time  of  love. 

HYMN  V. 
Death  and  War.  1T78. 

1  Hark,  how  time's  wide-sounding  bell 
Strikes  on  each  attentive  ear ! 
Tolling  loud  the  solemn  knell 

Of  the  late  departed  year  ; 
Years,  like  mortals,  wear  away, 
Have  their  birth  and  dying  day. 
Youthful  spring,  and  wintry  age, 
Then  to  others  quit  the  stage. 

2  Sad  experience  may  relate 
What  a  year  the  last  has  been ! 
Crops  of  sorrow  have  been  great, 
From  the  fruitful  seeds  of  sin ; 

Oh  !  what  numbers  gay  and  blythe, 
Fell  by  death's  unsparing  scythe ! 
While  they  thought  the  world  their  ovra. 
Suddenly  he  mow'd  them  down. 

3  See,  how  war,  with  dreadful  stride, 
Marches  at  the  Lord's  command, 
Spreading  desolation  wide. 
Through  a  once  much  favour'd  land : 
War,  with  heart  and  arms  of  steel, 
Preys  on  thousands  at  a  meal ; 


Daily  drinking  human  gore. 
Still  he  thirsts  and  calls  for  more. 

4  If  the  God  whom  we  provoke. 
Hither  should  his  way  direct, 
What  a  sin-avenging  stroke 
May  a  land  like  this  expect ! 
They  who  now  securely  sleep. 
Quickly  then  would  wake  and  weep; 
And  too  late  would  learn  to  fear. 
When  they  saw  the  danger  near. 

5  You  are  safe  who  know  his  love, 
He  will  all  his  truth  perform ; 
To  your  souls  a  refuge  prove. 
From  the  rage  of  every  storm : 
But  we  tremble  for  the  youth; 
Teach  them,  Lord,  thy  saving  truth; 
Join  them  to  thy  faithful  few. 

Be  to  them  a  refuge  too. 

HYMN  VI. 
Earthly  Prospects  deceitful. 

1  Oft  in  vain  the  voice  of  truth 
Solemnly  and  loudly  warns; 
Thoughtless,  unexperienc'd  youth, 
Though  it  hears,  the  warning  scorns. 
Youth  in  fancy's  glass  surveys 

Life  prolong'd  to  distant  years. 
While  the  vast  imagin'd  space 
Fill'd  with  sweets  and  joys  appears. 

2  Awful  disappointment  soon 
Overclouds  the  prospect  gay ; 
Some  their  sun  goes  down  at  noon. 
Torn  by  death's  strong  hand  away : 
Where  are  then  their  pleasing  schemes? 
Where  the  joys  they  hope  to  find  ] 
Gone  for  ever,  like  their  dreams. 
Leaving  not  a  trace  behind. 

3  Others,  who  are  spar'd  a  while, 
Live  to  weep  o'er  fancy's  cheat; 
Find  distress,  and  pain,  and  toil. 
Bitter  things  instead  of  sweet : 
Sin  has  spread  a  curse  around, 
Poison'd  all  things  here  below ; 
On  this  base  polluted  ground. 
Peace  and  joy  can  never  grow. 

4  Grace  alone  can  cure  our  ills, 
Sweeten  life  with  all  its  cares ; 
Regulate  our  stubborn  wills. 
Save  us  from  surrounding  snares. 
Though  you  oft  have  heard  in  vain, 
Former  years  in  folly  spent, 
Grace  invites  you  yet  again. 
Once  more  calls  you  to  repent. 

5  Call'd  again,  at  length,  beware. 
Hear  the  Saviour's  voice,  and  live ; 
Lest  he  in  his  wrath  should  swear. 
He  no  more  will  warning  give. 
Pray  that  you  may  hear  and  feel. 
Ere  the  day  of  grace  be  past ; 
Lest  your  hearts  grow  hard  as  steel. 
Or  this  year  should  prove  your  last. 


HYMN  X.] 


SEASONS. 


155 


HYMNS 

BEFORE  ANNTJ.VIi  SERMONS  TO  YOtTNO  PEOPLE 
ON  NEW-YEAR  EVENINGS. 

HYMN  Vn. 
Prayer  for  a  Blessing. 

1  Now,  gracious  Lord,  thine  arm  reveal, 

And  make  thy  glory  known  ; 
Now  let  us  all  thy  presence  feel, 
And  soften  hearts  of  stone  ! 

2  Help  us  to  venture  near  thy  throne, 

And  plead  a  Saviour's  name  ; 
For  all  that  we  can  call  our  own, 
Is  vanity  and  shame. 

3  From  all  the  guilt  of  former  sin 

May  mercy  set  us  free; 
And  let  the  year  we  now  begin, 
Begin  and  end  with  thee. 

4  Send  down  thy  Spirit  from  above. 

That  saints  may  love  thee  more. 
And  sinners  now  may  learn  to  love, 
Who  never  lov'd  before. 

5  And  when  before  thee  we  appear 

In  our  eternal  home, 
May  growing  numbers  worship  here, 
And  praise  thee  in  our  room. 

HYMN  Vra. 

ANOTHER. 

1  Bestow,  dear  Lord,  upon  our  youth. 

The  gift  of  saving  grace ; 
And  let  the  seed  of  sacred  truth 
Fall  in  a  fruitful  place. 

2  Grace  is  a  plant,  where'er  it  grows. 

Of  pure  and  heavenly  root ; 
But  fairest  in  the  youngest  shows. 
And  yields  the  sweetest  fruit. 

3  Ye  careless  ones,  O  hear  betimes 

The  voice  of  sovereign  love ! 
Your  youth  is  stain'd  with  many  crimes. 
But  mercy  reigns  above. 

4  True,  you  are  young,  but  there 's  a  stone 

Within  the  youngest  breast, 
Or  half  the  crimes  which  you  have  done. 
Would  rob  you  of  your  rest. 

5  For  you  the  public  prayer  is  made. 

Oh!  join  the  public  prayer! 
For  you  the  sacred  tear  is  shed, 
O  shed  yourselves  a  tear  ! 

6  We  pray  that  you  may  early  prove 

The  Spirit's  power  to  teach ; 
You  cannot  be  too  young  to  love 

That  Jesus  whom  we  preach.  C. 

HYMN  IX. 

ANOTHER. 

Now  may  fervent  prayer  arise, 
Wing'd  with  faith  and  pierce  the  skies; 
Fervent  prayer  shall  bring  us  down 
Gracious  answers  from  the  throne. 


2  Bless,  O  Lord,  the  op'ning  year. 
To  each  soul  assembled  here; 
Clothe  thy  word  with  power  divine. 
Make  us  willing  to  be  thine. 

3  Shepherd  of  thy  blood-bought  sheep ! 
Teach  the  stony  heart  to  weep : 
Let  the  blind  have  eyes  to  see. 

See  themselves  and  look  on  thee  ! 

4  Let  the  minds  of  all  our  youth 
Feel  the  force  of  sacred  truth  ; 
While  the  gospel-call  they  hear. 
May  they  learn  to  love  and  fear. 

5  Show  them  what  their  ways  have  been, 
Show  them  the  desert  of  sin ; 

Then  thy  dying  love  reveal, 
This  shall  melt  a  heart  of  steel. 

6  Where  thou  hast  thy  work  begun. 
Give  new  strength  the  race  to  run ; 
Scatter  darkness,  doubts,  and  fears, 
Wipe  away  the  mourner's  tears. 

7  Bless  us  all,  both  old  and  young ; 
Call  forth  praise  from  every  tongue ; 
Let  the  whole  assembly  prove 

All  thy  power,  and  all  thy  love. 

HYMN  X. 
Casting  the  Gospel-Net. 

1  When  Peter,  through  the  tedious  night,* 
Had  often  cast  his  net  in  vain, 

Soon  as  the  Lord  appear'd  in  sight, 
He  gladly  let  it  down  again. 

2  Once  more  the  gospel-net  we  cast, 
Do  thou,  O  Lord,  the  effort  own ; 
We  learn  from  disappointments  past, 
To  rest  our  hope  on  thee  alone. 

3  Upheld  by  thy  supporting  hand. 
We  enter  on  another  year ; 

And  now  we  meet  at  thy  command. 
To  seek  thy  gracious  presence  here, 

4  May  this  be  a  much-fa vour'd  hour 
To  souls  in  Satan's  bondage  led  ; 

O  clothe  thy  word  with  sovereign  power 
To  break  the  rocks,  and  raise  the  dead ! 

5  Have  mercy  on  our  num'rous  youth, 
Who,  young  in  years,  are  old  in  sm : 
And  by  thy  Spirit,  and  thy  truth, 
Show  them  the  state  their  souls  are  in. 

6  Then  by  a  Saviour's  dying  love. 
To  every  wounded  heart  reveal'd. 
Temptations,  fears,  and  guilt  remove. 
And  be  their  sun,  and  strength,  and  shield. 

7  To  mourners  speak  a  cheering  word. 
On  seeking  souls  vouchsafe  to  shine ; 
Let  poor  backsliders  be  restor'd, 
And  all  thy  saints  in  praises  join. 

8  O  hear  our  prayer,  and  give  us  hope, 
That  when  thy  voice  shall  call  us  home, 
Thou  still  wilt  raise  a  people  up, 

To  love  and  praise  thee  in  our  room. 


156 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[book  n. 


HYMN  XI. 
Pleading  for  and  with  Youth. 

1  Sin  has  undone  our  wretched  race, 

But  Jesus  has  restor'd, 
And  broun-lit  the  sinner  face  to  face 
With  his  forgiving  Lord. 

2  ^his  we  repeat,  from  year  to  year, 

And  press  upon  our  youth ; 
Lord,  give  them  an  attentive  ear 
Lord,  save  them  by  thy  truth. 

3  Blessings  upon  the  rising  race ! 

Make  this  a  happy  hour. 
According  to  thy  richest  grace. 
And  thine  almighty  power. 

4  We  feel  for  your  unhappy  state, 

(May  you  regard  it  too) 
And  would  a  while  ourselves  forget, 
To  pour  out  prayer  for  you. 

5  We  see,  though  you  perceive  it  not, 

The  approaching,  awful  doom  ; 
O  tremble  at  the  solemn  thought, 
And  flee  the  wrath  to  come. 

6  Dear  Saviour,  let  this  new-born  year 

Spread  an  alarm  abroad  ; 
And  cry,  in  every  careless  ear, 
"  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God !"  C. 

HYMN  Xn. 
Prayer  for  Children. 

1  Gracious  Lord,  our  children  see, 
By  thy  mercy  we  are  free ; 

But  shall  these,  alas !  remain. 
Subjects  still  of  Satan's  reign ; 
Israel's  young  ones,  when  of  old 
Pharaoh  threaten'd  to  withhold ; 
Then  thy  messenger  said,  "  No, 
Let  the  children  also  go."* 

2  When  the  angel  of  the  Lord, 
Drawing  forth  his  dreadful  sword, 
Slew,  with  an  avenging  hand. 
All  the  first-born  of  the  land  ;t 
Then  thy  people's  doors  he  pass'd, 
Where  the  bloody  sign  was  placed : 
Hear  us  now,  upon  our  knees, 
Plead  the  blood  of  Christ  for  these ! 

3  Lord,  we  tremble,  for  we  know 
How  the  fierce  malicious  foe. 
Wheeling  round  his  watchful  flight. 
Keeps  them  ever  in  his  sight : 
Spread  thy  pinions.  King  of  kings! 
Hide  them  safe  beneath  thy  wings ; 
Lest  the  rav'nous  bird  of  prey 

Stoop,  and  bear  the  brood  away.  C. 

HYMN  Xni. 
The  Shunamite.l 
1  The  Shunamite,  oppress'd  with  grief. 
When  she  had  lost  the  son  she  lov'd. 
Went  to  Elisha  for  relief, 
Nor  vain  her  application  prov'd. 

*  Exod.  X.  9.      t  Exod.  xii.  13.      X  2  Kings  iv.  31. 


2  He  sent  his  servant  on  before. 
To  lay  a  staff  upon  his  head ; 
This  he  could  do,  but  do  no  more ; 
He  left  him,  as  he  found  him — dead. 

3  But  when  the  Lord's  almighty  power 
Wrought  with  the  prophet's  prayer  and 
The  mother  saw  a  joyful  hour,  [faith. 
She  saw  her  child  restor'd  from  death. 

4  Thus,  like  the  weeping  Shunamite, 
For  many  dead  in  sin  we  grieve ; 
Now,  Lord,  display  thine  arm  of  might, 
Cause  them  to  hear  thy  voice  and  live. 

5  Thy  preachers  bear  the  staff  in  vain. 
Though  at  thine  own  command  we  go ; 
Lord,  we  have  tried  and  tried  again. 
We  find  them  dead,  and  leave  them  so. 

6  Come  then  thyself — to  ev'ry  heart 
The  glory  of  thy  name  make  known; 
The  means  are  our  appointed  part. 
The  power  and  grace  are  thine  alone. 

HYMN  XrV. 
Elijah's  Prayer.* 

1  Does  it  not  grief  and  wonder  move. 
To  think  of  Israel's  shameful  fall"! 
Who  needed  miracles  to  prove 
Whether  the  Lord  was  God  or  Baal ! 

2  Methinks  I  see  Elijah  stand, 

His  features  glow  with  love  and  zeal: 
In  faith  and  prayer  he  lifts  his  hand, 
And  makes  to  heaven  his  great  appeal. 

3  "  O  God,  if  I  thy  servant  am, 

If  'tis  thy  message  fills  my  heart. 

Now  glorify  thy  holy  name. 

And  show  this  people  who  thou  art !" 

4  He  spake,  and,  lo !  a  sudden  flame 
Consum'd  the  wood,  the  dust,  the  stone ; 
The  people  struck,  at  once  proclaim, 

"  The  Lord  is  God,  the  Lord  alone." 

5  Like  him,  we  mourn,  an  awful  day. 
When  more  for  Baal  than  God  appear ; 
Like  him,  believers,  let  us  pray. 

And  may  the  God  of  Israel  hear  ! 

6  Lord,  if  thy  servant  speak  thy  truth. 
If  he  indeed  is  sent  by  thee, 
Confirm  the  word  to  all  our  youth. 
And  let  them  thy  salvation  see. 

7  Now  may  thy  Spirit's  holy  fire 
Pierce  every  heart  that  hears  thy  word, 
Consume  each  hurtful  vain  desire. 

And  make  them  know  thou  art  the  Lord. 

HYMN  XV. 
Preaching  to  the  Dry  Bones.f 

1  Preachers  may,  from  Ezekiel's  case, 
Draw  hope  in  this  declining  day ; 
A  proof,  like  this,  of  sovereign  grace. 
Should  chase  our  unbelief  away. 


*  1  Kings  xviii.         t  Ezek.  xxxvii. 


HTTMN  XVIII.] 


SEASONS. 


157 


2  Wlien  sent  to  preach  to  monld'ring  bones, 
Who  could  have  thought  he  would  succeed, 
But  well  he  knew  the  Lord  from  stones 
Could  raise  up  Abrah'm's  chosen  seed. 

3  Can  these  be  made  a  num'rous  host. 
And  such  dry  bones  new  life  receive  1 
The  prophet  answer'd,  "  Lord,  thou  know'st 
They  shall,  if  thou  commandment  give." 

4  Like  him,  around  I  cast  my  eye, 
And,  oh  !  what  heaps  of  bones  appear ; 
Like  him,  by  Jesus  sent,  I  '11  try. 
For  he  can  cause  the  dead  to  hear. 

5  Hear,  ye  dry  bones,  the  Saviour's  word  ! 
He,  who,  when  dying,  gasp'd,  "  Forgive," 
That  gracious  sinner-loving  Lord 

Says,  "  Look  to  me,  dry  bones,  and  live." 

6  Thou  heavenly  wind,  awake  and  blow, 
In  answer  to  the  prayer  of  faith ; 
Now  thine  almighty  influence  show, 
And  fill  dry  bones  with  living  breath. 

7  O  make  them  hear,  and  feel,  and  shake, 
And  at  thy  call  obedient  move ; 

The  bonds  of  death  and  Satan  break, 
And  bone  to  bone  unite  in  love. 

HYMN  XVI. 
The  Rod  of  Moses. 

1  When  Moses  wav'd  his  mystic  rod. 
What  wonders  follow'd  while  he  spoke  ! 
Firm  as  a  wall  the  waters  stood,* 

Or  gush'd  in  rivers  from  the  rock  !f 

2  At  his  command  the  thunders  roll'd. 
Lightning  and  hail  his  voice  obeyed,:f 
And  Pharaoh  trembled  to  behold 
His  land  in  desolation  laid. 

3  But  what  could  Moses'  rod  have  done, 
Had  he  not  been  divinely  sent? 

The  power  was  from  the  Lord  alone, 
And  Moses  but  the  instrument. 

4  O  Lord,  regard  thy  people's  prayers ! 
Assist  a  worm  to  preach  aright ; 
And  since  thy  gospel-rod  he  bears, 
Display  thy  wonders  in  our  sight. 

5  Proclaim  the  thunders  of  thy  law. 
Like  lightning  let  thine  arrows  fly, 
That  careless  sinners,  struck  with  awe. 
For  refuge  may  to  Jesus  cry ! 

6  Make  streams  of  godly  sorrow  flow 
From  rocky  hearts,  unus'd  to  feel ; 
And  let  the  poor  in  spirit  know. 

That  thou  art  near,  their  griefs  to  heal. 

7  But  chiefly,  we  would  now  look  up 
To  ask  a  blessing  for  our  youth. 
The  rising  generation's  hope. 

That  they  may  know  and  love  thy  truth. 

8  Arise,  O  Lord,  afford  a  sign, 

Now  sliall  our  prayers  success  obtain ; 
Since  both  the  means  and  power  are  thine, 
How  can  the  rod  be  rais'd  in  vain  ! 


*  Eiod.  liv.  22.      t  Numb.  xx.  11.      t  Exod.  ix.  23. 


HYMN  XVIL 
God  speaking  from  Mount  Zion. 

1  The  God  who  once  to  Israel  spoke 
From  Sinai's  top,  in  fire  and  smoke. 
In  gentler  strains  of  gospel-grace 
Invites  us  now  to  seek  his  face. 

2  He  wears  no  terrors  on  his  brow, 
He  speaks  in  love  from  Zion  now ; 
It  is  the  voice  of  Jesu's  blood. 
Calling  poor  wand'rers  home  to  God. 

3  The  holy  Moses  quak'd  and  fear'd. 
When  Sinai's  thund'ring  law  he  heard ; 
But  reigning  grace,  with  accents  mild, 
Speaks  to  the  sinner  as  a  child. 

4  Hark !  how  from  Calvary  it  sounds. 
From  the  Redeemer's  bleeding  wounds ! 
"  Pardon  and  grace  I  freely  give. 

Poor  sinner,  look  to  me,  and  live." 

5  What  other  arguments  can  move 

The  heart  that  slights  a  Saviour's  love ! 
Yet,  till  almighty  power  constrain, 
This  matchless  love  is  preach'd  in  vain. 

6  O  Saviour,  let  thy  power  be  felt. 
And  cause  each  stony  heart  to  melt ! 
Deeply  impress  upon  our  youth. 
The  light  and  force  of  gospel-truth. 

7  With  this  new  year  may  they  begin 
To  live  to  thee,  and  die  to  sin ; 

To  enter  by  the  narrow  way. 
Which  leads  to  everlasting  day. 

8  How  will  they  else  thy  presence  bear, 
When,  as  a  judge,  thou  shalt  appear ! 
When  slighted  love  to  wrath  shall  turn, 
And  the  whole  earth  like  Sinai  bum! 

HYMN  XVin. 
A  Prayer  for  Power  on  the  means  of  Grace. 

1  O  THOU,  at  whose  almighty  word 

The  glorious  light  from  darkness  sprung, 
Thy  quick'ning  influence  aflbrd. 
And  clothe  with  power  the  preacher's 
tongue. 

2  Though  'tis  thy  truth  he  hopes  to  speak, 
He  cannot  give  the  hearing  ear; 

'Tis  thine  the  stubborn  heart  to  break, 
And  make  the  careless  sinner  fear. 

3  As  when  of  old  the  water  flow'd 
Forth  from  the  rock  at  thy  command,* 
Moses  in  vain  had  wav'd  his  rod. 
Without  thy  wonder-working  hand. 

4  As  when  the  walls  of  Jericho.f 
Down  to  the  earth  at  once  were  cast. 

It  was  thy  power  that  brought  them  low, 
And  not  the  trumpet's  feeble  blast. 

5  Thus  we  would  in  the  means  be  found. 
And  thus  on  thee  alone  depend. 

To  make  the  gospel's  joyful  sound 
Efl^ectual  to  the  promis'd  end. 


*  Numb.  XX.  11.  t  Joshua  vi.  20 


158 


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[book  n. 


6  Now,  while  we  hear  thy  word  of  grace, 
Let  self  and  pride  before  it  fall ; 

And  rocky  hearts  dissolve  apace. 
In  streams  of  sorrow  at  thy  call. 

7  On  all  our  youth  assembled  here, 
The  unction  of  thy  Spirit  pour; 
Nor  let  them  lose  another  year, 

Lest  thou  shouldst  strive  and  call  no  more. 

HYMN  XIX. 
Elijah's  Mantle.    2  Kings  ii.  11 — 14. 

1  Elisha,  struck  with  grief  and  awe, 
Cried,  "  Ah  !  where  now  is  Israel's  stay]" 
Wlien  he  his  honour'd  master  saw 
Borne  by  a  fiery  car  away. 

2  But  while  he  look'd  a  last  adieu. 
His  mantle,  as  it  fell,  he  caught: 
The  Spirit  rested  on  him  too, 
And  equal  miracles  he  wrought. 

3  "  Where  is  Elijah's  God  !"  he  cried. 
And  with  the  mantle  smote  the  flood ; 
His  word  control'd  the  swelling  tide, 
The  obedient  waters  upright  stood. 

4  The  wonder-working  gospel,  thus 
From  hand  to  hand  has  been  conveyed ; 
We  have  the  mantle  still  with  us, 

But  where,  O  where,  the  Spirit's  aid  1 

5  When  Peter  first  his  mantle  wav'd,* 
How  soon  it  melted  hearts  of  steel ! 
Sinners  by  thousands  then  were  sav'd, 
But  now  how  few  its  virtues  feel  1 

6  Where  is  Elijah's  God,  the  Lord, 
Thine  Israel's  hope,  and  joy,  and  boast  1 
Reveal  thine  arm,  confirm  thy  word. 
Give  us  another  Pentecost ! 

7  Assist  thy  messenger  to  speak, 
And  while  he  aims  to  lisp  thy  truth, 
The  bonds  of  sin  and  Satan  break. 
And  pour  thy  blessing  on  our  youth. 

8  For  them  we  now  approach  thy  throne. 
Teach  them  to  know  and  love  thy  name ; 
Then  shall  thy  tliankful  people  own 
Elijah's  God  is  still  the  same. 

HYMNS 

AFTER  SERMONS  TO  YOUNG  PEOPLE  ON  NEW- 
TEAR  EVENINGS,  SUITED  TO  THE  SUBJECTS. 

HYMN  XX. 

David's  Charge  to  Solomon. 
1  Chron.  xxviii.  9. 

1  O  David's  Son,  and  David's  Lord ! 
From  age  to  age  thou  art  the  same ; 
Thy  gracious  presence  now  afford. 
And  teach  our  youth  to  know  thy  name. 

2  Thy  people,  Lord,  though  oft  distress'd 
Upheld  by  thee,  thus  far  are  come ; 
And  now  we  long  to  see  thy  rest. 
And  wait  thy  word  to  call  us  home. 

*  Acts. 


3  Like  David,  when  this  life  shall  end, 
We  trust  in  tliee,  sure  peace  to  find ; 
Like  him,  to  thee  we  now  commend 
The  children  we  must  leave  behind. 

4  Ere  long  we  hope  to  be  where  care, 
And  sin,  and  sorrow,  never  come ; 
But,  oh !  accept  our  humble  prayer. 
That  these  may  praise  thee  in  our  room. 

5  Show  them  how  vile  they  are  by  sin. 
And  wash  them  in  thy  cleansing  blood ; 
Oh !  make  them  willing  to  be  thine. 
And  be  to  them  a  covenant-God. 

6  Long  may  thy  light  and  truth  remain. 
To  bless  this  place  when  we  are  gone , 
And  numbers  here  be  born  again. 

To  dwell  for  ever  near  thy  throne. 

HYMN  XXI. 
The  Lord's  Call  to  his  Children. 
2  Cor.  vi.  17,  18. 

1  Let  us  adore  the  grace  that  seeks 

To  draw  our  hearts  above ! 
Attend,  'tis  God  the  Saviour  speaks, 
And  every  word  is  love. 

2  Though,  fill'd  with  awe,  before  his  throne 

Each  angel  veils  his  face ; 
He  claims  a  people  for  his  own 
Amongst  our  sinful  race. 

3  Careless,  a  while,  they  live  in  sin, 

Enslav'd  to  Satan's  power ; 
But  they  obey  the  call  divine. 
In  his  appointed  hour. 

4  "  Come  fortli  (he  says,)  no  more  pursue 

The  paths  that  lead  to  death : 
Look  up,  a  bleeding  Saviour  view ; 
Look,  and  be  sav'd  by  faith. 

5  "  My  sons  and  daughters  you  shall  be, 

Through  the  atoning  blood ; 
And  you  shall  claim,  and  find  in  me, 
A  Father  and  a  God." 

6  Lord,  speak  these  words  to  ev'ry  heart, 

By  thine  all-powerful  voice ; 
That  we  may  now  from  sin  depart. 
And  make  thy  love  our  choice. 

7  If  now  we  learn  to  seek  thy  face 

By  Christ  the  living  way. 
We  '11  praise  thee  for  this  hour  of  grace 
Through  an  eternal  day. 

HYMN  XXII. 
The  Prayer  of  Jabez.    1  Chron.  iv.  9,  10. 

1  Jesus,  who  bought  us  with  his  blood, 

And  makes  our  souls  his  care, 
Was  known  of  old  as  Israel's  God, 
And  answer'd  Jabez'  prayer. 

2  Jabei; !  a  child  of  grief!  the  name 

Befits  poor  sinners  well ; 
For  Jesus  bore  the  cross  and  shame. 
To  save  our  souls  from  hell. 


HYMN  XXVI.] 


SEASONS. 


159 


3  Teach  us,  O  Lord,  like  him  to  plead 

For  mercies  from  above ; 
O  come,  and  bless  our  souls  indeed, 
With  light,  and  joy,  and  love. 

4  The  gospel's  promis'd  land  is  wide, 

We  fain  would  enter  in ; 
But  we  are  press'd  on  ev'ry  side 
With  unbelief  and  sin. 

5  Arise,  O  Lord,  enlarge  our  coast, 

Let  us  possess  the  whole, 
That  Satan  may  no  longer  boast, 
He  can  thy  work  control. 

6  Oh !  may  thy  hand  be  with  us  still. 

Our  guide  and  guardian  be. 
To  keep  us  safe  from  ev'ry  ill. 
Till  death  shall  set  us  free. 

7  Help  us  on  thee  to  cast  our  care. 

And  on  thy  word  to  rest. 
That  Israel's  God,  who  heareth  prayer. 
Will  grant  us  our  request. 

HYMN  XXnL 

Waiting  at  Wisdom's  Gates. 
Prov.  viii.  34,  35. 

1  Ensnar'd  too  long  my  heart  has  been 

In  Folly's  hurtful  ways ; 
Oh !  may  I  now,  at  length,  begin 
To  hear  what  Wisdom  says ! 

2  'Tis  Jesus,  from  the  mercy-seat. 

Invites  me  to  his  rest ; 
He  calls  poor  sinners  to  his  feet. 
To  make  them  truly  bless'd. 

3  Approach,  my  soul,  to  Wisdom's  gates, 

While  it  is  call'd  to-day ; 
No  one  who  watches  there,  and  waits, 
Shall  e'er  be  turn'd  away. 

4  He  will  not  let  me  seek  in  vain, 

For  all  who  trust  his  word 
Shall  everlasting  life  obtain. 
And  favour  from  the  Lord. 

5  Lord,  I  have  hated  thee  too  long, 

And  dar'd  thee  to  thy  face ; 
I 've  done  my  soul  exceeding  wrong 
In  slighting  all  thy  grace. 

6  Now  I  would  break  my  league  with  death. 

And  live  to  thee  alone  ; 
Oh !  let  thy  Spirit's  seal  of  faith 
Secure  me  for  thine  own. 

7  Let  all  the  saints  assembled  here. 

Yea,  let  all  heaven  rejoice. 
That  I  begin  with  this  new  year 
To  make  the  Lord  my  choice. 

HYMN  XXrV. 

Asking  the  way  to  Zion.    Jer.  1.  5. 

1  Zion,  the  city  of  our  God, 
How  glorious  is  the  place  ! 
The  Saviour  there  has  his  abode, 
And  sinners  see  his  face ! 


2  Firm  against  every  adverse  shock, 

Its  mighty  bulwarks  prove ; 
'Tis  built  upon  the  living  Rock, 
And  wall'd  around  with  love. 

3  There  all  the  fruits  of  glory  grow. 

And  joys  that  never  die ; 
And  streams  of  grace  and  knowledge  flow, 
The  soul  to  satisfy. 

4  Come,  set  your  faces  Zion-ward, 

The  sacred  road  inquire ; 
And  let  a  union  to  the  Lord 
Be  henceforth  your  desire. 

5  The  gospel  shines  to  give  you  light. 

No  longer,  then,  delay  ; 
The  Spirit  waits  to  guide  you  right, 
And  Jesus  is  the  way. 

6  0  Lord,  regard  thy  people's  prayer, 

Thy  promise  now  fulfil ; 
And  young  and  old  by  grace  prepare 
To  dwell  on  Zion's  hill. 

HYMN  XXV. 
We  were  Pharaoh's  Bondmen. 
Deut.  vi.  20—23. 

1  Beneath  the  tyrant  Satan's  yoke. 

Our  souls  were  long  oppress'd : 
Till  grace  our  galling  fetters  broke. 
And  gave  the  weary  rest. 

2  Jesus,  in  that  important  hour, 

His  mighty  arm  made  known : 
He  ransom'd  us  by  price  and  power, 
And  claim'd  us  for  his  own. 

3  Now,  freed  from  bondage,  sin,  and  death. 

We  walk  in  wisdom's  ways ; 
And  wish  to  spend  our  ev'ry  breath 
In  wonder,  love,  and  praise. 

4  Ere  long,  we  hope  with  him  to  dwell 

In  yonder  world  above ; 
And  now  we  only  live  to  tell 
The  riches  of  his  love. 

5  O  might  we,  ere  we  hence  remove. 

Prevail  upon  our  youth 
To  seek,  that  they  may  likewise  prove 
His  mercy  and  his  truth. 

6  Like  Simeon,  we  shall  gladly  go,* 

When  Jesus  calls  us  home ; 
If  they  are  left  a  seed  below. 
To  serve  him  in  our  room. 

7  Lord,  hear  our  prayer,  indulge  our  hope, 

On  these  thy  Spirit  pour. 
That  they  may  take  our  story  up, 
When  we  can  speak  no  more. 

HYMN  XXVI. 
Travelling  in  Birth  for  Souls.    Gal.  iv.  19, 
1     What  contradictions  meet 

In  ministers  employ ! 

It  is  a  bitter  sweet, 

A  sorrow  full  of  joy : 

•  Luke  ii.  2i). 


160 


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[book  u. 


No  other  post  affords  a  place, 
For  equal  honour  or  disgrace  ! 

2  Who  can  describe  the  pain 
Which  faithful  preachers  feel, 
Constrained  to  speak  in  vain, 
To  hearts  as  hard  as  steel ! 

Or  who  can  tell  the  pleasures  felt, 
When  stubborn  hearts  begin  to  melt 

3  The  Saviour's  dj'ing  love, 
The  soul's  amazing  worth. 
Their  utmost  efforts  move, 
And  draw  their  bowels  forth: 

They  pray,  and  strive,  their  rest  departs. 
Till  Christ  be  form'd  in  sinners'  hearts. 

4  If  some  small  hope  appear. 
They  still  are  not  content; 
But,  with  a  jealous  fear. 
They  watch  for  the  event : 

Too  oft  they  find  their  hopes  deceiv'd, 
Then  how  their  inmost  souls  are  griev'd ! 

5  But  when  their  pains  succeed, 
And  from  the  tender  blade 
The  ripening  ears  proceed. 
Their  toils  are  overpaid : 

No  harvest-joy  can  equal  theirs, 
To  find  the  fruit  of  all  their  cares. 

6  On  what  has  now  been  sown, 
Thy  blessing.  Lord,  bestow ; 
The  power  is  thine  alone, 
To  make  it  spring  and  grow : 

Do  thou  the  gracious  harvest  raise. 
And  thou  alone  shalt  have  the  praise. 

HYMN  XXVn. 

We  are  Ambassadors  for  Christ. 
2  Cor.  V.  20. 

1  Thy  message  by  the  preacher  seal, 

And  let  thy  power  be  known. 
That  every  sinner  here  may  feel 
The  word  is  not  his  own. 

2  Amongst  the  foremost  of  the  throng, 

Wlio  dare  thee  to  thy  face. 
He  in  rebellion  stood  too  long. 
And  fought  against  thy  grace. 

3  But  grace  prevail'd,  he  mercy  found. 

And  now  by  thee  is  sent, 
To  tell  his  fellow-rebels  round, 
And  call  them  to  repent. 

4  In  Jesus  God  is  reconcil'd. 

The  worst  may  be  forgiv'n ; 
Come  and  he  '11  own  you  as  a  child, 
And  make  you  heirs  of  heaven. 

5  0  may  the  word  of  gospel-truth 

Your  chief  desires  engage ! 
And  Jesus  be  your  guide  in  youth, 
Y'our  joy  in  hoary  age. 

6  Perhaps  the  year  that 's  now  begun 

May  prove  to  some  their  last : 
The  Scmds  of  life  may  soon  be  run, 
The  day  of  grace  be  past 


7  Think,  if  you  slight  this  embassy. 
And  will  not  warning  take. 
When  Jesus  .in  the  clouds  you  see. 
What  answer  will  you  make] 

HYMN  XXVIU. 
PauFs  Farewell  Charge.    Acts  xx.  26,  27. 

1  W^HEN  Paul  was  parted  from  his  friends. 

It  was  a  weeping  day. 
But  Jesus  made  them  all  amends, 
And  wip'd  their  tears  away. 

2  Ere  long  they  met  again  with  joy, 

(Secure  no  more  to  part,) 
Where  praises  every  tongue  employ. 
And  pleasure  fills  each  heart. 

3  Thus  all  the  preachers  of  his  grace 

Their  children  soon  shall  meet ; 
Together  see  their  Saviour's  face. 
And  worship  at  his  feet. 

4  But  they  who  heard  the  word  in  vain. 

Though  oft  and  plainly  warn'd, 
Will  tremble  when  they  meet  again 
The  ministers  they  scorn'd. 

5  On  your  own  heads  your  blood  will  fall, 

If  any  perish  here  ; 
The  preachers  who  have  told  you  all. 
Shall  stand  approv'd  and  clear. 

6  Yet,  Lord,  to  save  themselves  alone 

Is  not  their  utmost  view ; 
Oh !  hear  their  prayer,  thy  message  own, 
And  save  their  hearers  too. 

HYMx\  XXIX. 

How  shall  I  put  thee  among  the  Children  I 
Jer.  iii.  19. 

1  AxAS !  by  nature  how  deprav'd. 

How  prone  to  ev'ry  ill  I 
Our  lives  to  Satan  liow  enslav'd. 
How  obstinate  our  wiU  ! 

2  And  can  such  sinners  be  restor'd, 

Such  rebels  reconcil'd? 
Can  grace  itself  the  means  afford. 
To  make  a  foe  a  child? 

3  Yes,  grace  has  found  the  wondrous  means. 

Which  shall  effectual  prove. 
To  cleanse  us  from  our  countless  sins, 
And  teach  our  hearts  to  love. 

4  Jesus  for  sinners  undertakes. 

And  died  that  we  may  live ; 
His  blood  a  full  atonement  makes. 
And  cries  aloud,  "  Forgive." 

5  Yet  one  thing  more  must  grace  provide, 

To  bring  us  home  to  God, 
Or  we  shall  slight  the  Lord  who  died, 
And  trample  on  his  blood. 

6  The  Holy  Spirit  must  reveal 

The  Saviour's  work  and  worth ; 
Then  the  hard  heart  begins  to  feel 
A  new  and  heavenly  birth. 


HYMN  XXXIII.] 


SEASONS. 


161 


7  Thus  bougrht  with  blood,  and  born  again, 
Redeetn'd  and  sav'd  by  grace, 
Rebels  in  Cod's  own  house  obtain 
A  son's  and  daughter's  place, 

HYMN  XXX. 
Winter.* 
\  See  how  rude  Winter's  icy  hand 

Hasstrip'd  the  trees,  and  seal'd  the  ground  ! 
But  Spring  shall  soon  his  rage  withstand, 
And  spread  new  beauties  all  around. 

2  My  soul  a  shorper  winter  mourns, 
Barren  and  fruitless  I  remain ; 
When  will  the  gentle  spring  return. 
And  bid  my  graces  grow  again  1 

3  Jesus,  my  glorious  Sun,  arise ! 

'Tis  thine  the  frozen  heart  to  move; 

Oh  !  hush  these  storms,  and  clear  my  skies. 

And  let  me  feel  thy  vital  love ! 

4  Dear  Lord,  regard  my  feeble  cry, 
I  faint  and  droop  till  thou  appear ; 
Wilt  thou  permit  thy  plant  to  dial 
Must  it  be  winter  all  the  year] 

5  Be  still,  my  soul,  and  wait  his  hour. 
With  humble  prayer  and  patient  faith  ; 
Till  he  reveals  his  gracious  jMwer, 
Repose  on  what  his  promise  saith. 

6  He,  by  whose  all-commanding  wordf 
Seasons  their  changing  course  maintain. 
In  every  change  a  pledge  affords, 
That  none  shall  seek  his  face  in  vain. 

HYMN  XXXI. 
Waiting  for  Spring. 

1  Trough  cloudy  skies  and  northern  blasts 
Retard  the  gentle  spring  a  while, 

The  sun  will  conqueror  prove  at  last. 
And  nature  wear  a  vernal  smile. 

2  The  promise,  which  from  age  to  age. 
Has  brought  the  changing  seasons  round, 
Again  shall  calm  the  winter's  rage, 
Perfume  the  air,  and  paint  the  ground. 

3  The  virtue  of  that  first  command, 
I  know  still  does  and  will  prevail. 
That  while  the  earth  itself  shall  stand, 
The  spring  and  summer  shall  not  fail. 

4  Such  changes  are  for  us  decreed  : 
Believers  have  their  winters  too; 
But  spring  shall  certainly  succeed, 
And  all  tlieir  former  life  renew. 

5  Winter  and  spring  have  each  their  use, 
And  each,  in  turn,  his  people  know ; 
One  kills  the  weeds  their  hearts  produce. 
The  other  makes  their  graces  grow. 

6  Though  like  dead  trees  a  while  they  seem, 
Yet,  having  life  within  their  root. 

The  welcome  spring's  reviving  beam 
Draws  forth  their  blossoms,  leaves,  and  fruit. 


•  Book  III.  Hymn  xxxi. 
Vol.  II. 


t  Gen.  viii.  22 


7  But  if  the  tree  indeed  be  dead. 

It  feels  no  change,  though  spring  return: 
Its  leafless,  naked,  barren  head. 
Proclaims  it  only  fit  to  burn. 

8  Dear  Lord,  afford  our  souls  a  spring. 
Thou  know'st  our  winter  has  been  long ; 
Shine  forth,  and  warm  our  hearts  to  sing. 
And  thy  rich  grace  shall  be  our  song. 

HYMN  XXXIL 
Sjjring. 

1  Bleak  winter  is  subdu'd  at  length, 

And  forc'd  to  yield  the  day ; 
The  sun  has  wasted  all  his  strength, 
And  driven  him  away. 

2  And  now  long  wish'd  for  spring  is  come, 

How  alter'd  is  the  scene ! 
The  trees  and  shrubs  are  dress'd  in  bloom. 
The  earth  arrayed  in  green. 

3  Where'er  we  tread,  beneath  our  feet, 

The  clust'ring  flowers  spring ; 
The  artless  birds,  in  concert  sweet. 
Invite  our  hearts  to  sing. 

4  But,  ah  !  in  vain  I  strive  to  join, 

Oppress'd  with  sin  and  doubt ; 
I  feel  'tis  winter  still  within. 
Though  all  is  spring  without. 

5  Oh !  would  niy  Saviour  from  on  high 

Break  through  these  clouds  and  shine ' 
No  creature  then  more  bless'd  than  I, 
No  song  more  loud  than  mine. 

6  Till  then  no  softly-warbling  thrush, 

Nor  cowslip's  sweet  perfume, 
Nor  beauties  of  each  painted  bush, 
Can  dissipate  my  gloom. 

7  To  Adam,  soon  as  he  transgress'd, 

Thus  Eden  bloom'd  in  vain ; 
Not  paradise  could  give  him  rest, 
Or  soothe  his  heart-felt  pain. 

8  Yet  here  an  emblem  I  perceive 

Of  what  the  Lord  can  do ; 
Dear  Saviour,  help  me  to  believe, 
That  I  may  flourish  too. 

9  Thy  word  can  soon  my  hopes  revive, 

Can  overcome  my  foes. 
And  make  my  languid  graces  thrive. 
And  blossom  like  the  rose. 

HYIVIN  XXXIIL 

ANOTHER. 

1  Pleasing  spring  again  is  here  ! 
Trees  and  fields  in  bloom  appear ! 
Hark!  the  bird.s,  with  artless  lays, 
Warble  their  Creator's  praise  ! 
Where,  in  winter,  all  was  snow. 
Now  the  flowers  in  clusters  grow : 
And  the  corn  in  green  array, 
Promises  a  iiarvest-day. 

2  What  a  chanire  has  taken  place  ! 
Emblem  of  the  spring  of  grace  ; 
How  tlic  soul,  in  winter,  mourns, 
Till  the  Lord,  the  Sun,  returns; 


162 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[book  n. 


Till  the  Spirits  gentle  rain 
Bids  the  heart  revive  ag'ain ; 
Then  the  stone  is  turn'd  to  flesh, 
And  each  grace  springs  forth  afresh. 
^  Lord,  afford  a  spring  to  me  ! 
Let  me  feel  like  what  I  see ; 
Ah  !  my  winter  has  been  long, 
Chill'd  my  hopes,  and  stopp'd  my  song ! 
Winter  threaten'd  to  destroy 
Faith,  and  love,  and  every  joy ; 
If  thy  life  was  in  the  root. 
Still  I  could  not  yield  thee  fruit. 

4  Speak,  and  by  thy  gracious  voice 
Make  my  drooping  soul  rejoice; 
O,  beloved  Saviour  !  haste. 
Tell  me  all  the  storms  are  past; 
On  thy  garden  deign  to  smile. 
Raise  the  plants,  enrich  the  soil ; 
Soon  tliy  presence  will  restore 
Life  to  what  seem'd  dead  before. 

5  Lord,  I  long  to  be  at  home. 
Where  these  changes  never  come ! 
Where  the  saints  no  winter  fear, 
Where  'tis  spring  throughout  the  year, 
How  unlike  this  state  below ! 

There  the  flowers  unwithering  blow ; 
There  no  chilling  blasts  annoy , 
All  is  love,  and  bloom,  and  joy. 

HYMN  XXXIV. 
Summer  Storms.* 

1  Though  the  morn  may  be  serene, 
Not  a  threat'ning  cloud  be  seen, 
Who  can  undertake  to  say, 
'Twill  be  pleasant  all  the  day  1 
Tempests  suddenly  may  rise. 
Darkness  overspread  the  skies. 
Lightnings  flash,  and  thunders  roar, 
Ere  a  short-liv'd  day  be  o'er. 

2  Often  thus  the  child  of  grace 
Enters  on  his  christian  race ; 
Guilt  and  fear  are  overborne, 
'Tis  with  him  a  summer's  morn : 
While  his  new-felt  joys  abound. 
All  things  seem  to  smile  around ; 
And  he  hopes  it  will  be  fair, 

All  the  day,  and  all  the  year. 

3  Should  we  warn  him  of  a  change. 
He  would  think  the  caution  strange ; 
He  no  change  or  trouble  fears. 

Till  the  gathering  storm  appears  ;\ 
Till  dark  clouds  his  sun  conceal. 
Till  temptation's  power  he  feel ; 
Then  he  trembles  and  looks  pale, 
All  his  hopes  and  courage  fail. 

4  But  the  wonder-working  Lord 
Soothes  the  tempest  by  his  word  ; 
Stills  the  thunder,  stops  the  rain, 
And  his  sun  breaks  forth  again : 
Soon  the  cloud  again  returns. 
Now  he  joys,  and  now  he  mourns ; 


Oft  his  sky  is  overcast. 
Ere  the  day  of  life  be  past. 

5  Tried  believers  too  can  say, 
In  the  course  of  one  short  day. 
Though  the  morning  has  been  fair, 
Prov'd  a  golden  hour  of  prayer, 
Sin  and  Satan,  long  ere  niglit. 
Have  their  comforts  put  to  flight : 
Ah  !  what  heart-felt  peace  and  joy 
Unexpected  storms  destroy. 

6  Dearest  Saviour !  call  us  soon 
To  thine  high  eternal  noon ; 
Never  there  shall  tempest  rise. 
To  conceal  thee  from  our  eyes ; 
Sataji  shall  no  more  deceive. 
We  no  more  thy  Spirit  grieve. 

But  through  cloudless,  endless  days, 
Sound,  to  golden  harps,  thy  praise. 

HYMN  XXXV. 
Hay-time. 

1  The  grass  and  flowers  which  clothe  the 

And  look  so  green  and  gay,  [field, 
Touch'd  by  the  scythe,  defenceless  yield, 
And  fall,  and  fade  away. 

2  Fit  emblem  of  our  mortal  state ! 

Thus,  in  the  scripture-glass. 
The  young,  the  strong,  the  wise,  the  great. 
May  see  themselves  but  grass.* 

3  Ah !  trust  not  to  your  fleeting  breath, 

Nor  call  your  time  your  own ; 
Around  you  see  the  scythe  of  death 
Is  mowing  thousands  down. 

4  And  you,  who  hitherto  are  spar'd, 

Must  shortly  yield  your  lives ; 
Your  wisdom  is,  to  be  prepar'd 
Before  the  stroke  arrives. 

5  The  grass,  when  dead,  revives  no  more; 

You  die  to  live  again ; 
But  oh !  if  death  should  prove  the  door. 
To  everlasting  pain ! 

6  Lord,  help  us  to  obey  thy  call. 

That,  from  our  sins  set  free, 
When,  like  the  grass,  our  bodies  fall, 
Our  souls  may  spring  to  thee. 

HYMN  XXXVI. 
Harvest. 

1  See  the  corn  again  in  ear ! 
How  the  fields  and  vallies  smile ! 
Harvest  now  is  drawing  near. 
To  repay  the  farmer's  toil : 
Gracious  Lord  secure  the  crop, 
Satisfy  the  poor  with  food ; 

In  thy  mercy  is  our  hope. 

We  have  sinn'd,  but  thou  art  good. 

2  While  I  view  the  plenteous  grain 
As  it  ripens  on  tlie  stalk, 

May  I  not  instruction  gain. 
Helpful  to  my  daily  walk  ? 


»  Book  lU.  Hymn  Ixviii. 


t  Book  I.  Hymn  sliv. 


*  Isaiali  il.  7. 


BnrMN  XL.] 


SEASONS. 


163 


All  this  plenty  of  the  field 
Was  produc'd  from  foreign  seeds, 
For  tlie  earth  itself  would  yield 
Only  crops  of  useless  weeds. 

3  Though,  when  newly  sown,  it  lay 
Hid  a  while  beneath  the  ground, 
(Some  might  think  it  thrown  away,) 
Yet  a  large  increase  is  found : 
Though  conceal'd,  it  was  not  lost, 
Though  it  died,  it  lives  again  ; 
Eastern  storms  and  nipping  frosts 
Have  oppos'd  its  growth  in  vain. 

4  Let  the  praise  be  all  the  Lord's, 
As  the  benefit  is  ours : 

He  in  season  still  affords 
Kindly  heat  aud  gentle  showers : 
By  his  care  the  produce  thrives, 
Waving  o'er  the  furrow'd  lands, 
And,  when  harvest-time  arrives, 
Ready  for  the  reaper  stands. 

5  Thus  in  barren  hearts  he  sows. 
Precious  seeds  of  heavenly  joy  ;* 
Sin  and  hell  in  vain  oppose, 
None  can  grace's  crop  destroy: 
Threaten'd  oft,  yet  still  it  blooms. 
After  many  changes  past. 
Death,  the  reaper,  when  he  comes, 
Finds  it  fully  ripe  at  last. 

CHRISTMAS. 

HYMN  XXXVIL 
Praise  for  the  Incarnation. 

1  Sweeter  sounds  than  music  knows, 

Charm  me  in  Emmanuel's  name; 
All  her  hopes  my  spirit  owes 

To  his  birth,  and  cross,  and  shame. 

2  When  lie  came  tlie  angels  sung, 

"  Glory  be  to  God  on  high  !''' 
Lord,  unloose  my  stamm^'ring  tongue. 
Who  should  louder  sing  than  11 

3  Did  the  Lord  a  man  become 

That  he  might  the  law  fulfil. 
Bleed  and  suffer  in  my  room. 

And  canst  thou,  my  tongue,  be  still  ? 

4  No,  I  must  my  praises  hring. 

Though  they  worthless  are  and  weak; 
For,  should  I  refuse  to  sing. 

Sure  the  very  stones  would  speak. 

5  O  my  Saviour,  Shield,  and  Sun, 

Shephenl,  Brother,  Husband,  Friend, 
Ev'ry  precious  name  in  one, 
I  will  love  thee  without  end. 

HYMN  XXXVriL 
Jehnvah-Jesus. 

1  My  song  shall  hless  the  Lord  of  all. 
My  praise  shall  climb  to  his  abode ; 


•  Hosea  xiv.  7;  Mark  iv.  26—29. 


Thee,  Saviour,  by  that  name  I  call. 
The  great,  supreme,  the  mighty  God. 

2  Without  beginning  or  decline. 
Object  of  faith  and  not  of  sense; 
Eternal  ages  saw  him  shine, 
He  shines  eternal  ages  hence. 

3  As  much,  when  in  the  manger  laid, 
Almighty  ruler  of  the  sky. 

As  when  the  six  days'  work  he  made 
Fill'd  all  the  morning-stars  with  joy. 

4  Of  all  the  crowns  Jehovah  bears. 
Salvation  is  his  dearest  claim, 

That  gracious  sound  well-pleas'd  he  hears, 
And  owns  Emmanuel  for  his  name. 

5  A  cheerful  confidence  I  feel. 

My  well-plac'd  hopes  with  joy  I  see ; 
My  bosom  glows  %vith  heavenly  zeal, 
To  worship  him  who  died  for  me. 

6  As  man,  he  pities  my  complaint, 
His  power  and  truth  are  all  divine; 
He  will  not  fail,  he  cannot  faint. 
Salvation's  sure,  and  must  be  mine.  C. 

HYMN  XXXIX. 
Man  honoured  above  Angels. 

1  Now  let  us  join  with  Iiearts  and  tongues, 
And  emulate  the  angels'  songs ; 

Yea,  sinners  may  address  their  King 
In  songs  that  angels  cannot  sing. 

2  They  praise  the  Lamb  who  once  was  slain , 
But  we  can  add  a  higher  strain,* 

Not  only  say  "  He  suffer'd  tlms," 
But  that  "  He  suffer'd  all  for  us." 

3  When  angels  by  transgression  fell. 
Justice  consign'd  them  all  to  hell; 
But  mercy  form'd  a  wonderous  plan. 
To  save  and  honour  fallen  man. 

4  Jesus,  who  pass'd  the  angels  by,f 
Assum.'d  our  flesh  to  bleed  and  die; 
And  still  he  makes  it  his  abode, 
As  man,  he  fills  the  throne  of  God. 

5  Our  next  of  kin,  our  brother  now. 
Is  he  to  whom  the  angels  bow ; 
They  join  with  us  to  praise  his  name, 
But  we  the  nearest  interest  claim. 

6  But  ah  !  how  faint  our  praises  rise  ! 
Sure,  'tis  the  wonder  of  the  skies. 
That  we,  who  share  his  richest  love. 
So  cold  and  nnconcern'd  should  prove. 

7  O  glorious  hour,  it  comes  with  speed, 
When  we,  from  sin  and  darkness  freed. 
Shall  see  the  God  who  died  for  man. 
And  praise  him  more  than  angels  can.J 

HYMN  XL. 
Saturday  Evening. 
1  Safely  through  another  week, 
God  has  brought  us  on  our  way ; 

*  Rev.  V.  t  Heb.  ii.  16. 

J  Book  III.  Hymn  Ixxxviii. 


1G4 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[booe  II. 


Let  us  now  a  blessino;  seek 

On  the  approaching-  Sabbath  day, 

Day  of  all  the  week  the  best, 

Emblem  of  eternal  rest ! 

2  Mercies  multiplied  each  hour 
Through  the  week  our  praise  demand ; 
Guarded  by  almighty  power, 

Fed  and  guided  by  his  hand, 

Though  ungrateful  we  have  been. 
Only  made  returns  of  sin. 

3  While  we  pray  for  pard'ning  grace. 
Through  the  dear  Redeemer's  name, 
Show  thy  reconciled  face, 

Sliine  away  our  sin  and  shame ; 
From  our  worldly  care  set  free. 
May  we  rest  this  night  with  thee ! 

4  When  the  morn  shall  bid  us  rise. 
May  we  feel  thy  presence  near ! 
May  thy  glory  meet  our  eyes 
When  we  in  thy  house  appear ! 

There  afford  us,  Lord,  a  taste 
Of  our  everlasting  feast. 

5  May  thy  gospel's  joyful  sound 
Conquer  sinners,  comfort  saints ; 
Make  the  fruits  of  grace  abound. 
Bring  relief  for  all  complaints : 

Thus  may  all  our  Sabbaths  prove 
Till  we  join  the  church  above ! 

THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  YEAR. 

HYMN  XLI. 
Ebenezer.* 

1  The  Lord,  our  salvation  and  light, 
The  guide  and  the  strength  of  our  days, 
Has  brought  us  together  to-night, 

A  new  Ebenezer  to  raise : 
The  year  we  have  now  passed  through, 
His  goodness  with  blessings  has  crown'd ; 
Each  morning  his  mercies  were  new; 
Then  let  our  thanksgivings  abound. 

2  Encompass'd  with  dangers  and  snares, 
Temptations,  and  fears,  and  complaints. 
His  ear  he  inclin'd  to  our  prayers. 

His  hand  open'd  wide  to  our  wants ; 
We  never  besought  him  in  vain ; 
When  burden'd  with  sorrow  or  sin, 
He  help'd  us  again  and  again. 
Or  where  before  now  had  we  been  1 

3  His  gospel,  throughout  the  long  year, 
From  Sabbath  to  Sabbath  he  gave ; 
How  oft  has  he  met  with  us  here. 
And  shown  himself  mighty  to  save  1 
His  candlestick  has  been  remov'd 
From  churches  once  privileg'd  thus; 
But  though  we  unworthy  have  prov'd, 
It  still  is  continued  to  us. 

4  For  so  many  mercies  receiv'd, 
Alas !  what  returns  have  we  made  1 


1  Sam.  Tii. 


His  Spirit  we  often  have  griev'd. 
And  evil  for  good  have  repaid : 
How  well  it  becomes  us  to  cry, 
"  O,  who  is  a  God  like  to  thee 
Who  passeth  iniquities  by, 
And  plungest  them  deep  in  the  sea  L" 
5  To  Jesus,  who  sits  on  the  throne, 
Our  best  hallelujahs  we  bring; 
To  thee  it  is  owing  alone 
That  we  are  permitted  to  sing : 
Assist  us,  we  pray,  to  lament 
The  sins  of  the  year  that  is  past, 
And  grant  that  the  next  may  be  spent 
Far  more  to  thy  praise  tlian  tlie  last 

HYMN  XLIL 

ANOTHER. 

1  Let  hearts  and  tongues  unite. 
And  loud  thanksgivings  raise ; 

'Tis  duty,  mingled  with  delight, 
To  sing  the  Saviour's  praise. 

2  To  him  we  owe  our  breath, 
He  took  us  from  the  womb. 

Which  else  had  shut  us  up  in  death, 
And  prov'd  an  early  tomb. 

3  When  on  the  breast  we  hung 
Our  help  was  in  the  Lord ; 

'Twas  he  first  taught  our  infant  tongue 
To  form  the  lisping  word. 

4  When  in  our  blood  we  lay, 
He  would  not  let  us  die. 

Because  his  love  had  fixed  a  day 
To  bring  salvation  nigh. 

5  In  childhood  and  in  youth, 
His  eye  was  on  us  still ; 

Though  strangers  to  his  love  and  truth, 
And  prone  to  cross  his  will. 

6  And  since  his  name  we  knew, 
How  gracious  has  he  been ; 

What  dangers  has  he  led  us  through, 
What  mercies  have  we  seen ! 

7  Now  through  another  year, 
Supported  by  his  care : 

We  raise  our  Ebenezer  here, 
"  The  Lord  has  help'd  thus  far." 

8  Our  lot  in  future  years 
Unable  to  foresee, 

He  kindly,  to  prevent  our  fears. 
Says,  "  Leave  it  all  to  me." 

9  Yea,  Lord,  we  wish  to  cast 
Our  cares  upon  thy  breast ; 

Help  us  to  praise  thee  for  the  past, 
And  trust  thee  for  the  rest. 

n.  ORDINANCES. 

HYMN  XLm. 
On  opening  a  Place  for  social  Prayer. 
1  O  Lord,  our  languid  souls  inspire. 
For  here  we  trust  thou  art: 


HYMN  XLVI.] 

Send  down  a  coal  of  heavenly  fire, 
To  warm  eacli  waiting  heart. 

2  Dear  Sheplierd  of  thy  people,  hear. 

Thy  presence  now  display ; 
As  thou  hast  g-iven  a  place  for  prayer, 
So  give  us  hearts  to  pray. 

3  Show  us  some  tokens  of  thy  love. 

Our  fainting  hope  to  raise  ; 
And  pour  thy  blessings  from  above. 
That  we  may  render  praise. 

4  Within  these  walls  let  holy  peace. 

And  love  and  concord  dwell ; 
Here  give  the  troubled  conscience  ease. 
The  wounded  .spirit  heal. 

5  The  feeling  heart,  the  melting  eye. 

The  humbled  mind  bestow  ; 
And  shine  upon  us  from  on  high, 
To  make  our  graces  grow. 

6  May  we  in  faith  receive  thy  word, 

In  fiiith  present  our  prayers  ; 
And,  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord, 
Unbosom  all  our  cares. 

7  And  may  the  gospel's  joyful  sound, 

Enforc'd  by  mighty  grace, 
Awaken  many  sinners  round, 
To  come  and  fill  the  place. 

HYMN  XLIV. 

ANOTHER. 

1  Jesus,  where'er  thy  people  meet, 
There  they  behold  thy  mercy-seat ; 
Where'er  they  seek  thee,  thou  art  found. 
And  every  place  is  hallow'd  ground. 

2  For  thou,  within  no  walls  confin'd, 
Inhabitest  the  humble  mind ; 

Such  ever  bring  thee  where  they  come. 
And  going,  take  tliee  to  their  home. 

3  Dear  Shepherd  of  thy  chosen  few, 
Thy  former  mercies  here  renew  ; 
Here  to  our  waiting  hearts  proclaim 
The  sweetness  of  thy  saving  name. 

4  Here  may  we  prove  the  power  of  prayer 
To  strengthen  faith,  and  sweeten  care ; 
To  teach  our  faint  desires  to  rise, 

And  bring  all  heaven  before  our  eyes. 

5  Behold,  at  tliy  commanding  word, 
We  stretch  tlie  curtain  and  the  cord  ;* 
Come  thou,  and  fill  tliis  wider  space. 
And  bless  us  with  a  large  increase. 

6  Lord,  we  are  few,  but  thou  art  near ; 
Nor  short  thine  arm,  nor  deaf  thine  ear: 
O  rend  the  heavens,  come  quickly  down, 
And  make  a  thousand  hearts  thine  own ! 

C. 

HYMN  XLV. 
The  Lord's  day. 
1  How  welcome  to  the  saints,  when  press'd 
With  six  days'  noise,  and  care,  and  toil, 

*  Isaiab  liv.  2. 


165 

Is  the  returnh:g  day  of  rest. 

Which  hides  them  from  the  world  a  while  ! 

2  Now,  from  the  throng  withdrawn  away. 
They  seem  to  breathe  a  different  air; 
Compos'd  and  soften'd  by  the  day, 

■  All  things  another  aspect  wear. 

3  How  happy  if  their  lot  is  cast. 
Where  statedly  the  gospel  sounds ! 

The  word  is  honey  to  their  taste,  [wounds. 
Renews  their  strength  and  heals  their 

4  Though  pinch'd  with  poverty  at  home, 
With  sharp  afflictions  daily  fed. 

It  makes  amends,  if  they  can  come 

To  God's  own  house  for  heavenly  bread. 

5  With  joy  they  hasten  to  the  place 
Where  they  their  Saviour  oft  have  met, 
And  while  they  feast  upon  his  grace. 
Their  burdens  and  their  griefs  forget. 

6  This  favour'd  lot,  my  friends,  is  ours ; 
May  we  the  privilege  improve. 

And  find  these  consecrated  hours 
Sweet  earnests  of  the  joys  above ! 

7  We  thank  thee  for  thy  day,  O  Lord ; 
Here  we  thy  promis'd  presence  seek ; 
Open  thine  hand,  with  blessings  stor'd, 
And  give  us  manna  for  the  week. 

HYMN  XLVL 

Gospel-Privileges. 

1  O  HAPPY  they  who  know  the  Lord, 

With  whom  he  deigns  to  dwell ! 
He  feeds  and  cheers  them  by  his  word, 
His  arm  supports  them  well. 

2  To  them  in  each  distressing  hour, 

His  throne  of  grace  is  near : 
And  when  tliey  plead  his  love  and  power 
He  stands  engag'd  to  hear. 

3  He  help'd  his  saints  in  ancient  days, 

Who  trusted  in  his  name ; 
And  we  can  witness  to  his  praise, 
His  love  is  still  the  same. 

4  Wand'ring  in  sin,  our  souls  he  found, 

And  bid  us  seek  his  face ; 
Gave  us  to  hear  the  gospel-sound, 
And  taste  the  gospel-grace. 

5  Oft  in  his  house  his  glory  shines. 

Before  our  wond'ring  eyes ; 
We  wish  not  then  for  golden  mines. 
Or  aught  beneath  the  skies. 

6  His  presence  sweetens  all  our  cares. 

And  makes  our  burdens  light; 
A  word  from  him  dispels  our  fears. 
And  gilds  the  gloom  of  night. 

7  Lord,  we  expect  to  suffer  here. 

Nor  would  we  dare  repine ; 
But  give  us  still  to  find  thee  near, 
And  own  us  still  for  thine. 

8  Let  us  enjoy  and  highly  prize 

These  tokens  of  thy  love. 
Till  thou  shalt  bid  our  spirits  rise, 
To  worship  thee  above. 


ORDINANCES. 


166  OLNEY 
HYMN  XLVn. 

ANOTHKR. 

1  Happy  are  they  to  whom  the  Lord 

His  gracious  name  makes  known ; 
And  by  his  Spirit,  and  his  word, 
Adopts  them  for  his  own. 

2  He  calls  them  to  his  mercy-seat, 

And  hears  their  humble  prayer ; 
And  when  within  liis  house  they  meet,  , 
They  find  his  presence  near. 

3  The  force  of  tlieir  united  cries 

No  power  can  long  withstand ; 
For  Jesus  helps  them  from  the  skies, 
By  his  almighty  hand. 

4  Then  mountains  sink  at  once  to  plains, 

And  light  from  darkness  springs; 
Each  seeming  loss  improves  their  gains, 
Each  trouble  comfort  brings. 

5  Though  men  despise  them,  or  revile, 

They  count  the  trial  small ; 
Whoever  frowns,  if  Jesus  smile. 
It  makes  amends  for  all. 

6  Though  meanly  clad,  and  coarsely  fed, 

And  like  their  Saviour,  poor. 
They  would  not  change  their  gospel-bread 
For  all  the  worldling's  store. 

7  When  cheer'd  with  faith's  sublimer  joys. 

They  mount  on  eagles'  wings. 
They  can  disdain,  as  children's  toys, 
The  pride  and  pomp  of  kings. 

8  Dear  Lord,  assist  our  souls  to  pay 

The  debt  of  praise  we  owe. 
That  we  enjoy  a  gospel-day. 
And  heaven  begun  below. 

HYMN  XLVIII. 
Praise  for  the  Continuance  of  the  Gospel.* 

1  Once,  while  we  aim'd  at  Zion's  songs, 

A  sudden  mourning  check'd  our  tongues ! 
Then  we  were  call'd  to  sow  in  tears. 
The  seeds  of  joy  for  future  years. 

2  Oft  as  that  memorable  hour 

The  changing  year  brings  round  again, 
We  meet  to  praise  the  love  and  power 
Which  heard  our  cries  and  eased  our  pain. 

3  Come,  ye  who  trembled  for  the  ark. 
Unite  in  praise  for  answer'd  prayer ! 
Did  not  the  Lord  our  sorrows  mark  ] 
Did  not  our  sighing  reach  his  ear? 

4  Then  smaller  griefs  were  laid  aside, 
And  all  our  cares  summ'd  up  in  one: 

"  Let  us  but  have  thy  word,"  we  cried, 
"  In  other  things  thy  will  be  done." 

5  Since  he  has  granted  our  request. 
And  we  still  hear  the  gospel-voice. 
Although  by  many  trials  prest. 

In  this  we  can  and  will  rejoice. 


*  Wherever  a  separation  is  threatened  between  a 
minister  and  people  who  dearly  love  each  other,  this 
Hymn  may  be  as  seasonable  as  it  was  once  in  OIney.  | 


HYMNS.  [book  n. 

6  Though  to  our  lot  temptations  fall, 
Though  pain,  and  want,  and  cares  annoy. 
The  precious  gospel  sweetens  all, 
And  yields  us  med'cine,  food,  and  joy. 

HYMN  XLIX. 
A  Famine  of  the  Word. 

1  Gladnes.s  was  spread  through  Israel's  host 

When  first  they  manna  viewed ; 
They  labour'd  who  should  gather  most, 
And  thought  it  pleasant  food. 

2  But  when  they  had  it  long  enjoyed, 

From  day  to  day  the  same, 
Their  hearts  were  by  the  plenty  cloyed, 
Although  from  heaven  it  came. 

3  Thus  gospel-bread  at  first  is  priz'd, 

And  makes  a  people  glad ; 
But  afterwards  too  much  despis'd, 
When  easy  to  be  had. 

4  But  should  the  Lord,  displeas'd,  withhold 

The  bread  his  mercy  sends, 
To  have  our  houses  fill'd  with  gold, 
Would  make  but  poor  amends. 

5  How  tedious  would  the  week  appear. 

How  dull  the  Sabbath  prove, 
Could  we  no  longer  meet  to  hear 
The  precious  truths  we  love  ! 

6  How  would  believing  parents  bear, 

To  leave  their  heedless  youth 
Expos'd  to  every  fatal  snare. 
Without  the  light  of  truth ! 

7  Tiie  gosjiel,  and  a  praying  few. 

Our  bulwark  long  have  prov'd ; 
But  Olney  sure  the  day  will  rue 
When  these  shall  be  remov'd. 

8  Then  sin,  in  this  once-favour'd  town, 

Will  triumph  unrestrain'd ; 
And  wrath  and  vengeance  hasten  down, 
No  more  by  prayer  detain'd. 

9  Preserve  us  from  this  judgment.  Lord, 

For  Jesus'  sake  we  plead  ; 
A  famine  of  the  gospel-word 
Would  be  a  stroke  indeed  ! 

HYMN  L. 
Prayer  for  Ministers. 

1  Chief  Shepherd  of  thy  chosen  sheep, 

From  death  and  sin  set  free ! 
May  ev'ry  under-shepherd  keep 
His  eye  intent  on  thee ! 

2  With  plenteous  grace  their  hearts  prepare 

To  execute  thy  will ; 
Compassion,  patience,  love,  and  care, 
And  faithfulness,  and  skill. 

3  Inflame  their  minds  with  holy  zeal, 

Their  flocks  to  feed  and  teach; 
And  let  them  live,  and  let  them  feel 
The  sacred  truths  they  preach. 

4  Oh  !  never  let  the  sheep  complain 

That  toys,  which  fools  amuse, 


HTKN  LIV.] 


SACRAMENTAL  HYMNS. 


167 


Ambition,  pleasure,  praise,  or  gain, 
Debase  the  shepherd's  views. 

5  He  tliat  for  these  forbears  to  feed 

The  souls  wliom  Jesus  loves, 
Wliate'er  he  may  profess  or  plead, 
An  idol  shepherd  proves.* 

6  The  sword  of  God  shall  break  his  arm, 

A  blast  shall  blind  his  eye ; 
His  word  shall  have  no  power  to  warm. 
His  g-ifts  siiall  all  grow  dry. 

7  O  Lord,  avert  tliis  heavy  woe, 

I,et  all  thy  shepherds  say ! 
And  grace,  and  strength,  on  each  bestow. 
To  labour  while  'tis  day. 


HYMN  LI. 

Prayer  for  a  Revival. 

1  Saviocr,  visit  thy  plantation. 

Grant  us.  Lord,  a  gracious  rain ! 
All  will  come  to  desolation, 

Unless  thou  return  again : 
Keep  no  longer  at  a  distance, 

Shine  upon  us  from  on  high ; 
Lest,  for  want  of  thine  assistance, 

Ev'ry  plant  should  droop  and  die. 

2  Surely  once  thy  garden  flourisli'd, 

Ev'ry  part  look'd  gay  and  green : 
Then  thy  word  our  spirits  nourish'd, 

Happy  seasons  we  have  seen. 
But  a  drought  has  since  succeeded, 

And  a  sad  decline  we  see : 
Lord,  thy  help  is  greatly  needed  ; 

Help  can  only  come  from  thee. 

3  Where  are  those  we  counted  leaders, 

Fill'd  with  zeal,  and  love,  and  truth  1 
Old  professors,  tall  as  cedars, 

Bright  examples  to  our  youth ! 
Some,  in  whom  we  once  delighted, 

We  shall  meet  no  more  below  ; 
Some,  alas  I  we  fear  are  blighted. 

Scarce  a  single  leaf  they  show. 

4  Younger  plants — the  sight  how  pleasant — 

Cover'd  tiiick  with  blossoms  stood ; 
But  they  cause  us  grief  at  present. 

Frosts  have  nipp'd  them  in  the  bud  ! 
Dearest  Saviour,  hasten  thither. 

Thou  canst  make  them  bloom  again ; 
Oh  !  permit  them  not  to  wither, 

Let  not  all  our  hopes  be  vain ! 

5  Let  our  mutual  love  be  fervent. 

Make  us  prevalent  in  prayers : 
Let  each  one  esteem'd  thy  servant 

Siiun  the  world's  bewitching  snares: 
Break  the  tempter's  fatal  power, 

Turn  the  stony  heart  to  flesh; 
And  begin  from  this  good  hour. 

To  revive  thy  work  afresh. 


*  Zech.  xi.  17. 


HYMN  LII. 

Hoping  for  a  Revival. 

1  My  harp  untun'd  and  laid  aside, 
(To  cheerful  hours  the  harp  belongs) 
My  cruel  foes  insulting  cried, 

"  Come,  sing  us  one  of  Zion's  songs." 

2  Alas !  when  sinners,  blindly  bold. 
At  Zion  scoff,  and  Zion's  King ; 

When  zeal  declines,  and  love  grows  cold, 
Is  this  a  day  for  me  to  sing '! 

3  Time  was,  whene'er  the  saints  I  met. 
With  joy  and  praise  my  bosom  glow'd ; 
But  now,  like  Eli,  sad  I  sit. 

And  tremble  for  the  ark  of  God. 

4  While  thus  to  grief  my  soul  gave  way, 
To  see  tlie  work  of  God  decline ; 
Methought  I  heard  my  Saviour  say, 

"  Dismiss  thy  fears,  the  ark  is  mine. 

5  "  Though  for  a  time  I  hide  my  face. 
Rely  upon  my  love  and  power; 
Still  wrestle  at  a  tlirone  of  grace. 
And  wait  for  a  reviving  hour. 

6  "  Take  down  thy  long-neglected  harp," 

I 've  seen  thy  tears,  and  heard  thy  prayer, 
The  winter-season  has  been  sharp, 
But  spring  shall  all  its  wastes  repair." 

7  Lord,  I  obey;  my  hopes  revive; 

Come,  join  with  me,  ye  saints,  and  sing ; 
Our  foes  in  vain  against  us  strive. 
For  God  wOl  help  and  healing  bring. 

SACRAMENTAL  HYMNS. 

HYMN  LIII. 
Welcome  to  the  Table. 

1  This  is  the  feast  of  heavenly  wine, 

And  God  invites  to  sup ; 
The  juices  of  the  living  vine 
Were  press'd  to  fill  the  cup. 

2  Oh  !  bless  the  Saviour,  ye  that  eat. 

With  royal  dainties  fed ; 
Not  heaven  affords  a  costlier  treat. 

For  Jesus  is  the  bread. 
.3  The  vile,  the  lost,  he  calls  to  them, 

Ye  trembling  souls,  appear! 
The  righteous  in  their  own  esteem 

Have  no  acceptance  here. 

4  Approach,  ye  poor,  nor  dare  refuse 

The  banquet  spread  for  you ; 
Dear  Saviour,  this  is  welcome  news. 
Then  I  may  venture  too. 

5  If  guilt  and  sin  afford  a  plea. 

And  may  obtain  a  place, 
Surely  the  Lord  will  welcome  me, 
And  I  shall  see  his  face.  C. 

HYMN  LFV. 
Christ  Crucified. 
1  When  on  the  cross  my  Lord  I  ."ee. 
Bleeding  to  death  for  wretched  me. 


168 


OLNEY  HTJINS. 


[book  li 


Satan  and  sin  no  more  can  move, 
For  I  am  all  transform'd  to  love. 

2  His  thorns  and  nails  pierce  thro'  mj  heart, 
In  every  g-roan  I  bear  a  part ; 

I  view  his  wounds  with  streaminnf  eyes; 
But,  see  !  he  bows  his  head,  and  dies ! 

3  Come,  sinners,  view  the  T>amb  of  God, 
Wounded,  and  dead,  and  bath'd  in  blood! 
Behold  his  side,  and  venture  near, 

The  well  of  endless  life  is  here. 

4  Here  I  forget  my  cares  and  pams ; 

I  drink,  yet  still  my  thirst  remains ; 
Only  the  fountain-head  above 
Can  satisfy  the  thirst  of  love. 

5  O  that  I  thus  could  always  feel ! 
Lord,  more  and  more  thy  love  reveal ! 
Then  my  g-lad  tongue  shall  loud  proclaim 
The  grace  and  glory  of  thy  name. 

6  Thy  name  dispels  my  gnilt  and  fear. 
Revives  my  heart  and  charms  my  ear : 
Affords  a  balm  for  ev'ry  wound, 

And  Satan  trembles  at  the  sound. 

HYMN  LV. 
Jesus  hasting  to  Suffer. 

1  The  Saviour,  what  a  noble  flame 

Was  kindled  in  his  breast, 
When,  hasting  to  Jerusalem, 
He  march'd  before  the  rest ! 

2  Good-will  to  men,  and  zeal  for  God, 

His  ev'ry  thought  engross ; 
He  longs  to  be  baptiz'd  with  blood,* 
He  pants  to  reach  the  cross. 

3  With  all  his  sufferings  full  in  view. 

And  woes  to  us  unknown. 
Forth  to  the  task  his  spirit  flew, 
'Twas  love  that  urg'd  him  on. 

4  Lord,  we  return  thee  what  we  can ; 

Our  hearts  shall  sound  abroad, 
Salvation  to  the  dying  man, 
And  to  the  rising  God  ! 

5  And  while  thy  bleeding  glories  here, 

Engage  our  wond'ring  eyes. 
We  learn  our  lightej  cross  to  bear, 
And  hasten  to  the  skies.  C. 

HYMN  LVI. 
It  is  good  to  he  here. 

1  Let  me  dwell  on  Golgotha, 
Weep  and  love  my  life  away ; 
While  I  see  him  on  the  tree. 
Weep,  and  bleed,  and  die  for  me. 

2  That  dear  blood,  for  sinners  spilt, 
Shows  my  sin  in  all  its  guilt : 
Ah  !  my  soul,  he  bore  thy  load ; 
Thou  hast  slain  the  Lamb  of  God. 

3  Hark  !  his  dying  word,  "  Forgive, 
Father,  let  the  sinner  live ; 


*  Luke  xii.  50. 


Sinner,  wipe  thy  tears  away, 
I  thy  ransom  freely  pay." 

4  While  I  hear  this  grace  reveal'd. 
And  obtain  a  pardon  seal'd. 

All  my  soft  affections  move, 
Weaken'd  by  the  force  of  love. 

5  Farewell,  world  !  thy  gold  is  dross. 
Now  I  see  the  bleeding  cross; 
Jesu.*  died  to  .set  me  free 

From  the  law,  and  sin,  and  thee ! 

6  He  has  dearly  bought  my  soul ; 
Lord,  accept,  and  claim  the  whole  I 
To  thy  will  I  all  resign. 

Now  no  more  my  own,  but  thine. 

HYMN  LVIL 
Looking  at  the  Cross. 

1  In  evil  long  I  took  delight, 

Unaw'd  by  shame  or  fear. 
Tin  a  new  object  struck  my  sight. 
And  stopp'd  my  wild  career. 

2  I  saw  one  hanging  on  a  tree. 

In  agonies  and  blood, 
Who  fix'd  his  languid  eyes  on  me. 
As  near  his  cross  I  stood. 

3  Sure  never  till  my  latest  breath 

Can  I  forget  that  look ; 
It  seem'd  to  charge  me  with  his  death. 
Though  not  a  word  he  spoke. 

4  My  conscience  felt,  and  own'd  the  guilt. 

And  plung'd  me  in  despair; 
I  saw  my  sins  his  blood  had  spilt, 
And  help'd  to  nail  him  there. 

5  Alas !  I  know  not  what  I  did ; 

But  now  my  tears  are  vain ; 
Where  shall  my  trembling  soul  be  hid. 
For  I  the  Lord  have  slain. 

6  Another  look  he  gave,  which  said, 

"  I  freely  all  forgive ; 
This  blood  is  for  thy  ransom  paid, 
I  die,  that  thou  may'st  live." 

7  Thus,  while  his  death  my  sin  displays. 

In  all  its  blackest  hue, 
(Such  is  the  mystery  of  grace,) 
It  seals  my  pardon  too. 

8  With  pleasing  grief,  and  mournful  joy, 

My  spirit  now  is  fill'd. 
That  I  should  such  a  life  destroy, 
i"et  live  by  him  I  kill'd. 

HYMN  LVIII. 
Supplies  in  the  Wilderness. 

1  When  Israel,  by  divine  command, 

The  pathless  desert  trod. 
They  found,  though  'twas  a  barren  land, 
A  sure  resource  in  God. 

2  A  cloudy  pillar  mark'd  their  road. 

And  screen'd  them  from  the  heat ; 
From  the  hard  rocks  the  water  flow'd. 
And  manna  was  their  meat. 


HYMN  LXII.] 


ORDINANCES. 


169 


3  Like  them,  we  have  a  rest  in  view, 

Secure  from  adverse  powers ; 
Like  them,  we  pass  a  desert  too ; 
But  Israel's  God  is  ours. 

4  Yes,  in  this  barren  wilderness, 

He  is  to  us  the  same. 
By  his  appointed  means  of  grace, 
As  once  he  was  to  them. 

5  His  word  a  light  before  us  spreads, 

By  which  our  path  we  see ; 
His  love  a  banner  o'er  our  heads, 
From  harm  preserves  us  free. 

6  Jesus,  the  bread  of  life,  is  given 

To  be  our  daily  food  : 
We  drink  a  wond'rous  stream  from  heaven, 
'Tis  water,  wine,  and  blood. 

7  Lord,  'tis  enough,  I  ask  no  more. 

These  blessings  are  divine ; 
I  envy  not  the  worldling's  store, 
If  Christ  and  heaven  are  mine. 

HYMN  LIX. 
Communion  with  the  Saints  in  Glory. 

1  Refreshed  by  the  bread  and  wine. 
The  pledges  of  our  Saviour's  love: 
Now  let  our  hearts  and  voices  join 
In  songs  of  praise  with  those  above. 

2  Do  they  sing,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  ?" 
Although  we  cannot  reach  their  strains. 
Yet  we,  through  grace,  can  sing  the  same. 
For  us  he  died,  for  us  he  reigns. 

3  If  they  behold  hirn  face  to  face, 
While  we  a  glimpse  can  only  see ; 
Yet  equal  debtors  to  his  grace. 

As  safe  and  as  belov'd  are  we. 

4  They  had,  like  us,  a  suffering  time. 

Our  cares,  and  fears,  and  griefs  they  knew; 
But  they  have  conquer'd  all  through  him. 
And  we  ere  long  shall  conquer  too. 
6  Though  all  the  songs  of  saints  in  light 
Are  far  beneath  his  matchless  worth. 
His  grace  is  such,  he  will  not  slight 
The  poor  attempts  of  worms  on  earth. 

ON  PRAYER. 

HYMN  LX. 
Exhortation  to  Prayer. 

1  What  various  hindrances  we  meet 
In  coming  to  a  mercy-seat ! 

Yet  who  that  knows  the  worth  of  prayer. 
But  wishes  to  be  often  there. 

2  Prayer  makes  the  darken'd  cloud  withdraw. 
Prayer  climbs  the  latldcr  Jacob  saw. 
Gives  exercise  to  faith  and  love, 
Brings  ev'ry  blessing  from  above. 

3  Restraining  prayer,  we  cease  to  fight; 
Prayer  makes  the  christian's  armour  bright ; 
And  Satan  trembles  when  he  sees 

The  weakest  saint  upon  his  knees. 
Vol.  II.  Y 


4  While  Moses  stood  with  arms  spread  wide, 
Success  was  found  on  Israel's  side  ;* 

But  when  through  weariness  they  fail'd, 
That  moment  Amalek  prevail'd. 

5  Have  you  no  words  1  ah!  think  again, 
Words  flow  apace  when  you  complain, 
And  fill  your  fellow-creature's  ear. 
With  the  sad  tale  of  all  your  care. 

6  Were  half  the  breath  thus  vainly  spent. 
To  heaven  in  supplication  sent. 

Your  cheerful  song  would  oft'ner  be, 
"  Hear  what  the  Lord  has  done  for  me." 

C. 

HYMN  LXT. 
Power  of  Prayer. 

1  In  themselves,  as  weak  as  worms, 
How  can  poor  believers  stand, 
When  temptations,  foes,  and  storms, 
Press  them  close  on  ev'ry  hand  ] 

2  Weak,  indeed,  they  feel  they  are. 
But  they  know  the  throne  of  grace ; 
And  the  God  who  answers  prayer, 
Helps  them  when  they  seek  his  face. 

3  Though  the  Lord  a  while  delay, 
Succour  they  at  length  obtain  ; 

He  who  taught  their  hearts  to  pray. 
Will  not  let  them  cry  in  vain. 

4  Wrestling  prayer  can  wonders  do, 
Bring  relief  in  deepest  straits ; 
Prayer  can  force  a  passage  through 
Iron  bars  and  brazen  gates. 

5  Hezekiah  on  his  knees 
Proud  Assyria's  host  subdued; 
And  when  smitten  with  disease, 
Had  his  life  by  prayer  renewed. 

6  Peter,  though  confin'd  and  chain'd. 
Prayer  prevail'd  and  brought  him  out; 
When  Elijah  prayed,  it  rain'd. 

After  three  long  years  of  drought. 

7  We  can  likewise  witness  bear, 
That  the  Lord  is  still  the  same ; 
Though  we  fear'd  he  would  not  hear, 
Suddenly  deliverance  came. 

8  For  the  wonders  he  has  wrought, 
Let  us  now  our  praises  give; 


*  Exod.  xvii.  11. 


And  by  sweet  experience  taught. 
Call  upon  him  while  we  live. 


ON  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


HYMN  LXIL 
The  Light  and  Glory  of  the  World. 
The  Spirit  breathes  upon  the  word. 

And  brino's  the  truth  to  sight; 
Precepts  and  promises  afford 
A  sanctifying  light. 


170 


OLNEY 


HYMNS. 


[book  It. 


2  A  glory  gilds  the  sacred  page, 

Majestic  like  the  sun ; 
It  gives  a  light  to  every  age, 
It  gives,  but  borrows  none. 

3  The  hand  that  gave  it  still  supplies 

The  gracious  light  and  heat ; 
His  truths  upon  the  nations  rise, 
Tliey  rise,  but  never  set. 

4  Let  everlasting  thanks  be  thine. 

For  sucli  a  bright  display. 
As  makes  a  world  of  darkness  shine 
With  beams  of  heavenly  day. 

5  My  soul  rejoices  to  pursue 

The  steps  of  him  I  love ; 
Till  glory  breaks  upon  my  view 

In  brighter  worlds  above.  C. 

HYMN  LXIII. 
The  Word  more  Precious  than  Gold. 

1  Precious  Bible  !  what  a  treasure 
Does  the  word  of  God  afford ! 
All  I  want  for  life  or  pleasure. 

Food  and  med'cine,  shield  and  sword : 
Let  the  world  account  me  poor. 
Having  this  I  need  no  more. 

2  Food  to  which  the  world 's  a  stranger, 
Here  my  hungry  soul  enjoys ; 

Of  excess  there  is  no  danger. 
Though  it  fills,  it  never  cloys : 
On  a  dying  Christ  I  feed. 
He  is  meat  and  drink  indeed  ! 

3  When  my  faith  is  faint  and  sickly, 
Or  when  Satan  wounds  my  mind. 
Cordials  to  revive  me  quickly. 
Healing  med'cines  here  I  find  : 

To  the  promises  I  flee. 
Each  atibrds  a  remedy. 

4  In  the  hour  of  dark  temptation, 
Satan  cannot  make  me  yield ; 

-For  the  word  of  consolation 

Is  to  me  a  mighty  shield  : 

While  the  scripture-truths  are  sure, 
From  his  malice  I 'm  secure. 

5  Vain  his  threats  to  overcome  me. 
When  I  take  the  spirit's  sword; 
Then,  with  ease,  I  drive  him  from  me, 
Satan  trembles  at  the  word  : 

'Tis  a  sword  for  conquest  made. 
Keen  the  edge,  and  strong  the  blade. 

6  Shall  I  envy,  then,  the  miser, 
Doating  on  his  golden  store  ] 
Sure  I  am,  or  should  be  wiser; 
I  am  rich,  'tis  he  is  poor : 

Jesus  gives  me  in  his  word. 

Food  and  med'cine,  shield  and  sword. 

in.  PROVIDENCES. 

HYMN  LXIV. 
On  the  Commencement  of  Hostilities  in 
America. 

1  The  gath'ring  clouds,  with  aspect  dark, 
A  rising  storm  presage ; 


Oh  !  to  be  hid  withui  the  ark. 
And  shelter'd  from  its  rage. 

2  See  the  commission'd  angel  frown  !* 

That  vial  in  his  hand, 
Fill'd  with  fierce  wrath,  is  pouring  down 
Upon  our  guilty  land! 

3  Ye  saints,  unite  in  wrestling  prayer, 

If  yet  there  may  be  hope ; 
Who  knows  but  mercy  yet  may  spare, 
And  bid  the  angel  stop?! 

4  Already  is  the  plague  begun, j: 

And  fired  with  hostile  rage. 
Brethren,  by  blood  and  interest  one. 
With  brethren  now  engage. 

5  Peace  spreads  her  wings,  prepar'd  for  flight, 

And  war,  with  flaming  sword. 
And  hasty  strides,  draws  nigh  to  fight 
The  battles  of  the  Lord. 

6  The  first  alarm,  alas !  how  few. 

While  distant,  seem  to  hear ! 
But  they  will  hear,  and  tremble  too, 
When  God  shall  send  it  near. 

7  So  thunder  o'er  the  distant  hills 

Gives  but  a  murm'ring  sound ; 
But  as  the  tempest  spreads,  it  fills. 
And  shakes  the  welkin^  round. 

8  May  we  at  least,  with  one  consent, 

Fall  low  before  the  throne ; 
With  tears  the  nation's  sins  lament, 
The  church's  and  our  own. 

9  The  humble  souls  who  mourn  and  pray, 

The  Lord  approves  and  knows ; 
His  mark  secures  them  in  the  day 
When  vengeance  strikes  his  foes. 

FAST-DAY  HYMNS. 

HYMN  LXV. 
Confession  and  Prayer.    Dec.  13,  1776. 

1  Oh  !  may  the  power  which  melts  the  rock, 
Be  felt  by  all  assembled  here ! 

Or  else  our  service  will  but  mock 
The  God  whom  we  profess  to  fear ! 

2  Lord,  while  thy  judgments  shake  the  land. 
Thy  people's  eyes  are  fixed  on  thee ! 
We  own  thy  just  uplifted  hand. 

Which  thousands  cannot,  will  not  see. 

3  How  long  hast  thou  bestow'd  thy  care 
On  this  indulg'd  ungrateful  spot; 
While  other  nations,  far  and  near, 
Have  envied  and  admir'd  our  lot. 

4  Here  peace  and  liberty  have  dwelt. 
The  glorious  gospel  brightly  shone; 
And  oft  our  enemies  have  felt 

That  God  has  made  our  cause  his  own. 

5  But,  ah  !  both  heaven  and  earth  have  heard 
Our  vile  requital  of  his  love  ! 

We,  whom  like  children  he  has  rear'd, 
Rebels  against  his  goodness  prove.  || 

*  Rev.  xvi.  1.  t  1  Sam.  \xiv.  IG.  1  Niinih.  .tvi.  40. 
§  Firmament  or  atmospliere.  |  Isaiali  i.  2. 


HYMN  LXIX.1 

6  His  grace  dcspis'd,  his  power  defied 
And  legions  of  tiic  blackest  crimes, 
Profaneness,  riot,  lust,  and  pride. 

Are  signs  that  mark  the  present  times. 

7  The  Lord,  displeas'd,  has  rais'd  his  rod  ; 
Ah,  wliere  are  now  the  faithful  few, 
Who  tremble  for  the  ark  of  God, 

And  know  what  Israel  ought  to  do?* 

8  Lord,  hoar  thy  people  ev'rywhere, 
Who  meet  to  mourn,  confess,  and  pray; 
The  nation  and  thy  churches  spare, 
And  let  thy  wrath  be  turn'd  away. 

HYMN  LXVL 
Moses  and  Amalek.j    Feb.  27,  1778. 

1  While  Joshua  led  the  armed  bands 

Of  Israel  forth  to  war ; 
Moses  apart,  with  lifted  hands, 
Engag'd  in  humble  prayer. 

2  The  armed  bands  had  quickly  fail'd, 

And  perish'd  in  the  fight. 
If  Moses'  prayer  had  not  prevail'd 
To  put  the  foes  to  flight. 

3  When  Moses'  hands  through  weakness 

The  warriors  fainted  too;  [dropp'd, 
Israel's  success  at  once  was  stopp'd, 
And  Am'lek  bolder  grew. 

4  A  people,  always  prone  to  boast, 

Were  taught  by  this  suspense, 
That  not  a  num'rous  armed  host. 
But  God,  was  their  defence. 

5  We  now  of  fleets  and  armies  vaunt, 

And  ships  and  men  prepare ; 
But  men  like  Moses  most  we  want 
To  save  the  state  by  prayer. 

6  Yet,  Lord,  we  hope  thou  hast  prepar'd 

A  hidden  few  to-day 
(The  nation's  secret  strength  and  guard) 
To  weep,  and  mourn,  and  pray. 

7  O  hear  their  prayers,  and  grant  us  aid ! 

Bid  war  and  discord  cease ; 
Heal  the  sad  breach  which  sin  has  made, 
And  bless  us  all  with  peace. 

HYMN  LXVIL 
The  Hiding-place.    Feb.  10,  1779. 

1  See  the  gloomy  gath'ring  cloud 
Hanging  o'er  a  sinful  land  ! 
Sure  the  Lord  proclaims  aloud 
Times  of  trouble  are  at  hand. 
Happy  they  who  love  his  name ; 
They  shall  always  find  him  near; 
Though  the  earth  were  wrapt  in  flame, 
They  have  no  just  cause  for  fear. 

2  Hark,  his  voice  in  accents  mild, 
(O  how  comforting  and  sweet!) 
Speaks  to  every  humble  child, 
Pointing  out  a  sure  retreat ! 


171 

"  Come,  and  in  my  chambers  hide,* 
To  my  saints  of  old  well  known ; 
There  you  safely  may  abide. 
Till  the  storm  be  overblown. 

3  "  You  have  only  to  repose 

On  my  wisdom,  love,  and  care ; 
When  my  wrath  consumes  my  foes, 
Mercy  shall  my  children  spare : 
While  they  perish  in  the  flood. 
You  that  bear  my  holy  mark,f 
Sprinkled  with  atoning  blood, 
shall  be  safe  withui  the  ark." 

4  Sinners,  see  the  ark  prepar'd  ! 
Haste  to  enter  while  tiiere 's  room ; 
Though  the  Lord  his  arm  has  bar'd 
Mercy  still  retards  your  doom : 
Seek  him  while  there  yet  is  hope, 
Ere  the  day  of  grace  be  past. 

Lest  in  wrath  he  give  you  up. 

And  this  call  should  prove  your  last.' 

HYMN  LXVIII. 
On  the  Earthquake.    Sept.  8,  1775. 

1  Although  on  massy  pillars  b'lilt. 

The  earth  has  lately  shook ; 
It  trembles  under  Britain's  guilt, 
Before  its  Maker's  look. 

2  Swifl;  as  the  shock  amazement  spreads, 

And  sinners  tremble  too; 
What  flight  can  screen  their  guilty  heads, 
If  earth  itself  pursue? 

3  But  mercy  spar'd  us  while  it  vvarn'd, 

The  shock  is  felt  no  more  ; 
And  mercy  now,  alas !  is  scorn'd 
By  sinners,  as  before. 

4  But  if  these  warnings  prove  in  vain. 

Say,  sinner,,canst  thou  tell. 
How  soon  the  earth  may  quake  again,  ■ 
And  open  wide  to  hell  ] 

5  Repent  before  the  Judge  draws  nigh, 

Or  else  when  he  comes  down, 
Thou  wilt  in  vain  for  earthquakes  cry 
To  hide  thee  from  his  frown.  { 

6  But  happy  they  who  love  the  Lord, 

And  his  salvation  know  ; 
The  hope  that 's  founded  on  his  word, 
No  change  can  overthrow. 

7  Should  the  deep-rooted  hills  be  hurl'd, 

And  plung'd  beneath  the  seas. 
And  strong  convulsions  shake  the  world. 
Your  hearts  may  rest  in  peace. 

8  Jesus,  your  Shepherd,  Lord,  and  Chief^, 

Shall  shelter  you  from  ill ; 
And  not  a  worm  or  shaking  leaf 
Can  move,  but  at  his  will. 

HYMN  LXIX. 
On  the  Fire  at  Olney.    Sept.  22,  1777. 
1  Wearied  by  day  with  toils  and  cares, 
How  welcome  is  the  peaceful  night ! 


PROVIDENCES. 


*  IChron.  xii.  32. 


t  Exod.  xvii.  9. 


*  Isaiah  xxvi.  20.      t  Ezelt  ix.  4.      %  Rev.  vi  10. 


172 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[book  11. 


Sweet  sleep  our  wasted  strength  repairs, 
And  tits  us  for  returning  light. 

2  Yet  when  our  eyes  in  sleep  are  clos'd, 
Our  rest  may  break  ere  well  begun ; 
To  dangers  ev'ry  hour  expos'd, 

We  neither  can  foresee  nor  shun. 

3  'Tis  of  the  Lord  that  we  can  sleep 
A  single  night  without  alarms ; 
His  eye  alone  our  lives  can  keep 
Secure  amidst  a  thousand  harms. 

4  For  months  and  years  of  safety  past, 
Ungrateful  we,  alas !  have  been ; 
Though  patient  long,  he  spoke  at  last, 
And  bid  the  fire  rebuke  our  sin. 

5  The  shout  of — Fire  !  a  dreadfiil  cry, 
Impress'd  each  heart  with  deep  dismay, 
While  the  fierce  blaze  and  redd'ning  sky 
Made  midnight  wear  the  face  of  day. 

6  The  throng  and  terror  who  can  speak? 
The  various  sounds  that  fill'd  the  air — 
The  infant's  wail,  the  mother's  shriek. 
The  voice  of  blasphemy  and  prayer. 

7  But  prayer  prevail'd  and  sav'd  the  town : 
The  few  who  lov'd  the  Saviour's  name 
Were  heard,  and  mercy  hasted  down 
To  change  the  wind  and  stop  the  flame. 

8  O  may  that  night  be  ne'er  forgot ! 
Lord,  still  increase  thy  praying  few ! 
Were  Olney  left  without  a  Lot, 
Ruin  like  Sodom's  would  ensue. 

HYMN  LXX. 
A  Welcome  to  Christian  Friends. 

1  Kindred  in  Christ,  for  bis  dear  sake, 
A  hearty  welcome  here  receive ; 
May  we  tog-ether  now  partake 

The  joys  which  only  he  can  give  ! 

2  To  you  and  us  by  grace  'tis  given 

To  know  the  Saviour's  precious  name, 
And  shortly  we  shall  meet  in  heaven. 
Our  hope,  our  way,  our  end  the  same. 

3  May  he,  by  whose  kind  care  we  meet. 
Send,  his  good  Spirit  from  above. 
Make  our  communications  sweet, 

And  cause  our  hearts  to  burn  with  love ! 

4  Forgotten  be  each  worldly  theme, 
When  christians  see  each  other  thus ; 
We  only  wish  to  speak  of  him 

Who  liv'd  and  died,  and  reigns  for  us. 

5  We  '11  talk  of  all  he  did  and  said. 
And  suffer'd  for  us  here  below ; 
The  path  he  mark'd  for  us  to  tread. 
And  what  he 's  doing  for  us  now. 

6  Thus,  as  the  moments  pass  away, 
We  '11  love,  and  wonder,  and  adore. 
And  hasten  on  the  glorious  day. 
When  we  shall  meet  to  part  no  more. 


HYMN  LXXL 
At  Parting-. 

1  As  the  sun's  enliv'ning  eye 
Shines  on  ev'ry  place  tlie  same; 
So  the  Lord  is  always  nigh 

To  the  souls  that  love  his  name. 

2  When  they  move  at  duty's  call, 
He  is  with  them  by  the  way : 
He  is  ever  with  them  all. 
Those  who  go  and  those  who  stay. 

3  From  his  holy  mercy-seat 
Nothing  can  their  souls  confine ; 
Still  in  spirit  they  may  meet. 
And  in  sweet  communion  join. 

4  For  a  season  call'd  to  part. 

Let  us  then  ourselves  commend 
To  the  gracious  eye  and  heart 
Of  our  ever-present  Friend. 
•5  Jesus,  hear  our  humble  prayer ! 
Tender  Shepherd  of  thy  sheep ! 
Let  thy  mercy  and  thy  care 
All  our  souls  in  safety  keep. 

6  In  thy  strength  may  we  be  strong, 
Sweeten  ev'ry  cross  and  pain ; 
Give  us,  if  we  live,  ere  long 
Here  to  meet  in  peace  again. 

7  Then,  if  thou  thy  help  afford, 
Ebenezers  shall  be  rear'd. 

And  our  souls  shall  praise  the  Lord, 
Who  our  poor  petitions  heard. 

FUNERAL  HYMNS. 

HYMN  LXXn. 
On  the  Death  of  a  Believer. 

1  In  vain  my  fancy  strives  to  paint 

The  moment  after  death. 
The  glories  that  surround  the  saints 
When  yielding  up  their  M'eath. 

2  One  gentle  sigh  their  fetters  breaks ; 

We  scarce  can  say,  "  They  're  gone !" 
Before  the  willing  spirit  takes 
Her  mansion  near  the  throne. 

3  Faith  strives,  but  all  its  efforts  fail. 

To  trace  her  in  her  flight ; 
No  eyes  can  pierce  within  the  vail. 
Which  hides  that  world  of  light. 

4  Thus  much  (and  this  is  all)  we  know, 

They  are  completely  blest. 
Have  done  with  sin,  and  care,  and  woe, 
And  with  their  Saviour  rest. 

5  On  harps  of  gold  they  praise  his  name, 

His  face  they  always  view ; 
Then  let  us  foUow'rs  be  of  them 
That  we  may  praise  him  too. 

6  Their  faith  and  patience,  love  and  zeal, 

Should  make  their  mem'ry  dear ; 
And,  Lord,  do  thou  the  prayers  fulfil 
They  offer'd  for  us  here ! 


HYMN  LXXVI.] 


PROVIDENCES. 


173 


7  While  they  havo  g-ainM,  we  losers  are, 

We  miss  thein  day  by  clay; 
But  thou  canst  ev'ry  breach  repair, 
And  wipe  our  tears  away. 

8  We  pray,  as  in  Elisha's  case, 

When  great  Elijah  went, 
May  double  portions  of  thy  grace, 
To  us  who  stay  be  sent. 


HYMN  Lxxrn. 

On  the  Death  of  a  Minister. 

1  His  master  taken  from  his  head, 

Elisha  saw  him  go, 
And,  in  desponding  accents  said, 
"Ah  !  what  must  Israel  do?" 

2  But  he  forgot  the  Lord  who  lifts 

The  beggar  to  the  throne, 
Nor  knew  that  all  Elijah's  gifts 
Would  soon  be  made  his  own. 

3  What !  when  a  Paul  has  run  his  course. 

Or  when  Apollos  dies. 
Is  Israel  left  without  resource'? 
And  have  we  no  supplies  1 

4  Yes !  while  the  dear  Redeemer  lives. 

We  have  a  boundless  store. 
And  shall  be  fed  with  what  he  gives. 
Who  lives  for  evermore.  C. 

HYMN  LXXIV. 
The  Tolling  Bell. 

1  Oft  as  the  bell,  with  solemn  toU, 
Speaks  the  departure  of  a  soul. 
Let  each  one  ask  himself  "  Am  I 
Prepar'd,  should  I  be  call'd  to  die  1" 

2  Only  this  frail  and  fleeting  breath 
Preserves  me  from  the  jaws  of  death: 
Soon  as  it  fails,  at  once  I 'm  gone. 
And  plung'd  into  a  world  unknown. 

3  Then  leaving  all  I  lov'd  below. 
To  God's  tribunal  I  must  go ; 

Must  hear  the  Judge  pronounce  my  fate, 
And  fix  my  everlasting  state. 

4  But  could  I  bear  to  hear  him  say, 
"  Depart,  accursed,  far  away ! 
With  Satan  in  the  lowest  hell. 
Thou  art  for  ever  doom'd  to  dwell." 

5  Lord  Jesus !  help  me  now  to  flee. 
And  seek  my  hope  alone  in  thee ; 
Apply  thy  blood,  thy  Spirit  give, 
Subdue  my  sin,  and  let  me  live. 

6  Then,  when  the  solemn  bell  I  hear, 
If  sav'd  from  guilt,  I  need  not  fear; 
Nor  would  the  thought  distressing  be. 
Perhaps  it  next  may  toll  for  me. 

7  Rather  my  spirit  would  rejoice. 

And  long,  and  wish  to  hear  thy  voice, 
Glad  when  it  bids  me  earth  resign, 
Secure  of  heaven,  if  thou  art  mine. 


HYMN  LXXV. 

Hope  beyond  the  Grave. 

1  My  soul,  this  curious  house  of  clay, 

Thy  present  frail  abode. 
Must  quickly  fall  to  worms  a  prey. 
And  thou  return  to  God. 

2  Canst  thou,  by  faith,  survey  with  joy 

The  change  before  it  come  1 
And  say,  "  Let  death  this  house  destroy 
I  have  a  heavenly  home ! 

3  "  The  Saviour  whom  I  then  shall  see 

With  new-admiring  eyes. 
Already  has  prepar'd  for  me 
A  mansion  in  the  skies."* 

4  I  feel  this  mud-wall'd  cottage  shake, 

And  long  to  see  it  fall ; 
That  I  my  willing  flight  may  take 
To  him  who  is  my  all. 

5  Burden'd  and  groaning  then  no  more, 

My  rescu'd  soul  shall  sing. 
As  up  the  shining  path  I  soar, 
"  Death  thou  hast  lost  thy  sting." 

6  Dear  Saviour  help  us  now  to  seek 

And  know  thy  grace's  power. 
That  we  may  all  this  language  speak, 
Before  the  dying  hour. 

HYMN  LXXVI. 
There  the  Weary  are  at  Rest. 

1  Courage,  my  soul !  behold  the  prize 

The  Saviour's  love  provides — 
Eternal  life  beyond  the  skies 
For  all  whom  here  he  guides. 

2  The  wicked  cease  from  troubling  there, 

The  weary  are  at  rest  ;t 
Sorrow,  and  sin,  and  pain,  and  care, 
No  more  approach  the  blest. 

3  A  wicked  world,  and  wicked  heart, 

With  Satan  now  are  join'd  ; 
Each  acts  a  too  successful  part 
In  harassing  my  mind. 

4  In  conflict  with  this  threefold  troop, 

How  weary.  Lord,  am  I ! 
Did  not  thy  promise  bear  me  up. 
My  soul  must  faint  and  die. 

5  But  fighting  in  my  Saviour's  strength, 

Though  mighty  are  my  foes, 
I  shall  a  conq'ror  be  at  length 
O'er  all  that  can  oppose. 

6  Then  why,  my  soul,  complain  or  fear  7 

The  crown  of  glory  see  ! 
The  more  I  toil  and  suffer  here, 
The  sweeter  rest  will  be. 

HYMN  LXXVII. 
The  Day  of  Judgment. 
1  Day  of  judgment,  day  of  wonders ! 
Hark !  the  trumpet's  awful  sound, 

*  2  Cor.  V.  I.  t  Job  iii.  17 


174 


OLNEY 


HYMNS. 


[book  II. 


Louder  than  a  thousand  thunders, 
Shakes  the  vast  creation  round !  [confound ! 
How  the  summons  will  the  sinner's  heart 

2  See  the  Judjve  our  nature  wearing, 
Cloth'd  in  majesty  divine  ! 

You  who  lonar  for  his  appearing, 
Then  shall  say,  This  God  is  mine  !  [thine  ! 
Gracious  Saviour,  own  me  in  that  day  for 

3  At  his  call  tlio  dead  awaken, 
Rise  to  life  from  earth  and  sea : 
All  the  powers  of  nature  shaken. 

By  his  looks  prepare  to  flee  ;  [thee  1 

Careless  sinner !  what  will  then  become  of 

4  Horrors  past  imagination 

Will  surprise  your  trembling  heart. 
When  you  hear  your  condemnation, 
"  Hence,  accursed  wretch,  depart !  [part !" 
Thou  with  Satan  and  his  angels  have  thy 

5  Satan,  who  now  tries  to  please  you, 
Lest  you  timely  warning  take. 
When  that  word  is  past,  will  seize  you. 
Plunge  you  in  the  burning  lake  : 

Think,  poor  sinner,  thy  eternal  all 's  at  stake. 

6  But  to  those  who  have  confessed, 
Lov'd  and  serv'd  the  Lord  below. 

He  will  say,  "  Come  near,  ye  blessed, 
See  the  kingdom  I  bestow : 
You  for  ever  shall  my  love  and  glory  know." 

7  Under  sorrows  and  reproaches, 

May  this  thought  your  courage  raise ! 
Swiftly  God's  great  day  approaches, 
Sighs  shall  then  be  chang'd  to  praise : 

We  shall  triumph  when  the  world 's  in  a  blaze. 
« 

HYMN  LXXVIIL 
The  Day  of  the  Lord* 

1  God,  with  one  piercing  glance  looks  thro' 
Creation's  wide  extended  frame ; 

The  past  and  future  in  his  view, 
And  days  and  ages  are  the  same.f 

2  Sinners  who  dare  provoke  his  face, 
Who  on  his  patience  long  presume. 
And  trifle  out  his  day  of  grace, 
Will  find  he  has  a  day  of  doom. 

3  As  pangs  the  lab'ring  woman  feels. 
Or  as  the  thief,  in  midnight  sleep ; 

So  comes  that  day,  for  which  the  wheels 
Of  time  their  ceaseless  motion  keep ! 

4  Hark !  from  the  sky  the  trump  proclaims 
Jesus  the  Judge  approaching  nigh  ! 
See,  the  creation  wrapt  in  flames, 
First  kindled  by  his  vengeful  eye  ! 

5  When  thus  the  mountains  melt  like  wax ; 
When  earth,  and  air,  and  sea,  shall  burn ; 
When  all  the  frame  of  nature  breaks. 
Poor  sinner,  whither  wilt  thou  turn  ] 

6  The  puny  works  which  feeble  men 
Now  boast,  or  covet,  or  admire  ; 
Their  pomp  and  arts,  and  treasures,  then 
Shall  perish  in  one  common  fire. 


*  Book  III.  Hymn  iv. 


t  2  Pet.  iii.  8—10. 


7  Lord,  fix  our  hearts  and  hopes  above ! 
Since  all  below  to  ruin  tends  ; 
Here  may  we  trust,  obey,  and  love. 
And  there  be  found  amongst  thy  friends. 

HYMN  LXXIX. 
The  great  Tribunal* 

1  John,  in  vision,  saw  the  day 
When  the  Judge  will  hasten  down ; 
Heaven  and  earth  shall  flee  away 
From  the  terror  of  his  frown  ; 
Dead  and  living,  small  and  great, 
Raised  from  the  earth  and  sea. 

At  his  bar  .shall  hear  their  fate — 
What  will  then  become  of  me  1 

2  Can  I  bear  his  awful  looks  I 
Shall  I  stand  in  judgment  then, 
When  I  see  the  open'd  books. 
Written  by  the  Almighty's  penl 
If  he  to  remembrance  bring. 
And  expose  to  public  view, 
Ev'ry  work  and  secret  tiling, 

Ah  !  my  soul,  what  canst  thou  do? 

3  When  the  list  shall  be  produc'd 
Of  the  talents  I  enjoyed  ; 
Means  and  mercies,  how  abus'd ! 
Time  and  strength,  how  misemployed; 
Conscience  then,  compell'd  to  read. 
Must  allow  the  charge  is  true ; 

Say,  my  soul,  what  canst  thou  plead  1 
In  that  hour,  what  wilt  thou  do? 

4  But  the  book  of  life  I  see. 

May  my  name  be  written  there  ! 
Then  from  gilt  and  danger  free, 
Glad  I  '11  meet  him  in  the  air : 
That 's  the  book  I  hope  to  plead, 
'Tis  the  gospel  open'd  wide ; 
Lord,  I  am  a  wretch  indeed ! 
I  have  sinn'd,  but  thou  hast  died.f 

5  Now  my  soul  knows  what  to  do ; 
Thus  I  shall  with  boldness  stand, 
Number'd  with  the  faithful  few, 
Own'd  and  sav'd  at  thy  right-hand : 
If  thou  help  a  feeble  worm 

To  believe  thy  promise  now. 
Justice  will  at  last  confirm 
What  thy  mercy  wrought  below. 

IV.  CREATION. 

HYMN  LXXX. 
The  Old  and  New  Creation. 

1  That  was  a  wonder-working  word 
Which  could  the  vast  creation  raise? 
Angels,  attendant  on  their  Lord,]; 
Admir'd  the  plan,  and  sung  his  praise. 

2  From  what  a  dark  and  shapeless  mass, 
All  nature  sprung  at  his  command! 
Let  there  be  light,  and  light  there  was. 
And  sun,  and  stars,  and  sea,  and  land. 

*  Rev.  XX.  11,  J2.     t  Rom- viii.  34.    I  Job  xxxviii.  7 


HYMN  LXXXIV.] 


CREATION. 


175 


3  With  equal  speed  the  earth  and  seas 
Their  inig'liiy  Maker's  voice  obeyed  ; 

He  spake,  and  straiirht  tlie  plants  and  trees, 
And  birds,  and  beasts,  and  men  were  made. 

4  But  man,  the  lord  and  crown  of  all, 
By  sin  liis  honour  soon  defae'd ; 

His  heart  (how  altcr'd  since  the  fall !) 
Is  dark,  doform'd,  and  void,  and  waste. 

5  The  new  creation  of  the  soul 

Does  now  no  less  his  power  display,* 
Than  when  he  form'd  the  mighty  whole, 
And  kindled  darkness  into  day. 

6  Though,  self-destroyed,  O  Lord,  we  are, 
Yet  let  us  feel  what  thou  canst  do ; 
Tliy  word  the  ruin  can  repair, 

And  all  our  hearts  create  anew. 

HYMN  LXXXI. 
The  Book  of  Creation. 

1  The  book  of  nature  open  lies. 

With  much  instruction  stor'd; 
But  till  the  Lord  anoints  our  eyes, 
We  cannot  read  a  word. 

2  Philosophers  have  por'd  in  vain, 

And  guess'd  from  age  to  age  : 
For  reason's  eye  could  ne'er  attain 
To  understand  a  page. 

3  Though  to  each  star  they  give  a  name. 

Its  size  and  motions  teach ; 
The  truths  which  all  the  stars  proclaim, 
Their  wisdom  cannot  reach. 

4  With  skill  to  measure  earth  and  sea, 

And  weigh  the  subtile  air; 
They  cannot,  Lord,  discover  thee, 
Though  present  ev'rywhere. 

5  The  knowledge  of  the  saints  excels 

The  wisdom  of  the  schools; 
To  them  his  secrets  (Jod  reveals. 
Though  men  account  them  fools. 

6  To  them  the  sun  and  stars  on  high, 

The  flowers  tliat  paint  the  field,f 
And  all  the  artless  birds  that  fly, 
Divine  instruction  yield. 

7  Tlie  creatures  on  their  senses  press, 

As  witnesses  to  prove 
Their  Saviour's  power  and  faithfulness, 
His  providence  and  love. 

8  Thus  may  we  study  nature's  book, 

To  make  us  wise  indeed  ! 
And  pity  those  who  only  look 
At  what  they  cannot  read.J 

HYMN  LXXXn. 
The  Rainbow. 
1  When  the  sun,  witii  cheerful  beams, 
Smiles  upon  a  low'ring  sky. 
Soon  its  aspect  soften'd  seems. 
And  a  rainbow  meets  the  eye : 
While  the  sky  remains  serene, 
This  bright  arch  is  never  seen. 

»2Cor.  iv.  6.      t  Mattti.  vi,  26— 28.      t  Kom.  i.  20. 


2  Thus  the  Lord's  supporting  power 
Brightest  to  his  saints  appears. 
When  affliction's  threat'ning  Iiour 
Fills  the  sky  with  clouds  and  fears, 

He  can  wonders  then  perform. 
Paint  a  rainbow  on  the  storm.* 

3  All  their  graces  doubly  shine, 
When  their  troubles  press  them  sore ; 
And  tlie  promises  divine 

Give  them  joys  unknown  before : 
As  the  colours  of  the  bow 
To  the  cloud  their  brightness  owe. 

4  Favour'd  John  a  rainbow  saw,t 
Circling  round  the  throne  above  ; 
Hence  the  saints  a  pledge  may  draw 
Of  unchanging  cov'nant  love  : 

Clouds  a  while  may  intervene, 
But  the  bow  will  still  be  seen. 

HYMN  LXXXin. 
Thunder. 

1  When  a  black  o'erspreading  cloud 

Has  darken'd  all  the  air, 
And  peals  of  thunder,  roaring  loud, 
Proclaim  the  tempest  near ; 

2  Then  guilt  and  fear,  the  fruits  of  sin, 

The  sinner  oft  pursue  : 
A  louder  storm  is  heard  within. 
And  conscience  thunders  too. 

3  The  law  a  fiery  language  speaks, 

His  danger  he  perceives ; 
Like  Satan,  who  his  ruin  seeks, 
He  trembles  and  believes. 

4  But  when  the  sky  serene  appears, 

And  thunders  roll  no  more, 
He  soon  forgets  his  vows  and  fears, 
Just  as  he  did  before. 

5  But  whither  shall  the  sinner  flee. 

When  nature's  mighty  frame, 
The  pond'rous  earth,  and  air,  and  sea,| 
Shall  all  dissolve  in  flame  ] 

6  Amazing  day !  it  comes  apace ; 

The  Judge  is  hasting  down : 
Will  sinners  bear  to  see  his  face, 
Or  stand  before  his  frown  ? 

7  Lord,  let  thy  mercy  find  a  way 

To  touch  each  stubborn  heart ; 
That  the^  may  never  hear  thee  say, 
"  Ye  cursed  ones,  depart." 

8  Believers,  you  may  well  rejoice  ! 

The  thunder's  loudest  strains 
Should  be  to  you  a  welcome  voice. 
That  tells  you,  "  Jesus  reigns." 

HYMN  LXXXIV. 
Lightning  in  the  Night. 
1  A  GLANCE  from  heaven  with  sweet  efTect 
Sometimes  my  pensive  spirit  clieers; 
But  ere  I  can  my  thoughts  collect. 
As  suddenly  it  disappears. 

*  Gen.  ix.  14.        t  Rev.  iv.  3.        J  2  I'et.  iii.  10. 


178 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[book  n. 


2  So  liplitninjj  in  the  gloom  of  night 
AtFords  a  momentary  day ; 
Disclosing  objects  full  in  sight, 
Which,  soon  as  seen,  are  snatch'd  away. 

3  Ah  !  what  avail  these  pleasing  scenes  1 
They  do  but  aggravate  my  pain ; 
While  darkness  quickly  intervenes, 
And  swallows  up  my  joys  again. 

4  But  shall  I  murmur  at  relief  I 
Though  sliort,  it  was  a  precious  view 
Sent  to  control  my  unbelief, 

And  prove  that  what  I  read  is  true. 

5  The  lightning's  flash  did  not  create 
The  op'ning  prospect  it  reveal'd ; 
But  only  show'd  the  real  state 

Of  what  the  darkness  had  conceal'd. 

6  Just  so,  we  by  a  glimpse  discern 
The  glorious  things  within  the  vail ; 
That,  when  in  darkness,  we  may  learn 
To  live  by  faith,  till  light  prevail. 

7  The  Lord's  great  day  will  soon  advance, 
Dispersing  all  the  shades  of  night ; 
Tnen  we  no  more  shall  need  a  glance. 
But  see  by  an  eternal  light. 

HYMN  LXXXV. 
On  the  Eclipse  of  the  Moon,  July  30,  1776. 

1  The  moon  in  silver  glory  shone, 

And  not  a  cloud  in  sight, 
When  suddenly  a  shade  begun 
To  intercept  her  light. 

2  How  fast  across  her  orb  it  spread, 

How  fast  her  light  withdrew  ! 
A  circle,  ting'd  with  languid  red. 
Was  all  appear'd  in  view. 

3  While  many  with  unmeaning  eye. 

Gaze  on  thy  works  in  vain. 
Assist  me.  Lord,  that  I  may  try 
Instruction  to  obtain. 

4  Fain  would  my  thankful  heart  and  lips 

Unite  in  praise  to  thee. 
And  meditate  on  thy  eclipse 
In  sad  Gethsemane. 

5  Thy  people's  guilt,  a  heavy  load, 

(When  standing  in  their  room) 
Depriv'd  thee  of  the  light  of  God, 
And  fill'd  thy  soul  with  gloom. 

6  How  punctually  eclipses  move. 

Obedient  to  thy  will ! 
Thus  shall  thy  faithfulness  and  love 
Thy  promises  fulfil. 

7  Dark  like  the  moon  without  the  sun, 

I  mourn  thine  absence.  Lord  ! 
For  light  or  comfort  I  have  none. 
But  what  thy  beams  afibrd. 

8  But  lo !  the  hour  draws  near  apace. 

When  changes  shall  be  o'er. 
Then  I  shall  see  thee  face  to  face, 
And  be  eclips'd  no  more. 


HYMN  LXXXVI. 

Moon-Lierht. 

1  The  moon  has  but  a  borrow'd  light, 

A  faint  and  feeble  ray  ; 
She  owes  her  beauty  to  the  night, 
And  hides  herself  by  day. 

2  No  cheering  warmth  her  beam  conveys. 

Though  pleasing  to  behold  ; 
We  might  upon  her  brightness  gaze 
Till  we  were  starv'd  with  cold. 

3  Just  such  is  all  the  light  to  man 

Which  reason  can  impart ; 
It  cannot  show  one  object  plain. 
Nor  warm  the  frozen  heart. 

4  Thus  moon-light  views  of  truths  divine 

To  many  fatal  prove. 
For  what  avail  in  gifts  to  shine,* 
Without  a  spark  of  love  f 

5  The  gospel,  like  the  sun  at  noon. 

Affords  a  glorious  light ; 
Then  fallen  reason's  boasted  moon 
Appears  no  longer  briglit. 

6  And  grace  not  light  alone  bestows. 

But  adds  a  quick'ning  power; 
The  desert  blossoms  like  the  rose,t 
And  sin  prevails  no  more. 

HYMN  LXXXVn. 

The  Sea.\ 

1  If,  for  a  time,  the  air  be  calm. 
Serene  and  smooth  the  sea  appears, 
And  shows  no  danger  to  alarm 

The  unexperienc'd  landsman's  fears . 

2  But  if  the  tempest  once  arise. 

The  faithless  water  swells  and  raves; 
Its  billows,  foaming  to  the  skies, 
Disclose  a  thousand  threat'ning  graves. 

3  My  untried  heart  thus  seem'd  to  me 
(So  little  of  myself  I  knew) 
Smooth  as  the  calm  unruffled  sea. 
But,  ah  !  it  prov'd  as  treach'rous  too ! 

4  The  peace  of  which  I  had  a  taste, 
When  Jesus  first  his  love  reveal'd, 
I  fondly  hop'd,  would  always  last. 
Because  my  foes  were  then  conceal'd. 

5  But  when  I  felt  the  tempest's  power 
Rouse  my  corruptions  from  their  sleep, 
I  trembled  at  the  stormy  hour. 

And  saw  the  horrors  of  the  deep. 

6  Now  on  presumption's  billows  borne. 
My  spirit  seem'd  the  Lord  to  dare  ; 
Now,  quick  as  thought,  a  sudden  turn 
Plung'd  me  in  gulfs  of  black  despair. 

7  Lord,  save  me,  or  I  sink,  I  prayed. 
He  heard,  and  bid  the  tempest  cease ; 
The  angry  waves  his  word  obeyed, 
And  all  my  fears  were  hush'd  to  peace. 

8  The  peace  is  his,  and  not  my  own. 
My  heart  (no  better  than  before) 

*  1  Cor.  xiii.  1.   t       xstv.  1.   \  Book  I.  Hymn  cxv. 


HYMN  XCI.] 


CREATION. 


177 


Is  still  to  dreadful  changes  prone, 
Then  let  me  never  trust  it  more. 

HYMN  LXXXVIIL 
The  Flood. 

1  Though  small  the  drops  of  falling  rain. 

If  one  be  singly  view'd  ; 
Collected  they  o'erspread  the  plain, 
And  form  a  mighty  flood. 

2  The  house  it  meets  within  its  course 

Should  not  be  built  on  clay, 
Lest,  with  a  wild  resistless  force, 
It  sweep  the  whole  away. 

3  Though  for  a  while  it  seemed  secure, 

It  will  not  bear  the  shock, 
Unless  it  has  foundations  sure. 
And  stands  upon  a  rock. 

4  Uhus  sinners  think  their  evil  deeds, 

Like  drops  of  rain,  are  small ; 
But  it  the  power  of  thought  exceeds, 
To  count  the  sum  of  all. 

5  One  sin  can  raise,  though  small  it  seems, 

A  flood  to  drown  the  soul ; 
What  then,  when  countless  mill  ion  streams 
Shall  join  to  swell  the  whole  1 

6  Yet,  while  they  think  die  weather  fair. 

If  warn'd,  they  smile  or  frown  ; 
But  they  will  tremble  and  despair. 
When  the  fierce  flood  conies  down. 

7  Oh !  then,  on  Jesus  ground  your  hope. 

That  stone  in  Zion  laid  ;* 
Lest  your  poor  building  quickly  drop, 
With  ruin  on  yx>\ir  head. 

HYMN  LXXXIX. 
The  Thaw. 

1  The  ice  and  snow  we  lately  saw, 

Which  cover'd  all  the  ground. 
Are  melted  soon  before  the  thaw, 
And  can  no  more  be  found. 

2  Could  all  the  art  of  man  suffice 

To  move  away  the  snow, 
To  clear  the  rivers  from  the  ice. 
Or  make  the  waters  flow  1 

3  No,  'tis  the  work  of  God  alone ; 

An  emblem  of  the  power 
By  which  he  melts  the  heart  of  stone 
In  his  appointed  hour. 

4  All  outward  means,  till  he  appears. 

Will  ineffectual  prove ; 
Though  much  the  sinner  sees  and  hears 
He  cannot  learn  to  love. 

5  But  let  the  stoutest  sinner  feel 

The  soft'ning  warmth  of  grace. 
Though  hard  as  ice,  or  rocks,  or  steel, 
His  heart  dissolves  apace. 

6  Seeing  the  blood  which  Jesus  spilt. 

To  save  his  soul  from  woe. 
His  hatred,  unbelief,  and  guilt, 
All  melt  away  like  snow. 

*  Matt.  vii.  24 ;  1  Peter  ii.  6. 

Vol.  XL  Z 


7  Jesus,  we  in  tliy  name  entreat. 
Reveal  thy  gracious  arm  ; 
And  grant  thy  Spirit's  kindly  heat. 
Our  frozen  hearts  to  warm. 

HYMN  XC. 
The  Loarhtonc. 

1  As  needles  point  towards  the  pole, 
When  touch'd  by  the  magnetic  stone ; 
So  faith  in  Jesus  gives  the  soul 

A  tendency  before  unknown. 

2  Till  then,  by  blinded  passions  led. 
In  search  of  fancied  good  we  range ; 
The  paths  of  disappointment  tread. 
To  nothing  fix'd,  but  love  of  change. 

3  But  when  the  Holy  Ghost  imparts 
A  knowledge  of  the  Saviour's  love. 
Our  wand'ring,  weary,  restless  hearts, 
Are  fix'd  at  once,  no  more  to  move. 

4  Now  a  new  principle  takes  place. 
Which  guides  and  animates  the  will ; 
This  love,  another  name  for  grace. 
Constrains  to  good,  and  bars  from  ill. 

5  By  love's  pure  light  we  soon  perceive 
Our  noblest  bliss  and  proper  end ; 
And  gladly  ev'ry  idol  leave. 

To  love  and  serve  our  Lord  and  Friend. 

6  Thus  borne  along  by  faith  and  hope, 
We  feel  the  Saviour's  words  are  true; 
"  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up. 

Will  draw  the  sinner  upward  too."* 

HYMN  XCI. 
The  Spider  and  the  Bee. 

1  On  the  same  flower  we  often  see 
The  loathsome  spider  and  the  bee  ; 
But  what  they  get  by  working  there, 
Is  different  as  their  natures  are. 

2  The  bee  a  sweet  reward  obtains. 
And  honey  well  repays  his  pains ; 
Home  to  the  hive  he  bears  the  store, 
And  then  returns  in  quest  of  more. 

3  But  no  sweet  flowers  that  grace  the  field 
Can  honey  to  the  spider  yield ; 

A  cobweb  all  that  he  can  spin. 
And  poison  all  he  stores  witliin. 

4  Thus  in  that  sacred  field,  the  word. 
With  flowers  of  God's  own  planting  stor'd, 
Like  bees  his  children  feed  and  thrive, 
And  bring  home  honey  to  the  hive. 

5  There,  spider-like,  the  vi'icked  come, 
And  seem  to  taste  the  sweet  perfume : 
But  the  vile  venom  of  their  hearts 

To  poison  all  their  food  converts. 

6  From  the  same  truths  believers  prize. 
They  weave  vain  refuges  of  lies ; 
And  from  the  promise  license  draw. 
To  trifle  with  the  holy  law. 

7  Lord,  shall  thy  word  of  life  and  love 
The  means  of  death  to  numbers  prove ! 

*  John  III.  32. 


178 


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HYMNS. 


[book  II. 


Unless  thy  grace  our  hearts  renew,* 
We  sink  to  bell,  with  heaven  in  view. 

HYMN  XCn. 
7%e  Bee  saved  from  the  Spider. 

1  The  subtle  spider  often  weaves 

His  unsuspected  snares 
Among  the  balmy  flowers  and  leaves, 
To  which  the  bee  repairs. 

2  When  in  his  web  he  sees  one  hang, 

With  a  malicious  joy, 
He  darts  upon  it  with  his  fang, 
To  poison  and  destroy. 

3  How  welcome  then  some  pitying  friend, 

To  save  the  threaten'd  bee : 
The  spider's  treach'rous  web  to  rend. 
And  set  the  captive  free  ! 

4  My  soul  has  been  in  such  a  case ; 

When  first  I  knew  the  Lord, 
I  hasted  to  the  means  of  grace. 
Where  sweets  I  knew  were  stor'd. 

5  Little  I  thought  of  danger  near. 

That  soon  my  joys  would  ebb : 
But  ah !  I  met  a  spider  there, 
Wlio  caught  me  in  his  web. 

6  Then  Satan  rais'd  his  pois'nous  sting, 

And  aim'd  his  blows  at  me ; 
While  I,  poor  helpless  trembling  thing, 
Could  neither  fight  nor  flee. 

7  But,  oh !  the  Saviour's  pitying  eye 

Relieved  me  from  despair ; 
He  saw  me  at  the  point  to  die, 
And  broke  the  fatal  snare. 

8  My  case  his  heedless  saints  should  warn. 

Or  cheer  them  if  afraid  ; 
May  you  from  me  your  danger  learn, 
And  where  to  look  for  aid. 

HYMN  XCm. 
The  tamed  Lion. 

1  A  LION,  though  by  nature  wild. 

The  art  of  man  can  tame ; 
He  stands  before  his  keeper  mild, 
And  gentle  as  a  lamb. 

2  He  watches,  with  submissive  eye, 

The  hand  that  gives  him  food, 
As  if  he  meant  to  testify 
A  sense  of  gratitude. 

3  But  man  himself,  who  thus  subdues 

The  fiercest  beasts  of  prey, 
And  nature  more  unfeeling  shows, 
Aad  far  more  fierce  than  they. 

4  Though  by  the  Lord  preserv'd  and  fed, 

He  proves  rebellious  still : 
And  while  he  eats  his  Maker's  bread, 
Resists  his  holy  will. 

5  Alike  in  vain  of  grace  that  saves, 

Or  threat'ning  law  he  hears ; 


The  savage  scorns,  blasphemes,  and  raves, 
But  neither  loves  nor  fears. 

6  O  Saviour !  how  thy  wond'rous  power 

By  angels  is  proclaim'd ! 
When  in  their  own  appointed  hour. 
They  see  this  lion  tam'd. 

7  The  love  thy  bleeding  cross  displays. 

The  hardest  heart  subdues; 
Here  furious  lions,  while  they  gaze. 
Their  rage  and  fierceness  lose.* 

8  Y'et  we  are  but  renew'd  in  part. 

The  lion  still  remains ; 
Lord,  drive  him  wholly  from  my  heart, 
Or  keep  him  fast  in  chains. 

HYMN  XCIV. 
Sheep. 

1  The  Saviour  calls  his  people  sheep,  • 
And  bids  them  on  his  love  rely ; 

For  he  alone  their  souls  can  keep. 
And  he  alone  their  wants  supply. 

2  The  bull  can  fight,  the  liare  can  flee, 
The  ant  in  summer  food  prepare  ; 
But  helpless  sheep,  and  such  are  we, 
Depend  upon  the  Shepherd's  care. 

3  Jehovah  is  our  Shepherd's  name.f 

Then  what  have  we,  though  weak,  to  fear ; 
Our  sin  and  folly  we  proclaim. 
If  we  despond  while  he  is  near. 

4  Wlien  Satan  threatens  to  devour. 
When  troubles  press  on  every  side. 
Think  of  our  Shepherd's  care  and  power, 
He  can  defend,  he  wil  provide. 

5  See  the  rich  pastures  of  his  grace. 
Where,  in  full  streams,  salvation  flows ! 
There  he  appoints  our  resting  place, 
And  we  may  feed,  secure  from  foes. 

6  There,  'midst  the  flock,  the  Shepherd 
The  sheep  around  in  safety  lie;  [dwells, 
The  wolf  in  vain  with  malice  swells, 

For  he  protects  them  with  his  eye.t 

7  Dear  Lord,  if  I  am  one  of  thine. 
From  anxious  thoughts  I  would  be  free, 
To  trust,  and  love,  and  praise,  is  mine, 
The  care  of  all  belongs  to  thee. 

HYMN  XCV. 
Hie  Garden. 

1  A  GARDEN  contemplation  suits, 

And  may  instruction  yield. 
Sweeter  than  all  the  flowers  and  fruita 
With  which  the  spot  is  fill'd. 

2  Eden  was  Adam's  dwelling-place. 

While  bless'd  with  innocence ; 
But  sin  o'erwhelm'd  him  with  disgrace. 
And  drove  the  rebel  thence. 

3  Oft  as  the  garden-walk  we  tread 

We  should  bemoan  his  fall : 


*  Book  III.  Hymn  Uzi. 


*  Isaiah  xi.  6.      t  Psalm  xiiii.  1.      J  MicaU  v.  4. 


HYMN  XCVIII.] 


CREATION. 


179 


The  trespass  of  our  legal  head 
In  ruin  plung'd  us  all. 

4  The  garden  of  Gethsemane, 

The  second  Adam  saw, 
Oppress'd  with  woe,  to  set  us  free 
From  the  avenging-  law. 

5  How  stupid  we,  who  can  forget, 

With  gardens  in  our  siglit, 
His  agonies  and  bloody  sweat 
In  that  tremendous  night. 

6  His  church  as  a  fair  garden  stands. 

Which  walls  of  love  inclose. 
Each  tree  is  planted  by  his  hands,* 
And  by  his  blessing  grows. 

7  Believing  hearts  are  gardens  too, 

For  grace  has  sown  its  seeds. 
Where  once,  by  nature,  nothing  grew 
But  thorns  and  worthless  weeds. 

8  Such  themes,  to  those  who  Jesus  love, 

May  constant  joys  afford. 
And  make  a  barren  desert  prove 
The  garden  of  the  Lord. 

HYMN  XCVI. 
For  a  Garden-Seat  or  Summer-House. 

1  A  SHELTER  from  the  rain  or  wind,t 

A  shade  from  scorching  heat, 
A  resting-place  you  here  may  find 
To  ease  your  weary  feet. 

2  Enter,  but  with  a  serious  thought 

Consider  who  is  near : 
This  is  a  consecrated  spot. 
The  Lord  is  present  here. 

3  A  question  of  the  utmost  weight. 

While  reading,  meets  your  eye ; 
May  conscience  witness  to  your  state, 
And  give  a  true  reply  ! 

4  Is  Jesus  to  your  heart  reveal'd, 

As  full  of  truth  and  grace  ^ 
And  is  his  name  your  hope  and  shield, 
Your  rest  and  hiding-place  1 

5  If  so,  for  all  events  prepar'd 

Whatever  storms  may  rise, 
He  whom  you  love  will  safely  guard. 
And  guide  you  to  the  skies. 

6  No  burning  sun,  or  storm,  or  rain. 

Will  there  your  peace  annoy; 
No  sin,  temptation,  grief  or  pain. 
Intrude  to  damp  your  joy. 

7  But  if  his  name  you  have  not  known, 

O  seek  him  while  you  may  ! 
Lest  you  should  meet  his  awful  frown 
In  that  approaching  day. 

8  When  the  avenging  Judge  you  see, 

With  terrors  on  his  brow. 
Where  can  you  hide,  or  whither  flee. 
If  you  reject  him  now  ? 


HYMN  XCVn. 
The  Creatures  in  the  Lord's  Hands. 

1  The  water  stood  like  walls  of  brass, 
To  let  the  sons  of  Israel  pass,* 
And  from  the  rock  in  rivers  burst. 

At  Moses'  prayer,!  to  quench  their  thirst. 

2  The  fire,  restrain'd  by  God's  connnands. 
Could  only  burn  his  people's  bands  :| 
Too  faint,  when  he  was  with  them  there, 
To  singe  their  garments  or  their  hair. 

3  At  Daniel's  feet  the  lions  la}',^ 

Like  harmless  lambs,  nor  touch'd  their  prey; 
And  ravens,  which  on  carron  fed, 
Procur'd  Elijah  flesh  and  bread.  1| 

4  Thus  creatures  only  can  fulfil 
Their  great  Creator's  holy  will ; 
And  when  his  servants  need  their  aid 
His  purposes  must  be  obeyed. 

5  So  if  his  blessing  he  refuse. 

Their  power  to  help  they  quickly  lose ; 
Sure  as  on  creatures  we  depend, 
Our  hopes  in  disapjwintment  end. 

6  Then  let  us  trust  the  Lord  aione, 
And  creature-confidence  disown ; 
Nor,  if  they  threaten,  need  we  fear ; 
They  cannot  hurt  if  he  be  near. 

7  If  instruments  of  pain  they  prove, 
Still  tliey  are  guided  by  his  love. 
As  lancets  by  the  surgeon's  skill. 
Which  wound  to  cure  and  not  to  kill. 

HYMN  XCVHL 

On  Dreaming. 

1  When  slumber  seals  our  weary  eyes, 
The  busy  fancy  wakeful  keeps; 

The  scenes  which  then  before  us  rise, 
Prove  something  in  us  never  sleeps. 

2  As  in  another  world  we  seem, 
A  new  creation  of  our  own ; 

All  appears  real,  though  a  dream. 
And  all  familiar,  though  unknown. 

3  Sometimes  the  mind  beholds  again 
The  past  day's  bus'ness  in  review. 
Resumes  the  pleasure  or  tlio  pain, 
And  sometimes  all  we  meet  is  new. 

4  What  schemes  we  form!  what  pains  we 
We  fight,  we  run,  we  fly,  we  fall ;  [take, 
But  all  is  ended  when  we  wake. 

We  scarcely  then  a  trace  recall. 

5  But  thouirh  our  dreams  are  often  wild, 
,  Like  clouds  before  the  drivino-  storm, 

Yet  some  important  may  be  styl'd. 
Sent  to  admonish  or  inform. 

6  What  mighty  agents  have  access. 
What  friends  from  heaven  or  foes  from  hell, 
Our  minds  to  comfort  or  distress, 
When  we  are  sleeping,  who  can  tell  1 


*  Isa.  Jii.  3. 


t  Isa.  xxxii.  3. 


*  Exod.  xiv.  22.  t  Numb.  x.\.  11.  J  Dan.  iii.  27 
§Dan.  vi.  23.  ||  1  Kings  xvii.  6. 


180 


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HYMNS. 


[book  III. 


7  One  thing  at  least,  and  'tis  enough, 
We  learn  from  this  surprising  fact, 
Our  dreams  afford  sufficient  proof, 
The  soul  without  the  flesh  can  act. 

8  This  life,  which  mortals  so  esteem, 
That  many  choose  it  for  their  all. 
They  will  confess,  was  but  a  dream,* 
When  wakened  by  death's  awful  call. 

HYMN  XCIX. 
The  World. 

1  See,  the  world  for  youth  prepares, 
Harlot-like,  her  gaudy  snares ! 
Pleasures  round  her  seem  to  wait, 
But  'tis  all  a  painted  cheat. 

2  Rash  and  unsuspecting  youth 
Thinks  to  find  thee  always  smooth, 
Always  kind,  till  better  taught. 
By  experience  dearly  bought. 

3  So  the  calm,  but  faithless  sea, 
(Lively  emblem,  world,  of  thee,) 
Tempts  the  shepherd  from  the  shore, 
Foreign  regions  to  explore. 

4  While  no  wrinkled  wave  is  seen, 
While  the  sky  remains  serene, 
Fill'd  with  hopes  and  golden  schemes, 
Of  a  storm  he  little  dreams. 

5  But  ere  long  the  tempest  raves, 
Then  he  trembles  at  the  waves ; 
Wishes  then  he  had  been  wise. 
But  too  late  he  sinks  and  dies. 

6  Hapless  thus  are  they,  vain  world, 
Soon  on  rocks  of  ruin  hurl'd. 
Who  admiring  thee,  untried. 
Court  thy  pleasure,  wealth,  or  pride. 

7  Such  a  shipwreck  had  been  mine, 
Had  not  Jesus  (name  divine  !) 
Sav'd  me  with  a  mighty  hand, 
And  restor'd  my  soul  to  land. 

8  Now,  with  gratitude  I  raise 
Ebenezers  to  his  praise ; 

Now  my  rash  pursuits  are  o'er, 
I  can  trust  thee,  world,  no  more. 

HYMN  C. 
The  Enchantment  dissolved. 

1  Blinded  in  youth  by  Satan's  arts. 
The  world  to  our  unpractis'd  hearts, 

A  flatt'ring  prospect  shows  ; 
Our  fancy  forms  a  thousand  schemes 
Our  gay  delights  and  golden  dreams, 

And  undisturb'd  repose. 

2  So  in  the  desert's  dreary  waste. 
By  magic  power  produc'd  in  haste, 

(As  ancient  fables  say) 
Castles,  and  groves,  and  music  sweet. 
The  senses  of  the  trav'ller  meet, 

And  stop  him  in  his  way. 


*  Isaiah  zxiz.  3. 


3  But  while  he  listens  with  surprise. 
The  charm  dissolves,  the  vision  dies, 

'Twas  but  enchanted  ground: 
Thus,  if  the  Lord  our  spirit  touch. 
The  world,  which  promis'd  us  so  much, 

A  wilderness  is  found. 

4  At  first  we  start,  and  feel  distress'd, 
Convinc'd  we  never  can  have  rest 

In  such  a  wretched  place ; 
But  he  whose  mercy  breaks  the  charm, 
Reveals  his  own  almighty  arm, 

And  bids  us  seek  his  face. 

5  Then  we  begin  to  live  indeed. 
When  from  our  sin  and  bondage  freed 

By  this  beloved  Friend  ; 
We  follow  him  from  day  to  day, 
Assur'd  of  grace  through  all  the  way. 

And  glory  at  the  end. 


BOOK  III. 

ON  THE  RISE,  PROGRESS,  CHANGES,  AND  COM- 
FORTS OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  LIFE. 


I.  SOLEMN  ADDRESSES  TO 
SINNERS 

HYMN  L 
Expostulation. 

1  No  words  can  declare, 
No  fancy  can  paint, 
What  rage  and  despair. 
What  hopeless  complaint. 
Fill  Satan's  dark  dwelling, 
The  prison  beneath 

What  weeping,  and  yelling. 
And  gnashing  of  teeth  ! 

2  Yet  sinners  will  choose 
This  dreadful  abode ; 
Each  madly  pursues 
The  dangerous  road ; 
Though  God  give  them  warning 
They  onward  will  go, 

They  answer  with  scorning, 
And  rush  upon  woe. 

3  How  sad  to  behold 
The  rich  and  the  poor. 
The  young  and  the  old. 
All  blindly  secure ! 
All  posting  to  ruin. 
Refusing  to  stop ! 

Ah !  think  what  you  're  doing 
While  yet  there  is  hope. 

4  How  weak  is  your  hand. 
To  fight  with  the  Lord  ! 
How  can  you  withstand 
The  edge  of  his  sword  1 
What  hope  of  escaping 
For  those  who  oppose, 
When  hell  is  wide  gaping 
To  swallow  his  foes ! 


HTHN  IT.J 


TO  SINNERS. 


181 


5  How  oft  have  you  dar'd 
The  Lord  to  his  face! 
Yet  still  you  are  spar'd 
To  hear  of  his  grace  ; 
Oh !  pray  for  repentance 
And  life-giving  faith, 
Before  the  just  sentence 
Consign  you  to  death. 

6  It  is  not  too  late 
To  Jesus  to  flee, 
His  mercy  is  great, 
His  pardon  is  free ; 

His  blood  has  such  virtue 
For  all  that  believe. 
That  nothmg  can  hurt  you, 
If  hijn  you  receive. 

HYMN  II. 
Alarm. 

1  Stop,  poor  sinner !  stop,  and  think, 

Before  you  farther  go ! 
Will  you  sport  upon  the  brink 

Of  everlasting  woe  1 
Once  again,  I  charge  you,  stop  ! 
For,  unless  you  warning  take. 
Ere  you  are  aware,  you  drop 

Into  the  burning  lake  ! 

2  Say,  have  you  an  arm  like  God, 

That  you  his  will  oppose  .' 
Fear  you  not  that  iron  rod 

With  which  he  breaks  his  foes? 
Can  you  stand  in  that  dread  day, 
When  he  judgment  shall  proclaim. 
And  the  earth  shall  melt  away, 

Like  wax  before  the  flame  ^ 

3  Pale-fac'd  death  will  quickly  come, 

To  drag  you  to  his  bar ; 
Then  to  hear  your  awful  doom 

Will  fill  you  with  despair : 
All  your  sins  will  round  you  crowd, 
Sins  of  a  blood-crimson  dye ; 
Each  for  vengeance  crying  loud. 

And  what  can  you  reply  J 

4  Though  your  heart  be  made  of  steel, 

Your  forehead  lin'd  with  brass, 
God  at  length  will  make  you  feel, 

He  will  not  let  you  pass : 
Sinners  then  in  vain  will  call, 
(Though  they  now  despise  his  grace) 
Rocks  and  mountains  on  us  fall,* 

And  hide  us  from  his  face. 

5  But  as  yet  there  is  a  hope 

You  may  his  mercy  know. 
Though  his  arm  is  lifted  up. 

He  still  forbears  the  blow : 
'Twas  for  sinners  Jesus  died, 
Sinners  he  invites  to  come ; 
None  who  come  shall  be  denied. 

He  says,  "There  still  is  room."t 


HYMN  III. 
We  were  once  as  you  are. 

1  Shall  men  pretend  to  pleasure, 

Who  never  knew  the  Lord, 
Can  all  the  worldling's  treasure 

True  peace  of  mind  afford] 
They  shall  obtain  this  jewel 

In  what  their  hearts  desire, 
When  they  by  adding  fuel 

Can  quench  the  flame  of  fire. 

2  Till  you  can  bid  the  ocean. 

When  furious  tempests  roar,* 
Forget  its  wonted  motion, 

And  rage  and  swell  no  more ; 
In  vain  your  expectation 

To  find  content  in  sin. 
Or  freedom  from  vexation. 

While  passions  reign  within. 

3  Come  turn  your  thoughts  to  Jesus, 

If  you  would  good  possess; 
'Tis  he  alone  that  frees  us 

From  guilt  and  from  distress: 
When  he  by  faith  is  present. 

The  sinner's  troubles  cease ; 
His  ways  are  truly  pleasant, 

And  all  his  paths  are  peace.f 

4  Our  time  in  sin  we  wasted. 

And  fed  upon  the  wind ; 
Until  his  love  we  tasted. 

No  comfort  could  we  find : 
But  now  we  stand  to  witness 

His  power  and  grace  to  you; 
May  you  perceive  its  fitness. 

And  call  upon  him  too ! 

5  Our  pleasure  and  our  duty. 

Though  opposite  before. 
Since  we  have  seen  his  beauty, 

Are  join'd  to  part  no  more : 
It  is  our  highest  pleasure, 

No  less  than  duty's  call. 
To  love  him  beyond  measure. 

And  serve  him  with  our  all. 

HYMN  IV. 
Prepare  to  meet  God. 

1  Sinner,  art  thou  still  secure  1 
Wilt  thou  still  refuse  to  pray  t 
Can  thy  heart  or  hands  endure 
In  the  Lord's  avenging  day  1 
See,  his  mighty  arm  is  bar'd  ! 
Awrful  terrors  clothe  his  brow ! 
For  his  judgment  stand  prepar'd. 
Thou  must  either  break  or  bow. 

2  At  his  presence  nature  shakes. 
Earth  affrighted  hastes  to  flee, 
Solid  mountains  melt  like  wax; 
What  will  then  become  of  thee 
Who  his  advent  may  abided 
You  that  glory  in  your  shame. 
Will  you  find  a  place  to  hide 
When  the  world  is  wrapt  in  flame  1 


*  Rev.  vi.  16. 


t  Luke  ziv.  23. 


*  Isa.  Ivii,  20,  21. 


t  Prov.  iii.  17. 


182 


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HYMNS. 


[book  III. 


3  Then  the  rich,  the  great,  the  wiso, 
Trembling',  guilty,  self-condernn'd. 
Must  behold  tlic  wrathful  eyes 

Of  the  Judge  they  once  blasphem'd : 
Where  are  now  their  haughty  looks] 
Oh  tlieir  horror  and  despair! 
When  they  see  the  open'd  books, 
And  their  dreadful  sentence  hear  ! 

4  Lord,  prepare  us  by  thy  grace ! 
Soon  we  must  resign  our  breath ; 
And  our  souls  be  call  d  to  pass 
Through  the  iron  gate  of  death : 
Let  us  now  our  day  improve, 
Listen  to  the  gospel-voice; 
Seek  the  things  that  are  above, 
Scorn  the  world's  pretended  joys. 

5  Oh !  when  flesh  and  heart  shall  fail. 
Let  thy  love  our  spirits  cheer ; 
Strengtlien'd  thus,  we  shall  prevail 
Over  Satan,  sin,  and  fear : 
Trusting  in  thy  precious  name, 
May  we  thus  our  journey  end  ; 
Then  our  foes  shall  lose  their  aim, 
And  the  Judge  will  be  our  friend. 

HYMN  V. 
Invitation. 

1  Sinners,  hear  the  Saviour's  call, 

He  now  is  passing  by ; 
He  has  seen  thy  grievous  thrall, 

And  heard  thy  mournful  cry. 
He  has  pardons  to  impart, 
Grace  to  save  thee  from  thy  fears; 
See  the  love  that  fills  his  heart. 

And  wipe  away  thy  tears. 

2  Why  art  thou  afraid  to  come, 

And  tell  him  all  thy  case  ] 
He  will  not  pronounce  thy  doom, 

Nor  frown  thee  from  his  face : 
Wilt  thou  fear  Emmanuel ! 
Wilt  thou  dread  the  Lamb  of  God, 
Who,  to  save  thy  soul  from  hell. 

Has  shed  his  precious  blood  ! 

3  Think  how  on  the  cross  he  hung, 

Pierc'd  with  a  thousand  wounds ! 
Hark,  from  each,  as  with  a  tongue, 

The  voice  of  pardon  sounds  ! 
See,  from  all  his  bursting  veins. 
Blood  of  wondrous  virtue  ilow ! 
Shed  to  wash  away  thy  stains. 

And  ransom  thee  from  woe. 

4  Though  his  majesty  be  great. 

His  mercy  is  no  less  ; 
Though  he  thy  transgressions  hate. 

He  feels  for  thy  distress: 
By  himself  the  Lord  hath  sworn, 
He  delights  not  in  thy  death,* 
But  invites  thee  to  return. 

That  thou  may'st  live  by  faith. 

5  Raise  thy  downcast  eyes,  and  see 

What  throngs  his  throne  surround ! 

*  Ezek.  xxxiii.  11. 


These,  though  sinners  once  like  thee, 
Have  full  salvation  found : 

Yield  not  then  to  unbelief! 

Wliile  he  says,  "  There  yet  is  room," 

Though  of  sinners  thou  art  chief, 
Since  Jesus  calls  thee,  come. 


SIMILAR  HYMNS. 

Book  L  Hymn  7-5,  91. 

Book  II.  Hymn  1,  2,  3,  4,  6,  35,  77,  78,  83. 


IL  SEEKING,  PLEADING,  AND 
HOPING. 

HYMN  VL 
The  bvrilened  Sinner. 

1  Ah  !  what  can  I  do. 
Or  where  be  secure  ! 
If  justice  pursue, 
What  heart  can  endure  1 
The  heart  breaks  asunder. 
Though  hard  as  a  stone. 
When  God  speaks  in  thunder. 
And  makes  himself  known. 

2  With  terror  I  read 
My  sins'  heavy  score. 
The  numbers  exceed 
The  sands  on  the  shore ; 
Guilt  makes  me  unable 
To  stand  or  to  flee  ; 

So  Cain  murder'd  Abel 
And  trembled  like  me. 

3  Each  sin,  like  his  blood, 
With  a  terrible  cry. 
Calls  loudly  on  God 

To  strike  from  on  high : 
Nor  can  my  repentance, 
E.xtorted  by  fear. 
Reverse  the  just  sentence, 
'Tis  just,  though  severe. 

4  The  case  is  too  plain, 

I  have  my  own  choice ; 
Again,  and  again, 
I  slighted  his  voice, 
His  warnings  neglected, 
His  patience  abus'd. 
His  gospel  rejected. 
His  mercy  refus'd. 

5  And  must  I  then  go. 
For  ever  to  dwell 

In  torments  and  woe. 
With  devils  in  hell '! 
Oh !  where  is  the  Saviour 
I  scorn'd  in  times  past! 
His  word  in  my  favour 
Would  save  me  at  last. 

6  Lord  Jesus  on  thee 
I  venture  to  call. 
Oh  look  upon  me, 
The  vilest  of  all! 


BYUN  IX.] 


SEEKING,  &c. 


183 


For  whom  didst  thou  languish, 
And  bleed  on  the  tree  ] 
O  pity  my  anguish, 
And  say,  "  'Twas  for  thee." 
7  A  case  such  as  mine 
Will  honour  tliy  power; 
All  hell  will  repine, 
All  heaven  will  adore  ; 
If  in  condemnation 
Strict  justice  takes  place. 
It  shines  in  salvation, 
More  glorious  through  grace. 

HYMN  VU. 
Behold,  I  am  Vile! 

1  O  Lord,  how  vile  am  I, 
Unholy  and  unclean  ! 

How  can  I  dare  to  venture  nigh 
With  such  a  load  of  sini 

2  Is  this  polluted  heart 

A  dwelling  fit  for  thee  1 
Swarming,  alas!  in  ev'ry  part, 
What  evils  do  I  see  ! 

3  If  I  attempt  to  pray. 
And  lisp  thy  holy  name, 

My  thoughts  are  hurried  soon  away, 
I  know  not  where  lam. 

4  If  in  thy  word  I  look. 

Such  darkness  fills  my  mind, 
I  only  read  a  sealed  book, 
But  no  relief  can  find. 

5  Thy  gospel  oft  I  hear. 
But  hear  it  still  in  vain ; 

Without  desire,  or  love,  or  fear, 
I  like  a  stone  remain. 

6  Myself  can  hardly  bear 

This  wretched  heart  of  mine ; 
How  hateful,  then,  must  it  appear 
To  those  pure  eyes  of  thine  ] 

7  And  must  I  then  indeed 
Sink  in  despair  and  die  ? 

Fain  would  I  hope  that  thou  didst  bleed 
For  such  a  wretch  as  I. 

8  That  blood  which  thou  hast  spilt. 
That  grace  which  is  thine  own, 

Can  cleanse  the  vilest  sinner's  guilt, 
And  soften  hearts  of  stone. 

9  Low  at  thy  feet  I  bow, 

0  pity  and  forgive ! 

Here  will  I  lie,  and  wait  till  thou 
Shalt  bid  me  rise  and  live. 

HYMN  VIIL 
The  shining  Light. 

1  My  former  hopes  are  fled. 
My  terror  now  begins ; 

I  feel,  alas !  that  I  am  dead 
In  trespasses  and  sins. 

2  Ah!  whither  shall  I  fly  ? 

1  hear  the  thunder  roar ; 


The  law  proclaims  destruction  nigli, 
And  vengeance  at  the  door. 

3  When  I  review  my  ways, 
I  dread  impending  doom ; 

But  sure  a  friendly  whisper  says, 
"  Flee  from  the  wrath  to  come." 

4  I  see,  or  think  I  see, 

A  glimm'ring  from  afar ; 
A  beam  of  day  that  shines  for  me, 
To  save  me  from  despair. 

5  Forerunner  of  the  sun,* 

It  marks  the  pilgrim's  way ; 
I  '11  gaze  upon  it  while  I  run, 
And  watch  the  rising  day.  C. 

HYMN  IX. 
Encouragement. 

1  My  soul  is  beset 
With  grief  and  dismay, 
I  owe  a  vast  debt. 
And  nothing  can  pay : 

I  must  go  to  prison. 
Unless  that  dear  Lord, 
Who  died  and  is  risen. 
His  pity  aflxjrd. 

2  The  death  that  he  died. 
The  blood  that  he  spilt, 
To  sinners  applied. 
Discharge  from  all  guilt: 
This  great  intercessor 
Can  give,  if  he  please. 
The  vilest  transgressor 
Immediate  release. 

3  When  nail'd  to  the  tree. 
He  answer'd  the  prayer 
Of  one  who,  like  me, 
Was  nigh  to  despair  ;t 
He  did  not  upbraid  him 
With  all  he  had  done. 
But  instantly  made  him 
A  saint  and  a  son. 

4  The  jailor,  I  read, 
A  pardon  receiv'd  :J: 
And  how  was  he  freed  I 
He  only  believ'd : 

His  case  mine  resembled. 
Like  me  he  was  foul. 
Like  me  too  he  trembled. 
But  faith  made  him  whole. 

5  Though  Saul  in  his  youth. 
To  madness  enrag'd, 
Against  the  Lord's  truth 
And  people  engag'd ; 
Yet  Jesus,  the  Saviour, 
Whom  long  he  revird,^ 
Receiv'd  him  to  favour. 
And  made  him  a  child. 

6  A  foe  to  all  good, 

In  wickedness  skill'd. 


*  Psalm  cxxx.  6.  t  Luke  ^x>''-  43. 

1  Acts  xvi.  13.  §  1  Tim.  i.  16. 


184  OLNEY 

Manasseh  with  blood 
Jerusalem  fill'd  ;* 
In  evil  long'  harden'd 
The  Lord  lie  defied ; 
Yet  he  too  was  pardon'd 
When  mercy  he  eried. 

7  Of  sinners  the  chief, 
And  viler  than  all, 
The  jailor  or  thief, 
Manasseh  or  Saul ; 
Since  they  were  forgiven. 
Why  should  I  despair, 
While  Christ  is  in  heaven. 
And  still  answers  prayer. 

HYMN  X. 
The  Waiting  Soul. 

1  Breathe  from  the  gentle  south,  O  Lord, 

And  cheer  me  from  the  north  ; 
Blow  on  the  treasures  of  thy  word, 
And  call  the  spices  forth  ! 

2  I  wish,  thou  know'st,  to  be  resign'd. 

And  wait  with  patient  hope ; 
But  hope  delayed  fatigoes  the  mind, 
And  drinks  the  spirits  up. 

3  Help  me  to  reach  the  distant  goal, 

Confirm  my  feeble  knee, 
Pity  the  sickness  of  a  soul 
That  faints  for  love  of  thee. 

4  Cold  as  I  feel  this  heart  of  mine. 

Yet  since  I  feel  it  so 
It  yields  some  hope  of  life  divine, 
Within,  however  low. 

5  I  seem  forsaken  and  alone, 

I  hear  the  lion  roar, 
And  ev'ry  door  is  shut  but  one, 
And  that  is  mercy's  door. 

6  There,  till  the  dear  Deliv'rer  come, 

I  '11  wait  with  humble  prayer ; 
And  when  he  calls  his  exile  home, 
The  Lord  shall  find  him  there. 

HYMN  XL 
The  Effort. 

1  Cheer  up,  my  soul,  there  is  a  mercy-seat 
Sprinkled  with  blood,  where  Jesus  answers 

prayer ; 

There  humbly  cast  thyself  beneath  his  feet. 
For  never  needy  sinner  perish'd  there. 

2  Lord,  I  am  come  !  thy  promise  is  my  plea. 
Without  thy  word  I  durst  not  venture  nigh ; 
But  thou  hast  call'd  the  burden'd  soul  to 

thee, 

A  weary,  burden'd  soul,  O  Lord,  am  I ! 

S  Bow'd  down  beneath  a  heavy  load  of  sin, 
By  Satan's  fierce  temptations  sorely  prest. 
Beset  without,  and  full  of  fears  within, 
Trembling  and  faint,  I  come  to  thee  for  rest. 


*  2  Chron.  xxxiii.  12,  13. 


HYMNS.  '  [book  in. 

4  Be  thou  my  refuge,  Lord,  my  hiding-place, 
I  know  no  force  can  tear  me  from  thy  side; 
Unmov'd  I  then  may  all  accusers  face, 
And  answer  ev'ry  charge  with  "Jesus 

died." 

5  Yes,  thou  didst  weep,  and  bleed,  and  groan, 

and  die. 

Well  hast  thou  known  what  fierce  tempta- 
tions mean ; 

Such  was  thy  love ;  and  now,  enthron'd  on 
high, 

The  same  compassions  in  thy  bosom  reign. 

6  Lord,  give  me  faith: — he  hears:  what 

grace  is  this  ! 
Dry  up  thy  tears,  my  soul,  and  cease  to 
grieve ; 

He  shows  me  what  he  did,  and  who  he  i^ 
I  must,  I  will,  I  can,  I  do  believe. 

HYMN  XIL 

ANOTHER. 

1  Approach,  my  soul,  the  mercy-seat 

Where  Jesus  answers  prayer. 
There  humbly  fall  before  his  feet. 
For  none  can  perish  there. 

2  Thy  promise  is  my  only  plea, 

With  this  I  venture  nigh ; 
Thou  callest  burden'd  souls  to  thee. 
And,  such,  O  Lord,  am  I. 

3  Bow'd  down  beneath  a  load  of  sin, 

By  Satan  sorely  press'd, 
By  wars  without,  and  fears  within, 
I  come  to  thee  for  rest. 

4  Be  thou  my  shield  and  hiding-place ! 

That,  shelter'd  near  thy  side, 
I  may  my  fierce  accnser  face, 
And  tell  him,  "Thou  hast  died." 

5  O  wond'rous  love  !  to  bleed  and  die, 

To  bear  the  cross  and  shame, 
That  guilty  sinners,  such  as  I, 
Might  plead  thy  gracious  name. 

6  "  Poor  tempest-tossed  soul,  be  still. 

My  promis'd  grace  receive  :" 
'Tis  Jesus  speaks — I  must,  I  wDl, 
I  can,  I  do  believe. 

HYMN  Xm. 
Seeking  the  Beloved. 

1  To  those  who  know  the  Lord,  I  speak. 

Is  my  beloved  near? 
The  bridegroom  of  my  soul  I  seek, 
O  when  will  he  appear  ! 

2  Though  once  a  man  of  grief  and  shame, 

Yet  now  he  fills  a  throne, 
And  bears  the  greatest,  sweetest  name. 
That  earth  or  heaven  have  known. 

3  Grace  flies  before,  and  love  attends 

His  steps  where'er  he  goes ; 
Though  none  can  see  him  but  his  friendsj 
And  they  were  once  his  foes. 


HYMN  XVII.] 

4  He  speaks — obedient  to  his  call 

Our  warm  affections  move  ; 
Did  he  but  shine  alike  on  all, 
Tlien  all  alike  would  love. 

5  Then  love  in  every  heart  would  reign, 

And  war  would  cease  to  roar  ; 
And  cruel  and  blood-thirsty  men 
Would  thirst  for  blood  no  more. 

6  Such  Jesus  is,  and  such  his  grace, 

0  may  he  shine  on  you  !* 

And  tell  him,  when  you  see  his  face, 

1  long  to  see  him  too.  C. 

HYMN  XIV. 
Rest  for  Weary  Souls. 

1  Does  the  gospel- word  proclaim 
Rest  for  those  who  weary  be  If 
Then,  my  soul,  put  in  thy  claim. 
Sure  that  promise  speaks  to  thee ; 
Marks  of  grace  I  cannot  show. 
All  polluted  is  my  best ; 

Yet  I  weary  am,  I  know, 
And  the  weary  long  for  rest. 

2  Burden'd  with  a  load  of  sin, 
Harass'd  with  tormenting  doubt, 
Hourly  conflicts  from  within, 
Hourly  crosses  from  without: 
All  my  little  strength  is  gone. 
Sink  I  must  without  supply; 
Sure  upon  the  earth  is  none 
Can  more  weary  be  than  I. 

3  In  the  ark  the  weary  dove| 
Found  a  welcome  resting-place ; 
Thus  my  spirit  longs  to  prove 
Rest  in  Christ,  the  ark  of  grace. 
Tempest-toss'd  I  long  have  been. 
And  the  flood  increases  fast ; 
Open,  Lord,  and  take  me  in. 
Till  the  storm  be  overpast. 

4  Safely  lodg'd  within  thy  breast, 
What  a  wondrous  change  I  find  ! 
Now  I  know  thy  promised  rest 
Can  compose  a  troubled  mind  : 
You  that  weary  are,  like  me, 
Hearken  to  the  gospel  call ; 

To  the  ark  for  refuge  flee, 
Jesus  will  receive  you  all ! 


SIMILAR  HYMNS. 

Book  I.  Hymn  4r),  69,  82,  83,  84,  96. 
Book  II.  Hymn  29. 

III.  CONFLICT. 

HYMN  XV. 
Light  shining  out  of  Darkness. 
1  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way, 
His  wonders  to  perform  ; 
He  plants  his  footsteps  in  the  sea. 
And  rides  upon  the  storm. 


185 

2  Deep  in  unflithomable  mines 

Of  never-failing  skill, 
He  treasures  up  his  bright  designs, 
And  works  his  sovereign  will. 

3  Ye  fearful  saints,  fresh  courage  take, 

The  clouds  ye  so  much  dread. 
Are  big  with  mercy,  and  shall  break 
In  blessings  on  your  head. 

4  Judge  not  the  Lord  by  feeble  sense, 

But  trust  him  for  his  grace ; 
Behind  a  frowning  providence. 
He  hides  a  smiling  face. 

5  His  purposes  will  ripen  fast. 

Unfolding  every  hour ; 
The  bud  may  have  a  bitter  taste, 
But  sweet  will  be  the  flower. 

6  Blind  unbelief  is  sure  to  err,* 

And  scan  his  work  in  vain ; 
God  is  his  own  interpreter. 
And  he  will  make  it  plain. 

HYMN  XVI. 

Welcome  Cross. 

1  'Tis  my  happiness  below, 
Not  to  live  without  the  cross. 
But  the  Saviour's  power  to  know, 
Sanctifying  every  loss : 

Trials  must  and  will  befall ; 
But  with  humble  faith  to  see 
Love  inscribed  upon  them  all. 
This  is  happiness  to  me. 

2  God,  in  Israel,  sows  the  seeds 
Of  affliction,  pain,  and  toil ; 

These  spring  up  and  choke  the  weeda 
W^hich  would  else  o'erspread  the  soil: 
Trials  make  the  promise  sweet, 
Trials  give  new  life  to  prayer  ; 
Trials  bring  me  to  his  feet. 
Lay  me  low,  and  keep  me  there. 

3  Did  I  meet  no  trials  here. 

No  chastisement  by  the  way ; 

Might  I  not  with  reason  fear, 

I  should  prove  a  cast-away. 

Bastards  may  escape  the  rod,t 

Sunk  in  earthly,  vain  delight; 

But  the  true-born  child  of  God 

Must  not,  would  not,  if  he  might.  C. 

HYMN  XVn. 
A  fflictions  sanctified  by  the  Word. 

1  O  HOW  I  love  thy  holy  word, 
Thy  gracious  covenant,  O  Lord  ! 
It  guides  me  in  the  peaceful  way, 
I  think  upon  it  all  the  day. 

2  What  are  the  mines  of  shining  wealth. 
The  strength  of  youth,  the  bloom  of  health ! 
What  are  all  joys  compar'd  with  those 
Thine  everlasting  word  bestows. 

3  Long  unafflicted,  undismayed. 

In  pleasure's  path  secure  I  strayed ; 


CONFUCT. 


♦Cant.  V.  8.        tMatt.  xi.  38.         tGen.  viii.9. 

Vol.  II.  2  A 


*  John  xiii.  7, 


t  Heb.  lii.  8. 


186 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[book  in. 


Thou  mad'st  me  feel  thy  chast'ning  rod,* 
And  straight  I  turn'd  unto  my  God. 

4  What  though  it  pierc'd  my  fainting  heart, 
I  bless  thine  hand  that  caus'd  the  smart ; 
It  taught  my  tears  a  while  to  flow, 

But  sav'd  me  from  eternal  woe. 

5  Oh  !  had'st  thou  left  me  unchastis'd, 
Thy  precepts  I  had  still  despis'd  ; 
And  still  the  snare  in  secret  laid. 
Had  my  unwary  feet  betrayed. 

6  I  love  thee,  therefore,  O  my  God ! 
And  breathe  towards  thy  dear  abode. 
Where  in  thy  presence  fully  blest, 
Thy  chosen  saints  for  ever  rest.  C. 

HYMN  XVm. 
Temptation. 

1  The  billows  swell,  the  winds  are  high, 
Clouds  overcast  my  wintry  sky ; 

Out  of  the  depths  to  thee  I  call. 

My  fears  are  great,  my  strength  is  small. 

2  O  Lord  !  the  pilot's  part  perform, 

And  guide  and  guard  me  thro'  the  storm ; 
Defend  me  from  each  threat'ning  ill. 
Control  the  waves,  say,  "  Peace  be  still." 

3  Amidst  the  roaring  of  the  sea. 

My  soul  still  hangs  her  hope  on  thee  ; 
Thy  constant  love,  thy  faithful  care 
Is  all  that  saves  me  from  despair. 

4  Dangers  of  every  shape  and  name 
Attend  the  followers  of  the  Lamb, 
Who  leave  the  world's  deceitful  shore, 
And  leave  it  to  return  no  more. 

5  Though  tempest-toss'd,  and  half  a  wreck. 
My  Saviour  through  the  floods  I  seek ; 
Let  neither  winds  nor  stormy  main 
Force  back  my  shatter'd  bark  again.  C. 

HYMN  XIX. 
Looking  upwards  in  a  Storm. 

1  God  of  my  life,  to  thee  I  call. 
Afflicted  at  thy  feet  I  fall  ;t 

When  the  great  water-floods  prevail. 
Leave  not  my  trembling  heart  to  fail ! 

2  Friend  of  the  friendless  and  the  faint ! 
Where  should  I  lodge  my  deep  complaint  1 
Where  but  with  thee,  whose  open  door 
Invites  the  helpless  and  the  poor. 

3  Did  ever  mourner  plead  with  thee. 
And  thou  refuse  that  mourner's  pleal 
Does  not  the  word  still  fix'd  remam. 
That  none  shall  seek  thy  face  in  vain  1 

4  That  were  a  grief  I  could  not  bear. 
Didst  thou  not  hear  and  answer  prayer; 
But  a  prayer-hearing,  answ'ring  God, 
Supports  me  under  every  load. 

5  Fair  is  the  lot  that 's  cast  for  me ; 
I  have  an  advocate  with  thee  ; 


They  whom  the  world  caresses  most, 
Have  no  such  privilege  to  boast. 
6  Poor,  though  I  am,  despis'd,  forgot,* 
Yet  God,  my  God,  forgets  me  not; 
And  he  is  sate,  and  must  succeed. 
For  whom  the  Lord  vouchsafes  to  plead. 

C. 

HYMN  XX. 
The  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death. 

1  My  soul  is  sad  and  much  dismayed ; 
See,  Lord,  what  legions  of  my  foes. 
With  fierce  Apollyon  at  their  head, 
My  heavenly  pilgrimage  oppose ! 

2  See,  from  the  ever-burning  lake. 
How  like  a  smoky  cloud  they  rise ! 
With  horrid  blasts  my  soul  they  shake, 
With  storms  of  blasphemies  and  lies. 

3  Their  fiery  arrows  reach  the  mark,t 
My  throbbing  heart  with  anguish  tear ; 
Each  lights  upon  a  kindred  spark, 
And  finds  abundant  fuel  there. 

4  I  hate  the  thought  that  wrongs  the  Lord 
Oh  !  I  would  drive  it  from  my  breast. 
With  my  own  sharp  two-edged  sword, 
Far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west 

5  Come,  then,  and  chase  the  cruel  host, 
Heal  the  deep  wounds  I  have  receiv'd ! 
Nor  let  the  powers  of  darloiess  boast. 
That  I  am  foil'd,  and  thou  art  griev'd. 

HYMN  XXL 
The  Storm  hushed. 

1  'Tis  past — the  dreadfiil  stormy  night 

Is  gone,  with  all  its  fears ! 
And  now  I  see  returning  light, 
The  Lord,  my  Sun,  appears. 

2  The  tempter,  who  but  lately  said, 

I  soon  should  be  his  prey, 
Has  heard  my  Saviour's  voice,  and  fled 
With  shame  and  grief  away. 

3  Ah  !  Lord,  since  thou  didst  hide  thy  face, 

What  has  my  soul  endur'd  t 
But  now  'tis  past, — I  feel  thy  grace. 
And  all  my  wounds  are  cur'd ! 

4  O  wondrous  change  !  but  just  before. 

Despair  beset  me  round, 
I  heard  the  lion's  horrid  roar. 
And  trembled  at  the  sound. 

5  Before  corruption,  guilt  and  fear, 

My  comforts  blasted  fell ; 
And  unbelief  discover'd  near 
The  dreadftil  depths  of  hell. 

6  But  Jesus  pitied  my  distress. 

He  heard  my  feeble  cry, 
Reveal'd  his  blood  and  righteousness 
And  brought  salvation  nigh. 


*  Psal.  cxix.  71. 


t  Psal.  Ixix.  15. 


*  Psal.  xl.  17. 


t  Eph.  vi.  16. 


HYMN  XXV.] 


CONFLICT. 


187 


7  Beneath  the  banner  of  his  love 

I  now  secure  remain ; 
The  tempter  frets,  but  dares  not  move, 
To  break  my  peace  again. 

8  Lord,  since  tliou  thus  hast  broke  my  bands. 

And  set  the  captive  free, 
I  would  devote  my  tongue,  my  hands, 
My  heart,  my  all,  to  thee. 

HYMN  XXn. 
Help  171  Time  of  Need. 

1  Unless  the  Lord  had  been  my  stay, 
With  trembling  joy  my  soul  may  say. 

My  cruel  foe  had  gain'd  his  end: 
But  he  appear'd  for  my  relief. 
And  Satan  sees  with  shame  and  grief. 

That  I  have  an  almighty  Friend. 

2  Oh  !  'twas  a  dark  and  trying  hour, 
When,  harass'd  by  the  tempter's  power, 

I  felt  my  strongest  hopes  decline  ! 
You  only  who  have  known  his  arts, 
You  only  who  have  felt  his  darts. 

Can  pity  such  a  case  as  mine. 

3  Loud  in  my  ears  a  charge  he  read, 
(My  conscience  witness'd  all  he  said,) 

My  long  black  list  of  outward  sin  ; 
Then  bringing  forth  my  heart  to  view, 
Too  well  what's  hidden  there  he  knew. 

He  show'd  me  ten  times  worse  within. 

4  'Twas  all  too  true,  my  soul  replied. 
But  I  remember  Jesus  died. 

And  now  he  fills  a  tlirone  of  grace : 
I'll  go  as  I  have  done  before. 
His  mercy  I  may  still  implore, 

I  have  his  promise,  "  Seek  my  face." 

5  But,  as  when  sudden  fogs  arise. 

The  trees,  and  hills,  the  sun  and  skies. 
Are  all  at  once  conceal'd  from  view  : 
So  clouds  of  horror,  black  as  night. 
By  Satan  rais'd,  hid  from  my  sight 
The  throne  of  grace  and  promise  too. 

6  Then,  while  beset  with  guilt  and  fear. 
He  tried  to  urge  me  to  despair. 

He  tried,  and  he  almost  prevail'd  ; 
But  Jesus,  by  a  heavenly  ray. 
Drove  clouds,  and  guilt,  and  fear  away. 

And  all  the  tempter's  malice  fail'd. 

HYMN  XXITI. 
Peace  after  a  Storm. 

1  When  darkness  long  has  veil'd  my  mind. 
And  smiling  day  once  more  appears, 
Then,  my  Redeemer,  then  I  find 

The  folly  of  my  doubts  and  fears. 

2  Straight  I  upbraid  my  wand'ring  heart. 
And  blush  that  I  should  ever  be 
Thus  prone  to  act  so  base  a  part, 

Or  harbour  one  hard  thought  of  thee! 

3  Oh !  let  me  then  at  length  bo  taught, 
What  I  am  still  so  slow  to  learn. 
That  God  is  love,  and  changes  not, 
Nor  knows  the  shadow  of  a  turn. 


4  Sweet  truth,  and  easy  to  repeat ! 
But  when  my  faith  is  sharply  tried, 
I  find  myself  a  learner  yet. 
Unskilful,  weak,  and  apt  to  slide. 

5  But,  O  my  Lord,  one  look  from  thee 
Subdues  the  disobedient  will. 
Drives  doubt  and  discontent  away, 
And  thy  rebellious  worm  is  still. 

6  Thou  art  as  ready  to  forgive. 
As  I  am  ready  to  repine ; 

Thou,  therefore,  all  the  praise  receive, 
Be  shame  and  self-abhorrence  mine.  C. 

HYMN  XXIV. 
Mourning  and  Longing. 

1  The  Saviour  hides  his  face  ! 
My  spirit  thirsts  to  prove 

Renew'd  supplies  of  pard'ning  grace, 
And  never-fading  love. 

2  The  favour'd  souls  who  know 
What  glories  shine  in  him. 

Pant  for  his  presence,  as  the  roe 
Pants  for  the  living  stream. 

3  What  trifles  tease  me  now  ! 
They  swarm  like  summer-flies, 

They  cleave  to  every  thing  I  do, 
And  swim  before  my  eyes. 

4  How  dull  the  Sabbath-day, 

Without  the  Sabbath's  Lord  ! 
How  toilsome  then  to  sing  and  pray, 
And  wait  upon  the  word  ! 

5  Of  all  the  truths  I  hear, 
How  few  delight  my  taste  ! 

I  glean  a  berry  here  and  there. 
But  mourn  the  vintage  past. 

6  Yet  let  rne  (as  I  ought) 
Still  hope  to  be  supplied ; 

No  pleasure  else  is  worth  a  thought, 
Nor  shall  I  be  denied. 

7  Though  I  am  but  a  worm. 
Unworthy  of  his  care. 

The  Ijord  will  my  desire  perform, 
And  crant  me  all  my  prayer.  C. 

HYMN  XXV. 
Rejoice  the  Soi/l  of  thy  Servant. 

1  When  my  prayers  are  a  burden  and  task, 
No  wonder  I  little  receive  ; 

0  Lord  !  make  me  willing  to  ask. 
Since  thou  art  so  ready  to  give : 
Although  I  am  bought  with  thy  blood, 
And  all  thy  salvation  is  mine, 

At  a  distance  from  thee  my  chief  good, 

1  wander,  and  languish,  and  pine. 

2  Of  thy  goodness  of  old  when  I  read. 
To  those  wiio  were  sinners  like  me. 
Why  may  I  not  wrestle  and  plead. 
With  them  a  partaker  to  be  ? 

Thine  arm  is  not  short'ned  since  then, 
And  those  who  believe  in  thy  name, 
Ever  find  thou  art  Yea  and  Amen, 
Through  all  generations  the  same. 


188 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[book  iu. 


3  While  my  spirit  within  me  is  press'd 
Willi  sorrow,  temiHation,  and  fear, 
Like  Jolm,  I  would  flee  to  thy  breast,* 
And  pour  my  complaints  in  thine  ear: 
How  happy  and  favour'd  was  he, 
Who  could  on  thy  bosom  repose  ! 
Might  this  favour  be  g'ranted  to  me, 

I 'd  smile  at  the  rage  of  my  foes. 

4  I  have  heard  of  thy  wonderful  name, 
How  great  and  exalted  thou  art; 
But  ah !  I  confess  to  my  shame, 

It  faintly  impresses  my  heart : 
The  beams  of  thy  glory  display. 
As  Peter  once  saw  thee  appear ; 
That,  transported  like  him,  I  may  say, 
"  It  is  good  for  my  soul  to  be  here."f 

5  What  a  sorrow  and  weight  didst  thou  feel, 
When  nail'd,  for  my  sake,  to  the  tree  ! 
My  heart  sure  is  harder  than  steel. 

To  feel  no  more  sorrow  for  thee ; 
Oh  !  let  me  with  Thomas  descry 
The  wounds  in  thy  hands  and  thy  side. 
And  have  feelings  like  his,  when  I  cry, 
"  My  God  and  my  Saviour  has  died  !"|: 

6  But  if  thou  hast  appointed  me  still 
To  wrestle,  and  suffer,  and  fight; 
O  make  me  resign  to  thy  will. 

For  all  thine  appointments  are  right: 
This  mercy,  at  least,  I  entreat. 
That,  knowing  how  vile  I  have  been, 
I,  with  Mary,  may  wait  at  thy  feet,^ 
And  weep  o'er  the  pardon  of  sin. 

HYMN  XXVI. 
Self-acquaintance. 

1  De\r  Lord  !  accept  a  sinful  heart. 

Which  of  itself  complains, 
And  mourns,  with  muchandfrequentsmart, 
The  evil  it  contains.  • 

2  There  fiery  seeds  of  anger  lurk, 

Which  often  hurt  my  frame ; 
And  wait  but  for  the  tempter's  work, 
To  fan  them  to  a  flame. 

3  Legality  holds  out  a  bribe 

To  purchase  life  from  thee; 
And  discontent  would  fain  prescribe 
How  thou  shalt  deal  with  me. 

4  While  unbelief  withstands  thy  grace, 

And  puts  the  mercy  by. 
Presumption,  with  a  brow  of  brass, 
Says,  "  Give  me,  or  I  die." 

5  How  eager  are  my  thoughts  to  roam 

In  quest  of  what  they  love ; 
But,  ah  !  when  duty  calls  them  home, 
How  heavily  they  move  ! 

6  0  cleanse  me  in  a  Saviour's  blood  ! 

Transform  me  by  thy  power; 
And  make  me  thy  belov'd  abode. 

And  let  me  rove  no  more.  C. 


HYMN  XXVn. 
Bitter  and  Sweet. 

1  Kindle,  Saviour,  in  my  heart 

A  flame  of  love  divine  : 
Hear,  for  mine  I  trust  thou  art. 

And  sure  I  would  be  thine : 
If  my  soul  has  felt  thy  grace. 
If  to  me  thy  name  is  known, 
Why  should  trifles  fill  the  place 

Due  to  thyself  alone '! 

2  'Tis  a  strange  mysterious  life  i 

I  live  from  day  to  day ; 
Light  and  darkness,  peace  and  strife, 

Bear  an  alternate  sway  : 
When  I  think  the  battle  won, 
I  have  to  fight  it  o'er  again ; 
When  I  say  I 'm  overthrown. 

Relief  I  soon  obtain. 

3  Often  at  the  mercy-seat. 

While  calling  on  thy  name, 
Swarms  of  evil  thoughts  I  meet. 

Which  fill  my  soul  with  shame: 
Agitated  in  my  mind, 
Like  a  feather  in  the  air. 
Can  I  thus  a  blessing  find  1 

My  soul,  can  this  be  prayer  1 

4  But  when  Christ,  my  Lord  and  Friend, 

Is  pleas'd  to  show  his  power; 
All  at  once  my  troubles  end. 

And  I 've  a  golden  hour : 
Then  I  see  his  smiling  face. 
Feel  the  pledge  of  joys  to  come ; 
Often,  Lord,  repeat  this  grace, 

Till  thou  shalt  call  me  home. 

HYMN  XXVIIL 
Prayer  for  Patience. 

1  IjORD,  who  hast  sufTer'd  all  for  me, 
My  peace  and  pardon  to  procure. 
The  lighter  cross  I  bear  for  thee 
Help  me  with  patience  to  endure. 

2  The  storm  of  loud  repining  hush; 

I  would  in  humble  silence  mourn  ;  [bush, 
Why  should  the  unbnrnt,  though  burning 
Be  angry,  as  the  crackling  thorn  ? 

3  Man  should  not  faint  at  thy  rebuke, 
Like  Joshua  falling  on  his  face,* 
When  the  curs'd  thing  that  Achan  took 
Brought  Israel  into  just  disgrace. 

4  Perhaps  some  golden  wedge  suppress'd, 
Some  secret  sin,  offends  my  God  ; 
Perhaps  that  Babylonish  vest, 
Self-righteousness,  provokes  the  rod. 

5  Ah  !  were  I  buffeted  all  day, 

Mock'd,  crown'd  with  thorns,  and  spit  upon, 
I  yet  should  have  no  right  to  say. 
My  great  distress  is  mine  alone. 

6  Let  me  not  angrily  declare. 

No  pain  was  ever  sharp  like  mine, 


*  John  xiii.  25. 
X  John  IX.  ^. 


t  Matth.  xvii  16. 
§  Luke  vii.  38. 


*  Joshua  vii.  10,  IL 


HTMN  XrXII.] 


CONFLICT. 


Nor  murmur  at  the  cross  I  bear, 

But  rather  weep,  rememb'ring  thuie.  C. 

HYMN  XXIX. 
Stibmission. 

1  O  Lord,  my  best  desire  fulfil, 

And  help  me  to  resign 
Life,  health,  and  comfort  to  thy  will, 
And  make  thy  pleasure  mine. 

2  Why  should  I  shrink  at  thy  command, 

Whose  love  forbids  my  fears, 
Or  tremble  at  the  gracious  hand 
That  wipes  away  my  tears  1 

3  No,  let  me  rather  freely  yield 

What  most  I  prize  to  thee ; 
Who  never  hast  a  good  withheld. 
Or  wilt  withhold  from  me. 

4  Thy  favour  all  my  journey  through 

Thou  art  engag'd  to  grant ; 
What  else  I  want,  or  think  I  do, 
'Tis  better  still  to  want. 

5  Wisdom  and  mercy  guide  my  way, 

Shall  I  resist  them  both  1 
A  poor  blind  creature  of  a  day. 
And  crush'd  before  the  moth ! 

6  But,  ah  !  my  inward  spirit  cries, 

Still  bind  me  to  thy  sway ; 
Else  the  next  cloud  that  vails  my  skies 
Drives  all  these  thoughts  away.  C. 

HYMN  XXX. 
Why  should  I  complain  ? 

1  When  my  Saviour,  my  Shepherd  is  near, 
How  quickly  my  sorrows  depart  I 

New  beauties  around  me  appear. 
New  spirits  enliven  my  heart: 
His  presence  gives  peace  to  my  soul, 
And  Satan  assaults  me  in  vain ; 
While  my  Shepherd  his  power  controls, 
I  think  I  no  more  shall  complain. 

2  But,  alas !  what  a  change  do  I  find,  [sight! 
When  my  Shepherd  withdraws  from  my 
My  fears  all  return  to  my  mind. 

My  day  is  soon  chang'd  into  night : 
Then  Satan  his  efforts  renews 
To  vex  and  ensnare  me  again ;  ■ 
All  my  pleasing  enjoyments  I  lose, 
And  can  only  lament  and  complain. 

3  By  these  changes  I  often  pass  through, 

I  am  taught  my  own  weakness  to  know ; 
I  am  taught  what  my  Shepherd  can  do, 
And  how  much  to  his  mercy  I  owe  : 
It  is  he  that  supports  me  through  all ; 
When  I  faint,  he  revives  me  again ; 
He  attends  to  my  prayer  when  I  call, 
I    And  bids  me  no  longer  complain. 

4  Wherefore  then  should  I  murmur  and 

grieve. 

Since  my  Shepherd  is  always  the  same, 


And  has  promis'd  he  never  will  leave* 
The  soul  that  confides  in  his  name's 
To  relieve  me  from  all  that  I  fear, 
He  was  buffeted,  tempted,  and  slain ; 
And  at  length  he  will  surely  appear. 
Though  he  leaves  me  a  while  to  complain. 
5  While  I  dwell  in  an  enemy's  land. 
Can  I  hope  to  be  always  in  peace  ! 
'Tis  enough  that  my  Shepherd's  at  hand, 
And  that  shortly  this  warfare  will  cease ; 
For  ere  long  he  will  bid  me  removef 
From  this  region  of  sorrow  and  pain, 
To  abide  in  his  presence  above, 
And  then  I  no  more  shall  complain. 

HYMN  XXXI. 
Return,  O  Lord,  how  long  ! 

1  Return  to  bless  my  waiting  eyes. 

And  cheer  my  mourning  heart,  O  Lord ! 
Without  thee,  all  beneath  the  skies 
No  real  pleasure  can  afford. 

2  When  thy  lov'd  presence  meets  my  sight, 
It  softens  care  and  sweetens  toil ; 

The  sun  shines  forth  with  double  light, 
The  whole  creation  wears  a  smile. 

3  Upon  thine  arm  of  love  I  rest. 
Thy  gracious  voice  forbids  my  fear ; 
No  storms  disturb  my  peaceful  breast, 
No  foes  assault  when  thou  art  near. 

4  But  ah  !  since  thou  hast  been  away. 
Nothing  but  trouble  have  I  known ; 
And  Satan  marks  me  for  his  prey 
Because  he  sees  me  left  alone. 

5  My  sun  is  hid,  my  comforts  lost. 
My  graces  droop,  my  sins  revive ; 
Distress'd,  dismayed,  and  tempest-toss'd, 
My  soul  is  only  just  alive. 

6  Lord,  hear  my  cry,  and  come  again  ! 
Put  all  mine  enemies  to  shame. 
And  let  them  see  'tis  not  in  vain 
That  I  have  trusted  in  thy  name. 

HYMN  XXXn. 
Cast  down,  but  not  Destroyed. 

1  Though  sore  beset  with  guilt  and  fear. 
I  cannot,  dare  not  quite  despair ; 

If  I  must  perish,  would  the  Lord 
Have  taught  my  heart  to  love  his  word"! 
Would  he  have  given  me  eyes  to  seej 
My  danger  and  my  remedy, 
Reveal'd  his  name,  and  bid  me  pray. 
Had  he  resolv'd  to  say  me  nay  ] 

2  No — though  cast  down,  I  am  not  slain ; 
I  fall,  but  I  shall  rise  again  \\ 

The  present,  Satan,  is  thy  hour. 
But  Jesus  shall  control  thy  power ; 
His  love  will  plead  for  my  relief. 
He  hears  my  groans,  he  feels  my  grief ; 


*  Jer.  i.  J9.  f  Rev-  ii-  JO. 

J  Judges  xiii.  23.  §  Micab  vii.  8. 


190 


OLNEY 


HYMNS. 


[book  III. 


Nor  will  he  suffer  thee  to  boast 

A  soul  that  thought  his  help  was  lost. 

3  'Tis  true,  I  have  unfaithful  been, 
And  griev'd  his  Spirit  by  my  sin ; 
Yet  still  his  mercy  he  '11  reveal, 
And  all  my  wounds  and  follies  heal : 
Abounding  sin  I  must  confess,* 
But  more  abounding  is  his  grace  ; 
He  once  vouchsaf'd  for  me  to  bleed, 
And  now  he  lives  my  cause  to  plead. 

4  I  '11  cast  myself  before  his  feet, 
I  see  him  on  his  mercy-seat, 
('Tis  sprinkled  with  atoning  blood) 
There  sinners  find  access  to  God: 
Ye  burden'd  souls,  approach  with  me. 
And  make  the  Saviour's  name  your  plea ; 
Jesus  will  pardon  all  who  come. 

And  strike  your  fierce  accuser  dumb. 

HYMN  XXXni. 
The  Benighted  Traveller. 

1  Forest  beasts,  that  live  by  prey, 
Seldom  show  themselves  by  day  ; 
But  when  day-light  is  withdrawn,! 
Then  they  rove  and  roar  till  dawn. 

2  Who  can  tell  the  trav'ller's  fears, 
When  their  horrid  yells  he  hears  1 
Terror  almost  stops  his  breath, 
While  each  step  he  looks  for  death. 

3  Thus,  wlien  Jesus  is  in  view, 
Cheerful  I  my  way  pursue ; 
Walking  by  my  Saviour's  light, 
Nothing  can  my  soul  affright. 

4  But  when  he  forbears  to  shine, 
Soon  the  trav'ller's  case  is  mine; 
Lost,  benighted,  struck  with  dread, 
What  a  painful  path  I  tread  ! 

5  Then  my  soul  with  terror  hears, 
Worse  than  lions,  wolves,  or  bears, 
Roaring  loud  in  ev'ry  part, 
Through  the  forest  of  my  heart. 

6  Wrath,  impatience,  envy,  pride, 
Satan  and  his  host  beside, 
Press  around  me  to  devour ; 
How  can  I  escape  their  power  ? 

7  Gracious  Lord,  afford  me  light. 
Put  these  beasts  of  prey  to  flight ; 
Let  thy  power  and  love  be  shown  ;\ 
Save  me,  for  I  am  thine  own. 

HYMN  XXXTV. 
The  Prisoner. 

1  When  the  poor  pris'ner  through  a  gate 

Sees  others  walk  at  large, 
How  does  he  mourn  his  lonely  state, 
And  long  for  a  discharge ! 

2  Thus  I,  confin'd  in  unbelief. 

My  loss  of  freedom  mourn. 
And  spend  my  hours  in  fruitless  grief, 
Until  my  Lord  return. 

•  Eom.  V.  20.      t  Psal-  civ.  20.      }  Psal.  ciii.  94. 


.3  The  beam  of  day,  which  pierces  through 
The  gloom  in  which  I  dwell, 
Only  discloses  to  my  view 
The  horrors  of  my  cell. 

4  Ah  !  how  my  pensl've  spirit  faints. 

To  think  of  former  days! 
When  I  could  triumph  with  the  saints, 
And  join  their  songs  of  praise! 

5  But  now  my  joys  are  all  cut  off, 

In  prison  I  am  cast, 
And  Satan,  with  a  cruel  scoff,* 

Says,  "  Where 's  your  God  at  lasf" 

6  Dear  Saviour,  for  thy  mercy's  sake, 

My  strong,  my  only  plea. 
These  gates  and  bars  in  pieces  break,! 
And  set  the  pris'ner  free ! 

7  Surely  my  soul  shall  sing  to  thee. 

For  liberty  restor'd ; 
And  all  thy  saints  admire  to  see 
The  mercies  of  the  Lord. 

HYMN  XXXV. 

Perplexity  relieved. 

1  Uncertain  how  the  way  to  find 

Which  to  salvation  led, 
I  listen'd  long,  with  anxious  mind, 
To  hear  what  others  said. 

2  When  some  of  joys  and  comforts  told, 

I  fear'd  that  I  was  wrong ; 
For  I  was  stupid,  dead,  and  cold, 
Had  neither  joy  nor  song. 

3  The  Lord  my  lab'ring  heart  reliev'd, 

And  made  my  burden  light; 
Then  for  a  moment  I  believ'd. 
Supposing  all  was  right. 

4  Of  fierce  temptations  others  talk'd. 

Of  anguish  and  dismay. 
Through  what  distress  they  had  walk'd 

Before  they  found  the  way. 
.5  Ah  !  then  I  thought  my  hopes  were  vainj 

For  I  had  liv'd  at  ease  ; 
I  wish'd  for  all  my  fears  again 

To  make  me  more  like  these. 

6  I  had  my  wish ;  the  Lord  disclos'd 

The  evils  of  my  heart. 
And  left  my  naked  soul  expos'd 
To  Satan's  fiery  dart. 

7  Alas  !  "  1  now  must  give  it  up," 

I  cried  in  deep  despair : 
How  could  I  dream  of  drawing  hope 
From  what  I  cannot  bear  ! 

8  Again  my  Saviour  brought  me  aid, 

And  when  he  set  me  free, 
"  Trust  simply  on  my  word,"  he  said, 
"  And  leave  the  rest  to  me." 

HYMN  XXXVL 
Prayer  answered  by  Crosses. 
1  I  ask'd  the  Lord,  that  I  might  grow 
In  faith,  and  love,  and  ev'ry  grace ; 


*  Psal.  cxv.  2. 


t  Psal  cxlii.  7. 


HVMN  XXXVIII.] 


CONFUCT. 


191 


Mifrht  more  of  his  salvation  know, 
Ami  seek  more  earnestly  liis  face. 

2  'Twas  he  who  taught  me  tlius  to  pray, 
And  he,  I  trust,  has  answor'd  prayer ; 
But  it  has  been  in  such  a  way, 

As  almost  drove  me  to  despair. 

3  I  hop'd  that  in  some  favour'd  hour, 
At  once  lie 'd  answer  my  request, 
And  by  his  love's  constraining  power 
Subdue  my  sins,  and  give  me  rest. 

4  Instead  of  this,  he  made  me  feel 
The  hidden  evils  of  my  heart ; 
And  let  the  angry  powers  of  hell 
Assault  my  soul  in  ev'ry  part. 

5  Yea  more,  with  his  own  hand  he  seem'd 
Intent  to  aggravate  my  woe  ; 

Cross'd  all  the  fair  designs  I  schem'd, 
Blasted  my  gourds,  and  laid  me  low. 

6  Lord,  why  is  this?  I  trembling  cried, 
Wilt  thou  pursue  thy  worm  to  death  ] 
"  'Tis  in  this  way,"  the  Lord  replied, 
"  I  answer  prayer  for  grace  and  faith. 

7  "  These  inward  trials  I  employ. 
From  self  and  pride  to  set  thee  free ; 
And  break  thy  schemes  of  earthly  joy. 
That  thou  may'st  seek  thy  all  in  me." 

HYMN  XXXVII. 
/  will  Trust,  and  not  be  Afraid. 

1  Begone,  unbelief! 
My  Saviour  is  near, 
And  for  my  relief 
Will  surely  appear : 

By  prayer  let  me  wrestle, 
And  he  will  perform  ; 
With  Christ  in  the  vessel, 
I  smile  at  the  storm. 

2  Though  dark  be  my  way, 
Since  he  is  my  guide, 
'Tis  mine  to  obey, 

'Tis  his  to  provide  ; 
Though  cisterns  be  broken, 
And  creatures  all  fail. 
The  word  he  has  spoken 
Shall  surely  prevail. 

3  His  love  in  time  past 
Forbids  me  to  think 
He  '11  leave  me  at  last 
In  trouble  to  sink : 
Each  sweet  Ebenezer 
I  have  in  review, 
Confirms  his  good  pleasure 
To  help  me  quite  through. 

4  Detcrmin'd  to  save. 

He  watch'd  o'er  my  path, 

Wlicn,  Satan's  blind  slave, 

I  hported  with  death  ; 

And  can  he  have  taught  me 

To  trust  in  his  name. 

And  thus  far  have  brought  me, 

To  put  me  to  shame  ] 


5  Why  should  I  complain 
Of  want  or  distress, 
Temptation  or  pain  1 
He  told  me  no  less : 
The  heirs  of  salvation,  ' 
I  know  from  his  word. 
Through  much  tribulation 
Must  follow  their  Lord.* 

6  How  bitter  that  cup. 
No  heart  can  conceive. 
Which  he  drank  quite  up, 
That  sinners  might  live  ! 
His  way  was  much  roughei 
And  darker  than  mine ; 
Did  Jesus  thus  suffer, 

And  shall  I  repine  f 

7  Since  all  that  I  meet 
Shall  work  for  my  good, 
The  bitter  is  sweet. 
The  med'cine  is  food  ; 
Though  painful  at  present, 
'Twill  cease  before  long. 
And  then,  O  how  pleasant. 
The  conqueror's  song  !f 

HYMN  XXXVIIL 
Questions  to  Unbelief. 

1  If  to  Jesus  for  relief 

My  soul  has  fled  by  prayer. 
Why  should  I  gi\'e  way  to  grief^ 

Or  heart-consuming  care '! 
Are  not  all  thuigs  in  his  hands'? 
Has  he  not  his  promise  pass'd] 
Will  he  then  regardless  stand, 

And  let  me  sink  at  last  I 

2  While  I  know  his  providence 

Disposes  each  event. 
Shall  I  judge  by  feeble  sense. 

And  yield  to  discontent  ] 
If  he  worms  and  sparrows  feed, 
Clothe  the  grass  in  rich  array,|; 
Can  he  see  a  child  in  need. 

And  turn  his  eye  away  1 

3  When  his  name  was  quite  unknown. 

And  sin  my  life  employed, 
Then  he  watch'd  me  as  his  own, 

Or  I  had  been  destroyed  ; 
Now  his  mercy-seat  I  know. 
Now  by  grace  am  reconcil'd 
Would  he  spare  me  while  a  foe,} 

To  leave  me  when  a  child] 

4  If  he  all  my  wants  supplied. 

When  I  disdain'd  to  pray. 
Now  his  Spirit  is  my  guide. 

How  can  he  say  me  nay  1 
If  he  would  not  give  me  up. 
When  my  soul  against  him  fought. 
Will  he  disappoint  the  hope 

Which  he  himself  has  wrought. 


*  Acts  xiv.  22.  t  Rom.  viii.  37. 

}  Matt.  vi.  20.  §  Rom.  v.  10. 


192 


OLNEY 


HYMNS. 


[book  hi. 


5  If  he  shed  his  precious  hlood 

To  bring  me  to  his  fold, 
Can  I  think  that  meaner  good* 

He  ever  will  withhold! 
Satan,  vain  Is  thy  device  ! 
Here  my  hope  resti  well  assur'd, 
In  that  great  redemption-price, 

I  see  the  whole  secur'd. 

HYMN  XXXIX. 
Great  Effects  by  Weak  Means. 

1  Unbelief  the  soul  dismays, 
What  objections  will  it  raise ; 
But  true  faith  securely  leans 
On  the  promise,  in  the  means. 

2  If  to  faith  it  once  be  known, 
God  has  said,  "  It  shall  be  done, 
And  in  this  appointed  way ;" 
Faith  has  then  no  more  to  say. 

3  Moses'  rod,  by  faith  up-rear'd,t 
Through  the  sea  a  path  prepar'd ; 
Jericho's  devoted  wall]: 

At  the  trumpet's  sound  must  fall. 

4  With  a  pitcher  and  a  lamp,5 
Gideon  overthrew  a  camp ; 

And  a  stone,  well  aim'd  by  faith,|| 
Prov'd  the  arm'd  Philistine's  death. 

5  Thus  the  Lord  is  pleas'd  \o  try 
Those  who  on  his  help  rely ; 

By  the  means  he  makes  it  known, 
That  the  power  is  all  his  own. 

6  Yet  the  means  are  not  in  vain, 
If  the  end  we  would  obtain  ; 
Though  the  breath  of  prayer  be  weak. 
None  shall  find  but  they  who  seek. 

7  God  alone  the  heart  can  reach, 
Yet  the  ministers  must  preach; 
'Tis  their  part  the  seed  to  sow. 
And  'tis  his  to  make  it  grow. 

HYMN  XL. 
Why  art  thou  cast  down  ? 

1  Be  still,  my  heart !  these  anxious  cares 
To  thee  are  burdens,  tlioms,  and  snares; 
They  cast  dishonour  on  thy  Lord, 

And  contradict  his  gracious  word. 

2  Brought  safely  by  his  hand  thus  far, 
Why  wilt  thou  now  give  place  to  fear  ? 
How  canst  thou  want  if  he  provide. 
Or  lose  thy  way  with  such  a  guide  J 

3  When  first  before  his  mercy-seat, 
Thou  didst  to  him  thy  all  commit ; 
He  gave  thee  warrant,  from  that  hour, 
To  trust  his  wisdom,  love,  and  power. 

4  Did  ever  trouble  yet  befall, 
And  he  refuse  to  hear  thy  call  ■? 
And  has  he  not  his  promise  past. 
That  thou  shalt  overcome  at  lasf! 


5  Like  David,  thou  may'st  comfort  draw, 
Sav'd  from  the  bear's  and  lion's  paw ; 
Goliali's  rage  I  may  defy, 

For  God,  my  Saviour,  still  is  nigh. 

6  He  who  has  helped  me  hitherto. 
Will  help  me  all  my  journey  through, 
And  give  me  daily  cause  to  raise 
New  Ebenezers  to  his  praise. 

7  Though  rough  and  thorny  be  the  road. 
It  leads  me  home,  apace,  to  God  ; 
Then  count  thy  present  trials  small, 
For  heaven  will  make  amends  for  all. 

HYMN  XLL 
The  Way  of  Access. 

1  One  glance  of  thine,  eternal  Lord  ! 

Pierces  all  nature  through  ; 
Nor  heaven,  nor  earth,  nor  hell  afford 
A  shelter  from  thy  view. 

2  The  mighty  whole,  each  smaller  part. 

At  once  before  thee  lies  ; 
And  evei-y  thought  of  every  heart 
Is  open  to  thine  eyes. 

3  Though  greatly  from  myself  conceal'd, 

Thou  see'st  my  inward  frame  ; 
To  thee  I  always  stand  reveal'd. 
Exactly  as  I  am. 

4  Since,  therefore,  I  can  hardly  bear 

What  in  myself  I  see ; 
How  vile  and  black  must  I  appear, 
Most  holy  God,  to  thee  ? 

5  But  since  my  Saviour  stands  between, 

In  garments  dyed  in  blood, 
'Tis  he,  instead  of  me,  is  seen, 
When  I  approach  to  God. 

6  Thus,  though  a  sinner,  I  am  safe ; 

He  pleads  before  the  throne. 
His  life  and  death  in  my  behalf, 
And  calls  my  sins  his  own. 

7  What  wondrous  love,  what  mysteries. 

In  this  appointment  shine  ! 
My  breaches  of  the  law  are  his,* 
And  his  obedience  mine. 

HYMN  XLII. 
The  Pilgrim's  Song. 

1  From  Egypt  lately  freed 
By  the  Redeemer's  grace, 

A  rough  and  thorny  path  we  tread. 
In  hopes  to  see  his  face. 

2  The  flesh  dislikes  the  way, 
But  faith  approves  it  well ; 

This  only  leads  to  endless  day, 
All  others  lead  to  hell. 

3  The  promis'd  land  of  peace 
Faith  keeps  in  constant  view ; 

How  diff'rent  from  the  wilderness 
We  now  are  passing  through. 


*  Rom.  viii.  32.      f  Exod.  xiv.  21.       J  Josh.  vi.  20. 
$  Judges  vii.  22.  Ij  1  Sam.  xvii.  42. 


»2Cor.  V.  21 


HITMN  XLVI.] 


COMFORT. 


193 


4  Here  often  fi-om  our  eyes 
Clouds  hide  the  light  divine; 

There  we  siiall  have  unclouded  skies, 
Our  Sun  will  always  shine. 

5  Here  g-ricfs,  and  cares,  and  pains, 
And  tears,  distress  us  sore  ; 

But  there  eternal  pleasure  reigns, 
And  we  shall  weep  no  more. 

6  Lord,  pardon  our  complaints, 
We  follow  at  thy  call ; 

The  joy  prepar'd  for  suff 'ring  saints 
Will  make  amends  for  all. 


SIMILAR  HYMNS. 

Book  I.  Hymn  10,  13,  21,  22,  24,  27,  40,  43, 
44,  51,  56,  63,  76,  88,  107,  115,  126,  130, 
131,  136,  142. 

Book  II.  Hymn  30,  31,  84,  87,  92. 

IV.  COMFORT. 

HYMN  XLEI. 
Faith  a  Neto  and  Comprehensive  Sense. 

1  Sight,  hearing,  feeling,  taste,  and  smell, 

Are  gifts  we  highly  prize ; 
But  faith  does  singly  each  excel, 
And  all  the  five  comprise. 

2  More  piercing  than  the  eagle's  sight, 

It  views  the  world  unknown, 
Surveys  the  glorious  realms  of  light, 
And  Jesus  on  the  throne. 

3  It  hears  the  mighty  voice  of  God, 

And  ponders  what  he  saith; 
His  word  and  works,  his  gifts  and  rod, 
Have  each  a  voice  to  faith. 

4  It  feels  the  touch  of  heavenly  power,* 

And  from  that  boundless  source, 
Derives  fresh  vigour  every  hour 
To  run  its  daily  course. 

5  The  truth  and  goodness  of  the  Lord 

Are  suited  to  its  taste  ;t 
Mean  is  the  worldlmg's  pamper'd  board. 
To  faith's  perpetual  feast. 

6  It  smells  the  dear  Redeemer's  name 

Like  ointment  poured  forth  ;| 
Faith  only  knows,  or  can  proclaim, 
Its  savour  or  its  worth. 

7  Till  saving  faith  possess  the  mind, 

In  vain  of  sense  we  boast ; 
We  are  but  senseless,  tasteless,  blind, 
And  deaf,  and  dead,  and  lost. 

HYMN  XLIV. 
The  Happy  Change. 
1  How  bless'd  thy  creature  is,  O  Lord, 
When,  with  a  single  eye. 
He  views  the  lustre  of  thy  word. 
The  day-spring  from  on  high ! 

•  Luke  viii.  46.  t  Psalm  cxix.  103. 

1  Solomon's  Song,  i.  3. 
Vol.  n.  2  B 


2  Through  all  the  storms  that  veil  the  skies, 

And  frown  on  earthly  things. 
The  Sun  of  righteousness  he  eyes. 
With  healing  on  his  wings. 

3  Struck  by  that  light,  the  human  heart,* 

A  barren  soil  no  more. 
Sends  the  sweet  smell  of  grace  abroad, 
Where  serpents  lurk'd  before. 

4  The  soul,  a  dreary  province  once 

Of  Satan's  dark  domain. 
Feels  a  new  empire  form'd  within, 
And  owns  a  heavenly  reign. 

5  The  glorious  orb,  whose  golden  beams 

The  fruitful  year  control. 
Since  first,  obedient  to  thy  word. 
He  started  from  the  goal, 

6  Has  cheer'd  the  nations  with  the  joys 

His  orient  rays  impart ; 
But,  Jesus,  'tis  thy  light  alone 

Can  shine  upon  the  heart.  C. 

HYMN  XLV. 
Retirement. 

1  Far  from  the  world,  O  Lord,  I  flee. 

From  strife  and  tumult  far ; 
From  scenes  where  Satan  wages  stiU. 
His  most  successful  war. 

2  The  calm  retreat,  the  silent  shade, 

With  prayer  and  praise  agree. 
And  seem  by  tJiy  sweet  bounty  made, 
For  those  who  follow  thee. 

3  There  if  thy  Spirit  touch  the  soul. 

And  grace  her  mean  abode, 
Oh  !  Avith  what  peace,  and  joy,  and  love, 
She  communes  with  her  God. 

4  There,  like  the  nightingale,  she  pours 

Her  solitary  lays. 
Nor  asks  a  witness  of  her  song. 

Nor  thirsts  for  human  praise. 
.5  Author  and  guardian  of  my  life, 

Sweet  source  of  light  divine, 
And  (all  harmonious  names  in  one) 

My  Saviour,  thou  art  mine. 

6  What  thanks  I  owe  thee,  and  what  love, 
A  boundless,  endless  store. 
Shall  echo  through  the  realms  above. 
When  time  shall  be  no  more.  C. 

HYMN  XLVI. 
Jf'sus  my  All. 

1  Why  should  I  fnar  the  darkest  hour. 
Or  tremble  at  the  tempter's  power] 
Jesus  vouchsafos  to  be  my  tower. 

2  Though  hot  the  fight,  why  quit  the  field  ] 
Why  must  I  either  floe  or  yield. 

Since  Jesus  is  my  mighty  shield? 

3  When  creature-comfort;:  tide  and  die. 
Worldlings  may  weep,  but  why  should  11 
Jesus  still  lives,  and  still  is  nigh. 

*  Isa.  XXXV.  7. 


104 


OLNEY 


HYMNS 


[book  III. 


4  Thoug-h  all  the  flocks  and  lierds  were  dead, 

My  soul  a  famine  need  not  dread, 

For  Jesus  is  my  living'  bread. 
6  I  know  not  what  may  soon  betide, 

Or  how  my  wants  shall  be  supplied ; 

But  Jesus  knows  and  will  provide. 

6  Thoug-h  sin  would  fill  me  with  distress. 
The  throne  of  grace  I  dare  address. 
For  Jesus  is  my  righteousness. 

7  Though  faint  my  prayers,  and  cold  my  love, 
My  steadfast  hope  shall  not  remove, 
While  Jesus  intercedes  above. 

8  Against  me  earth  and  hell  combine. 
But  on  my  side  is  power  divine ; 
Jesus  is  all,  and  he  is  mine. 

HYMN  XLVn. 
The  Hidden  Life. 

1  To  tell  the  Saviour  all  my  wants, 

How  pleasing  is  the  task ! 
Nor  less  to  praise  him  when  he  grants 
Beyond  what  I  can  ask. 

2  My  lab'ring  spirit  vainly  seeks 

To  tell  but  half  the  joy; 
With  how  much  tenderness  he  speaks, 
And  helps  me  to  reply. 

3  Nor  were  it  wise,  nor  should  I  choose. 

Such  secrets  to  declare ; 
Like  precious  wines,  their  taste  they  lose, 
Expos'd  to  open  air. 

4  But  this,  with  boldness,  I  proclaim, 

Nor  care  if  thousands  hear, 
Sweet  is  the  ointment  of  his  name, 
Not  life  is  half  so  dear. 

5  And  can  you  frown,  my  former  friends, 

Who  knew  what  once  I  was. 
And  blame  the  song  that  thus  commends 
The  Man  who  bore  the  cross  ] 

6  Trust  me,  I  draw  the  likeness  true. 

And  not  as  fancy  paints: 
Such  honour  may  he  give  to  you. 
For  such  have  all  his  saints.  C. 

HYMN  XLVni. 
Joy  and  Peace  in  Believing. 

1  Sometimes  a  light  surprises 

The  christian  while  he  sings; 
It  is  the  Lord  who  rises 

With  healing  in  his  wings ; 
When  comforts  are  declining, 

He  grants  tiie  soul  again, 
A  season  of  clear  shining. 

To  cheer  it  after  rain. 

2  In  holy  contemplation, 

We  sweetly  then  pursue 
The  theme  of  God's  salvation, 

And  find  it  ever  new : 
Set  free  from  present  sorrow, 

We  cheerfully  can  say, 


E'en  let  the  unkno^\^l  to-morrow* 
Bring  with  it  what  it  may. 

3  It  can  bring  with  it  nothing, 

But  he  will  bear  us  through ; 
Who  gives  the  lilies  clothing. 

Will  clotlie  his  people  too; 
Beneath  the  spreading  heavens. 

No  creature  but  is  fed ; 
And  he  who  feeds  the  ravens, 

W^ill  give  his  children  bread. 

4  Though  vine  nor  fig-tree  neither 

Their  wonted  fruit  shall  bear.f 
Though  all  the  field  should  wither. 

Nor  flocks  nor  herds  be  there  ; 
Yet  God  the  same  abiding, 

His  praise  shall  tune  my  voice ; 
For  while  in  him  confiding 

I  cannot  but  rejoice. 

HYMN  XLIX. 
True  Pleasures. 

1  Lord,  my  soul  with  pleasure  springs, 

When  Jesus'  name  I  hear, 
And  when  God  the  Spirit  brings 

Tlie  word  of  promise  near: 
Beauties,  too,  in  holiness. 
Still  delighted  I  perceive ; 
Nor  have  words  that  can  express 

Tlie  joys  thy  precepts  give. 

2  Cloth'd  in  sanctity  and  grace. 

How  sweet  it  is  to  see 
Those  who  love  thee  as  they  pasa 

Or  when  they  wait  on  thee ! 
Pleasant  too,  to  sit  and  tell. 
What  we  owe  to  love  divine. 
Till  our  bosoms  grateful  swell, 

And  eyes  begin  to  shine. 

3  Those  the  comforts  I  possess. 

Which  God  shall  still  increase; 
All  his  ways  are  pleasantness,| 

And  all  his  paths  are  peace. 
Nothing  Jesus  did  or  spoke. 
Henceforth  let  me  ever  slight; 
For  I  love  his  easy  yoke,} 

And  find  his  burden  light.  C-- 

HYMN  L. 
The  Christian. 

1  Honour  and  happiness  unite. 

To  make  the  christian's  name  a  praise : 
How  fair  the  scene,  how  clear  the  light, 
That  fills  the  remnant  of  his  days ! 

2  A  kingly  character  he  bears, 

No  change  his  priestly  office  knows; 
Unfading  is  the  crown  he  wears, 
His  joys  can  never  reach  a  close. 

3  Adorn'd  with  glory  from  on  high, 
Salvation  shines  upon  his  face ; 
His  robe  is  of  the  ethereal  dye. 
His  steps  are  dignity  and  grace. 

*  Malth.  vi.  3t  t  Hab.  iii.  17,  18. 

i  Frov.  iii.  17.  $  Matth.  xi.  30. 


HYMN  LIT.] 


COMFORT. 


195 


4  Inferior  honours  he  disdains, 

Nor  stoops  to  take  applause  from  earth, 
The  KjHff  of  kiniis  himself  maintains 
The  expenses  of  his  heavenly  birth. 

5  The  noblest  creature  seen  below, 
Ordain'd  to  fill  a  throne  above; 
God  wives  him  all  be  ran  bestow, 
His  kingdom  of  eternal  love  ! 

6  My  soul  is  ravish'd  at  the  thought ! 
Methinks  from  earth  I  see  him  rise  ! 
Angels  congratulate  his  lot, 

And  shout  him  welcome  to  the  skies !  C. 

HYMN  LI. 
Lively  Hope  and  Gracious  Fear. 

1  I  WAS  a  grov'lling  creature  once, 

And  basely  cleav'd  to  earth  ; 
I  wanted  spirit  to  renounce 
The  clod  that  gave  me  birth. 

2  But  God  has  breath'd  upon  a  worm, 

And  sent  me,  from  above, 
Winers,  such  as  clothe  an  angel's  form. 
The  wings  of  joy  and  love. 

3  With  these  to  Pisg-ah's  top  I  fly, 

And  there  delighted  stand. 
To  view  beyond  a  shining  sky 
The  spacious  promis'd  land. 

4  The  Lord  of  all  the  vast  domain 

Has  promis'd  it  to  me ; 
The  length  and  breadth  of  all  the  plain. 
As  far  as  faith  can  see. 

5  How  glorious  is  my  privilege  ! 

To  thee  for  help  I  call ; 
I  stand  upon  a  mountain's  edge, 
O  save  me,  lest  I  fall ! 

6  Though  much  exalted  in  the  Lord, 
.    Mv  strength  is  not  my  own  ; 

Then  let  me  tremble  at  his  word. 
And  none  shall  cast  me  down.  C. 

HYMN  LII. 
Co7iJidence. 

1  Yes  !  since  God  himself  has  said  it. 
On  the  promise  I  rely ; 

His  good  word  demands  my  credit, 

What  can  unbelief  reply  • 
He  is  stronsT,  and  can  fulfil. 
He  is  truth,  and  therefore  will. 

2  As  to  all  the  doubts  and  questions 
Which  my  spirit  often  grieve, 
These  are  Satan's  sly  suggestions. 
And  I  need  no  answer  give ; 

He  would  fain  destroy  my  hope. 
But  th?  promise  bears  it  up. 

3  Sure  the  Lord  thus  far  has  brought  me, 
By  his  watchfiil  tender  care  ; 

Sure  'tis  he  himself  has  taught  me 
How  to  seek  his  face  by  prayer : 

After  so  much  mercy  past. 

Will  he  give  me  up  at  last  1 


4  True,  I 've  been  a  foolish  creature, 
And  liave  sinn'd  against  his  grace, 
But  forgiveness  is  his  nature. 
Though  he  justly  hides  his  face : 

Ere  he  called  me,  well  he  knew* 
What  a  heart  like  mine  would  do 

5  In  my  Saviour's  intercession 
Therefore  I  will  still  confide ! 
Lord,  accept  my  free  confession, 

I  have  sinn'd,  but  thou  hast  died  :\ 
This  is  all  I  have  to  plead. 
This  is  all  the  plea  I  need. 

HYMN  LIIL 
Peace  Restored. 

1  Oh  !  speak  that  gracious  word  again, 

And  cheer  my  drooping  heart ! 
No  voice  but  thine  can  soothe  my  pain, 
Or  bid  my  fears  depart. 

2  And  canst  thou  still  vouchsafe  to  ovra 

A  wretch  so  vile  as  I  ? 
And  may  I  still  approach  thy  throne. 

And  Abba,  Father,  cry  ] 
•3  O,  then,  let  saints  and  angels  join. 

And  help  me  to  proclaim 
The  grace  that  heal'd  a  breach  like  mine, 

And  put  my  foes  to  shame  ! 

4  How  oft  did  Satan's  cruel  boast 

My  troubled  soul  affright ! 
He  told  me  I  was  surely  lost. 
And,  God  had  left  me  quite.| 

5  Guilt  made  me  fear,  lest  all  were  true 

The  lying  tempter  said  ; 
But  now  the  I^ord  appears  in  view. 
My  enemy  is  fled. 

6  My  Saviour,  by  his  powerful  word. 

Has  turn'd  my  night  to  day ; 
And  iiis  salvation's  joy 's  restored, 
Wliich  I  had  sinn'd  away. 

7  Dear  Lord,  I  wonder  and  adore ! 

Thy  grace  is  all  divine  ! 
O  keep  me,  that  I  sin  no  more 
Against  such  love  as  thine  ! 

HYMN  LFV. 
Hear  what  he  has  done  for  my  Soul. 

1  Sav'd  by  blood,  I  live  to  tell 
What  the  love  of  Christ  hath  done ; 
He  redecm'd  my  soul  from  hell. 
Of  a  rebel  made  a  son : 

Oh  !  I  tremble  still,  to  think 
How  secure  I  liv'd  in  sin; 
Sporting  on  destruction's  brink, 
Yet  pre?erv'd  from  falling  in. 

2  In  his  own  appointed  hour. 

To  mv  heart  the  Saviour  spoke  ; 
Touch'd  me  by  his  Spirit's  power. 
And  my  dan^'rous  slumber  broke. 
Then  I  saw  and  own'd  my  guilt. 
Soon  my  gracious  Lord  replied  : 

*  Isa.  xlviii.  8.     t  Roni.  viii.  34.      X  Psalm  Ixxi.  II. 


196 


OLNEY 


HYMNS. 


fcooK  in 


"Fear  not,  I  my  blood  have  spilt, 
'Twas  for  such  as  thee  I  died." 

3  Shame  and  wonder,  joy  and  love, 
All  at  once  pos^ess'd  my  heart; 
Can  I  hope  tliy  jrrace  to  prove 
After  acting  such  a  part  ? 

"  Thou  hast  greatly  sinn'd,"  he  said, 
"But  I  freely  all  forgive ; 
I  myself  thy  debt  have  paid. 
Now  I  bid  thee  rise  and  live." 

4  Come,  my  fellow-sinners,  try, 
Jesus'  heart  is  full  of  love  ! 

0  that  you,  as  well  as  I, 

May  his  wondrous  mercy  prove, 
lie  has  sent  me  to  declare, 
All  is  ready,  all  is  free : 
Why  should  any  soul  despair. 
When  he  sav'd  a  wretch  like  me  1 

HYMN  LV. 
Freedom  from  Care. 

1  While  I  liv'd  without  the  Lord, 
(If  I  might  be  said  to  live,) 
Nothing  could  relief  afford. 
Nothing  satisfaction  give. 

2  Empty  hopes  and  groundless  fear 
Mov'd  by  turns  my  anxious  mind ; 
Like  a  feather  in  the  air. 

Made  the  sport  of  every  wind. 

3  Now,  I  see,  whate'er  betide. 
All  is  well  if  Christ  be  mine ; 
He  has  promis'd  to  provide, 

1  have  only  to  resign. 

4  When  a  sense  of  sin  and  thrall 
Forc'd  me  to  the  sinner's  Friend, 
He  engaged  to  manage  all. 

By  the  way  and  to  the  end. 

5  "  Cast,"  he  said,  "  on  me  thy  care,* 
'Tis  enough  that  I  am  nigh ; 

I  will  all  thy  burdens  bear, 
I  will  all  thy  wants  supply. 

6  "  Simply  follow  as  I  lead. 
Do  not  reason,  but  believe ; 
Call  on  me  in  time  of  need. 
Thou  shalt  surely  help  receive." 

7  Lord,  I  would,  I  do  submit. 
Gladly  yield  my  all  to  thee ; 
What  thy  wisdom  sees  most  fit, 
Must  be  surely  best  for  me. 

8  Only,  when  the  way  is  rough. 
And  the  coward  flesh  would  start, 
Let  thy  promise  and  thy  love 
Cheer  and  animate  my  heart. 

HYMN  LVI. 
Humiliation  and  Praise. 

(Imitated  from  the  German.) 

1  When  tbe  wounded  spirit  hears 
The  voice  of  Jesus'  blood, 

»  Psalm  Iv  22.  1  Peter  v.  7. 


How  the  message  stops  the  tears 
Which  else  in  vain  had  flowed  : 

Pardon,  grace,  and  peace  proclaim'd, 

And  the  sinner  call'd  a  child  ; 

Then  the  stubborn  heart  is  tam'd, 
Renew'd  and  reconcil'd. 

2  Oh  !  'twas  grace  indeed  to  spare 

And  save  a  wretch  like  me  ! 
Men  or  angels  could  not  bear 

What  I  have  offer'd  thee : 
Were  thy  bolts  at  their  command, 
Hell  ere  now  had  been  my  place ; 
Thou  alone  could'st  silent  stand, 

And  wait  to  show  thy  grace. 

3  If,  in  one  created  mind, 

The  tenderness  and  love 
Of  thy  saints  on  earth  were  join'd, 

With  all  the  hosts  above ; 
Still  that  love  were  weak  and  poor, 
If  compar'd,  my  Lord,  with  thine ; 
Far  too  scanty  to  endure 

A  heart  so  vile  as  mine. 

4  Wondrous  mercy  I  have  found. 

But,  ah !  how  faint  my  praise  ! 
Must  I  be  a  cumber-ground, 

Unfruitful  all  my  days? 
Do  I  in  thy  garden  grow, 
Yet  produce  thee  only  leaves ! 
Lord,  forbid  it  should  be  so ! 

The  thought  my  spirit  grieves. 

5  Heavy  charges  Satan  brings, 

To  fill  me  with  distress; 
Let  me  hide  beneath  thy  wings, 

And  plead  thy  righteousness. 
Lord,  to  thee  for  help  I  call, 
'Tis  thy  promise  bids  me  come : 
Tell  him  thou  hast  paid  for  all. 

And  that  shall  strike  him  dumb. 

HYMN  LVII. 
For  the  Poor. 

1  When  Hagar  found  the  bottle  spent,* 

And  wept  o'er  Ishmael, 
A  message  from  the  Lord  was  sent 
To  guide  her  to  a  well. 

2  Should  not  Elijah's  cake  and  cruisef 

Convince  us  at  this  day, 
A  gracious  God  will  not  refuse 
Provisions  by  the  way "! 

3  His  saints  and  servants  shall  be  fed. 

The  promise  is  secure ; 
"  Bread  shall  be  given  them,"  as  he  said, 
"  Their  water  shall  be  sure."| 

4  Repasts  far  richer  they  shall  prove, 

Than  all  earth's  dainties  are ; 
'Tis  sweet  to  tiiste  a  Saviour's  love, 
Though  in  the  meanest  fare. 

5  To  Jesus,  then,  your  trouble  bring. 

Nor  murmur  at  your  lot ; 
While  you  are  poor,  and  he  is  King, 
You  shall  not  be  forgot  C. 

*  Gen.  xxi.  19.    1 1  Kings  xvii.  14.  J  Isa.  xxziii.  16 


HTUN  LXI.] 


DEDICATION  AND  SURRENDER. 


107 


HYMN  LVIII. 
Home  in  Vieio. 

1  As  when  the  weary  trav'ller  gains 
The  height  of  some  o'erlooking  hill, 
His  heart  revives,  if  cross  the  plains 
He  eyes  his  home,  though  distant  still. 

2  While  he  surveys  the  much-lov'd  spot, 
He  slights  the  space  that  lies  between; 
His  past  fatigues  are  now  forgot, 
Because  his  journey's  end  is  seen. 

3  Thus,  when  the  christian  pilgrim  views, 
By  faith,  his  mansion  in  the  skies. 

The  sight  his  fainting  strength  renews, 
And  wings  his  speed  to  reach  the  prize : 

4  The  thought  of  home  his  spirit  cheers. 
No  more  he  grieves  for  troubles  past ; 
Nor  any  future  trial  fears,* 

So  he  may  safe  arrive  at  last. 

6  'Tis  there,  he  says,  I  am  to  dwell 
With  Jesus,  in  the  realms  of  day ; 
Then  I  shall  bid  my  cares  farewell, 
And  he  will  wipe  my  tears  away. 

6  Jesus,  on  thee  our  hope  depends, 
To  lead  us  on  to  thine  abode: 
Assur'd  our  home  will  make  amends 
For  all  our  toil  while  on  the  road. 


SIMILAR  HYMNS. 

Book  I.  Hymn  4,  7,  9, 11,  25,  35,  36,  39,  41, 

46,  47,  4S,  70,  95, 128,  132. 
Book  II.  Hymn  45,  46,  47. 


V.  DEDICATION  AND  SURRENDER. 


HYMN  LIX. 
Old  Things  are  passed  away. 

1  Let  worldly  minds  the  world  pursue, 

It  has  no  charms  for  me  ; 
Once  I  admir'd  its  trifles  too. 
But  grace  has  set  me  free. 

2  Its  pleasures  now  no  longer  please, 

No  more  content  afford ; 
Far  from  my  heart  be  joys  like  these, 
Now  I  have  seen  the  Lord. 

3  As  by  the  light  of  op'ning  day 

The  stars  are  all  conceal'd  ; 
So  earthly  pleasures  fade  away, 
When  Jesus  is  reveal'd. 

4  Creatures  no  more  divide  my  choice, 

I  bid  them  all  depart; 
His  name,  and  love,  and  gracious  voice. 
Have  fix'd  my  roving  heart. 

5  Now,  Lord,  I  would  be  thine  alone, 

And  wholly  live  to  thee  ; 
But  may  I  hope  that  thou  wilt  own 
A  worthless  worm  like  me  1 


6  Yes !  though  of  sinners  I 'm  the  worst, 
I  cannot  doubt  thy  will; 
For  if  thou  hadst  not  lov'd  me  first, 
I  had  refus'd  thee  still.* 

HYMN  LX. 
The  Power  of  Grace. 

1  Happy  the  birth  where  grace  presides. 

To  form  the  future  life; 
In  wisdom's  paths  the  soul  she  guides, 
Remote  from  noise  and  strife. 

2  Since  I  have  known  the  Saviour's  name, 

And  what  for  me  he  bore. 
No  more  I  toil  for  empty  fame, 
I  thirst  for  gold  no  more. 

3  Plac'd  by  his  hand  in  this  retreat, 

I  make  his  love  my  theme ; 
And  see  that  all  the  world  calls  great. 
Is  but  a  waking  dream. 

4  Since  he  has  rank'd  my  worthless  name 

Amongst  his  favour'd  few, 
Let  the  mad  world  who  scoff  at  them, 
Revile  and  hate  me  too. 

5  O  thou,  whose  voice  the  dead  can  raise, 

And  soften  hearts  of  stone. 
And  teach  the  dumb  to  sing  thy  praise ! 
This  work  is  all  thine  own. 

6  Thy  wond'ring  saints  rejoice  to  see 

A  wretch  like  me  restor'd  ; 
And  point,  and  say,  "  How  chang'd  is  he, 
Who  once  defied  the  Lord !" 

7  Grace  bid  me  live,  and  taught  my  tongue 

To  aim  at  notes  divine  ; 
And  grace  accepts  my  feeble  song ; 
The  glory.  Lord,  be  thine ! 

HYMN  LXL 
My  Soul  thirsteth  for  God. 

1  I  THIRST,  but  not  as  once  I  did, 
The  vain  delights  of  earth  to  share  ; 
Thy  wounds,  Emmanuel,  all  forbid 
That  I  should  seek  my  pleasures  there. 

2  It  was  the  sight  of  thy  dedr  cross. 

First  wean'd  my  soul  from  earthly  things; 
And  taught  me  to  esteem  as  dross 
The  mirth  of  fools  and  pomp  of  kings. 

3  I  want  that  grace  that  springs  from  thee. 
That  quickens  all  things  where  it  flows, 
And  makes  a  wretched  thorn  like  me, 
Bloom  as  the  myrtle,  or  the  rose. 

4  Dear  fountain  of  delight  unknown  ! 
No  longer  sink  below  the  brim  ; 
But  overflow,  and  pour  me  down 
A  living  and  life-giving  stream  ! 

5  For  sure,  of  all  the  plants  that  share 
The  notice  of  thy  Father's  eye. 
None  proves  less  grateful  to  his  care, 
Or  yields  him  meaner  fruit  than  I.  C. 


•  Acts  XI.  24. 


*  Jer.  2cxxi.  3. 


193 


OLNEY 


HYMNS. 


[book  nr. 


HYMN  LXIL 

hove  constraining  to  Obedience, 

1  No  strength  of  nature  can  suffice 

To  serve  the  Lord  aright ; 
And  what  she  has,  she  misapplies, 
For  want  of  clearer  light. 

2  How  long-  beneath  the  law  I  lay 

In  bondage  and  distress  ! 
I  toil'd  tlie  precept  to  obey. 
But  toil'd  without  success. 

3  Then,  to  abstain  from  outward  sin 

Was  more  than  I  could  do ; 
Now,  I  feel  its  power  within, 
I  feel  I  hate  it  too. 

4  Then  all  my  servile  works  were  done, 

A  righteousness  to  raise  ; 
Now,  freely  chosen  in  the  Son, 
I  freely  choose  his  ways. 

5  What  shall  I  do,  was  then  the  word. 

That  I  may  worthier  grow  ! 
What  shall  I  render  to  the  Lord] 
Is  my  inquiry  now. 

6  To  see  the  law  by  Christ  fulfill'd, 

And  hear  his  pard'ning  voice. 
Changes  a  slave  into  a  child,* 

And  duty  into  choice.  C. 

HYMN  LXIII. 
The  Heart  healed  and  changed  by  Mercy. 

1  Sin  enslav'd  me  many  years, 

And  led  me  bound  and  blind  ; 
Till  at  length  a  thousand  fears 

Came  swarming  o'er  my  mind. 
Where,  I  said  in  deep  distress, 
Will  these  sinful  pleasures  end? 
How  shall  I  secure  my  peace. 

And  make  the  Lord  my  friend  ] 

2  Friends  and  ministers  said  much 

The  gospel  to  enforce  ; 
But  my  blindness  still  was  such, 

I  chose  a  legal  course  : 
Much  I  fasted,  watch'd,  and  strove. 
Scarce  would  show  my  face  abroad; 
Fear'd,  almost,  to  speak  or  move, 

A  stranger  still  to  God. 

3  Thus,  afraid  to  trust  his  grace, 

Long  time  did  I  rebel ; 
Till,  despairing  of  my  case, 

Down  at  his  feet  I  fell : 
Then  my  stubborn  heart  he  broke. 
And  subdued  me  to  his  sway. 
By  a  simple  word  he  spoke, 

"  Thy  sms  are  done  away."  C. 

HYMN  LXIV. 
Hatred  of  Sin. 
1  Holy  Lord  God  !  I  love  thy  truth. 
Nor  dare  thy  least  commandment  slight, 


Yet  pierc'd  by  sin,  the  serpent's  tooth, 
I  mourn  the  anguish  of  the  bite. 

2  But  though  the  poison  lurks  within, 
Hope  bids  me  still  with  patience  wait. 
Till  death  shall  set  me  free  from  sin, 
Free  from  the  only  thing  I  hate. 

3  Had  I  a  throne  above  the  rest. 
Where  angels  and  archangels  dwell, 
One  sin,  unslain,  within  my  breast. 
Would  make  that  heaven  as  dark  as  hell. 

4  The  pris'ner,  sent  to  breathe  fresh  air. 
And  bless'd  with  liberty  again, 

Would  mourn,  were  he  condemn'd  to  wear 
One  link  of  all  his  former  chain. 

5  But,  oh  !  no  foe  invades  the  bliss. 
When  glory  crowns  the  christian's  head ; 
One  view  of  Jesus  as  he  is. 

Will  sti-ike  all  sin  for  ever  dead.  C. 

HYMN  LXV. 
The  Child.* 

1  QciET,  Lord,  my  froward  heart, 
Make  me  teachable  and  mild. 
Upright,  simple,  free  from  art, 
Make  me  as  a  weaned  child  : 

From  distrust  and  envy  free, 
Pleas'd  witii  all  that  pleases  thee. 

2  What  thou  shalt  to-day  provide, 
Let  ine  as  a  child  receive ; 
What  to-morrow  may  betide, 
Calmly  to  thy  wisdom  loare  : 

'Tis  enough  tliat  thou  wilt  care, 
Why  should  I  the  burden  bear  1 

3  As  a  little  child  relies 

On  a  care  beyond  his  own  ; 

Knows  he 's  neither  strong  nor  wise  ; 

Fears  to  stir  a  step  alone  : 
Let  me  thus  with  thee  abide. 
As  my  Father,  guard,  and  guide. 

4  Thus  preserv'd  from  Satan's  wiles. 
Safe  from  dangers,  free  from  fears, 
May  I  live  upon  thy  smiles. 

Till  the  proniis'd  hour  appears. 
When  the  sons  of  God  shall  prove 
All  their  Father's  boundless  love. 


HYMN  LXVL 

True  Happiness. 

1  Fix  my  heart  and  eyes  on  thine  ! 
What  are  other  objects  worth] 
But  to  see  thy  glory  shine 
Is  a  heaven  begun  on  earth  : 
Trifles  can  no  longer  move ; 
Oh!  I  tread  on  all  beside, 
When  I  feel  my  Saviour's  love. 
And  remember  how  he  died  ! 


*  Rom.  iii.  31. 


*  Psal.  cx.xxi.  2 ;  Matt,  xviii.  3,  4. 


HYMN  LXX.] 


CAUTIONS. 


199 


2  Now  my  search  is  at  an  end, 
Now  niy  wishes  rovo  no  more  ! 
Thus  my  moments  I  would  spend, 
Love,  and  wonder,  and  adore : 
Jesus,  source  of  excellence ! 

All  thy  nrlorious  love  reveal ! 
Kinsrdoms  shall  not  bribe  me  hence, 
While  this  happiness  I  feel. 

3  Take  ray  heart,  'tis  all  thine  own, 
To  thy  will  my  spirit  frame; 
Tliou  shalt  reig-n,  and  thou  alone, 
Over  all  I  have  or  am  : 

If  a  foolish  thoug-ht  sliall  dare 
To  rebel  ag-ainst  thy  word. 
Slay  it,  Lord,  and  do  not  spare. 
Let  it  feel  thy  Spirit's  sword  ! 

4  Making  thus  the  Lord  my  choice, 
I  have  nothing  more  to  choose. 
But  to  listen  to  thy  voice. 

And  my  will  in  thine  to  lose : 
Thus  whatever  may  betide, 
I  shall  safe  and  happy  be. 
Still  content  and  satisfied, 
Having  all  in  having  thee. 

HYMN  LXVII. 
The  Happy  Debtor. 

1  Ten  thousand  talents  once  I  owed. 

And  nothing  had  to  pay, 
But  Jesus  freed  me  from  the  load. 
And  wash'd  my  debt  away. 

2  Yet  since  the  Lord  forgave  my  sin, 

And  blotted  out  my  score. 
Much  more  indebted  I  have  been 
Than  e'er  I  was  before. 

3  My  guilt  is  cancell'd  quite,  I  know, 

And  satisfaction  made; 
But  the  vast  debt  of  love  I  owe 
Can  never  be  repaid. 

4  The  love  I  owe  for  sin  forgiven. 

For  power  to  believe. 
For  present  peace  and  prorais'd  heaven. 
No  angel  can  conceive. 

5  That  love  of  thine,  thou  sinner's  Friend! 

Witness  thy  bleeding  heart ! 
My  little  all  can  ne'er  extend 
To  pay  a  thousandth  part. 

6  Nay  more,  the  poor,  returns  I  make, 

I  first  from  thee  obtain  ;* 
And  'tis  of  grace,  that  thou  wilt  take 
Such  poor  returns  again. 

7  'Tis  well,  it  shall  my  glory  be 

(Let  who  will  boast  their  store) 
In  time  and  to  eternity, 

To  owe  thee  more  and  more. 


SIMILAR  IIYMNS. 

Book  I.  Hvmn  27,  .50,  70,  93,  122. 
Book  II.  Hymn  23,  90. 


VL  CAUTIONS. 

HYMN  LXVm. 
The  New  Convert. 

1  The  new-born  child  of  gospel-grace. 
Like  some  fair  tree  when  summer 's  nigh, 
Beneath  Emmanuel's  shining  face. 

Lifts  up  his  blooming  branch  on  high. 

2  No  fears  he  feels,  he  sees  no  foes. 
No  conflict  yet  his  faith  employs, 
Nor  has  he  learnt  to  whom  he  owes 
The  strength  and  peace  his  soul  enjoys. 

3  But  sin  soon  darts  its  cruel  sting. 
And  comforts  sinking  day  by  day. 
What  seem'd  his  own,  a  self-fed  spring, 
Proves  but  a  brook  that  glides  away. 

4  When  Gideon  arm'd  his  num'rous  host, 
The  Lord  soon  made  his  numbers  less ; 
And  said,  lest  Israel  vainly  boast,* 

"  My  arm  procur'd  me  thus  success." 

5  Thus  will  he  bring  our  spirits  down. 
And  draw  our  ebbing  comforts  low. 
That,  sav'd  by  grace,  but  not  our  own, 
We  may  not  claim  the  praise  we  owe. 

  C. 

HYMN  LXIX. 
Triie  and  False  Comforts. 

1  O  God,  \vliose  favourable  eye 

The  sin-sick  soul  revives, 
Holy  and  heavenly  is  the  joy 
Thy  shining  presence  gives: 

2  Not  such  as  hypocrites  suppose. 

Who  with  a  graceless  heart. 
Taste  not  of  thee,  but  drink  a  dose, 
Prepar'd  by  Satan's  art. 

3  Intoxicating  joys  are  theirs. 

Who,  while  they  boast  their  light. 
And  seem  to  soar  above  the  stare, 
Are  plunging  into  night. 

4  Lull'd  in  a  soft  and  fatal  sleep, 

They  sin,  and  yet  rejoice  ; 
Were  they  indeed  the  Saviour's  sheep, 
Would  they  not  hear  his  voice  7 

5  Be  mine  the  comforts  that  reclaim 

The  soul  from  Satan's  power. 
That  make  me  blush  for  what  I  am, 

And  hate  my  sin  the  more. 
G  'Tis  joy  enough,  my  All  in  All, 

At  thy  dear  feet  to  lie ; 
Thou  wilt  not  let  me  lower  fall, 

And  none  can  higher  fly.  C. 

HYMN  LXX. 
True  and  False  Zeal. 
1  Zeal  is  that  pure  and  heavenly  flame 
The  fire  of  love  supplies ; 
While  that  which  often  bears  the  name 
Is  self  in  a  disguise. 


*  1  Chron.  xxix.  14. 


*  Judges  vii. 


200 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


[book  in. 


2  True  zeal  is  merciful  and  mild, 

Can  pity  and  forbear  ; 
Tlie  false  is  headstrong,  fierce,  and  wild, 
And  breathes  reven£re  and  war. 

3  While  zeal  for  truth  the  christian  warms, 

He  knows  the  worth  of  peace ; 
But  self  contends  for  names  and  forms, 
Its  party  to  increase. 

4  Zeal  has  attain'd  its  highest  aim. 

Its  end  is  satisfied. 
If  sinners  love  the  Saviour's  name, 
Nor  seeks  it  aught  beside. 

5  But  self,  however  well  employed. 

Has  its  own  ends  in  view. 
And  says,  as  boasting  Jehu  cried,* 
"  Come,  see  what  I  can  do." 

6  Self  may  its  poor  reward  obtain, 

And  be  applauded  here. 
But  zeal  the  best  applause  will  gain 
When  Jesus  shall  appear. 

7  Dear  Lord,  the  idol  self  dethrone. 

And  from  our  hearts  remove, 
And  let  no  zeal  by  us  be  shown 
But  that  which  springs  from  love. 

HYMN  LXXI. 
A  Living  and  a  Dead  Faith. 

1  The  Lord  receives  his  highest  praise 
From  humble  minds  and  hearts  sincere. 
While  all  the  loud  professor  says 
Offends  the  righteous  Judge's  ear. 

2  To  walk  as  children  of  the  day. 
To  mark  the  precepts'  holy  light. 

To  wage  the  warfare,  watch  and  pray. 
Show  who  are  pleasing  in  his  sight. 

3  Not  words  alone  it  cost  the  Lord, 
To  purchase  pardon  for  his  own  ; 
Nor  will  a  soul,  by  grace  restor'd. 
Return  the  Saviour  words  alone. 

4  With  golden  bells,  the  priestly  vest,t 
And  rich  pomegranates  border'd  round. 
The  need  of  holiness  express'd. 

And  call'd  for  fruit  as  well  as  sound. 

5  Easy,  indeed,  it  were  to  reach 
A  mansion  in  the  courts  above. 

If  swelling  words  and  fluent  speech 
Might  serve  instead  of  faith  and  love. 

6  But  none  shall  gain  the  blissful  place. 
Or  God's  unclouded  glory  see. 

Who  talks  of  free  and  sovereign  grace. 
Unless  that  grace  has  made  him  free.  C. 

HYMN  LXXn. 
Abuse  of  the  Gospel. 

1  Too  many,  I^rd,  abuse  thy  grace, 
In  this  licentious  day ; 
And  while  they  boast  they  see  thy  face. 
They  turn  their  own  away. 


2  Thy  book  displays  a  gracious  light. 

That  can  the  blind  restore; 
But  these  are  dazzled  by  the  sight, 
And  blinded  still  the  more. 

3  The  pardon  such  presume  upon 

They  do  not  beg,  but  steal ; 
And  when  they  plead  it  at  thy  throne, 
Oh  !  where 's  the  Spirit's  seal  ] 

4  Was  it  for  this,  ye  lawless  tribe, 

The  dear  Redeemer  bled  ? 
Is  this  the  grace  the  saints  imbibe 
From  Christ  the  living  Head '! 

5  Ah !  Lord,  we  know  thy  chosen  few 

Are  fed  with  heavenly  fare ; 
But  these,  the  wretched  Imsks  they  chew, 
Proclaim  them  what  they  are. 

6  The  liberty  our  hearts  implore. 

Is  not  to  live  in  sin, 
But  still  to  wait  at  Wisdom's  door. 
Till  Mercy  calls  us  in.  C. 

HYMN  LXXIII. 
The  Narrom  Way. 

1  What  thousands  never  knew  the  road ! 
What  thousands  hate  it  when  'tis  known  ! 
None  but  the  chosen  tribes  of  God 

Will  seek  or  choose  it  for  their  own. 

2  A  thousand  ways  in  ruin  end. 
One  only  leads  to  joys  on  high  ; 
By  that  my  willing  steps  ascend, 
Pleas'd  with  a  journey  to  the  sky. 

3  No  more  I  ask,  or  hope  to  find 
Delight  or  happiness  below ; 
Sorrow  may  as  well  possess  the  mind 
That  feeds  where  thorns  and  thistles  grow, 

4  The  joy  that  fades  is  not  for  me, 
I  seek  immortal  joys  above  : 
There  glnry  without  end  shall  be 
The  bright  reward  of  faith  and  love. 

5  Cleave  to  the  world,  ye  sordid  worms! 
Contented  lick  your  native  dust; 

But  God  shall  fight,  with  all  his  storms. 
Against  the  idol  of  your  trust.  C. 

HYMN  LXXIV. 
Dependence. 

1  To  keep  the  lamp  alive, 
With  oil  we  fill  the  bowl ; 

'Tis  water  makes  the  willow  thrive. 
And  grace  that  feeds  the  soul. 

2  The  Lord's  unsparing  hand 
Supplies  the  living  stream. 

It  is  not  at  our  own  command. 
But  still  deriv'd  from  him. 

3  Beware  of  Peter's  word,* 
Nor  confidently  say, 

"  I  never  will  deny  thee,  Lord," 
But  grant  I  never  may. 


»  2  Kings  X.  16. 


t  Exod.  xxviii.  33. 


*  Matth.  xxvi.  33. 


EYMN  LXXVIII.] 

4  Man's  wisdom  is  to  seek 
His  strength  in  God  alone ; 

And  e'en  an  angel  would  be  weak, 
VVlio  trusted  in  his  own. 

5  Retreat  beneath  his  wings, 
And  in  his  grace  confide ; 

This  more  exalts  the  King  of  kings,* 
Than  all  your  works  beside. 

6  In  Jesus  is  our  store, 

Grace  issues  from  his  throne ; 
Whoever  says,  "  I  want  no  more," 
Confesses  he  has  none.  C. 

HYMN  LXXV. 
Not  of  Works. 

1  Grace,  triumphant  in  the  throne, 
Scorns  a  rival,  reigns  alone ! 
Come,  and  bow  beneath  her  sway, 
Cast  your  idol-works  away. 
Works  of  man,  when  made  his  plea, 
Never  shall  accepted  be ; 

Fruits  of  pride  (vain-glorious  worm  !) 
Are  the  best  he  can  perform. 

2  Self,  the  god  his  soul  adores, 
Influences  all  his  powers ; 
Jesus  is  a  slighted  name. 
Self-advancement  all  his  aim. 

But  when  God  the  Judge  shall  come, 
To  pronounce  the  final  doom. 
Then  for  rocks  and  hills  to  hide 
All  his  works  and  all  his  pride  ! 
S  Still  the  boasting  heart  replies. 
What !  the  worthy  and  the  wise. 
Friends  to  temperance  and  peace, 
Have  not  these  a  righteousness  1 
Banish  ev'ry  vain  pretence 
Built  on  human  excellence; 
Perish  ev'ry  thing  in  man. 
But  the  grace  that  never  can.  C. 

HYMN  LXXVI. 
Sin's  Deceit. 

1  Sin,  when  view'd  by  scripture-light. 
Is  a  horrid,  hateful  sight ; 

But  when  seen  in  Satan's  glass. 
Then  it  wears  a  pleasing  face. 

2  When  the  gospel-trumpet  sounds, 
When  I  think  how  grace  abounds, 
When  I  feel  sweet  peace  within. 
Then  I 'd  rather  die  than  sin. 

3  When  the  cross  I  view  by  faith, 
Sin  is  madness,  poison,  death ; 
Tempt  me  not,  'tis  all  in  vain, 
Sure  I  ne'er  can  yield  again. 

4  Satan,  for  a  while  debarr'd. 
When  he  finds  me  off"  my  guard, 
Puts  his  glass  before  my  eyes. 
Quickly  other  thoughts  arise. 


901 

before  excited  fears. 
Rather  pleasing  now  appears ; 
If  a  sin,  it  seems  so  small. 
Or,  perhaps,  no  sin  at  all. 

6  Often  thus,  through  sin's  deceit, 
Grief,  and  shame,  and  loss  I  meet; 
Like  a  fish,  my  soul  mistook, 
Saw  the  bait,  but  not  the  hook. 

7  O  my  Lord  !  what  shall  I  say  1 
How  can  I  presume  to  pray  t 
Not  a  word  have  I  to  plead. 
Sins  like  mine  are  black  indeed  ! 

8  Made  by  past  experience  wise, 
Let  me  learn  thy  word  to  prize ; 
Taught  by  what  I 've  felt  before, 
Let  me  Satan's  glass  abhor. 

HYMN  LXXVII. 
Are  there  Few  that  shall  be  Saved? 

1  Destruction's  dang'rous  road. 
What  multitudes  pursue ! 

While  that  which  leads  the  soul  to  God^ 
Is  known  or  sought  by  few. 

2  Believers  enter  in 

By  Christ,  the  living  gate : 
But  they  who  will  not  leave  their  sin, 
Complain  it  is  too  strait. 

3  If  self  must  be  denied. 
And  sin  forsaken  quite, 

They  rather  choose  the  way  that 's  wide, 
And  strive  to  think  it  right. 

4  Encompass'd  by  a  throng. 
On  numbers  they  depend  ; 

So  many  surely  can't  be  wrong. 
And  miss  a  happy  end. 

5  But  numbers  are  no  mark 
That  men  will  right  be  found, 

A  few  were  sav'd  in  Noah's  ark,* 
For  many  millions  drown'd. 

6  Obey  the  gospel-call. 
And  enter  while  you  may ! 

The  flock  of  Christ  is  always  small,f 
And  none  are  safe  but  they. 

7  Lord,  open  sinners'  eyes. 
Their  awful  state  to  see ; 

And  make  them,  ere  the  storm  arise. 
To  thee  for  safety  flee. 

HYMN  LXXVm. 
The  Sluggard. 

1  The  wishes  that  the  sluggard  frames,| 

Of  course  must  fruitless  prove; 
With  folded  arms  he  stands  and  dreams, 
But  has  no  heart  to  move. 

2  His  field  from  others  may  be  known. 

The  fence  is  broken  through ; 
The  ground  with  weeds  is  overgrown. 
And  no  good  crop  in  view. 


CAUTIONS. 

5  What 


Vni.  ir. 


*  John  vi.  29. 


*  1  Peter  iii.  20.  t  Luke  xii.  32. 

}  Prov.  vi.  10;  xx.  4  ;  xxii.  13;  xxiv.  3i). 


< 


3  No  hardship  he,  nor  toil,  can  bear, 

No  difficulty  meet; 
He  wastes  his  hours  at  homo,  for  fear 
Of  lions  in  the  street. 

4  What  wonder,  then,  if  sloth  and  sleep 

Distress  and  famine  bring'! 
Could  he  in  harvest  hope  to  reap, 
Who  would  not  sow  in  spring  ! 

5  'Tis  often  thus  in  soul-concerns : 

We  gospel-sluofo-ards  see. 
Who,  if  a  wish  would  serve  their  turns. 
Might  true  believers  be. 

6  But  when  the  preacher  bids  them  watch, 

And  seek,  and  strive,  and  pray,* 
At  ev'ry  poor  excuse  they  catch, 
A  lion  in  the  way  ! 

7  To  use  the  means  of  grace,  how  loth! 

We  call  them  still  in  vain ; 
They  yield  to  their  beloved  sloth, 
And  fold  their  arms  again. 

8  Dear  Saviour,  let  thy  power  appear, 

The  outward  call  to  aid ; 
These  drowsy  souls  can  only  hear 
The  voice  that  wakes  the  dead. 

HYMN  LXXIX. 
'Nat  in  Word,  but  in  Power. 

1  How  soon  the  Saviour's  gracious  call, 
Disarm'd  the  rage  of  bloody  Saul  !t 
Jesus,  the  knowledge  of  thy  name, 
Chang-es  the  lion  to  a  lamb ! 

2  Zaccheus,  when  he  knew  the  Lord,| 
What  he  had  gain'd  by  wrong,  restor'd ; 
And  of  the  wealth  he  priz'd  before. 

He  gave  the  half  to  feed  the  poor. 

3  The  woman  who  so  vile  had  been, 5 
When  brought  to  weep  o'er  pardon'd  sin, 
Was  from  her  evil  ways  estrang'd. 

And  show'd  that  grace  her  heart  had  chang'd. 

4  And  can  we  think  the  power  of  grace 
Is  lost,  by  change  of  time  and  place  1 
Then  it  was  mighty,  all  allow. 

And  is  it  but  a  notion  now  ] 

5  Can  they  whom  pride  and  fashion  sway, 
Who  Mammon  and  the  world  obey. 

In  envy  or  contention  live. 
Presume  that  they  indeed  believe  1 

6  True  faith  unites  to  Clirist  the  root. 
By  him  producing  holy  fruit; 

And  they  who  no  such  fruit  can  show, 
Still  on  the  stock  of  nature  grow. 

7  Lord,  let  thy  word  effectual  prove. 
To  work  in  us  obedient  love ! 

And  may  each  one  who  hoars  it,  dread 
A  name  to  live,  and  yet  be  dead.|| 


•  1  Cor.  ix.  24;  Luke  xiii.  34.  t  Acts  ix.  6. 

J  Luke  xix.  8.       §  Luke  vii.  47.        1  Rev.  iii.  1. 


[book  ni. 

SIMILAR  HYMNS 

Book  I.  Hymn  8,  20,  85,  87,  91,  104,  125, 

139,  141. 
Book  II.  Hymn  34,  49,  86,  91,  99. 

VII.  PRAISE. 

HYMN  LXXX. 
Praise  for  Faith. 

1  Of  all  the  gifts  thine  hand  bestows, 

Thou  giver  of  all  good  ! 
Not  heaven  itself  a  richer  knows, 
Than  my  Redeemer's  blood. 

2  Faith,  too,  the  blood-receiving  grace, 

From  the  same  hand  we  gain ; 
Else,  sweetly  as  it  suits  our  case, 
That  gift  had  been  in  vain. 

3  Till  thou  thy  teaching  power  apply. 

Our  hearts  refuse  to  see, 
And  weak,  as  a  distemper'd  eye, 
Shut  out  the  view  of  thee. 

4  Blind  to  the  merits  of  thy  Son, 

What  misery  we  endure  ! 
Yet  fly  that  hand,  from  which  alone 
We  could  expect  a  cure. 

5  We  praise  thee,  and  would  praise  thee  more 

To  thee  our  all  we  owe ; 
The  precious  Saviour  and  the  power 
That  makes  him  precious  too.  C. 

HYMN  LXXXI. 
Grace  and  Providence. 

1  Almighty  King !  whose  wondrous  hand 
Supports  the  weight  of  sea  and  land. 
Whose  grace  is  such  a  boundless  store, 
No  heart  shall  brealc  that  sighs  for  more. 

2  Thy  providence  supplies  my  food. 
And  'tis  thy  blessing  makes  it  good  ; 
My  soul  is  nourish'd  by  thy  word. 
Let  soul  and  body  praise  the  Lord. 

3  My  streams  of  outward  comfort  came 
From  him,  who  built  this  earthly  frame ; 
Whate'er  I  want  his  bounty  gives. 

By  whom  my  soul  for  ever  lives. 

4  Either  his  hand  preserves  from  pain, 
Or,  if  I  feel  it,  heals  again  ; 

From  Satan's  malice  shields  my  breast, 
Or  over-rules  it  for  the  best. 

5  Forgive  the  song  that  falls  so  low 
Beneath  the  gratitude  I  owe  ! 

It  means  thy  praise,  however  poor. 
An  angel's  song  can  do  no  more.  C. 

HYMN  LXXXIL 
Praise  for  Redeeming  Love. 

1  Let  us  love,  and  sing  and  wonder. 
Let  us  praise  the  Saviour's  name  ! 
He  has  hush'd  the  law's  loud  thunder, 
He  has  quench'd  Mount  Sinai's  flame ; 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


HYMN  LXXXVI.] 


PRAISE. 


203 


He  has  wash'd  us  witli  his  blood, 
He  has  brous^ht  us  nigh  to  God. 

2  Let  us  love — the  Lord  who  bought  us, 
Pitied  us  when  enemies, 

Call'd  us  by  his  grace,  and  taught  us. 
Gave  us  ears,  and  gave  us  eyes : 
He  has  wasli'd  us  with  his  blood. 
He  presents  our  souls  to  God. 

3  Let  us  sing, — though  fierce  temptations 
Threaten  hard  to  bear  us  down ; 

For  the  Lord,  our  strong  salvation. 
Holds  in  view  tlie  conq'ror's  crown  :* 
He  who  wash'd  us  with  his  blood. 
Soon  wdl  bring  us  home  to  God. 

4  Let  us  wonder, — grace  and  justice 
Join,  and  point  to  mercy's  store  ! 

When  through  grace  in  Christ  our  trust  is, 
Justice  smiles,  and  asks  no  more : 

He  who  wash'd  us  with  his  blood, 

Has  secur'd  our  way  to  God. 

5  Let  us  praise, — and  join  the  chorus 
Of  the  saints  enthron'd  on  high  ; 
Here  they  trusted  him  before  us. 
Now  their  praises  fill  the  sky  :t 

"  Thou  hast  wash'd  us  with  thy  blood ; 
Thou  art  worthy,  Lamb  of  God !" 

6  Hark,  the  name  of  Jesus  sounded 
Loud  from  golden  harps  above  ! 
Lord,  we  blush,  and  are  confounded. 
Faint  our  praises,  cold  our  love  ! 

Wash  our  souls  and  songs  with  blood. 
For  by  thee  we  come  to  God. 

HYMN  LXXXin. 
/  will  Praise  the  Lord  at  all  Times. 

1  Winter  has  a  joy  for  me. 

While  the  Saviour's  charms  I  read. 
Lowly,  meek,  from  blemish  free. 
In  the  snow-drop's  pensive  head. 

2  Spring  returns,  and  brings  along 
Life-invigorating  suns; 

Hark !  the  turtle's  plaintive  song. 
Seems  to  speak  his  dying  groans ! 

3  Summer  has  a  thousand  charms, 
All  expressive  of  his  worth; 

'Tis  his  sun  that  lights  and  warms, 
His  the  air  that  cools  the  earth. 

4  What !  has  autumn  left  to  say 
Nothing  of  a  Saviour's  grace] 
Yes,  the  beams  of  milder  day 
Tell  me  of  his  smiling  face. 

5  Light  appears  with  early  dawn ; 
While  the  sun  makes  haste  to  rise, 
See  his  bleeding  beauties  drawn 
On  the  blushes  of  the  skies. 

6  Evening,  with  a  silent  pace. 
Slowly  moving  in  the  west. 
Shows  an  emblem  of  his  grace. 
Points  to  an  eternal  rest.  C. 


HYMN  LXXXTV. 

Perseverance. 

1  Rejoice,  believer,  in  the  Lord, 

Who  makes  your  cause  his  own ; 
The  hope  that 's  built  upon  hi^word 
Can  ne'er  be  overthrown. 

2  Though  many  foes  beset  your  road, 

And  feeble  is  your  arm  ; 
Your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God,* 
Beyond  the  reach  of  harm. 

3  W^eak  as  you  are,  you  shall  not  faint. 

Or,  fainting,  shall  not  die, 
Jesus,  the  strength  of  ev'ry  saint,t 
Will  aid  you  from  on  high. 

4  Though  sometimes  unperceiv'd  by  sense, 

Faith  sees  him  always  near, 
A  guide,  a  glory,  a  defence ; 
Then  what  have  you  to  fear  1 

5  As  surely  as  he  overcame. 

And  triumph'd  once  for  you. 
So  surely  you  that  love  his  name, 
Shall  triumph  in  him  too. 

HYMN  LXXXV. 
Salvation. 

1  Salvation  !  what  a  glorious  plan, 

How  suited  to  our  need  ! 
The  grace  that  raises  fallen  man 
Is  wonderful  indeed ! 

2  'Twas  wisdom  form'd  the  vast  design, 

To  ransom  us  when  lost ; 
And  love's  unfathomable  mine 
Provided  all  the  cost. 

3  Strict  Justice,  with  approving  look. 

The  holy  covenant  seal'd  ; 
And  Truth  and  Power  undertook 
The  whole  should  be  fulfill'd. 

4  Truth,  Wisdom,  Justice,  Power,  and  Love, 

In  all  their  glory  shone. 
When  Jesus  left  the  courts  above. 
And  died  to  save  his  own. 

5  Truth,  Wisdom,  Justice,  Power,  and  Love, 

Are  equally  displayed ; 
Now  Jesus  reigns  enthron'd  above. 
Our  Advocate  and  Head. 

6  Now  sin  appears  deserving  death. 

Most  hateful  and  abhorr'd ; 
And  yet  the  sinner  lives  by  faith. 
And  dares  approach  the  Lord. 

HYMN  LXXXVI. 

Reigning  Grace. 

1  Now,  may  the  Lord  reveal  his  face. 
And  teach  our  stamm'ring  tongues 

To  make  his  sovereign,  reigning  grace,f 
The  subject  of  our  songs ! 

No  sweeter  subject  can  invite 
A  sinner's  heart  to  sing. 


•  Eev.  ii.  10. 


t  Rev.  V.  9. 


•  Col.  iii.  3.  t  Isa.  xl.  29.         t  Rom.  v.  SL 


204 

Or  more  display  tlie  g-lorious  rig! 
Of  our  exalted  King. 

2  This  subject  fills  the  starry  plain 

With  wonder,  joy,  and  love ; 
And  furnishes  the  noblest  strains 

For  all  the  harps  above  : 
While  the  redeem'd  in  praise  combine 

To  grace  upon  the  throne,* 
Angels  in  solemn  chorus  join, 

And  make  the  theme  their  own. 

3  Grace  reigns  to  pardon  crimson  sins, 

To  melt  the  hardest  hearts; 
And  from  the  word  it  once  begins,! 

It  never  more  departs. 
The  world  and  Satan  strive  in  vain 

Against  the  chosen  few  ;| 
Secf\r'd  by  grace's  conqu'ring  reign, 

They  all  shall  conquer  too. 

4  Grace  tills  the  soil,  and  sows  the  seeds, 

Provides  the  sun  and  rain ; 
Till  from  the  tender  blade  proceeds 

The  ripen'd  harvest-grain. 
'Twas  grace  that  call'd  our  souls  at  first ; 

By  grace  thus  far  we  're  come ; 
And  grace  will  help  us  through  the  worst, 

And  lead  us  safely  home. 

5  Lord,  when  this  changing  life  is  past, 

If  we  may  see  thy  face, 
How  shall  we  praise  and  love  at  last, 

And  sing  the  reign  of  grace 
Yet  let  us  aim,  while  here  below. 

Thy  mercy  to  display ; 
And  own,  at  least,  the  debt  we  owe. 

Although  we  cannot  pay. 

HYMN  LXXXVII. 
Praise  to  the  Redeemer. 

1  Prepare  a  thankful  song 
To  the  Redeemer's  name ! 

His  praises  should  employ  each  tongue. 
And  ev'ry  heart  inflame  ! 

2  He  laid  his  glory  by. 

And  dreadful  pains  endur'd, 
That  rebels,  such  as  you  and  I, 
From  wrath  might  be  secur'd. 

3  Upon  the  cross  he  died, 
Our  debt  of  sin  to  pay ; 

The  blood  and  water  from  his  side 
Wash  guilt  and  filth  away. 

4  And  now  he  pleading  stands. 
For  us,  before  the  throne. 

And  answers  all  the  law's  demands 
With  what  himself  hath  done. 

5  He  sees  us,  willing  slaves. 
To  sin,  an(i  Satan's  power ; 

But,  with  an  outstretch'd  arm,  he  saves, 
In  his  appointed  hour. 


*  Rev.  V.  9.  12,  t  Phil.  i.  6. 

t  Rom.  viii.  35—39.  §  Psal.  cxv.  1. 


[book  m 

Holy  Ghost  he  sends, 
stubborn  souls  to  move, 
,ke  his  enemies  his  friends, 
.  conquer  them  by  love. 

I  love  of  sin  departs, 
The  life  of  grace  takes  place. 
Soon  as  his  voice  invites  our  hearts 
To  rise  and  seek  his  face. 

8  The  world  and  Satan  rage. 
But  he  their  power  controls ; 

His  wisdom,  love,  and  truth,  engage 
Protection  for  our  souls. 

9  Though  press'd,  we  will  not  yield, 
But  shall  prevail  at  length : 

For  Jesus  is  our  sun  and  shield. 
Our  righteou.sness  and  strength. 

10  Assur'd  that  Christ,  our  King, 
Will  put  our  foes  to  flight. 

We  on  the  field  of  battle  sing. 
And  triumph  while  we  fight. 

HYMN  LXXXVIII. 

Man,  by  Nature,  Grace,  and  Glory. 

1  Lord,  what  is  man  !  extremes  how  wide 
In  this  mysterious  nature  join  ! 

The  flesh,  to  worms  and  dust  allied, 
The  soul,  immortal  and  divine ! 

2  Divine  at  first,  a  holy  flame. 
Kindled  by  the  Almighty's  breath ; 
Till,  stain'd  by  sin,  it  soon  became 
The  seat  of  darkness,  strife,  and  death. 

3  But  Jesus,  oh  !  amazing  grace! 
Assum'd  our  nature  as  his  own. 
Obeyed  and  suffer'd  in  our  place. 
Then  took  it  with  him  to  his  throne. 

4  Now,  what  is  man,  when  grace  reveals 
The  virtue  of  a  Saviour's  blood  ! 
Again  a  life  divine  he  feels, 
Despises  earth,  and  walks  with  God. 

5  And  what,  in  yonder  realms  above, 
Is  ransom'd  man  ordain'd  to  be  ! 
With  honour,  holiness,  and  love. 
No  seraph  more  adorn'd  than  he. 

6  Nearest  the  throne,  and  first  in  song, 
Man  shall  his  hallelujahs  raise; 

While  wond'ring  angels  round  him  throng. 
And  swell  the  chorus  of  his  praise. 


SIMILAR  HYMNS. 

Book  I.  Hymn  57,  58,  59,  79,  80. 
Book  II.  Hymn  37,  38,  39,  41,  42. 

VIIL  SHORT  HYMNS. 

BEFORE  SERMON. 

HYMN  LXXXIX. 
Confirm  the  hope  thy  word  allows, 
Behold  us  waiting  to  be  fed ; 
Bless  the  provision  of  thy  house, 
And  satisfy  thy  poor  with  bread : 


OLNEY  HYMNS. 


ht 


Th< 
Oui 
To  m: 
An( 
Th( 


HYMN  XCVIII.] 


SHORT 


HYMNS. 


205 


Drawn  by  thine  invitation,  Lord, 
Atliirst  and  hungry  we  are  come ; 
Now,  from  the  fulness  of  thy  word, 
Feast  us,  and  send  us  tliankful  home. 

HYMN  XC. 

1  Now,  Lord,  inspire  the  preacher's  heart, 

And  teach  his  tongue  to  speak; 
Food  to  the  hunijry  soul  impart. 
And  cordials  to  the  weak. 

2  Furnish  us  all  with  lig-ht  and  powers 

To  walk  in  Wisdom's  ways; 
So  shall  the  benefit  be  ours. 
And  thou  shalt  have  the  praise. 

HYMN  XCL 

1  Thy  promise,  Lord,  and  thy  command, 

Have  brought  us  here  to-day ; 
And  now,  we  humbly  waiting  stand, 
To  hear  what  thou  wilt  say.* 

2  Meet  us,  we  pray,  with  words  of  peace, 

And  fill  our  hearts  with  love ; 
That  from  our  follies  we  may  cease, 
And  henceforth  faithful  prove. 

HYMN  XCIL 

1  Hungry,  and  faint,  and  poor, 
Behold  us,  Lord,  again 

Assembled  at  thy  mercy's  door, 
Thy  bounty  to  obtain. 

2  Thy  word  invites  us  nigh. 
Or  we  must  starve  indeed ; 

For  we  no  money  have  to  buy, 
No  righteousness  to  plead. 

3  The  food  our  spirits  want 
Thy  hand  alone  can  give ; 

Oh  !  hear  the  prayer  of  faith,  and  grant 
That  we  may  eat  and  live. 

HYMN  XCHL 
Psalm  cvi.  4,  5. 

1  REifEMBER  us,  we  pray  thee,  Lord, 
With  those  who  love  thy  gracious  name, 
And  to  our  souls  that  good  afford, 

•  Thy  promise  has  prepar'd  for  them. 

2  To  us  thy  great  salvation  show. 
Give  us  a  taste  of  love  divine. 
That  we  thy  people's  joy  may  know 
And  in  their  holy  triumph  join. 

HYMN  XCIV. 

1  Not  to  Sinai's  dreadful  blaze,t 
But  to  Zion's  throne  of  grace. 
By  a  way  mark'd  out  with  blood, 
Sinners  now  approach  to  God. 

2  Not  to  hear  the  fiery  law. 
But  with  humble  joy  to  draw 
Water,  by  that  well  supplied,}; 
Jesus  opon'd  when  he  died. 


3  Lord,  there  are  no  streams  but  thine 
Can  assuage  a  thirst  like  mine: 
'Tis  a  thirst  thyself  didst  give. 
Let  me,  therefore,  drink  and  live. 

HYMN  XCV. 

1  Often  thy  public  means  of  grace. 
Thy  thirsty  people's  wat'ring  place, 

The  archers  have  beset:* 
Attack'd  them  in  thy  house  of  prayer, 
To  prison  dragg'd,  or  to  the  bar, 

VVhen  thus  together  met. 

2  But  we  from  such  assaults  are  freed, 
Can  pray,  and  sing,  and  hear,  and  read, 

And  meet,  and  part,  in  peace: 
May  we  our  privileges  prize. 
In  their  improvement  make  us  wise, 

And  bless  us  with  increase. 

3  Unless  thy  presence  thou  afford. 
Unless  thy  blessing  clothe  the  word, 

In  vain  our  liberty ! 
What  would  it  profit  to  maintain 
A  name  for  life,  should  we  remain 

Formal  and  dead  to  thee  ] 


AFTER  SERMON. 

HYMN  XCVI. 
Dent,  xxxiii.  26.  29. 

1  With  Israel's  God  who  can  compare  1 
Or  who  like  Israel  happy  are  ] 

O  people,  saved  by  the  Lord, 

He  is  thy  shield  and  great  reward  ! 

2  Upheld  by  everlasting  arms. 

Thou  art  secur'd  from  foes  and  harms  : 
In  vain  their  plots,  and  false  their  boasts, 
Our  refuge  is  the  Lord  of  hosts. 

HYMN  XCVn. 
Habakkuk  iii.  17, 18. 

Jesus  is  mine !  I 'm  now  prepar'd 

To  meet  with  what  I  thought  most  hard. 

Yes,  let  the  winds  of  trouble  blow. 

And  comforts  melt  away  like  snow ; 

No  blasted  trees  or  failing  crops. 

Can  hinder  my  eternal  hopes;  [same; 

Tho'  creatures  change,  the  Lord 's  the 

Then  let  me  triumph  in  his  name. 

HYMN  XCVIII. 

We  seek  a  rest  beyond  the  skies, 

In  everlasting  day  ; 
Through  floods  and  flames  the  passage  lies. 

But  Jesus  guards  the  way  : 
The  swelling  flood,  and  raging  flame, 

Hear  and  obey  his  word ; 
Then  let  us  triumph  in  his  name. 

Our  Saviour  is  the  Lord. 


•  Psal.  Ixxjtv.  8.      t  Ueb.  xii.  18.  22.      J  Isa.  xii.  3. 


*  Judges  V.  11. 


206 


OLNEY 


HYMNS. 


[book  in. 


HYMN  XCIX. 
Deut.  xxxii.  9, 10. 

1  The  saints  Emmanuel's  portion  are, 
Redeem'd  by  price,  reclaim'd  by  power ; 
His  special  choice,  and  tender  care, 
Owns  them  and  guards  them  ev'ry  hour. 

2  He  finds  them  in  a  barren  land. 
Beset  with  sins,  and  fears,  and  woes ; 
He  leads  and  guides  them  by  his  hand, 
And  bears  them  safe  from  all  their  foes. 

HYMN  C. 
Heb.  xiii.  20—24. 

1  Now  may  he  who  from  the  dead 
Brought  the  Sheplierd  of  the  sheep, 
Jesus  Christ,  our  King  and  Head, 
All  our  souls  in  safety  keep ! 

2  May  he  teach  us  to  fulfil 
What  is  pleasing  in  his  sight; 
Perfect  us  in  all  his  will. 

And  preserve  us  day  and  night ! 

3  To  that  dear  Redeemer's  praise. 
Who  the  covenant  seal'd  with  blood, 
Let  our  hearts  and  voices  raise 
Loud  thanksgivings  to  our  God. 

HYMN  CL 
2  Cor.  xiii.  14. 

May  the  grace  of  Christ  our  Saviour, 
And  the  Father's  boundless  love, 
With  the  Holy  Spirit's  favour. 
Rest  upon  us  from  above  ! 
Thus  may  we  abide  in  union 
With  each  other  and  the  Lord ; 
And  possess,  in  sweet  communion, 
Joys  which  earth  cannot  afford. 

HYMN  CII. 
The  peace  which  God  alone  reveals. 
And  by  his  word  of  grace  imparts. 
Which  only  the  believer  feels,* 
Direct  and  keep,  and  cheer  your  hearts ; 
And  may  the  Holy  Three  in  one, 
'rte  Father,  Word,  and  Comforter, 
Pour  an  abundant  blessing  down 
On  ev'ry  soul  assembled  here ! 

HYMN  cm. 
1     To  thee  our  wants  are  known. 
From  thee  are  all  our  powers ; 


Accept  what  is  thine  own, 

And  pardon  what  is  ours : 
Our  praises,  Lord,  and  prayers  receive, 
And  to  thy  word  a  blessing  give. 
2     O  grant  that  each  of  us 

Now  met  before  thee  here. 

May  meet  together  thus, 

When  thou  and  thine  appear! 
And  follow  thee  to  heaven  our  home, 
E'en  so.  Amen !  Lord  Jesus,  come  !* 


GLORIA  PATRL 

HYMN  CIV. 

1  The  Father  we  adore. 
And  everlasting  Son, 

The  Spirit  of  his  love  and  power, 
The  gloi-ious  Three  in  One. 

2  At  the  creation's  birth 
This  song  was  sung  on  high. 

Shall  sound,  through  ev'ry  age,  on  earth, 
And  through  eternity. 

HYMN  CV. 

1  Father  of  angels  and  of  men. 

Saviour,  who  hast  us  bought. 
Spirit,  by  whom  we  're  born  again, 
And  sanctified  and  taught ! 

2  Thy  glory,  holy  Three  in  One, 

Thy  people's  song  shall  be ; 
Long  as  the  wheels  of  time  shall  run. 
And  to  eternity. 

HYMN  CVI. 

1  Glory  to  God  the  Father's  name, 
To  Jesus,  who  for  sinners  died  ; 
The  Holy  Spirit  claims  tlie  same. 
By  whom  our  souls  are  sanctified. 

2  Thy  praise  was  sung,  when  time  began, 
By  angels,  through  the  starry  spheres ; 
And  shall,  as  now,  be  sung  by  man, 
Through  vast  eternity's  long  years. 

HYMN  CVII. 

Ye  saints  on  earth,  ascribe,  with  heaven's 
high  host. 

Glory  and  honour  to  the  One  in  Three: 
To  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
As  was,  and  is,  and  evermore  shall  be. 


*  Pliil.  iv.  7. 


*  Rev.  V.  20. 


POEMS. 


THE  KITE ;  OR,  PRIDE  MUST  HAVE 
A  FALL. 

My  waking'  dreams  are  best  conceal'd, 
Much  tolly,  little  good,  they  yield  ; 
But  now  and  then  I  gain,  when  sleeping, 
A  friendly  hint  that 's  worth  the  keeping. 
Lately  I  dreamt  of  one  who  cried, 
"  Beware  of  self,  beware  of  pride ; 
When  you  are  prone  to  build  a  Babel, 
Recall  to  mind  this  little  fable.'* 

Once  on  a  time  a  paper  kite 
Was  mounted  to  a  wond'rous  height, 
Where,  giddy  with  its  elevation, 
It  thus  express'd  self-admiration : 
"  See  how  yon  crowds  of  gazing  people 
Admire  my  flight  above  the  steeple : 
How  would  they  wonder  if  they  knew 
All  that  a  kite  like  me  can  do  I 
Were  I  but  free,  I 'd  take  a  flight, 
And  pierce  the  clouds  beyond  their  sight ; 
But,  ah  !  like  a  poor  pris'ner  bound. 
My  string  confines  me  near  the  ground : 
I 'd  brave  the  eagle's  towering  wing. 
Might  I  but  fly  without  a  string." 

It  tugg'd  and  puU'd,  while  thus  it  spoke, 
To  break  the  string : — at  last  it  broke. 

Dopriv'd  at  once  of  all  its  stay, 
In  vain  it  tried  to  soar  away ; 
Unable  its  own  weight  to  bear, 
Itflutter'd  downward  through  the  air; 
Unable  its  own  course  to  guide. 
The  winds  soon  plung'd  it  in  the  tide. 
Ah  !  foolish  kite,  thou  hadst  no  vi'ing. 
How  couldht  thou  fly  without  a  string? 

My  heart  replied,  "()  Lord,  I  see 
How  much  this  kite  resembles  me  ! 
Forgetful  that  by  thee  I  stand, 
Impatient  of  thy  ruling  hand  ; 
How  oft  I 've  vvish'd  to  break  the  lines 
Thy  wisdom  for  my  lot  assigns  1 
Hov/  oft  indulg'd  a  vain  desire. 
For  sonif'thing  more  or  something  higher? 
And,  but  for  grace  and  love  divine, 
A  fall  thus  dreadful  had  been  mine." 


A  THOUGHT  ON  THE  SEA-SHORE. 

In  ev'ry  object  here  I  see 
Something,  O  Lord,  that  leads  to  thee : 
Firm  as  the  rocks  thy  promise  stands, 
Thy  mercies  countless  as  the  sands, 


Thy  love  a  sea  immensely  wide, 
Thy  grace  an  ever-flowing  tide. 
In  ev'ry  object  here  I  see 
Sometiiing,  my  heart,  that  points  at  thee  ; 
Hard  as  the  rocks  that  bound  the  strand, 
Unfruitful  as  the  barren  sand. 
Deep  and  deceitful  as  the  ocean, 
And,  like  the  tide,  in  constant  motion. 


THE  SPIDER  AND  THE  TOAD 

Some  author  (no  great  matter  who, 

Provided  what  he  says  be  true) 

Relates  he  saw,  with  hostile  rage, 

A  spider  and  a  toad  engage ; 

For  though  with  poison  both  are  stor'd. 

Each  by  the  other  is  abhorr'd : 

It  seems  as  if  their  common  venom 

Provok'd  an  enmity  between  'em. 

Implacable,  malicious,  cruel, 

Like  modern  hero  in  a  duel, 

The  spider  darted  on  his  foe, 

Infixing  death  at  ev'ry  blow. 

The  toad,  by  ready  instinct  taught, 

An  antidote,  when  wounded,  sought. 

From  the  herb  plantain,  growing  near, 

Well-known  to  toads,  its  virtues  rare 

The  spider's  poison  to  repel ; 

It  cropp'd  the  leaf  and  soon  was  well. 

This  remedy  it  often  tried. 

And  all  the  spider's  rage  defied. 

The  person  who  the  contest  viewed. 

While  yet  the  battle  doubtful  stood, 

Remov'd  the  healing  plant  away, 

And  thus  the  spider  gain'd  the  day ; 

For  when  the  toad  returned  once  more. 

Wounded,  as  it  had  done  before, 

I'o  seek  relief,  and  found  it  not. 

It  swell'd  and  died  upon  tlio  spot. 

In  ev'ry  circumstance  but  one 
(Could  that  hold  too,  I  were  undone !) 
No  glass  can  represent  my  face 
More  justly  than  this  tale  my  case. 
The  toad 's  an  emblem  of  my  heart, 
And  Satan  acts  the  spider's  part. 
Envenom'd  by  his  poison,  I 
Am  often  at  the  point  to  die ; 
But  he  who  hung  upon  the  tree. 
From  guilt  and  woe  to  set  me  free, 
Is  like  the  plantain  leaf  to  me. 
207 


208 


POEMS. 


To  hira  my  wounded  soul  repairs, 
He  knows  my  pain  and  hears  my  prayers; 
From  him  I  virtue  draw  by  faith, 
Which  saves  me  from  the  jaws  of  death : 
From  him  fresh  life  and  strength  I  gain, 
And  Satan  spends  his  rage  in  vain. 
No  secret  arts  or  open  force 
Can  rob  me  of  this  sure  resource : 
Though  banish'd  to  some  distant  land, 
My  med'cine  would  be  still  at  hand  ; 
Though  foolish  men  its  worth  deny. 
Experience  gives  them  all  the  lie ; 
Though  Deists  and  Socinians  join, 
Jesus  still  lives,  and  still  is  mine. 


'Tis  here  the  happy  difference  lies, 
My  Saviour  reigns  above  the  skies. 
Yet  to  my  soul  is  always  near, 
For  he  is  God  and  everywhere. 
His  blood  a  sovereign  balm  is  found 
For  ev'ry  grief  and  ev'ry  wound ;  ^ 
And  sooner  all  the  hills  shall  flee 
And  hide  themselves  beneath  the  sea. 
Or  ocean,  starting  from  its  bed, 
Rush  o'er  the  cloud-topt  mountains'  head. 
The  sun,  exhausted  of  its  light. 
Become  the  source  of  endless  night. 
And  ruin  spread  from  pole  to  pole. 
Than  Jesus  fail  the  tempted  soul 


MESSIAH: 


OB 

FIFTY  EXPOSITORY  DISCOURSES 

ON  TnB 

SERIES  OF  SCRIPTURAL  PASSAGES  WHICH  FORM  THE  SUBJECT  OF  HANDEL'S 
CELEBRATED  ORATORIO  OF  TH.\T  NAME. 

Preached  in  the  Years  1784  and  1785,  in  the  Parish  Church  of  SL  Mary  Woolnotk, 
Lombard  Street,  London 

 Ah! 

Tantamne  rem,  tain  negligenter,  agere!— Ter. 

Oh,  (hat  they  were  wise,  that  they  understood  thii !— Debt,  zxxii.  29. 


TO  THE  PARISHIONERS  OF  ST.  MARY  WOOLNOTH,  AND  ST.  MARY 
WOOLCHURCH  HAW,  LONDON, 

* 

These  Sermons  on  the  Messiah,  are  affectionately  inscribed  by 
the  Author,  to  remain  as  a  testimony  of  his  respect  for  their  per- 
sons, and  his  sohcitude  for  their  welfare,  when  his  present  relation 
to  them,  as  their  minister,  shall  be  dissolved. 


PREFACE. 

The  following  Sermons,  as  to  the  substance  (for  most  of  them  are  considerably 
abridged,)  were  preached  to  a  public  and  numerous  assembly ;  and  therefore  an 
accurate  and  logical  discussion  of  the  several  subjects  was  not  aimed  at.  They 
are  rather  popular  discourses,  in  which  the  author,  though  he  wished  not  to  treat 
the  politer  part  of  his  auditory  with  disrespect,  thought  it  likewise  his  duty  so  to 
adapt  his  manner  to  the  occasion,  as  to  be  intelligible  to  persons  of  weak  capaci- 
ties and  in  the  lower  ranks  of  life.  He  conceives  himself  to  be  a  debtor  to  every 
class  of  his  hearers,  and  that  he  ought  to  endeavour  to  please  all  men,  with  a  vievr 
to  their  edification;  but,  farther  than  this,  not  to  be  greatly  affected,  either  by 
their  approbation  or  by  their  censure. 

Many  of  tlie  subjects  are  so  nearly  coincident,  that  repetitions  could  not  be 
always  avoided,  without  the  appearance  of  affectation.  Besides,  as  it  may  be  ex- 
pected that,  in  a  large  congregation,  there  are  always  some  persons  present  for 
the  first -time, — with  respect  to  these,  an  observation  may  be  new,  though  perhaps 
the  more  stated  hearers  may  recollect  its  having  been  mentioned  before.  For  a 
similar  reason,  such  repetitions  are  not  improper  in  print.  Many  persons  read 
part  of  a  book,  who  rnay  not  have  opportunity  or  inclination  to  read  the  whole. 
Should  any  one,  by  opening  these  sermons  at  a  venture,  meet  with  a  passage 
Vol.  II.  2  D  209 


210 


PREFACE. 


which,  by  a  divine  blessing  may  either  awaken  a  careless,  or  heal  a  wounded 
spirit,  that  passage  will  be  exactly  in  the  right  page,  even  though  the  purport  of 
it  should  be  expressed  in  several  other  places.  Farther,  since  we  do  not  always 
so  much  stand  in  need  of  new  information,  as  to  have  what  we  already  know  more 
effectually  impressed  upon  the  mind,  there  are  truths  which  can  scarcely  be  in- 
culcated too  often,  at  least  until  the  design  for  which  they  were  mentioned  once 
be  effectually  answered.  Thus,  when  the  strokes  of  a  hammer  are  often  repealed, 
not  one  of  them  can  be  deemed  superfluous;  the  last,  which  drives  the  nail  to  the 
head,  being  no  loss  necessary  than  any  of  those  which  preceded  it. 

From  those  readers,  whose  habits  of  thinking  on  religious  subjects  are  formed 
by  a  close  attachment  to  particular  systems  of  divinity,  the  Author  requests  a  can- 
did construction  of  what  he  advances,  if  he  ventures  in  some  instances  to  deviate 
a  little  from  the  more  beaten  track.  If  he  is  sometimes  constrained  to  differ  from 
the  judgment  of  wise  and  good  men,  who  have  deserved  well  of  the  church  of 
God,  he  would  do  it  with  modesty  :  far  from  depreciating  their  labours,  he  would 
be  thankful  for  the  benefit  which  he  hopes  he  has  received  from  them.  It  is  a 
great  satisfaction  to  him,  that  in  all  doctrinal  points  of  primary  importance,  his 
views  are  confirmed  by  the  suffrage  of  writers  and  ministers  eminent  for  genuine 
piety  and  sound  learning,  who  assisted  him  in  his  early  inquiries  after  truih,  and 
at  whose  feet  he  is  sfill  willing  to  sit.  Yet,  remembering  that  he  is  authorised 
and  commanded  to  call  no  man  Master,  so  as  to  yield  an  implicit  and  unqualified 
submission  to  human  teachers,  while  he  gladly  borrows  every  help  he  can  from 
others,  he  ventures  likewise  to  think  for  himself.  His  leading  sentiments  con- 
cerning the  grand  peculiarities  ot  the  gospel  were  formed  many  years  since,  when 
he  was  in  a  state  of  almost  entire  seclusion  from  society, — when  he  had  scarcely 
any  religious  book  but  the  Bible  within  his  reach,  and  had  no  knowledge,  either 
of  the  various  names,  parties,  and  opinions  by  which  christians  were  distinguished 
and  divided,  or  the  controversies  which  subsisted  among  them.  lie  is  not  con- 
scious that  any  matS'ial  difference  has  taken  place  in  his  sentiments  since  he  first 
became  acquainted  with  the  religious  world;  but,  after  a  long  course  of  expe- 
rience and  observation,  he  seems  to  possess  them  in  a  different  manner.  The 
difhculties  which  for  a  season  perplexed  him  on  some  points,  are  either  removed 
or  considerably  abated.  On  the  other  hand,  he  now  perceives  difficulties  that 
constrain  him  to  lay  his  hand  upon  his  mouth,  in  subjects  which  once  appeared  to 
him  obvious  and  plain.  Thus,  if  he  mistakes  not  himself,  he  is  less  troubled  with 
scepticism,  and  at  the  same  time  less  disposed  to  be  dogmatical,  than  he  formerly 
was.  He  feels  himself  unable  to  draw  the  line  with  precision  between  those 
essential  points  which  ought  to  be  earnestly  contended  for  (in  a  spirit  of  meek- 
ness,) as  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,  and  certain  secondary  positions, 
concerning  which  good  men  may  safely  differ;  and  wherein,  perhaps,  we  cannot 
reasonably  expect  them  to  he  unanimous  during  the  present  state  of  imperfection. 
But  if  the  exact  boundary  cannot  be  marked  with  certainty,  he  thinks  it  both  de- 
sirable and  possible  to  avoid  the  extremes  into  which  men  of  warm  tempers  have 
often  been  led. 

Not  that  the  Author  can  be  an  advocate  for  that  indifference  to  truth,  Avhich, 
under  the  specious  semblance  of  moderation  and  candour,  offers  a  comprehension, 
from  which  none  are  excluded  but  those  who  profess  and  aim  to  worship  God  in 
the  spirit,  to  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  to  renounce  all  confidence  in  the  flesh. 
Moderation  is  a  christian  grace ;  it  differs  much  from  that  tame,  \mfeeling  neu- 
trality between  truth  and  error  which  is  so  prevalent  in  the  present  day.  As  the 
different  rays  of  light,  which,  when  separated  by  a  prism,  exhibit  the  various  colours 
of  the  rainbow,  form,  in  their  combination,  a  perfect  and  resplendent  white,  in 
which  every  colour  is  incorporated,  so,  if  the  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit  w^re  com- 
7lete  in  us,  the  result  of  their  combined  effect  would  be  a  truly  candid,  moderate, 
and  liberal  spirit  towards  our  brethren.  The  christian,  especially  he  who  is  ad- 
vanced and  established  in  the  life  of  faith,  has  a  fervent  zeal  for  God,  for  the 
honour  of  his  name,  his  law,  and  his  gospel.    The  honest  warmth  which  he  feels 


PREFACE. 


211 


wlicn  such  a  law  is  broken,  such  a  gospel  is  despised,  and  when  the  great  and 
glorious  rtame  of  the  Lord  his  God  is  profaned,  would,  by  the  occasion  of  his  in- 
firmities, often  degenerate  into  anger  orconteni|)t  towards  tliose  whoo|)pose  them- 
selves, if  he  was  under  the  influence  of  zeal  only.  But  his  zeal  is  blended  with 
benevolence  and  humility  ;  it  is  softened  by  a  consciousness  of  his  own  frailty  and 
fallibility.  lie  is  aware  that  his  knowledge  is  very  limited  in  itself,  and  very  faint 
in  its  efhcacy ;  that  liis  attainments  are  weak  and  few  compared  with  his  de- 
ficiencies;  that  his  gratitude  is  very  disproportionate  to  his  obligations,  and  hia 
obedience  unspeakahly  short  of  conformity  to  his  prescribed  rule;  that  he  has  no- 
thing but  what  he  has  received,  and  has  received  nothing  but  what,  in  a  greater 
or  less  degree,  he  has  misapplied  and  rnisimproved.  He  is  therefore  a  debtor  to 
the  mercy  of  (>od,  and  lives  upon  his  multiplied  forgiveness;  and  he  makes  the 
gracious  conduct  of  the  Lord  towards  himself  a  pattern  for  his  own  conduct  to- 
wards his  fellow-creatures.  He  cannot  boast,  nor  is  he  forward  to  censure.  He 
considers  himself,  lest  he  also  be  tempted,  (Gal.  vi.  1  ;)  and  thus  he  learns  tender- 
ness and  compassion  to  others,  and  to  bear  patiently  with  those  mistakes,  preju- 
dices, and  prepossessions  in  them,  which  once  belonged  to  his  own  character,  and 
(fom  which,  as  yet,  he  is  but  imperfectly  freed.  But  then,  the  same  considerations 
which  inspire  him  with  meekness  and  gentleness  towards  those  who  oppose  the 
truth,  strengthen  his  regard  for  the  truth  itself",  and  his  conviction  of  its  import- 
ance. For  the  sake  of  peace,  which  he  loves  and  cultivates,  he  accommodates 
himself,  as  fur  as  he  lawfully  can,  to  the  weakness  and  misapprehensions  of  those 
who  mean  well,  though  he  is  thereby  exposed  to  the  censure  of  bigots  of  all  parties, 
who  deem  him  flexible  and  wavering,  like  a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind.  But  there 
are  other  points  nearly  connected  with  the  honour  of  God,  and  essential  to  the  life 
of  faith,  which  are  the  foundations  of  his  hope  and  the  sources  of  his  joy.  For  his 
firm  attachment  to  these,  he  is  content  to  be  treated  as  a  bigot  himself ;  for  here 
he  is  immoveable  as  an  iron  pillar;  nor  can  either  the  fear  or  the  favour  of  man 
prevail  on  him  to  give  place,  no  not  for  an  hour.  Gal.  ii.  5.  Here  his  judgment 
is  fixed,  and  he  expresses  it  in  simple  and  unequivocal  language,  so  as  not  to 
leave  either  friends  or  enemies  in  suspense  concerning  the  side  he  has  chosen,  or 
the  cause  which  is  nearest  to  his  heart. 

The  minister  who  possesses  a  candour  thus  enlightened,  and  thus  qualified, 
will  neither  degrade  himself  to  be  the  instrument,  nor  aspire  to  be  the  head  of  a 
party.  He  will  not  servilely  tread  in  the  paths  prescribed  him  by  men,  however 
respectable.  He  will  not  multiply  contentions,  in  defence  either  of  the  shibbo- 
leths of  others,  or  of  any  nostrum  of  his  own,  under  a  pretence  that  he  is  pleading 
for  the  cause  of  God  and  truth.  His  attention  will  not  be  restrained  to  the  credit 
or  interest  of  any  detached  denomination  of  christians,  but  extended  to  all  who 
love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity.  On  the  other  hand,  knowing  that  the 
gospel  is  the  wisdom  and  power  of  God,  and  the  only  possible  mean  by  which 
fallen  man  can  obtain  either  peace  or  rectitude,  he  most  cordially  embraces  and 
avows  it.  Far  from  being  ashamed  of  it,  he  esteems  it  his  glory.  He  preaches 
Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  and  him  crucified.  He  dares  not  sophisticate  (2  Cor.  iv.  2,} 
disguise,  or  soften  the  great  doctrines  of  the  grace  of  God,  to  render  them  more 
palatable  to  the  depraved  taste  of  the  times.  He  disdains  the  thought;  and  he 
will  no  more  encounter  the  prejudices,  and  corrupt  maxims,  and  practices  of  the 
world  with  any  weapon  but  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  (Eph.  iv.  21,)  than  he  would 
venture  to  fight  an  enraged  enemy  with  a  wooden  sword. 

Such  is  the  disposition  which  the  Author  wishes  for  himself,  and  which  he  would 
endeavour  to  cultivate  in  others.  He  hopes  that  nothing  of  a  contrary  tendency 
will  be  found  in  the  volumes*  now  presented  to  the  public.  Messiah,  the  great 
subject  of  the  Oratorio,  is  the  leading  and  principal  subject  of  every  sermon.  His 
person,  grace,  and  glory ;  his  matchless  love  to  sinners  ;  his  humiliation,  sufTer- 
ings,  and  death ;  his  ability  and  willingness  to  save  to  the  uttermost ;  his  king- 

*  lliese  Sennona  were  originally  printed  in  two  volumes 


212 


PREFACE. 


dom,  and  the  present  and  future  happiness  of  his  willing  people  are  severally  con- 
sidered, according  to  the  order  suggested  by  the  series  of  texts.  Nearly  connected 
vr'itb  these  topics  are  the  doctrines  of  the  fall  and  depravity  of  man,  the  agency  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  nature  and  necessity  of  regeneration,  and  of  that  holiness 
ivithout  which  no  nian  shall  see  the  Lord.  On  these  subjects  the  Author  is  not 
afraid  of  contradiction  from  those  who  are  taught  of  God. 

With  respect  to  some  other  points  which  incidentally  occur,  he  has  endeavoured 
so  to  treat  them  as  to  avoid  administering  fuel  to  the  flame  of  angry  controversy. 
He  is  persuaded  himself,  and  shall  be  happy  to  persuade  his  readers,  that  the  re- 
maining differences  of  opinion  among  those  who  truly  understand  and  cordially 
believe  the  declarations  of  scripture  on  the  preceding  articles,  are  neither  so 
wide  nor  so  important  as  they  have  been  sometimes  represented.  Many  of  these 
differences  are  nearly  verbal,  and  would  cease,  if  due  allowance  was  made  for  the 
imperfection  of  human  language,  and  the  effects  of  an  accustomed  phraseology, 
which  often  lead  people  to  affix  different  ideas  to  the  same  expressions,  or  to  ex- 
press the  same  ideas  in  diflierent  words.  And  if,  in  some  things,  we  cannot  exactly 
agree,  since  we  confess  that  we  are  all  weak  and  fallible,  mutual  patience  and 
forbearance  would  be  equally  becoming  the  acknowledgments  we  make,  and  ttje 
gospel  which  we  profess.  We  should  thereby  act  in  character,  as  the  followers  of 
Him  who  was  compassionate  to  the  infirmities  and  mistakes  of  his  disciples,  and 
taught  them  not  every  thing  at  once,  but  gradually,  as  they  were  able  to  bear. 

The  Author  ought  not  to  be  very  solicitous  upon  his  own  account,  what  recep- 
tion his  performance  may  meet  with.  The  fashion  of  this  world  is  passing  away. 
The  voice,  both  of  applause  and  of  censure,  will  soon  be  stifled  in  the  dust.  It  is 
therefore  but  a  small  thing  to  be  judged  of  man's  judgment,  1  Cor.  iv.  y.  But  con- 
scious of  the  vast  importance  of  the  subject  which  he  thus  puts  into  the  reader's 
liands,  he  cannot  take  leave  of  him  without  earnestly  entreating  his  serious  atten- 
tion. The  one  principle  which  he  assumes  for  granted,  and  which  he  is  certain 
cannot  be  disproved,  is.  That  the  Bible  is  a  revelation  from  God.  By  this  standard 
he  is  willing  that  whatever  he  has  advanced  may  be  tried.  If  the  Bible  be  true, 
we  must  all  give  an  account,  each  one  of  himself,  to  the  great  and  final  Judge. 
That,  when  we  shall  appear  before  his  awful  tribunal,  we  may  be  found  at  his  right 
hand,  accepted  in  the  Beloved,  is  the  Author's  fervent  prayer,  both  for  his  readers 
and  for  himself. 

London,  I5th  April,  1786. 


MESSIAH,  &c. 


SERMON  I. 

THE  CONSOLATION, 


Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye  my  people,  saith  your  God.  Speak  ye  comfortahhj  to  Jerunalem, 
and  cry  unto  her,  that  her  warfare  is  accomplished,  that  her  iniquity  is  pardoned :  for 
she  hath  received  at  the  Lord's  hand  double  for  all  her  sins. — Isaiah  xl.  1,  2. 


The  particulars  of  the  great  mystery  of 
godliness,  as  enumerated  by  the  apostle  Paul, 
constitute  the  grand  and  inexhaustible  theme 
of  the  gospel  ministry :  "  God  manifest  in  the 
flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of  angels, 
preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in 
the  world,  received  up  into  glory,"  1  Tim.  iii. 
16.  It  is  my  wish  and  purpose  to  know  no- 
thing among  you  but  this  subject ;  to  preach 
nothing  to  you  but  what  has  a  real  connexion 
with  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  him 
crucified,  and  with  the  causes  and  efl^ects  of 
his  obedience  unto  death,  even  the  death  of 
the  cross.  But  a  regard  to  the  satisfaction 
and  advantage  of  my  stated  hearers,  has  often 
made  me  desirous  of  adopting  some  plan, 
which  might  lead  me  to  exhibit  the  principal 
outlines  of  the  Saviour's  character  and  media- 
tion in  a  regular  series  of  discourses,  so  as  to 
form,  if  not  a  picture,  at  least  a  slight  sketch, 
of  those  features  of  his  glory  and  of  his  grace 
which  endear  him  to  the  hearts  of  his  people. 
Such  a  plan  has  lately,  and  rather  unexpect- 
edly, occurred  to  me.  Conversation  in  almost 
every  company,  for  some  time  past,  has 
much  turned  upon  the  commemoration  of 
Handel ;  the  grand  musical  entertainments, 
and  particularly  his  Oratorio  of  the  Messiah, 
which  have  been  repeatedly  performed  on  that 
occasion  in  Westminster  Abbey.  If  it  could 
be  reasonably  hoped,  that  the  performers  and 
the  company  assembled  to  hear  the  music,  or 
the  greater  part,  or  even  a  considerable  part 
of  them,  werji,  capable  of  entering  into  the 
spirit  of  the  subject,  I  will  readily  allow  that 
the  Messiah,  executed  in  so  masterly  a  man- 
ner, by  per.sons  whose  hearts,  as  well  as  their 
voices  and  instruments,  were  tuned  to  the 
Redeemer's  praise;  accompanied  with  the 
grateful  emotions  of  an  audience  duly  affect- 
ed with  a  sense  of  their  obligations  to  his  love ; 
might  afford  one  of  the  highest  and  noblest 
gratifications  of  which  we  are  capable  in  the 


present  life.  But  they  who  love  the  Re- 
deemer, and  therefore  delight  to  join  in  his 
praise,  if  they  did  not  find  it  convenient,  or 
think  it  expedient,  to  hear  the  Messiah  at 
Westminster,  may  comfort  themselves  with 
the  thought,  that,  in  a  little  time,  they  shall 
be  still  more  abundantly  gratified.  Ere  long 
death  shall  rend  the  vail  which  hides  eternal 
things  from  their  view,  and  introduce  them 
to  that  unceasing  song  and  universal  chorus, 
which  are  even  now  performing  before  the 
throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb.  Till  then,  I 
apprehend,  that  true  christians,  without  the 
assistance  of  either  vocal  or  instrumental 
music,  may  find  greater  pleasure  in  a  humble 
contemplation  on  the  words  of  the  Messiah, 
than  they  can  derive  from  the  utmost  eflbrts 
of  musical  genius.  This,  therefore,  is  the  plan 
I  spoke  of  I  mean  to  lead  your  meditations 
to  the  language  of  the  Oratorio,  and  to  con- 
sider in  their  order  (if  the  Lord,  on  whom 
our  breath  depends,  shall  be  pleased  to  aflbrd 
life,  ability,  and  opportunity)  the  several  sub- 
lime and  interesting  passages  of  scripture 
which  are  the  basis  of  that  admired  compo» 
silion. 

If  he  shall  condescend  to  smile  upon  the 
attempt,  pleasure  and  profit  will  go  hand  in 
hand.  There  is  no  harmony  to  a  heaven- 
bom  soul  like  that  which  is  the  result  of  the 
combination  and  coincidence  of  all  the  divine 
attributes  and  perfections,  manifested  in  the 
work  of  redemption  ;  mercy  and  truth  meet- 
ing  together,  inflexible  righteoTisne.ss  corres- 
ponding with  the  peace  of  ofi^enders,  God 
glorious,  and  sinners  saved.  There  is  no 
melody  >ipon  earth  to  be  compared  with  the 
voice  of  the  blooti  of  .lesus,  speaking  peace  to 
a  guilty  conscience,  or  with  the  voice  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  applying  the  promises  to  the 
heart,  and  sweetly  inspiring  a  temper  of  coit- 
fidence  and  adoption.  These  are  joys  which 
the  world  can  neither  give  nor  lake  away, 
213 


214 


THE  CONSOLATION. 


[SER.  I. 


which  never  pall  upon  the  mind  by  continu- 
ance or  repetition ;  the  sense  of  them  is  al- 
ways new,  the  recollection  of  them  is  always 
pleasant.  Nor  do  they  only  satisfy,  but 
Sanctify  the  soul.  They  strengthen  faith, 
animate  hope,  add  fervency  to  love,  and  both 
dispose  and  enable  the  cliristian  to  run  in  all 
the  paths  of  holy  obedience  with  an  enlarj^ed 
heart. 

The  Messiah  of  Handel  consists  of  three 
parts.  The  first  contains  prophecies  of  his 
advent,  and  the  happy  consequences,  tog-ether 
with  the  ang-el's  messag^e  to  the  shepherds, 
informing  them  of  his  birth,  as  related  by  St. 
Luke.  The  second  part  describes  his  pas- 
eion,  death,  resurrection,  and  ascension  ;  his 
taking  possession  of  his  kingdom  of  glory,  the 
commencemeni  of  his  kingdom  of  grace  upon 
earth,  and  the  certain  disappointment  and 
ruin  of  all  who  persist  in  opposition  to  his 
will.  The  third  part  expresses  the  blessed 
fruits  and  consummation  of  his  undertaking, 
in  the  deliverance  of  his  people  from  sin,  sor- 
row, and  death,  and  in  making  them  finally 
victorious  over  all  their  enemies.  The  tri- 
umphant song  of  the  redeemed,  to  the  praise 
of  the  Lamb,  who  bought  them  with  his  own 
blood,  closes  the  whole.  The  arrangement 
or  series  of  these  passages  is  so  judiciously 
disposed,  so  well  connected,  and  so  fully  com- 
prehends all  the  principal  truths  of  the  gos- 
pel, that  I  shall  not  attempt  either  to  alter  or 
to  enlarge  it.  The  e.xordium  or  introduction, 
which  I  have  read  to  you  from  the  prophecy 
of  Isaiah,  is  very  happily  chosen. 

If,  as  some  eminent  commentators  sup- 
pose, the  prophet  had  any  reference,  in  this 
passage,  to  the  return  of  Israel  from  Babylon 
into  their  own  land,  his  principal  object  was 
undoubtedly  of  much  greater  importance.  In- 
deed, their  deliverance  from  captivity,  and 
tlieir  state  afterwards  as  a  nation,  do  not  ap- 
pear to  correspond  with  the  magnificent 
images  employed  in  the  following  verses ;  for 
though  they  rebuilt  their  city  and  temple, 
they  met  with  many  insults  and  much  op- 
position, and  continued  to  be  a  tributary  and 
dependent  people.  I  shall  therefore  wave 
the  consideration  of  this  sense. 

The  eye  of  the  propliet's  mind  seems  to  be 
chiefly  fixed  upon  one  august  personage,  who 
was  approaching  to  enlighten  and  bless  a 
miserable  world  ;  and  before  he  describes  the 
circumstances  of  his  appearance,  he  is  direct- 
ed to  comfort  the  mourners  in  Zion,  with  an 
assurance,  that  this  great  event  would  fully 
compensate  them  for  all  their  sorrows.  The 
state  of  Jerusalem,  the  representative  name 
of  the  people  of  God,  was  very  low  in  Isaiah's 
time.  The  people,  who,  in  the  days  of  Solo- 
mon, were  attached  to  the  service  of  God, 
honoured  with  signal  tokens  of  his  presence 
and  favour,  and  raised  to  the  highest  pitch  of 
temporal  prosperity,  were  now  degenerated ; 
the  gold  was  become  dim,  and  the  fine  gold 


changed.  Iniquity  abounded,  judgments  were 
impending,  yet  insensibility  and  security  pre- 
vailed, and  the  words  of  many  were  stout 
against  the  Lord.  But  there  were  a  few  who 
feared  the  Lord,  whose  eyes  affected  their 
hearts,  and  who  mourned  for  the  evils  which 
they  could  not  prevent.  These,  and  these 
only,  were,  in  strictness  of  speech,  the  peo- 
ple of  the  Lord,  and  to  these  the  message  of 
comfort  is  addressed.  Speak  to  Jerusalem 
comfortably,  speak  to  her  heart  (as  the  He- 
brew word  is,)  to  her  very  case,  and  tell  her 
that  there  is  a  balm  for  all  her  wounds,  a  cor- 
dial for  all  her  griefs,  in  this  one  considera- 
tion, Messiah  is  at  hand.  In  the  prophetic 
style,  things  future  are  described  as  present, 
and  that  which  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  of  as  sure  to  take  place,  is  considered 
as  already  done.  Thus  the  prophet,  "rapt 
into  future  times,"  contemplates  the  manifest- 
ation of  Messiah,  the  accomplishment  of  his 
great  undertaking,  and  all  the  happy  conse- 
quences of  his  obedience  unto  death  for  men, 
as  though  he  stood  upon  the  spot,  and  with 
John,  the  harbinger  of  our  Lord  (whose  appear- 
ance he  immediately  describes,)  was  point- 
ing with  his  finger  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  that 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world. 

This  comfortable  message  consists  of  two 
parts.  First,  the  removal  of  evil, — "Her 
warfare  is  accomplished,  her  iniquity  is  par- 
doned." Secondly,  a  promise  of  good,  more 
than  equivalent  to  all  her  afflictions, — "  She 
hath  received  at  the  Lord's  hand  double  for 
all  her  sins." 

I.  Two  ideas  are  included  in  the  original 
term,  translated  "  warfare :" 

1.  A  state  of  service,  connected  with  hard- 
ship, like  that  of  the  military  life.  Numb.  i.  3. 

2.  An  appointed  time,  as  it  is  rendered  in 
Job  vii.  1,  and  xiv.  14. 

These  ideas  equally  apply  to  the  Mosaic 
dispensation.  The  spirit  of  that  institution 
was  comparatively  a  spirit  of  bondage,  dis- 
tance, and  fear ;  and  the  state  of  the  church, 
while  under  the  law,  is  resembled  by  the 
apostle  to  that  of  a  minor,  who,  though  he  be 
an  heir,  is  under  tutors  and  governors,  and 
difllereth  but  little  from  a  servant,  until  tlie 
time  appointed  of  the  Father,  Gal.  iv.  1 — 4. 
The  ceremonial  law,  with  respect  to  its  inef- 
ficacy,  is  styled  weak,  and  with  respect  to 
the  long  train  of  its  multiplied,  expensive, 
difficult,  and  repeated  appointments,  a  yoke 
and  burden.  But  it  was  only  for  a  prescribed 
time.  The  gospel  was  designed  to  supersede 
it,  and  to  introduce  a  state  or  life,  power, 
liberty,  and  confidence.  The  blackness  and 
darkness,  the  fire  and  tempest,  and  other  cir 
cumstances  of  terror  attendant  on  the  pro- 
mulgation of  the  law  at  Mount  Sinai,  (Heb. 
xii.  18 — 22,)  which  not  only  struck  the  peo- 
ple with  dismay,  but  caused  even  Moses  liim- 
self  to  say,  "  I  exceedingly  fear  and  quake," 
were  expressive  of  its  design ;  which  was  not 


8GR.  I.] 


THE  CONSOLATION. 


215 


to  lead  the  people  of  Tsmel  to  expect  peace 
and  hope  from  their  be.«t  obedience  to  that 
covenant,  but  rather  to  convince  them  of  the 
necessity  of  a  better  covenant,  establii^lted 
upon  better  promises,  anil  to  direct  their 
hopes  to  Messiah,  who  was  prefijrured  by  all 
their  sacrifices,  and  who,  in  the  fulness  of 
time,  was  to  mnkp  a  complete  atonement  for 
sin,  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself  Then  their 
letfal  fiirnrative  constitution  would  cease,  the 
shadows  irive  place  to  the  substance,  and  the 
true  worshippers  of  God  would  be  instructed, 
enabled,  and  encouraged,  to  worship  him  in 
spirit  and  in  truth ;  no  more  as  servants,  but 
in  the  temper  of  adoption,  as  the  children  of 
God,  by  faith  in  the  Son  of  his  love. 

There  is  a  considerable  analogjy  to  this  dif- 
ference between  the  law  and  the  gospel,  as 
contradistinguished  from  each  other,  in  the 
previous  distress  of  a  sinner,  when  he  is  made 
sensible  of  his  guilt  and  danger  as  a  trans- 
gressor of  the  law  of  God,  and  the  subsequent 
peace  which  he  obtains  by  believing  the  gos- 
pel. The  good  seed  of  the  word  of  grace  can 
only  take  root  and  flourish  in  a  soil  duly  pre- 
pared. And  this  preparation  of  the  heart, 
(Prov.  xvi.  1,)  without  which,  all  that  is  read 
or  heard  concerning  Messiah  produces  no  per- 
manent good  effect,  is  wholly  from  the  Ijord. 
The  first  good  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon 
the  heart  of  fallen  man,  is  to  convince  of  sin, 
John  xvi.  9.  He  gives  some  due  impressions 
of  the  majesty  and  holiness  of  the  God  with 
whom  we  have  to  do,  of  our  dependence  up- 
on him,  of  our  obligations  to  him  as  our  Crea- 
tor, Lawgiver,  and  Benefactor;  then  we  be- 
gin to  form  our  estimate  of  duty,  of  sin,  and 
its  desert,  not  from  the  prevalent  maxims 
and  judgment  of  mankind  around  us,  but  from 
the  unerring  standard  of  scripture.  Thence 
new  and  painful  apprehensions  arise — the 
lofty  looks  of  man  are  humbled,  his  haughti- 
ness is  brought  low,  his  mouth  stopped,  or 
only  opened  to  confess  his  guilt  and  vileness, 
and  to  cry  for  mercy.  He  now  feels  himself 
under  the  law  ;  it  condemns  him,  and  he  can- 
not reply  ;  it  commands  him,  and  he  cannot 
obey.  He  has  neither  righteousness  nor 
strength,  and  must  sink  into  despair,  were  it 
not  that  he  is  now  qualified  to  liearken  to  the 
gospel  with  other  ears,  and  to  read  the  scrip- 
tures with  other  eyes  (if  I  may  so  speak,) 
than  he  once  did.  lie  fiow  knows  he  is  sick, 
and  therefore  knows  his  need  of  a  piiysician. 
This  state  of  anxiety,  conflict,  and  fear, 
which  keeps  comfort  from  his  heart,  and  per- 
haps slumber  from  his  eyes,  is  often  of  long 
continuance.  There  is  no  common  standard 
whereby  to  determine  either  the  degree  or 
the  duration.  Both  differ  in  different  persons; 
and  as  the  body  and  the  mind  have  a  strong 
and  reciprocal  influence  upon  each  other,  it 
is  probable  the  difference  observable  in  such 
cases  may  in  part  depend  upon  constitutional 
causes.    However,  the  time  is  a  prescribed 


time,  and  though  not  subject  to  any  rules  or 
reasonings  of  ours,  is  limited  and  regulated 
by  the  wisdom  of  (lod.  He  wounds  and  he 
heals,  in  his  own  appointed  moment.  None 
that  continue  waiting  upon  him,  and  .seeking 
salvation,  in  the  means  which  he  has  direct- 
ed, shall  be  finally  disappointed.  Sooner  or 
later  he  gives  them,  according  to  his  promise, 
beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning, 
and  the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of 
heaviness,  Isa.  Ixi.  3.  This  warfare  is  ac- 
complished, when  they  rightly  understand 
and  cordially  believe  the  following  clause: 

Her  iniquity  is  pardoned. — Though  the 
sacrifices  under  the  law  had  an  immediate  and 
direct  efl^ect  to  restore  the  offender,  for  whom 
they  were  offered,  to  the  privileges  pertaining 
to  the  people  of  Israel,  considered  as  a  nation 
or  commonwealth,  they  could  not,  of  them- 
selves, cleanse  the  conscience  from  guilt.  It 
is  a  dictate  of  right  reason,  no  less  than  of 
revelation,  that  it  is  not  possible  that  the  blood 
of  bulls  and  of  goats  should  take  away  sin, 
Ileb.  X.  4.  For  this  purpose,  the  blood  of 
Christ  had  a  retrospective  efficacy,  and  was 
the  only  ground  of  consolation  for  a  convinced 
sinner  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  He 
was  proposed  to  our  first  parents  as  the  seed 
of  the  woman,  who  should  bruise  the  serpent's 
head,  Gen.  iii.  15.  In  this  seed  Abraham 
believed,  and  was  justified,  and  all  of  every 
age  who  were  justified,  were  partakers  of 
Abraham's  faith.  Therefore  the  apostle 
teaches  us,  that  when  God  set  him  forth  as  a 
propitiation,  through  faith  in  his  blood,  he 
declared  his  righteousness  in  the  remission  of 
sins  that  were  past,  Rom.  iii.  25.  For  though 
we  may  suppose  God  would  have  declared  hia 
mercy  in  forgiving  sin  upon  any  terms,  no 
consideration  but  the  death  of  his  Son  could 
have  exhibited  his  righteousness ;  that  is,  hia 
holiness,  justice,  and  truth,  in  the  pardon  of 
sin.  True  penitents  and  believers  were  par- 
doned and  saved  under  the  law,  but  not  by 
the  law.  Their  faith  looked  through  all  the 
legal  institutions  to  him  who  was  represented 
and  typified  by  them.  But  the  types  which 
revealed  him,  in  a  sense  concealed  him  like- 
wise ;  so  that,  though  Abraham  saw  his  day, 
and  rejoiced,  and  a  succession  of  the  servants 
of  God  foresaw  his  glory  and  his  sufferings, 
and  spake  of  him ;  yet,  in  general,  the  church 
of  the  Old  Testament  rather  desired  and 
longed  for,  than  actually  possessed,  that  ful- 
ness of  light  and  knowledge  concerning  the 
person,  offices,  love,  and  victory  of  Messiah, 
which  is  the  privilege  of  those  who  enjoy  and 
believe  the  gospel,  Heb.  xi.  39, 40.  Yet  great 
discoveries  of  these  things  were  vouchsafed 
to  some  of  the  prophets,  particularly  to 
Isaiah,  who,  on  account  of  the  clearness  of 
his  views  of  the  Redeemer  and  his  kingdom, 
has  been  sometimes  styled  the  fifth  evangel- 
ist. The  most  evangelical  part  of  his  pro- 
phecy, or  at  least  that  part  in  which  he 


218 


TIIE  CONSOLATION. 


|  SER.  I. 


prosecutes  the  subject  with  the  least  inter- 
ruption, begins  with  this  chapter  and  with 
this  verse.  And  he  proposes  it  for  the  com- 
fort of  the  mourners  in  Zion  in  his  day.  We 
know  that  the  Son  of  God,  of  whom  Moses 
and  the  prophets  spake,  is  actually  come ; 
(1  John  V.  20;)  that  the  atonement  for  sin  is 
made, the  ransom  for  sinners  paid  and  accept- 
ed. Now  the  sliadows  are  past,  the  veil  re- 
moved, the  night  is  ended,  the  dawn,  the  day, 
is  arrived,  yea  the  Sun  of  rigliteousness  is 
arisen,  with  healing  in  his  wings,  Mai.  iv.  2. 
God  is  reconciled  in  his  Son,  and  the  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel  are  now  authorised  to 
preach  comfort  to  all  who  mourn  under  a 
sense  of  sin ;  to  tell  them,  all  manner  of 
sin  is  forgiven,  for  the  Redeemer's  sake, 
and  that  the  iniquity  of  those  who  be- 
lieve in  him  is  freely  and  adundantly  par- 
doned. 

II.  Though  the  last  clause  of  the  verse  does 
not  belong  to  the  passage,  as  selected  for  the 
Oratorio,  it  is  so  closely  connected  with  the 
subject,  that  I  am  not  willing  to  omit  it.  "  She 
has  received  at  the  Lord's  hand  double  for  all 
her  sin."  The  meaning  here  cannot  be,  that 
her  afflictions  had  already  been  more  and 
greater,  than  her  sins  had  deserved.  The  just 
desert  of  sin  cannot  be  received  in  the  present 
life,  for  the  wages  of  sin  is  death  and  the 
curse  of  the  law,  or,  in  the  apostle's  words, 
everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of 
the  Lord  and  the  glory  of  his  power,  2  Thess. 
i.  9.  Therefore  a  living  man  can  have  no 
reason  to  complain  under  the  heaviest  suffer- 
ings. If  we  acknowledge  ourselves  to  be 
Binners,  we  have  likewise  cause  to  acknow- 
ledge, that  he  hath  not  dealt  with  us  accord- 
ing to  our  iniquities.  Nor  can  the  words  be 
BO  applied  to  Messiah,  as  to  intimate,  that 
even  his  sufferings  were  more  than  necessary, 
or  greater  than  the  exigence  of  the  case  re- 
quired. The  efficacy  of  his  atonement  is  in- 
deed greater  than  the  actual  application,  and 
sufficient  to  save  the  whole  race  of  mankind 
if  they  truly  believe  in  the  Son  of  God.  We 
read,  that  he  groaned  and  bled  upon  the  cross, 
till  he  could  say.  It  is  finished,  but  no  longer. 
It  becomes  us  to  refer  to  infinite  wisdom  the 
reasons  why  his  sufferings  were  prolonged 
for  such  a  precise  time  ;  but  I  think  we  rnay 
take  it  for  granted,  that  they  did  not  endure 
an  hour  or  a  minute  longer  than  was  strictly 
necessary.  The  expression  seems  to  be  ellip 
tical,  and  I  apprehend  the  true  sense  is,  that 
Jerusalem  should  receive  blessings,  double, 
much  greater  than  all  the  afflictions  which 
ein  had  brought  upon  her ;  and  in  general  to 
ns,  to  every  believing  sinner,  that  the  bless- 
ings of  the  gospel  are  an  unspeakably  great 
compensation,  and  over-balance,  for  all  afflic- 
tions of  every  kind  with  which  we  have  been, 
or  can  be  e.xercised.  Afflictions  are  the  fruit 
of  sin,  and  because  our  sins  have  been  many, 
our  alSictions  may  be  many.  "  But  where  sm 


has  abounded,  grace  has  much  more  abound- 
ed," Rom.  v.  20. 

Before  our  Lord  healed  the  paralytic  man 
who  was  brought  to  him,  he  said,  "  Be  of 
good  cheer,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee,''  Mark 
ii.  5.  His  outward  malady  rendered  him  an 
object  of  compassion  fo  those  who  brought 
him  :  but  he  appears  to  have  been  sensible  of 
an  inward  malady,  which  only  Jesus  could 
discern,  or  pity,  or  relieve.  I  doubt  not  but 
his  conscience  was  burdened  with  guilt.  An 
assurance  therefore  that  his  sins  were  for- 
given, was  sufficient  to  make  him  be  of  good 
cheer,  whether  his  palsy  were  removed  or 
not.  To  this  purpose  the  psalmist  speaks 
absolutely  and  without  exception.  "  Blessed 
is  the  man,  (however  circumstanced,)  whose 
transgression  is  forgiven,  whose  iniquity  is 
covered,"  Psalm  xxxii.  1.  Though  he  be 
poor,  afflicted,  diseased,  neglected  or  despised, 
if  the  Lord  imputeth  not  his  iniquity  to  him, 
he  is  a  blessed  man.  There  is  no  situation 
in  human  life  so  deplorable,  but  a  sense  of 
the  pardoning  love  of  God  can  support  and 
comfort  the  sufferer  under  it,  compose  his 
spirit,  yea,  make  him  exceedingly  joyful  in 
all  his  tribulations.  For  he  who  feels  the 
power  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  cleansing  hia 
conscience  from  guilt,  and  giving  him  access 
by  faith  to  the  throne  of  grace,  with  liberty 
to  say,  Abba,  Father ;  he  knows  that  all  his 
trials  are  under  the  direction  of  wisdom  and 
love,  are  all  working  together  for  his  good, 
and  that  the  heaviest  of  them  are  light,  and 
the  longest  momentary,  in  comparison  of  that 
far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory  which  is  reserved  for  him  in  a  better 
world,  2  Cor.  iv.  16, 17.  Even  at  present  in 
the  midst  of  his  sufferings,  having  commu- 
nion with  God,  and  a  gracious  submission  to 
his  will,  he  possesses  a  peace  that  passeth 
understanding,  and  which  the  world  can 
neither  give  nor  take  away. 

I  shall  close  this  preliminary  discourse 
with  a  few  observations  by  way  of  improve- 
ment. 

1.  How  justly  may  we  adopt  the  prophet's 
words,  "Who  is  a  God  like  unto  thee!" 
Micah  vii.  13.  Behold  and  admire  his  good- 
ness '.  Infinitely  happy  and  glorious  in  him- 
self, he  has  provided  for  the  comfort  of  those 
who  were  rebels  against  his  government,  and 
transgressors  of  his  holy  law.  What  was 
degenerate  Israel,  and  what  are  we,  that  he 
should  thus  prevent  us  with  his  mercy,  re- 
member us  in  our  low  estate,  and  redeem  us 
from  misery,  in  such  a  way,  and  at  such  a 
price !  Salvation  is  wholly  of  grace  ;  (Ephes. 
ii.  5;)  not  only  undeserved,  but  undesired  by 
us,  till  he  is  pleased  to  awaken  us  to  a  sense 
of  our  need  of  it.  And  then  we  find  every 
thing  prepared  that  our  wants  require,  or  our 
wislies  can  conceive  ;  yea,  that  he  has  done 
exceedingly  beyond  what  we  could  either  ask 
or  tlimL    Salvation  is  wholly  of  tlie  Lord, 


8ER.  II.] 


THE  HARBINGER. 


217 


(Psalm  iii.  8,)  and  bears  those  signatures  of 
infinite  wisdom,  [wwer,  and  goodness,  which 
distinguish  all  his  works  from  the  puny  imi- 
tations of  men.  It  is  every  way  worthy  of 
himself;  a  great,  a  free,  a  full,  a  sure  salva- 
tion. It  is  great, — wiiether  we  consider  the 
objects,  miserable  and  hell-deserving  sinners ; 
the  end,  tiie  restoration  of  sucli  alienated 
creatures  to  his  image  and  favour,  to  immor- 
tal life  and  happiness;  or  the  means,  the 
incarnation,  humiliation,  sufferings  and  death 
of  his  beloved  Son.  It  is  free, — without  ex- 
ception of  persons  or  cases,  without  any  con- 
ditions or  qualifications,  but  such  as  he  him- 
self performs  in  them,  and  bestows  upon 
them.  It  is  full, — including  every  desirable 
blessing ;  pardon,  peace,  adoption,  protection 
and  guidance  through  this  world,  and  in  the 
world  to  come  eternal  life  and  happiness,  in 
the  unclouded,  uninterrupted  enjoyment  of 
the  favour  and  love  of  God,  with  the  perfect 
and  perpetual  exclusion  of  every  evil. 

2.  When  the  Lord  God,  who  knows  the 
human  heart,  would  speak  comfort  to  it,  he 
proposes  one  ohject,  and  only  one,  as  the 
necessary  and  all-sufficient  source  of  consola- 
tion. This  is  Messiah.  Jesus  in  his  person 
and  offices,  known  and  received  by  faith,  af- 
fords a  balm  for  every  wound,  a  cordial  for 
every  care.  If  we  admit  that  they  who  live 
in  the  spirit  of  the  world,  can  make  a  poor 
shift  to  amuse  themselves,  and  be  tolerably 
satisfied  in  a  state  of  prosperity,  while  every 
thing  goes  on  according  to  their  wish ;  while 
we  make  this  conce.ssion  (which  however  is 
more  than  we  need  allow  them,  for  we  know 
that  no  state  of  life  is  free  from  anxiety,  dis- 
appointment, weariness,  and  disgust,)  yet  we 
must  consider  them  as  objects  of  compassion. 
It  is  a  proof  of  the  weakness  and  disorder  of 
tlieir  minds,  that  they  are  capable  of  being 
satisfied  with  such  trifles.  Thus  if  a  lunatic 
conceives  his  cell  to  be  a  palace,  that  his  chains 
are  ornaments  of  gold,  it^  he  calls  a  wreath  of 
his  straw  a  crown,  puts  it  on  his  head,  and 
affects  the  language  of  majesty — we  do  not 
suppose  the  poor  creature  to  be  happy,  be- 
cause he  tells  us  that  he  is  so ;  but  we  rather 
consider  his  complacence  in  his  situation,  as 
an  effect  and  ])roof  of  his  malady.  We  pity 
him,  and,  if  we  were  able,  would  gladly  re- 
store him  to  his  senses,  though  we  know  a 
cure  would  immediately  put  an  end  to  his 
pleasing  delusions.  But,  I  say,  supposing  or 
admitting  the  world  could  make  its  votaries 
happy  in  a  state  of  prosperity,  it  will,  it  must, 
leave  them  without  resource  in  the  day  of 
trouble.  And  they  are  to  be  pitied  indeed, 
who,  when  their  gourds  are  withered,  when 
the  desire  of  their  eyes  is  tiiken  from  them 
with  a  stroke,  or  the  evil  which  they  most 
feared  touches  them,  or  when  death  looks 
them  closely  in  the  face,  have  no  acquaint- 
ance with  God,  no  access  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  but  being  without  Christ,  are  without 

Vol.  II.  2  E 


a  solid  hope  of  good  hereafter,  though  they 
are  forced  to  feel  the  vanity  and  inconstancy 
of  every  thing  here.  But  they  who  know 
Messiah,  who  believe  in  him,  and  partake  of 
his  spirit,  cannot  be  comfortless.  They  recol- 
lect what  he  suffered  for  them,  they  know 
that  every  circumstance  and  event  of  life  is 
under  his  direction,  and  designed  to  work  for 
their  good :  that  though  they  sow  in  tears, 
they  shall  soon  reap  in  joy :  and  therefore 
they  possess  their  souls  in  patience,  and  are 
cheerful,  yea  comfortable,  under  those  trying 
dispensations  of  providence,  which  when  they 
affect  the  lovers  of  pleasure,  too  often  either 
excite  in  them  a  spirit  of  presumptuous  mur- 
muring against  the  will  of  God  ;  or  sink  them 
ii^o  despondency,  and  all  the  melancholy 
train  of  evils  attendant  on  those  who  languish 
and  pine  away  under  that  depression  of 
spirits,  emphatically  styled  a  broken  heart. 

3.  To  be  capable  of  the  comfort  my  text 
proposes,  the  mind  must  be  in  a  suitable  dis- 
position. A  free  pardon  is  a  comfort  to  a 
malefactor,  but  it  implies  guilt ;  and  therefore 
they  who  have  no  apprehension  that  they 
have  broken  the  laws,  would  be  rather  of- 
fended than  comforted,  by  an  offer  of  pardon. 
This  is  one  principal  cause  of  that  neglect, 
yea  contempt,  which  the  gospel  of  the  grace 
of  God  meets  with  from  the  world.  If  we 
could  suppose  that  a  company  of  people  who 
were  all  trembling  under  an  apprehension 
of  his  displeasure,  constrained  to  confess  the 
justice  of  the  sentence,  but  not  as  yet  in- 
formed of  any  way  tp  escape,  were  to  hear 
this  message  for  the  first  time,  and  to  be 
fully  assured  of  its  truth  and  authority,  they 
would  receive  it  as  life  from  the  dead.  But 
it  is  to  be  feared,  that  for  want  of  knowing 
themselves,  and  their  real  state  in  the  sight 
of  him  with  whom  they  have  to  do,  many 
persons,  who  have  received  pleasure  from 
the  music  of  the  Messiah,  have  neither  found, 
nor  expected,  nor  desired  to  find,  any  com- 
fort from  the  words. 


SERMON  II. 

THE  HARBINGER. 

The  voice  of  him  that  cricth  in  the  wilder- 
ness. Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
make  straight  in  the  desert  a  hiirhivay 
for  our  God.  Every  valley  shall  be  ex- 
alted, and  every  mountain  and  hill  shall 
he  made  low;  and  the  crooked  shall  be 
made  straight,  and  the  rough  places  plain. 
And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  he  re- 
vealed, and  all  flesh  shall  see  it  together; 
for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it. 
— Isaiah  xl.  3 — .5. 

The  general  style  of  the  prophecies  is 
poetical.  The  inimitable  simplicity  whick 
characterizes  every  part  of  divine  revelation, 


218 


THE  HARBINGER. 


[SER.  II. 


is  diversifiod  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
subject;  and  the  magnificence  and  variety  of 
imagery  which  constitute  the  life  and  spirit 
of  poetry,  evidently  distinguish  the  style  of 
the  Psalms,  or  Isaiah,  and  the  other  poetical 
books,  from  that  of  the  historical,  even  in  the 
common  versions.  The  various  rules  and 
properties  of  Hebrew  poetry  are  not,  at  this 
distance  of  time,  certainly  known.  But  the 
present  Bishop  of  London,*  in  his  elegant  and 
instructive  lectures  on  the  subject,  and  in  the 
discourse  prefi.\ed  to  his  translation  of  Isaiah, 
has  fully  demonstrated  one  property.  It 
usually  consists  either  of  parallel,  or  con- 
trasted sentences.  The  parallel  expressions 
(excepting  in  the  book  of  Proverbs)  are  most 
prevalent.  In  these  the  same  thought,  for 
substance,  expressed  in  the  first  member,  is 
repeated,  with  some  difference  of  phrase,  in 
the  following;  which,  if  it  enlarges  or  con- 
firms the  import  of  what  went  before,  seldom 
varies  the  idea.  Almost  any  passage  I  first 
cast  my  eye  upon,  will  sufficiently  explain 
my  meaning.  For  instance,  in  the  fifty-ninth 
chapter  of  Isaiah : 

Ver.  1.  Behold  the  Lord's  hand  is  not  short- 
ened, that  it  cannot  save ; 
Neither  is  his  ear  heavy,  that  it  cannot 
hear. 

9.  Therefore  is  judgment  far  from  us. 
Neither  doth  justice  overtake  us : 
We  wait  for  light,  but  behold  obscurity ; 
For  brightness,  but  we  walk  in  darkness. 
So  in  chap.  Iv.  2. 

Wherefore  do  ye  spend  money  for  that 

which  is  not  bread  ? 
And  your  labour  for  that  which  satisfieth 
not! 

Hearken  diligently  unto  me,  and  eat  ye 

that  which  is  good. 
And  let  your  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness. 
So  likewise  in  the  second  Psalm : 
Ver.  4.  He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall 
laugh ; 

The  Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision. 
5.  Then  shall  he  speak  unto  them  in  his 
wrath. 

And  vex  them  in  his  sore  displeasure. 

These  specimens  may  suffice  for  my  pre- 
sent purpose.  The  knowledge  of  this  pecu- 
liarity of^  the  poetical  idiom,  may  often  save 
us  the  trouble  of  inquiring  minutely  into  the 
meaning  of  every  single  word,  when  one 
plain  and  comprehensive  sense  arises  from  a 
view  of  the  whole  passage  taken  together. 
This  observation  applies  to  the  first  of  the 
verses  in  my  text.  Though  it  be  true  that 
John  the  Baptist  lived  for  a  season  retired 
and  unnoticed  in  a  wilderness,  and  began  to 
preach  in  the  wilderness  of  Judea,  the  ex- 
pression. The  voice,  of  him  that  crieth  in  the 
wililerness,  does  not  merely  foretell  that  cir- 

J      

*  Dr.  Lowth. 


cumstance.  The  verse  consists  of  two  paral- 
lels. The  prophet,  "  rapt  into  luture  times," 
hears  a  voice  proclaiming  the  approach  of 
Messiah,  and  this  is  the  majestic  language  : 
In  the  wilderness  prepare  ye  the  way  of 
the  Lord, 

Make  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway  foi 
our  God. 

The  wilderness  and  the  desert  are  the 
same  here,  as  likewise  in  chap.  xxxv.  1, 
where  the  happy,  the  sudden,  the  unexpected 
effects  of  his  appearance  are  described  ; — 

The  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  shall 
'  be  glad  for  them  ; 

And  the  desert  shall  rejoice  and  blossom 
as  the  rose. 

Now,  to  see,  by  the  eye  of  faith,  the  glory 
of  the  Redeemer  in  his  appearance ;  to  see 
power  divine  preparing  the  way  before  him; 
to  enter  in,to  the  gracious  and  wonderful  de- 
sign of  his  salvation  ;  to  acknowledge,  admire, 
and  adore  him  as  the  Lord,  and  humbly  to 
claim  him  as  our  God,  must  afford  a  pleasure 
very  difTerent  from  that  which  the  most  ex- 
cellent music,  however  well  adapted  to  the 
words,  can  possibly  give.  The  latter  may  be 
relished  by  a  worldly  mind ;  the  former  is 
appropriate,  and  can  only  be  enjoyed  by  those 
who  are  taught  of  God. 

When  the  eastern  monarchs  travelled,  har- 
bingers went  before  to  give  notice  that  the 
King  was  upon  the  road,  and  likewise  proper 
persons  to  prepare  his  way  and  to  remove 
obstacles,  ir.ome  of  them  (if  we  may  depend 
upon  history,)  in  the  affectation  of  displaying 
their  pomp  and  power,  effected  extraordinary 
things  upon  such  occasions.  For  man,  though 
vain,  would  appear  wise;  though  a  sinful 
worm,  he  would  fain  be  accounted  great. 
We  read  of  their  having  actually  filled  up 
valleys,  and  levelled  hills,  to  make  a  com- 
modious road,  for  themselves  or  their  armies, 
throutrh  places  otherwise  impassable.  The 
prophet  thus  illustrates  great  things  by  small, 
and  accommodates  the  language  and  usages 
of  men  to  divine  truth.  Messiah  is  about  to 
visit  a  wilderness  world,  and  those  parts  of 
which  he  blesses  with  his  presence,  shall 
become  the  garden  of  the  Lord.  Till  then  it 
is  all  desolate,  rocky,  and  wild.  But  his  way 
shall  be  prepared.  Mountainous  difficulties 
shall  sink  down  before  him  into  plains.  In 
defiance  of  all  obstacles,  his  glory  shall  be 
revealed  in  the  wilderness,  and  all  flesh 
shall  see  it,  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  it. 

The  leading  ideas  respecting  Messiah's 
appearance  suggested  by  this  sublime  repre- 
sentation, are, 

I.  The  state  of  the  world  at  his  coming — 
"  A  wilderness." 

II.  The  preparation  of  his  way — "  Every 
valley  shall  be  exalted,  and  every  mountain 
and  hill  shall  be  made  low." 


8Ga.  II.] 


THE  HARBINGER. 


219 


III.  The  manner  and  effects  of  his  mani- 
festation— "  And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  sJiall 
be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it." 

I.  The  word  "  wilderness,"  I  suppose,  ge- 
nerally e.xcites  the  idea  of  an  intricate,  soli- 
tary, uncultivated,  dangerous  place.  Such 
is  tlie  description  Jeremiah  gives  of  that  wil- 
derness through  which  the  Lord  led  Israel, 
when  he  had  delivered  them  from  Egypt :  "  A 
laa.l  of  deserts  and  of  pits,  a  land  of  drought 
and  of  tly  sliadow  of  death,  a  land  that  no  man 
passeth  through,  and  where  no  man  dwelt," 
Jer.  ii.  6.  The  world,  in  which  we  sojourn 
for  a  season,  does  not  appear  to  us  in  this 
unpleasing  view  at  first.  The  spirit,  and  the 
things  of  it,  are  congenial  to  our  depraved 
inclinations;  and  especially  in  early  life,  our 
unexperienced  hearts  form  high  expectations 
from  it ;  and  we  rather  hope  to  find  it  a  pa- 
radise than  a  wilderness.  But  when  the  con- 
vincing power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  opens  the 
eyes  of  the  understanding,  we  awake  as  from 
a  dream;  the  enchantment  by  which  we  were 
deluded  is  broken,  and  we  then  begin  to  judge 
rightly  of  the  world :  that  it  is  a  wearisome 
wilderness  indeed,  and  that  our  only  import- 
ant concern  with  it  is  to  get  happily  out  of 
it.  In  a  spiritual  view,  a  wilderness  is  a  sig- 
nificant emblem  of  the  state  of  mankind,  both 
Jews  and  Heathens,  at  that  period  which  the 
apostle  calls  the  fulness  of  time,  when  God 
sent  forth  his  Son,  Gal.  iv.  4. 

Israel,  once  the  beloved  people  of  God,  was 
at  that  time  so  extremely  degenerated,  that, 
a  few  individuals  excepted,  the  vineyard  of 
the  I/ird,  so  highly  cultivated,  so  signally 
protected,  yielded  only  wild  srrapes,  Isa.  v.  4. 
Though  they  were  not  addicted  to  imitate 
the  idolatry  of  the  Heathens,  as  their  fore- 
fithers  had  been,  they  were  no  less  alienated 
from  the  true  God ;  and  their  wickedness 
was  the  more  agsrravated,  for  being  practised 
under  a  professed  attachment  to  the  forms  of 
his  law.  They  drew  nigh  to  God  with  their 
lips,  but  their  hearts  were  far  from  him, 
Mark  vii.  6.  Their  very  worship  profaned  the 
temple  in  which  they  gloried,  and  the  holy 
house  of  prayer,  through  their  abominations, 
was  become  a  den  of  thieves.  They  owned 
the  divine  authority  of  the  scriptures,  and 
read  them  with  seeming  attention,  but  ren- 
dered them  of  none  effect,  tlirough  the  greater 
attention  they  paid  to  the  corrupt  traditions 
of  their  elders.  They  boasted  in  their  rela- 
tion to  Abraham  as  their  father,  but  proved 
themselves  to  be  indeed  the  children  of  those 
who  had  persecuted  and  murdered  the  pro- 
phets. Matt,  xxiii.  30,  til.  The  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  who  sat  in  the  chair  of  Moses,  and 
were  the  public  teachers  of  the  people,  under 
an  exterior  garb  of  sanctity,  of  prayer,  and 
fasting,  were  guilty  of  oppression,  fraud,  and 
uncleanness ;  and  while  they  trusted  in  them- 
selves that  they  were  righteous,  and  despised 
others,  their  real  character  was  a  combina- 


tion of  pride  and  hypocrisy.  Therefore  he 
who  knew  their  hearts,  and  saw  through  all 
their  disguises,  compared  them  to  painted 
sepulchres,  fair  to  outward  appearance,  but 
within  full  of  filth  and  impurity,  Matt,  xxiii. 
27.  From  the  spirit  of  these  blind  guides, 
we  may  judge  of  the  spirit  of  the  blind 
people  who  held  them  in  admiration,  and 
were  willingly  directed  and  led  by  them. 
Thus  was  the  faithful  city  become  a  harlot : 
it  was  once  full  of  judgment,  righteousness 
lodged  in  it,  but  now  murderers,  Isa.  i.  21. 
Such  a  wilderness  was  Judea  when  Messiah 
condescended  to  visit  it. 

Among  the  Heathens,  ignorance,  idolatry, 
sensuality,  and  cruelty  universally  prevailed. 
Their  pretended  wise  men  had  indeed  talked 
of  wisdom  and  morality  from  age  to  age,  but 
their  speculations  were  no  more  than  swell- 
ing words  of  vanity,  cold,  trifling,  uncertain, 
and  without  any  valuable  influence  either 
upon  themselves  or  upon  others.  They  had 
philosophers,  poets,  orators,  musicians,  and 
artists,  eminent  in  their  way  ;  but  the  nations 
reputed  the  most  civilized  were  overwhelmed 
with  abominable  wickedness  equally  with  the 
rest.  The  shocking  effect  of  their  idolatry 
upon  their  moral  principles  and  conduct,  not- 
withstanding their  attainments  in  arts  and 
science,  is  described  by  the  apostle  in  the 
close  of  the  first  chapter  of  his  epistle  to  the 
Romans.  With  great  propriety,  therefore, 
the  state  of  the  world,  both  Jew  and  Gentile, 
considered  in  a  moral  view,  is  compared  by 
the  prophet  to  a  wilderness — a  barren  and 
dreary  waste.  The  pursuits  and  practices 
of  the  world  were  diametrically  opposite  to 
the  spirit  and  design  of  that  kingdom  which 
Messiah  was  about  to  set  up,  and  therefore, 
as  the  event  proved,  directly  disposed  to  with- 
stand his  progress.  But, 

II.  Before  his  appearance  a  way  was  pre- 
pared for  him  in  the  wilderness. 

The  providence  of  God,  by  a  gradual  train 
of  dispensations,  disposed  the  political  state 
of  mankind  in  a  subserviency  to  this  great 
event.  All  the  commotions  and  revolutions 
which  ♦ike  place  in  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth 
are  so  many  detached  parts  of  a  complicated 
but  wisely-determined  plan,  of  which  the 
establishment  of  Messiah's  kingdom  is  the 
final  cause.  The  kings  and  politicians  of  the 
world  are  not  aware  of  this.  God  is  not  in 
their  thoughts.  But  while  they  pursue  their 
own  ends,  and  make  havoc  of  the  peace  of 
mankind,  to  gratify  their  own  interests  and 
ambition,  and  look  no  higher,  they  are  igno- 
rantly,  and  without  intcnti(m,  acting  as  in- 
struments of  the  will  of  God.  The  wrath  of 
man  is  over-ruled  to  his  praise  and  his  pur- 
pose, (I'salm  Ixxvi.  10,)  and  succeeds  so  far 
as  it  is  instrumental  to  the  accomplishment 
of  his  designs,  and  no  farther.  While  they 
move  in  this  line,  their  schemes,  however  in- 
judiciously laid,  and  whatever  disproportion 


220 


THE  HARBINGER. 


fsint.  II. 


there  may  seem  between  tlie  means  they  are 
possessed  of  and  the  vast  objects  they  aim  at, 
prosper  beyond  their  own  expectations;  but 
the  remainder  of  their  wrath  he  will  restrain. 
Their  best  projected  and  best  supported  en- 
terprises issue  in  shamo  and  disappointment, 
if  they  are  not  necessary  parts  of  that  cliain 
of  causes  and  events  which  the  Lord  of  all 
has  appointed.  Thus  Sennacherib,  when 
sent  by  the  God  whom  he  knew  not  to  exe- 
cute his  displeasure  a<Tainst  the  kingdom  of 
Judah,  had,  for  a  time,  a  rapid  and  uninter- 
rupted series  of  conquests  ;  (Isa.  xxxvii.  26 — 
29;)  but  his  attempt  upon  Jeru.salem  was  be- 
yond the  limits  of  his  commission,  and  there- 
fore failed. 

Among  the  principal  instruments  who  were 
appointed  to  prepare  a  way  in  the  wilderness 
for  Messiah,  and  to  facilitate  the  future  spread 
of  his  kingdom,  we  may  take  notice  of  Alex- 
ander; and  this  designation  secured  his  suc- 
cess, though  the  extravagancies,  excesses, 
and  rashness  which  marked  his  character, 
were  sufficient  to  have  rendered  his  under- 
takings abortive,  had  he  not  been  in  the  hand 
of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  as  an  axe  or  a  saw  in 
the  hand  of  the  workman.  By  his  conquests 
the  knowledge  of  the  Greek  language  was 
diffused  among  many  nations ;  and  the  He- 
brew scriptures  being  soon  afterwards  trans- 
lated into  that  language,  an  expectation  of 
some  great  deliverer  was  raised  far  and  wide, 
before  Messiah  appeared.  When  this  service 
was  fulfilled,  the  haughty  presumptuous 
worm  who  had  been  employed  in  it,  was  no 
longer  necessary,  and  therefore  was  soon 
laid  aside:  and  all  his  proud  designs,  for  the 
establishment  of  his  own  family  and  dominion, 
perished  with  him.  His  empire  was  divided 
towards  the  four  winds  of  heaven,  and  this 
division  likewise  contributed  to  bring  for- 
ward the  purpose  of  God,  Dan.  viii.  8.  For 
each  of  the  tour  kingdoms  established  by  his 
successors,  being  thus  separated,  became  a 
more  easy  prey  to  the  Roman  power.  This 
power,  which  had  been  gradually  increasing 
and  extending  in  the  course  of  several  hun- 
dred years,  was  at  its  height  about  iWe  time 
of  our  Lord's  birth.  The  greatest  part  of  the 
habitable  earth  which  was  at  that  time  dis- 
tinctly known  was  united  under  one  empire, 
composed  of  various  kingdoms  and  govern- 
ments, which,  though  once  independent  and 
considerable,  were  then  no  more  than  Ro- 
man provinces ;  and' as  all  the  provinces  had 
an  immediate  connexion  with  Rome,  a  way 
was  thus  prepared,  and  an  intercourse  open- 
ed on  every  side,  for  the  promulgation  of  the 
gospel. 

Among  the  Jews,  the  professing  people  of 
God.  a  way  was  prepared  for  Messiah  by  the 
ministry  of  his  harbinger,  John  the  Baptist, 
who  came  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elijah 
(as  had  been  foretold  of  him  by  the  prophets, 
particularly  by  the  last  of  the  prophets,  Ma- 


lachi,)  preaching  the  baptism  of  repentance 
for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  proclaiming 
that  tlie  Saviour  and  his  kingdom  were  at 
hand.  He  who  sent  him  accompanied  his 
mission  with  a  divine  power.  A  multitude 
of  persons,  of  various  descriptions,  were  im- 
pressed by  his  message,  insomuch  that  John 
himself  seems  to  have  been  astonished  at  the 
numbers  and  characters  of  those  who  came 
to  his  baptism. 

When  the  ministry  of  John  had  |^us  pre- 
viously disposed  the  minds  of  many  for  the 
reception  of  Messiah,  and  engaged  the  atten- 
tion of  the  people  at  large,  Messiah  himself 
entered  upon  his  public  office,  on  the  same 
scene  and  among  the  same  people.  As  he 
increased,  John  willingly  decreased.  So  the 
morning  star  ceases  to  be  seen  as  the  sun  ad- 
vances above  the  horizon.  This  distinguished 
servant  of  God  having  finished  his  work,  was 
removed  to  a  better  world.  Not  in  the  tri- 
umphant manner  in  which  Elijah  was  trans- 
lated, but  as  he  came  to  announce  a  new  dis- 
pensation, under  which  believers  were  to 
expect  opposition  and  ill-treatment,  to  walk 
by  faith,  and  frequently  to  be  called  to  seal 
their  testimony  with  their  blood,  he  was  per- 
mitted to  fall  a  sacrifice  to  the  revenge  of  a 
wanton  woman  ;  and  though  we  are  assured 
that  none  of  the  race  of  Adam  was  greater  in 
the  estimation  of  God  than  he,  his  death  was 
asked  and  procured  as  the  reward  of  an  idle 
dance,  Matth.  xi.  11 ;  xiv.  8 — 11. 

111.  The  latter  part  of  my  text  describes 
the  manner  and  immediate  effects  of  Mes- 
siah's appearance  during  his  personal  minis- 
try, with  an  intimation  of  its  future  and  more 
extensive  consequences. 

The  valleys  shall  be  exalted. — A  valley  is 
an  emblem  of  a  low  condition.  Such  was  the 
condition  of  most  of  our  Lord's  followers; 
but  his  notice  and  favour  exalted  them  highly. 
He  came  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor,  to 
fill  the  hungry  w'ith  good  things,  to  save  the 
chief  of  sinners,  to  open  a  door  of  hope  and 
salvation  to  persons  of  the  vilest  and  most 
despicable  characters  in  human  estimation. 
Such,  for  instance,  was  the  woman  mention- 
ed by  the  evangelist  Luke,  chap.  vii.  37,  38. 
The  Pharisee  thought  our  Lord  dishonoured 
himself,  by  permitting  such  a  one  to  touch 
him,  nor  had  she  a  word  to  say  in  her  own 
behalf  But  the  compassionate  Saviour  high- 
ly exalted  her,  when  he  vouchsafed  to  plead 
her  cause,  to  express  his  gracious  acceptance 
of  her  tears  and  love,  and  to  assure  her  that 
her  sins,  though  many,  were  all  forgiven. 
Very  low  likewise  was  the  state  of  the  male- 
factor on  the  cross :  he  had  committed  great 
crimes,  was  suflfering  grievous  torments,  and 
in  the  very  jaws  of  death,  Luke  xxiii.  42.  But 
grace  visited  his  heart;  he  was  plucked  as  a 
brand  out  of  the  fire,  and  exalted  to  panulise 
and  glory.  The  world  accounts  the  proud 
happy,  and  honours  the  covetous  if  they  be 


8ER.  II.  J 


TIIE  HARBINGER. 


221 


prosperous.  But  true  honour  cometh  from 
God.  They  who  are  partakers  of  the  faith 
and  hope  of  the  gospel,  and  have  interest  in 
the  precious  promises,  are  indeed  the  rich, 
the  happy,  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  how- 
ever they  may  be  unnoticed  or  despised  by 
their  fellow-creatures.  The  honour  of  places 
likewise  is  to  be  considered  in  this  lio:ht. 
Bethlehem,  though  but  of  little  note  among 
the  thousands  of  Judah,  was  rendered  more 
illustrious  by  the  birth  of  Messiah  than  Baby- 
lon or  Rome.  The  Galileans  were  held  in 
contempt  by  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  as 
a  mean  and  provincial  people ;  but  the  places 
in  Galilee  which  our  Lord  frequently  visited, 
or  where  he  sometimes  resided,  are  spoken 
of  as  exalted  unto  heaven,  by  the  honour  and 
privilege  of  his  presence,  though  some  of 
them  were  no  more  than  fishing-towns.  And 
so  at  this  day,  if  we  have  spiritual  discern- 
ment, we  shall  judge  that  a  little  village, 
where  the  gospel  is  known,  prized,  and 
adorned  by  a  suitable  conversation,  has  a 
dignity  and  importance  far  preferable  to  all 
the  parade  of  a  wealthy  metropolis,  if  desti- 
tute of  the  like  privileges. 

On  the  contrary,  every  mountain  and  hill 
shall  be  brought  low. — Messiah  came  to  pour 
contempt  on  all  human  glory.  He  detected 
the  wickedness  and  confounded  the  pride  of 
the  Scribes,  and  Pharisees,  and  rulers,  and 
made  it  appear  that  what  is  highly  esteemed 
among  men,  the  to  ui^^ov,  or  summit  of  their 
boosted  excellency,  is  worthless,  yea,  abomi- 
nation in  the  sight  of  God,  Luke  xvi.  1.3. 
And  by  living  himself  in  a  state  of  poverty, 
and  associating  chiefly  with  poor  people,  he 
pliced  the  vanity  of  the  distinctions  and  af- 
fluence which  mankind  generally  admire  and 
envy,  in  the  most  striking  and  humiliating 
light.  Such  likewise  was  and  will  be  the 
effect  of  his  gospel.  When  faithfully  preach- 
ed, it  is  found  mighty,  through  God,  to  the 
pulling  down  of  strong-holds,  high  thoughts, 
and  every  species  of  self-e.xaltation.  When 
the  convincing  word  touches  the  heart,  it  has 
an  effect  like  the  hand-writing  which  Bel- 
shazzar  saw  upon  the  wall,  Dan.  v.  6.  In 
that  day  the  lofly  looks  of  man  are  humbled, 
and  his  haughtiness  bowed  down ;  (Isa.  ii.  11 ;) 
he  dares  no  longer  plead  the  goodness  of  his 
heart,  or  trust  to  the  work  of  his  hands.  A 
sense  of  forgiveness  and  acceptance  through 
the  Beloved,  received  by  faith  in  his  atone- 
ment, lays  him  still  lower :  he  now  renounces 
as  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge 
of  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  all  that  he  once 
esteemed  as  gain,  and  is  glad  that  he  has  no- 
thing to  trust  or  glory  in  but  the  cross,  Phil, 
iii.  7,  8.  Farther,  every  mountain  that  op- 
poses the  kingdom  of  Messiah,  in  due  time 
^  must  siuk  iuto  a  plain,  Zech.  iv.  7.  Though 


the  nations  rase,  and  the  rulers  f/iko  counsel 
together,  he  who  sitteth  in  the  heavens  will 
support  and  maintain  his  own  work,  and  all 
their  power  and  policy  shall  fall  belbre  it. 

The  crooked  shall  be  made  straight,  and 
the  rough  places  plain. — He  came  to  rectify 
the  perverse  disposition  of  the  hearts  of  men, 
to  soften  and  subdue  their  obstinate  spirits, 
and  to  form  to  himself  a  willing  people  in  the 
day  of  his  power.  The  Jewish  teachers,  by 
their  traditions  and  will-worship  had  given 
an  apparent  obliquity  to  the  straight  and  per- 
fect rule  of  the  law  of  God,  and  deformed  the 
beauties  of  holiness,  binding  heavy  burdens, 
and  grievous  to  be  borne,  upon  the  con- 
science; but  he  vindicated  the  law  from 
their  corrupt  glosses,  and  made  the  path  of 
obedience  plain,  practicable,  and  pleasant. 

Thus,  the  glory  of  the  Lord  was  revealed. 
— Not  to  every  eye :  many,  prejudiced  by  his 
outward  appearance,  and  by  the  low  mistaken 
views  the  Jews  indulged  of  the  office  and 
kingdom  of  Messiah,  whom  they  expected, 
could  see  ^lo  form  or  excellence  in  hini  that 
they  should  desire  him ;  but  his  disciples 
could  say,  "  We  beheld  his  glory,"  John  i. 
14.  He  spake  with  authority.  His  word  was 
power.  He  controlled  the  elements,  he  raised 
the  dead.  He  knew,  and  revealed,  and  judged 
the  thoughts  of  men's  hearts.  He  forgave 
sin,  and  thus  exercised  the  rights  and  dis- 
played the  perfections  of  divine  sovereignty 
in  his  own  person.  But  the  prophecy  looks 
forward  to  future  times.  After  his  ascension 
he  filled  his  apostles  and  di-ciples  with  light 
and  power,  and  sent  them  forth  in  all  direc- 
tions to  proclaim  his  love  and  grace  to  a  sin- 
ful world.  Then  the  glory  of  the  Lord  was 
revealed,  and  spread  from  one  kingdom  to 
another  people.  We  still  wait  for  the  full 
accomplishment  of  this  promise,  and  expect  a 
time  when  the  whole  earth  shall  be  filled 
with  his  glory:  For  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  it.  It  is  to  the  power  of  his  word 
that  we  owe  the  continuance  of  day  and 
night,  and  the  regular  return  of  the  seasons 
of  the  year.  But  these  appointments  are 
only  for  a  limited  term  ;  the  hour  is  coming, 
when  the  frame  of  nature  shall  be  dissolved. 
Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away  ;  but  not  a 
jot  or  tittle  of  what  he  hath  declared  con- 
cerning his  kingdom  of  grace  shall  fail,  till 
the  whole  be  fulfilled. 

Those  of  you  who  have  heard  the  Messiah 
will  do  well  to  recollect,  whether  you  were 
affected  by  such  thoughts  as  these  while  this 
passage  was  performed  ;  or  whether  yon  were 
only  captivated  by  the  music,  and  paid  no 
more  regard  to  the  words  than  if  they  had 
no  meaning.  They  are,  however,  the  great 
truths  of  God.  May  they  engage  your  serious 
attention,  now  they  are  thus  set  before  yov 

• 


222 


THE  SHAKING  OF  THE 


[sBR.  m. 


SERMON  III. 

THE  SHAKING  OF  THE  HEAVKNS  AND  THE 
EAKTH. 

Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  Ilostf!,  Yet  once,  it 
is  a  little  while,  nnd  I  will  shake  the  hea- 
vens, and  the  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the 
dry  land:  And  I  will  shake  all  nations, 
and  the  Desire  of  all  nations  shall  come ; 
and  I  will  fill  this  house  with  glory,  saith 
the  Lord  of  Hosts. — Haggai  ii.  6,  7. 

God  shook  the  earth  when  he  proclaimed 
his  law  to  Israel  from  Sinai.  The  descrip- 
tion, though  very  simple,  presents  to  our 
thoughts  a  scene  unspeakably  majestic,  grand, 
and  awful.  The  mountain  was  in  flames  at 
the  top,  and  trembled  to  its  basis,  Exod.  xix. 
16 — 19.  Dark  clouds,  thunderings  and  light- 
nings filled  the  air.  The  hearts  of  the  peo- 
ple, of  the  whole  people,  trembled  likewise ; 
and  even  Moses  himself  said,  "  I  exceedingly 
fear  and  quake."  Then,  as  the  apostle,  re- 
ferring to  this  passage,  observes,  the  voice 
of  the  Lord  shook  the  earth,  Heb.  xii.  2(». 
But  the  prophet  here  speaks  of  another,  a 
greater,  a  more  important,  and  extensive 
concussion.  Yet  once,  it  is  a  little  while, 
and  I  will  shake  not  the  earth  only,  but  also 
the  heavens. 

If  we  really  believe  that  the  scriptures  are 
true,  that  the  prophecies  were  delivered  by 
holy  men,  who  spake  as  they  were  moved  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  they  shall  all  be 
certainly  fulfilled, — how  studious  should  we 
be  to  attain  a  right  understanding  of  passages 
and  events,  in  which  we  are  so  nearly  in- 
terested, that  our  hearts  may  be  duly  affected 
by  them  !  But,  alas !  experience  and  observa- 
tion strongly  confirm  the  remark  of  the  poet, 

Men  are  but  chil  lron  of  a  larger  growth. 

If  you  put  a  telescope  into  the  hands  of  a 
child,  he  will  probably  admire  the  outside, 
especially  if  it  be  finely  ornamented.  But  the 
use  of  it,  in  giving  a  more  distinct  view  of 
distant  objects,  is  what  the  child  has  no  con- 
ception of  The  music  of  the  Messiah  is  but 
an  ornament  of  the  words,  which  have  a  very 
weighty  sense.  This  sense  no  music  can  ex- 
plain, and  when  rightly  understood,  will  have 
such  an  effect  as  no  music  can  produce.  That 
the  music  of  the  Messiah  has  a  great  effect 
in  its  own  kind,  I  can  easily  believe.  The 
ancients,  to  describe  the  power  of  the  music 
of  Orpheus,  pretend,  that  when  he  played 
upon  his  harp,  the  wild  beasts  thronged 
around  him  to  listen,  and  seemed  to  forget 
their  natural  fierceness.  Such  expressions 
are  figurative,  and  designed  to  intimate,  that, 
by  his  address  and  instructions,  he  civilized 
men  of  fierce  and  savage  dispositions.  But 
if  we  were  to  allow  the  account  to  be  truein 
the  literal  sense,  I  should  still  suppose  that 
the  wild  beasts  were  affected  by  his  music  | 


only  while  they  heard  it,  and  that  it  did  not 
actually  change  their  natures,  and  render 
lions  and  tigers  gentle  as  lambs,  from  that 
tim  •  forward.  'J'hus  I  can  allow,  that  they 
who  heard  the  Messiah  might  be  greatly  im- 
pressed during  the  performance;  but  when  it 
was  ended,  I  suppose  they  would  retain  the 
very  same  dispositions  they  had  before  it 
began.  And  many,  I  fear,  were  no  more  af- 
fected by  this  sublime  declaration  of  the 
Lord's  design  to  shake  the  heavens  and  the 
earth,  than  they  would  have  been,  if  the  same 
music  had  been  set  to  the  words  of  a  common 
ballad. 

The  Jews,  when  they  returned  from  cap- 
tivity, and  undertook  to  rebuild  the  temple  of 
the  Lord,  mot  with  many  discouragements. 
They  were  disturbed  by  the  opposition  and 
arts  of  their  enemies,  who  at  one  time  so  far 
prevailed,  as  to  compel  them,  for  a  season,  to 
intermit  the  work.  And  wiien  the  founda- 
tion of  the  temple  was  laid,  the  joy  of  those 
who  hoped  soon  to  see  the  solemn  worship  of 
God  restored,  was  damped  by  the  grief  of 
others,  who  remembered  the  magnificence  of 
the  first  temple,  and  wept  to  think  how  far 
the  second  temple  would  come  short  of  it, 
Hag.  ii.  3.  In  these  circumstances,  the  pro- 
phets Haggai  and  Zechariah  were  sent  to 
animate  the  people  by  a  promise,  that,  in- 
ferior as  the  second  temple  might  a|)pear, 
compared  with  that  which  Solomon  built,  the 
glory  of  the  latter  house  should  be  LTeater 
than  the  glory  of  the  former,  Ezra  iii.  12, 13. 
Had  this  depended  upon  a  profusion  of  silver 
and  gold,  the  Lord  could  have  provided  it: 
for  "the  silver  is  mine,  and  the  gold  is  mine, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  But  the  glory . 
spoken  of  was  of  a  different  kind.  The  pre- 
sence of  Messiah  in  the  second  temple  would 
render  it  far  more  honourable  and  glorious, 
though  less  pompous,  than  the  temple  of 
Solomon ;  and  would  be  attended  with  preater 
consequences  than  even  the  manifestation  of 
the  Got!  of  Israel  on  Mount  Sinai.  1  hen  he 
only  shook  the  earth ;  but  under  the  second 
temple  he  would  shake  the  heavens  and  the 
earth,  the  sea  and  the  dry  land,  to  introduce 
the  kingdom  of  Messiah. 

We  may  consider  from  the  words, 

I.  A  character  of  Messiah, — "  The  Desire 
of  all  nations." 

II.  The  effects  of  his  appearance, — "  Shak- 
ing the  heavens  and  the  earth." 

III.  His  "  filling  the  house  with  glory." 
This  clause  of  ver.  7,  is  not  in  the  passage  set 
to  music  ;  but  as  it  is  an  eminent  part  of  the 
prophecy,  I  shall  not  exclude  it. 

I.  K[essiah  is  here  styled,  "  The  Desire  of 
all  nations."  The  propriety  of  this  title  may 
be  illustrated  by  two  considerations. 

1.  Before  he  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners,  an  expectation  prevailed  in  many  na- 
tions, that  a  great  deliverer  and  friend  of 
mankind  was  at  hand.   This  was,  perhaps, 


BEIl.  III.] 


HEAVENS  AND  THE  EARTH. 


223 


partly  tlio  efffict  of  some  ancient  traditions, 
fbunJod  on  the  promises  of  God  respecting' 
the  scad  of  the  woman,  the  traces  of  vvhich, 
tliouyi'h  much  corrupted  by  the  addition  of 
fables,  were  not  worn  ont — but  mig-hl  be 
chicHy  owing  to  several  dispersions  of  the 
people  of  Israel,  and  imperfect  notices,  de- 
rived from  the  scriptures  in  their  hands.  The 
sense  of  many  prophecies  concerning  Mes- 
siah, though  misapplied,  is  remarkably  ex- 
pressed in  a  short  poem  of  Virgil,*  written  a 
few  years  before  our  Saviour's  birth.  This 
ecloTue,  of  which  we  have  a  beautiful  imita- 
tion in  our  own  language  by  Mr.  Pope,  af- 
fords a  suiiicient  proof  that  the  Heathens  had 
an  idea  of  some  illustrious  personage,  who 
would  shortly  appear,  and  restore  peace,  pros- 
perity, and  all  the  blessings  of  their  imaginary 
golden  age  to  mankind.  The  miseries  and 
evils,  with  which  the  world  was  filled,  made 
the  interposition  of  such  a  deliverer  highly 
desirable.  There  were  even  a  few  among 
the  Heathens,  such  as  Socrates  and  his  im- 
mediate disciples,  who  seem  to  have  felt  the 
necessity  of  a  divine  teacher;  and  to  be  sen- 
sible that  man,  in  a  state  of  nature,  was  too 
depraved,  and  too  ignorant,  to  be  either  able 
or  disposed  to  vi^orship  God  acceptably  with- 
out one.  There  is  reason  to  believe,  that  the 
revelation  which  we  enjoy,  though  despised 
by  too  many  who  affect  to  be  called  philoso- 
phers in  modern  times,  would  have  been 
highly  prized  by  tlie  wisest  and  best  of  the 
philosophers  of  antiquity.  Socrates  thought 
men  were  not  capable  of  knowing  and  ex- 
pressing their  own  wants,  nor  of  asking  what 
was  good  for  themselves,  unless  it  should 
please  God  to  send  them  an  instructor  from 
heaven,  to  teach  them  how  to  pray.  And 
therefore, 

2.  The  need  that  all  nations  had  of  such  a 
Saviour,  is  sufficient  to  establish  his  right  to 
this  title,  admitting  they  had  no  knowledge 
or  expectation  of  him.  If  we  could  suppose 
a  nation  involved  for  ages  in  the  darkness  of 
night,  though  they  had  no  previous  notion  of 
light,  yet  light  might  be  said  to  be  their  de- 
sire, because  the  light,  whenever  they  should 
enjoy  it,  would  put  an  end  to  their  calamity, 
would  answer  their  wants,  and,  in  that  sense 
accomplish  their  wishes ;  for  if  they  could  not 
directly  wish  for  light,  they  would  naturally 
wish  for  relief  The  Heathens  were  misera- 
bly bewildered.  They  had  a  thirst  for  hap- 
piness, which  could  not  be  satisfied  by  any, 
or  all  the  expedients  and  pursuits  within  their 
reach.  They  had  fears  and  forebodings  of 
conscience,  for  which  they  knew  no  remedy. 
They  were  so  sensible,  both  of  their  guilt  and 
their  weakness,  that,  being  ignorant  of  the 
character  of  the  true  God,  and  of  that  forgive- 
ness which  is  with  him,  in  times  of  extremity 
they  frequently  offered  the  most  expensive 


*  Virg.  Eel  ir. 


sacrifices  to  the  objects  of  their  idolatrous 
superstition,  even  the  blood  and  lives  of  their 
children,  Micah  vi.  6.  When  Messiah  ap- 
peared, as  he  v.'as  the  glory  of  Israel,  so  ho 
was  a  liffht  to  the  Gentiles,  as  we  shall  have 
opportunity  of  observing  more  at  large  here- 
after. He,  therefore,  who  came  purposely  to 
bless  the  nations,  by  turning  them  from  dark- 
ness to  light,  and  from  the  worship  of  dumb 
idols  to  serve  the  living  and  true  God,  may 
justly  be  called  their  desire,  though  in  the 
time  of  their  ignorance,  they  could  form  no 
suitable  conception  of  him. 

II.  "  I  will  shake  the  heavens  and  the 
earth." — This  part  of  the  prophecy  has  been, 
in  a  measure,  literally  fulfilled.  At  his  birth, 
a  new  star  appeared.  At  his  death,  the  sun 
withdrew  his  shining,  the  earth  quaked,  the 
rocks  rent,  and  the  dead  arose.  During  his 
life,  he  often  suspended  and  over-ruled  the 
stated  laws  of  nature,  and  exercised  supreme 
power  over  the  visible  and  invisible  worlds. 
He  shook  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  spoiled 
principalities  and  powers,  triumphing  over 
them  by  his  cross.  He  shook  the  kingdoms 
of  the  earth ;  the  idols  trembled  and  disap- 
peared before  his  gospel,  till  at  length  the 
Roman  empire  renounced  Heathenism,  and 
embraced  the  Cnristian  name. 

But  the  language  of  prophecy  is  highly 
figurative.    Mountains  and  trees,  land  and 
water,  sun  and  moon,  heaven  and  earth,  often 
signify  nations,  people,  and  governments; 
and  particularly,  heaven  and  earth  are  used 
to  denote  the  religious  and  political  establish- 
ment of  Israel ;  or,  as  we  say,  their  constitu- 
tion in  church  and  state.  This,  without  doubt, 
is  the  primary  sense  here.    The  appearance 
of  Messiah  shall  be  connected  with  the  total 
dissolution  of  the  Jewish  economy.  The 
whole  of  their  Levitical  institution  was  ful- 
filled, superseded,  and  abrogated  by  Messiah, 
which  was  solemnly  signified  by  the  rending 
of  the  vail  of  the  temple  from  the  top  to  the 
bottom  at  his  death.    And  a  few  years  after- 
wards the  temple  itself  was  destroyed,  by 
which  event,  the  worship  of  God  according  to 
the  law,  of  which  the  temple-service  was  an 
essential  part,  was  rendered  utterly  imprac- 
ticable.   Their  civil  state  likewise  was  dis- 
solved; they  were  extirpated  from  the  pro- 
mised land,  and  dispersed   far  and  wide 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth.    Though,  in 
one  sense,  they  are  preserved,  by  the  won- 
derful providence  of  God,  as  a  distinct  people, 
unaffected  by  the    changes  and  customs 
around  them  ;  in  another  sense,  they  are  not 
a  people,  having  neither  settlement  nor 
government,  but  living  as  strangers  and 
foreigners  in  every  country  where  their  lot 
has  been  cast,  Hos.  iii.  4.    Nothing  like  this 
can  be  found  in  the  history  of  mankind.  It 
is  an  obvious,  striking,  and  perpetual  proof 
of  the  truth  of  the  scriptures.    What  was 
foretold  concerning  them  by  Moses  and  the 


224 


THE  SHAKING  OF  THE  HEAVENS,  &c 


[SER.  III. 


Buccn^din^  prophets,  is  accomplished  to  a  de- 
nijustration  before  our  eyes.  How  unlikely 
was  it  once  that  it  sliould  be  thus  !  yet  thus  it 
must  be,  because  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath 
spoknn  it.  And  all  tint  he  has  spoken  is 
equally  sure.  He  will  yet  again  shake  the 
h^nvens  and  the  earth,  dissolve  the  frame  of 
nature,  and  e.xecute  his  threatened  judg'ments 
upon  all  those  who  do  not  receive  and  obey 
his  ffospel. 

HI.  "He  shall  fill  this  house  with  glory." 
He  did  so,  when  he  condescended  to  visit  it 
in  person.  The  blind  and  the  lame  came 
thith  er  to  him,  ani  he  liealed  them,  Matth. 
xxi.  Vi — Iti.  Children  felt  his  power,  and 
sung  hosannah  to  the  son  of  David,  a  title 
appropriate  to  Messiah ;  and  when  the  Pha- 
risees rebuked  them,  he  said,  "  If  these  should 
hold  tlieir  peace,  the  stones  would  cry  out," 
Luke  .xix.  40.  As  the  Lord  in  his  own  house, 
he  purged  the  temple,  and  drove  out  those 
who  profaned  it,  and  not  one  of  his  enemies 
durst  offer  the  least  resistance  to  his  will. 
And  when  he  left  it  the  last  time,  with 
sovereign  authority,  he  denounced  that  aw- 
ful sentence,  which  was  soon  afterwards  exe- 
cuted by  the  Romans,  both  upon  tlie  temple 
and  the  nation,  Matth.  xxiii.  37.  His  glory 
filled  ths  temple  when  he*vas  an  infant,  so 
that  Simeon  and  Anni  then  acknowledged 
his  chxracter,  and  spake  of  him  to  those  who 
were  waiting  for  the  consolation  of  Israel, 
Luke  ii.  25,  38.  Especially  his  glory  was 
manifested,  when  he  proclaimed  himself  the 
fountain  of  life,  and  invited  every  thirsty 
■weary  sinner  to  come  to  him,  to  drink  and 
live  for  ever,  John  vii.  37. 

The  temple  of  .Tenisalem  has  been  long 
since  destroyed.  But  he  has  still  a  house,  a 
hou-;e  not  made  with  hands.  This  is  his 
church,  comprising  all  the  members  of  his 
mystical  body.  He  dwells  in  each  of  them 
in  livi dually ;  he  dwells  in  and  among  them 
collectively.  Where  two  or  three  are  met 
in  his  name,  where  his  ordinances  are  ad- 
ministereJ  and  prized,  where  his  gospel  is 
faithfully  preached  and  cordially  received, 
th^re  he  is  present  in  the  midst  of  them : 
There  his  glory  is  seen,  his  voice  heard,  his 
pTwer  felt,  his  goodness  tasted,  and  the  sa- 
vour of  his  name  is  diffused  as  a  precious 
oint'nent,  wliich  refreshes  the  heart  of  his 
people,  renews  their  strength,  and  comforts 
them  unler  all  tlieir  sorrows  and  cares.  The 
glory  anl  magnificence  of  the  temple-wor- 
ship, even  in  the  days  of  Solomon,  was  faint 
compirel  with  the  glory  displayed  to  the 
hearts  of  believers  who  worship  him  in  spirit 
and  in  truth,  under  the  New  Testament  dis- 
pensation. But  it  can  only  be  perceived  by 
an  enlightened  and  spiritual  mind.  To  out- 
ward appearance  all  may  be  low  and  humilia- 
ting. The  malice  of  their  enemies  has  often 
constrained  his  people  to  assemble  in  wood," 
and  on  mountains,  in  places  under  ground  or 


in  t'le  dead  of  the  night,  to  secrete  tliemse'vcs 
from  informers.  But  vaulted  roofs  and  costly 
garments,  the  solemn  parade  of  processions, 
music  and  choristers,  and  the  presence  of  no- 
bles and  dignitaries,  are  not  necessary  to  con- 
stitute the  glory  of  gospel-worsliip.  It  is 
enough  that  he,  in  whose  name  they  meet, 
condescends  to  visit  them  with  the  power  and 
influence  of  his  Spirit,  to  animate  and  hear 
their  prayers,  to  feed  them  with  the  good 
word  of  his  grace,  and  to  fill  them  with  joy 
and  peace  in  believing.  If  they  have  these 
blessings,  they  desire  no  more,  they  are  com- 
pensated for  all  their  difficulties  and  hard- 
ships; and,  however  unnoticed  and  despised 
by  the  world,  they  can  say,  "  This  is  none 
other  than  the  house  of  God,  this  is  the  gate 
of  heaven,"  Gen.  xxviii.  7.  For  they  ap- 
proach by  faith  to  the  city  of  the  living  God, 
the  Jerusalem  which  is  above,  to  the  worship 
which  is  carried  on  day  without  night,  by  the 
innumerable  company  of  angels,  and  the 
spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  Heb.  xii.  22. 

But  every  member  of  this  mystical  temple, 
being  by  nature  afar  ofl'  from  God,  experi- 
ences a  previous  change,  which  may  be  not 
unfitly  described  by  the  terms  of  my  text. 
Before  the  Lord  takes  possession  of  his  peo- 
ple, and  in  order  to  it,  he  shakes  the  heavens 
and  the  earth.  Their  former  views  of  God 
and  of  themselves  are  altered  by  a  light 
which  penetrates  the  soul.  All  that  they 
have  been  building  in  religion  till  then  is 
shaken  and  overturned.  Their  vain  hopes 
are  shaken  to  the  foundation.  This  concus- 
sion makes  way  for  the  perception  of  his 
glory  as  a  Saviour.  In  this  day  of  his  power 
they  are  made  willing  to  throw  open  the 
gates  of  their  hearts,  that  the  King  of  glory 
may  enter. 

But  as  I  do  not  stand  here  to  amuse  you 
with  a  declamation  on  a  subject  in  which  you 
are  not  immediately  interested,  and  as  my 
office  as  a  preacher  both  warrants  and  re- 
quires me  to  address  myself  not  only  to  youi 
understandings  but  likewise  to  your  con- 
sciences, I  must  be  allowed,  before  I  conclude; 
to  propose  this  question  to  your  consideration. 
Is  Messiah,  the  desire  of  all  nations,  the  oh' 
ject  of  your  chief  desire?  How  much  ds- 
pends  upon  the  answer?  Do  you  wish  t.i 
know  your  present  state  in  the  sight  of  God  1 
If  you  are  faithful  to  yourselves  you  may  be 
satisfied,  provided  you  will  abide  by  t'le  deci- 
sion of  scripture.  God  is  weli-pleased  in  his 
Son  ;  if  you  are  well-pleastd  with  him,  if  he 
is  precious  to  you,  and  the  desire  of  your  soul 
is  supremely  directed  to  him,  then  you  as- 
suredly possess  the  beginning,  the  foretaste, 
and  the  earnest  of  eternal  life.  If  you  so  en- 
ter into  the  descriptions  given  in  the  Bible 
of  his  person,  love,  office,  and  glory,  as  to 
place  your  whole  dependence  upon  him,  to 
devote  yourselves  simply  to  him,  and  to  place 
your  happio^  in  his  favour,  then  you  arc 


sr.u.  IV.] 


THE  LORD  CO-ML\G  I'O  HIS  TEMPLE. 


225 


happy  indeed  !  happy  even  at  present,  thouoli 
not  exempted  from  a  share  in  tlie  afflictions 
incident  to  tliis  mortal  state.  For  your  sins 
are  pardoned,  your  persons  are  accepted  in 
the  Beloved  :  to  you  belong  the  promises  of 
guidance,  protection,  and  supply  through  life, 
victory  over  deatli,  and  then  a  crown  of  glory 
whicli  fadeth  not  away.  To  say  all  in  a  few 
words,  God  is"  your  Father,  and  heaven  is 
your  home. 

But  on  the  other  hand,  if  you  trust  in 
yourselves  that  you  are  rigliteous  and  good, 
at  least  comparatively  so ;  if  your  attachment 
to  the  business  or  the  pleasures  of  the  world 
engrosses  your  thoughts  and  application,  so 
that  you  have  no  leisure  to  attend  to  the 
record  which  God  has  given  of  his  Son,  or  no 
relish  for  the  subject,  you  have  been  hitherto 
guilty  of  treating  the  most  glorious  display 
of  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  with  con- 
tempt. Many  persons  thus  employed  and 
thus  disposed,  bear  respectable  characters  in 
civil  life,  from  which  I  do  not  wish  to  detract. 
But  however  amiable  you  may  be  in  the 
judgment  of  your  fellovv-creatures,  you  are 
a  sinner  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  will  be 
treated  by  him  as  an  enemy  to  his  govern- 
ment and  glory,  if  you  finally  persist  in  a 
rejection  of  his  gospel.  The  great  point 
which  will  determine  your  state  for  eternity, 
will  be  this.  What  think  you  of  Christ !  For 
it  is  written,  "  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  Anathema  Mara- 
natha,"  1  Cor.  xvi.  22.  He  must  and  will  fall 
under  the  curse  and  condemnation  of  the 
law,  and  be  punished  with  everlasting  de- 
struction from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and 
from  tlie  glory  of  his  power.  To-day,  there- 
fore, while  it  is  called  to-day  (for  to-morrow 
is  not  ours,)  may  you  hear  his  voice,  and  flee 
for  refuge  to  the  hope  set  before  you ! 


SER]MON  rV. 

THE  LORD  COMING  TO  HIS  TEMPLE. 

The  Lord,  whom  ye  seek,  shall  suddenly 
come  to  his  temple,  even  the  Messenger 
of  the  coveniint  in  whom  ye  delicfht :  be- 
hold, he  shall  come,  saiih  the  Lord  of 
Hosts.  But  who  may  abide  the  day  of  his 
cominff?  and  who  shall  stand  when  he 
appeareth  1  for  he  is  like  a  refner^s  fire, 
and  like  fuller'' s  soap. — And  he  shall 
purify  the  .sons  of  Levi — that  they  may 
offer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in  righ- 
teousness.— Malachi  iii.  1 — 3. 

"  VVhereunto  shall  we  liken  the  people  of 
this  generation,  and  to  what  are  they  like?" 
Luke  vii.  31.  I  represent  to  myself  a  number 
of  persons  of  various  characters,  involved  in 
one  common  charge  of  high  treason.  They 

Vol.  XL  2  F 


are  already  in  a  state  of  confinement,  but  not 
yet  brought  to  their  trial.  The  facts,  how 
ever,  are  so  plain,  and  the  evidence  against 
them  so  strong  and  pointed,  that  there  is  not 
the  least  doubt  of  their  guilt  being  fully 
proved,  and  that  nothing  but  a  pardon  can 
preserve  them  from  punishment.  In  this 
situation,  it  should  seem  their  wisdom  to 
avail  themselves  of  every  expedient  in  their 
power  for  obtaining  mercy.  But  they  are 
entirely  regardless  of  their  dan^r,  and 
wliolly  taken  up  with  contriving  methods  of 
amusing  themselves,  that  they  may  pass 
away  the  term  of  their  imprisonment  with  as 
much  cheerfulness  as  possible.  Among  other 
resources  they  call  in  the  assistance  of  music. 
And  amidst  a  great  variety  of  subjects  in  this 
way,  they  are  particularly  pleased  with  one. 
They  choose  to  make  the  solemnities  of  their 
impending  trial,  the  character  of  their  judge, 
the  methods  of  his  procedure,  and  the  awful 
sentence  to  which  they  are  exposed,  the 
ground-work  of  a  musical  entertainment. 
And,  as  if  they  were  quite  unconcerned  in 
the  event,  their  attention  is  chiefly  fixed 
upon  the  skill  of  the  composer,  in  adapting 
the  style  of  his  music  to  the  very  solemn 
language  and  subject  with  which  they  are 
trifling.  The  King,  however,  out  of  his  great 
clemency  and  compassion  towards  those  who 
have  no  pity  for  themselves,  prevents  them 
with  his  goodness.  Undesired  by  them,  he 
sends  them  a  gracious  message.  He  assures 
them  that  he  is  unwilling  they  should  sufl~er: 
he  requires,  yea,  he  entreats  them  to  submit. 
He  points  out  a  way  in  which  their  confession 
and  submission  shall  be  certainly  accepted ; 
and  in  this  way,  which  he  condescends  to 
prescribe,  he  offers  them  a  free  and  a  full 
pardon.  But  instead  of  taking  a  single  step 
towards  a  compliance  with  his  goodness,  they 
set  his  message  likewise  to  music  ;  and  this, 
together  with  a  description  of  their  present 
state,  and  of  the  fearful  doom  awaiting  them 
if  they  continue  obstinate,  is  sung  for  their 
diversion,  accompanied  with  the  sound  of 
cornet,  flute,  harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  dul- 
cimer, and  all  kinds  of  instruments,  Dan.  iii. 
5.  Surely,  if  such  a  case  as  I  have  supposed 
could  be  found  in  real  life,  though  I  might 
admire  the  musical  taste  of  these  people,  I 
should  commiserate  their  insensibility  ! 

But  is  not  this  case  more  than  a  supposi- 
tion ?  Is  it  not,  in  the  most  serious  sense, 
actually  realized  amongst  ourselves?  I  should 
insult  your  understandings  if  I  judged  a  long 
application  necessary.  I  know  iny  supposi- 
tion must  have  already  led  your  thoughts  to 
the  subject  of  the  Messiah,  and  to  the  spirit 
and  temper  of  at  least  the  greater  part  of  the 
performers,  and  of  the  audiences.  The  holy 
scripture  concludes  all  mankind  under  sin, 
Rom.  iii.  9.  It  charges  them  all  with  treason 
and  rebellion  against  the  great  sovereign 
Lawgiver  and  Benefactor,  and  declares  the 


226 


THE  LORD  COMING  TO  HIS  TEMPLE. 


[teER.  IV. 


misery  to  wlilcli,  as  sinners,  we  are  obnox- 
ious. But  GoJ  is  long-sufTerinjr,  and  waits  to 
DC  gracious.  The  stroke  of  death,  which 
Would  instantly  place  us  before  his  awful 
tribunal,  is  still  suspended.  In  tl)e  mean  time 
he  aflbrds  us  his  gospel,  by  which  he  assures 
us  there  is  forgiveness  with  him.  lie  informs 
us  of  a  Saviour,  and  tliat,  of  his  great  love  to 
sinners,  he  has  given  his  only  Son  to  be  an 
atonement  and  mediator  in  favour  of  all  who 
shall  sue  for  mercy  in  his  name.  The  cha- 
racter of  tiiis  Saviour,  his  unspeakable  love. 
Lis  dreadful  suflerings,  the  agonies  he  en- 
dured in  Gethsemane,  and  upon  the  cross, 
are  made  known  to  us.  And  as  his  past 
humiliation,  so  his  present  glory,  and  his 
invitation  to  come  to  him  for  pardon  and 
eternal  life,  are  largely  declared.  These  are 
the  principal  points  expressed  in  the  passages 
of  tlie  ?ilessiah.  Mr.  Handel,  who  set  them  to 
music,  has  been  commemorated  and  praised, 
many  years  after  his  death,  in  a  place  pro- 
fessedly devoted  to  the  praise  and  worship  of 
God ;  yea,  (if  I  am  not  misinformed,)  the 
Stated  worship  of  (JoJ  in  that  place  was  sus- 
pended for  a  considerable  time,  that  it  might 
be  duly  prepared  for  the  comuiemoration  of 
Mr.  Handel.  But,  alas  I  how  few  arc  disposed 
to  praise  and  commemorate  Messiah  himself  I 
Tlie  same  great  truths,  divested  of  the  music, 
when  delivered  from  the  pulpit,  are  heard  by 
many  admirers  of  the  oratorio  with  indiffer- 
ence, too  often  with  contempt. 

Having  thus,  as  I  conceived  myself  bound 
in  duty,  plainly  and  publicly  delivered  my 
sentiments,  of  the  great  impropriety  of  making 
the  fundamental  truths  of  Christianity  the  sub- 
ject of  a  public  amusement,  I  leave  what  I 
have  said  to  your  serious  reflections,  hoping 
it  will  not  be  forgotten;  for  I  do  not  mean  to 
trouble  you  often  witli  a  repetition  of  it.  Let 
us  now  consider  the  passage  before  us.  If 
you  read  it  with  attention,  and  ccfnsider  the 
great  ideas  it  suggests,  and  the  emphatical 
language  with  which  they  are  clotiicd,  you 
will  not,  perhaps,  think  the  manner  of  my 
introducing  it  wholly  improper. 

Malachi  confa-msand  unites  the  prophecies 
of  Isaiali  and  Haggai,  which  were  the  sub- 
ject of  our  two  last  discourses.  John  is  the 
messenger,  spoken  of  in  the  beginning  of  the 
first  verso,  sent  to  prepare  the  way  of  the 
Lord.  Then  the  Lord  himself  shall  come  sud- 
denly to  his  temple,  that  is,  immediately 
after  the  appearance  of  his  forerunner,  and 
with  regard  to  the  people  in  general,  un- 
expectedly. 

The  question,  "  Who  may  abide  the  day  of 
his  coming !"'  intimates  the  greatness  and 
solemnity  of  the  event.  If  we  take  his  coming 
in  an  extensive  sense  to  denote  the  whole  of 
his  sojourning  upon  earth,  from  his  incarna- 
tion to  his  ascension,  it  is  unspeakably  the 
greatest  of  all  events  recorded  in  the  annals 
of  maakind;  and  though  he  lived  in  the  form 


i  of  a  servant,  and  died  the  dr-atli  of  a  malefiic- 
tor,  the  vast  consecjuencet;  which  depend  upon 
his  appearance  under  the;;e  humiliating  cir- 
cumstances, rendered  it  a  maimer  of  coming 
every  way  worthy  of  himself  It  afforded  a 
more  awful  discovery  of  the  majesty,  glory, 
and  holiness  of  God,  than  was  displayed  upon 
Mount  Sinai,  and  proved  a  closer  and  more 
searching  appeal  to  the  hearts  and  con- 
sciences of  men.  To  enter  more  into  the 
spirit  and  meaning  of  the  question  here  pro- 
posed, we  shall  briefly  take  notice  of  the  fol- 
lowing points,  w'hich  the  words  offer  to  our 
serious  meditation.  May  the  Holy  Spirit, 
whose  ofhce  it  is  to  glorify  the  Saviour,  en- 
lighten our  hearts  to  understand  them,  with 
application  to  ourselves! 

I.  The  names  which  are  here  ascribed  to 
Messiah. 

H.  The  suddenness  of  his  coming. 

III.  The  searching  power  of  it  in  general, 
expressed  by  "a  refiner's  fire,'*  and  by  "ful- 
ler's soap." 

IV.  Its  purifying  power  on  the  sons  of 
Levi,  the  priesthood  in  particular. 

I.  The  names  ascribed  to  Messiah. 

The  Lord. — It  is  a  general  rule  with  our 
translators  to  express  Lord  in  capital  letters, 
where  it  answers  to  Jehovah  in  the  Hebrew, 
and  there  only.  The  word  here  is  not  Jeho- 
vah, but  Adonai.  It  is  however  a  name  of 
God,  tliough  not  incommunicable  like  the 
other,  being  frequently  applied  to  kings  and 
superiors.  It  properly  implies  authority  and 
rule,  as  we  say,  A  Lord  and  Master.  In  this 
connexion  it  is  undoubtedly  a  divine  name. 
The  Lord  is  said  to  come  to  his  temple,  to 
his  own  temple.  It  was  a  house  consecrated 
to  the  God  of  Israel.  The  first  temple  he 
honoured  with  tokens  of  his  presence ;  the 
second  he  visited  in  person ;  on  which  ac- 
count it  exceeded  the  first  in  glory.  IMessiah, 
therefore,  who  appeared  in  our  nature,  and 
was  known  amongst  men  as  a  man,  and  who 
is  now  worshipped  both  in  heaven  and  upon 
earth,  is  the  God  of  Israel.  He  came  to  his 
own.  Tliis  doctrine  of  God  manifest  in  the 
flesh,  is  the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth :  the 
only  foundation  on  which  a  sinner,  who 
knows  the  just  desert  of  his  sin,  can  build  a 
solid  hope  of  salvation,  is,  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life,  1  John  v.  20. 
Unless  this  be  admitted,  tlie  whole  tenor  both 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  is  unintel- 
ligible. To  say  that  this  doctrine  approves 
itself  to  human  reason  In  its  present  fallen 
depraved  state,  would  be  to  contradict  the 
apostle,  who  asserts,  that  no  man  can  say  that 
Je.^us  Christ  is  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
1  Cor.  xii.  3.  But  it  is  'lighly  reasonable  to 
those  who  see  that  they  must  perish,  without 
such  an  atonement  as  shall  declare  the  righ- 
teousness of  God,  no  less  than  his  rncrcy,  in 
the  forgiveness  of  sin ;  who  feel  the  necessity 
of  holuiess  in  order  to  happiness;  and  are  ac- 


srR.  IV.] 


TIIE  LORD  COMING  TO  HIS  TEMPLE. 


227 


qnaint.ed  with  tlie  nature  and  variety  of  tlie 
snarrs,  reiiiptalions,  and  enemies  to  which 
they  are  exposed.  Such  persons  cannot  ven- 
ture their  eternal  concerns  upon  the  dignity, 
or  care,  or  power,  or  patience  of  a  mere 
creature,  however  exalted  and  excellent ; 
they  must  be  assured  that  their  Saviour  is 
alniijrhty,  or  they  dare  not  trust  in  him  ;  nor 
would  they  dare  to  honour  the  Son  as  they 
honour  the  Father,  to  love  him  with  all  their 
heart,  and  soul,  and  strength,  to  devote  them- 
selves absolutely  to  his  service,  and  to  expect 
their  supreme  happiness  from  his  favour  and 
approbation,  if  they  did  not  know  that  he  is 
over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever. 

Witli  respect  to  the  inferior  character  he 
sustains  in  our  nature,  and  for  our  sakes,  as 
the  Fatiier's  servant,  he  is  styled,  The  Mes- 
senger of  the  covenant.  lie  is  the  gift,  pro- 
mise, head,  and  substance  of  the  everlasting 
covenant.  And  he  cauie  himself  to  establish 
the  covenant,  and  to  declare  and  bestow  the 
blessings  it  contained.  God,  who  had  before 
spoken  at  divers  times  and  in  sundry  manners 
by  his  prophets,  spoke  in  the  fulness  of  time 
by  his  Sou  ;  (Heb.  i.  1 ;)  testifying  to  him  by 
a  voice  from  heaven,  This  is  my  beloved  Son, 
hear  him ;  in  him  I  am  well  pleased.  Mat. 
iii.  17.  To  the  same  purpose  our  Lord  spake 
of  himself  He  prefaced  his  gracious  invi- 
tation to  all,  without  exception,  who  are  weary 
and  heavy  laden,  to  come  to  him  for  rest, 
(Mat.  xi.  27,)  with  a  declaration  of  his  com- 
mission and  authority,  saying,  "  All  things 
are  delivered  unto  me  of  my  Father,  and  no 
one  ('-uJ=s)  knoweth  the  Son  but  the  Fathgr, 
neither  knoweth  any  one  the  Father,  save 
the  Son,  and  he  to  whom  the  Son  will  reveal 
liim."  The  law  was  given  by  Moses ;  (John 
i.  17;)  the  moral  law,  to  discover  the  extent 
and  abounding  of  sin;  the  ceremonial  law, 
to  [Joint  out,  by  typical  sacrifices  and  ablu- 
tions, the  way  in  which  forgiveness  was  to 
be  sought  and  obtained ; — but  grace  to  re- 
lieve us  from  the  condemnation  of  the  one, 
and  trut!)  answerable  to  the  types  and  shadows 
of  the  other,  came  by  Jesus  Christ. 

It  is  farther  said,  "  The  Lord  whom  ye  seek, 
and  the  messenger  in  whom  ye  delight." — 
Messiah  was  the  hope  and  desire  of  the  true 
Israel  of  God,  from  the  earliest  times ;  and 
when  he  was  born  into  the  world,  there  was  a 
prepared  people  waiting  and  longing  for  him, 
as  their  consolation.  The  people  at  large 
likewise  professed  to  expect  great  things  from 
the  coming  of  Messiah.  But  their  expecta- 
tions were  low  and  earthly.  Tiiey  supposed 
that  he  would  deliver  them  from  the  Roman 
yoke,  and  give  them  victory  and  power  over 
the  heathen  nations.  The  more  grievous 
bondage  of  shi  under  which  they  were  en- 
slaved, they  were  not  sensible  of,  nor  had 
they  a  disposition  suited  to  the  privileges  and 
honours  of  the  kingdom  which  he  designed 
to  establish;  and  therefore,  their  understand- 


ings being  darkened  by  prejudice  and  prepos- 
session, they  could  not  discern  his  character. 
The  prophecies  which  were  read  in  their 
synagogues  every  sabbath,  marked  out  the 
time  and  circumstances  of  Messiah's  appear- 
ance, the  places  which  he  should  principally 
visit,  the  doctrine  he  should  teach,  and  the 
works  which  he  should  perform :  but  though 
all  these  particulars  exactly  applied  to  Jesus, 
they  obstinately  rejected  him,  and  proceeded 
to  fulfil  what  was  farther  foretold  of  his  suf- 
ferings and  death,  with  such  a  minute  punc- 
tuality, as  if  they  had  designedly  taken  the 
prophecies  for  the  rule  of  their  conduct. 
Thus,  by  giving  neither  more  nor  less  than 
thirty  pieces  of  silver  to  his  betrayer,  by  buy- 
ing the  potter's  field,  and  no  other,  with  the 
money  afterwards ;  by  casting  lots  for  one 
of  his  garments,  and  making  a  distribution 
of  the  rest;  by  piercing  his  side  contrary  to 
the  custom  in  such  punishments,  and  by 
omitting  to  break  his  legs,  which,  from  their 
treatment  of  the  malefactors  who  suflJered 
with  him,  seems  to  have  been  usual,  in  these 
and  several  other  instances,  they  acted, 
though  unwittingly,  as  if  it  had  been  their 
design  and  study  to  accomplish  the  scrip- 
tures to  their  own  confusion  and  condemna- 
tion. 

II.  This  was  the  reason  why  his  coming 
to  his  temple  was  to  them  sudden.  Though 
long  foretold  and  long  expected,  and  though 
the  precise  time  of  his  advent,  and  the  ac- 
companying signs,  were  accurately  defined 
and  described,  yet  when  the  season  arrived, 
he  came  suddenly,  unlooked  for,  and  un- 
known. He  came  upon  them  in  an  hour  that 
they  thought  not  of,  and  in  a  manner  of 
which  they  were  not  aware.  When  he  stood 
in  the  midst  of  them,  they  knew  not  that  it 
was  he.  How  dreadfully  does  sin  harden 
and  infatuate  the  hearts  of  men  !  The  Jews, 
in  our  Saviour's  time,  furnish  us  with  a  strik- 
ing instance,  that  it  is  possible  for  people 
fatally  to  miscarry  with  the  greatest  advan- 
tages and  means  for  information  in  their 
possession.  They  accounted  themselves  the 
people  of  God,  made  their  boast  of  his  law, 
and  their  relation  to  Abraham.  But  they 
hated  Messiah,  and  crucified  him,  who  was 
the  object  of  Abraham's  faith.  The  opposi- 
tion of  their  leaders  and  teachers  was  the 
most  malicious,  for  many  of  them  acted  against 
the  light  of  their  minds,  and  were  often  con- 
victed in  their  consciences,  though  they  re- 
fused to  be  convinced.  But  an  ignorant 
attachment  to  these  blind  guides  was  ruinous 
to  their  blind  followers,  who,  though  they 
sometimes,  from  a  view  of  his  mighty  works, 
were  struck  with  a.stonishmcnt,  and  con- 
strained to  say,  "Is  not  this  the  son  of 
David?"  were  at  length  influenced  by  their 
priests  to  prefer  a  murderer  to  him,  and,  with 
a  clamorous  importunity,  to  compel  Pilate 
to  put  him  to  death.    The  like  misapprehen- 


228 


THE  LORD  COMING  TO  HIS  TEMPLE. 


[SER.  IT, 


sions  produce  tho  like  effects  amonor  profess- 1 
ed  cliristiaiis  at  tliis  day.  We  likewise  have 
ilie  scriptures:  but  liovv  many  who  admit  their 
autiiority  in  words,  live  willinj^ly  iuriorantof 
their  contents,  and  act  in  direct  contradiction 
to  their  tenor!  The  power  of  the  Saviour  is 
likewise  displayed  among'  us,  his  preached 
gospel  is  daily  made  effectual  to  the  great 
purposes  for  which  it  is  vouclisafed ;  yet 
multitudes  reject  it  witli  no  less  pertinacity 
than  the  Jews  rejected  him  in  person.  At 
length  deatli  surprises  them,  and  they  sink 
into  darkness  beyond  recall.  To  thein  the 
Lord  may  be  said  to  come  suddenly,  for  they 
think  not  of  him  till  they  actually  find  them- 
selves at  his  tribunal.  And  this  not  only 
when  they  are  cut  off  by  a  sudden  stroke, 
but  often  wiien  tiieir  dissolution  is  most  gra- 
dual, and  every  one  about  them  can  perceive 
its  approach  by  their  countenances;  they 
themselves,  though  wasting  with  disease, 
and  worn  out  with  pain,  still  flatter  them- 
selves with  hopes  of  amendment  and  recovery 
to  their  last  gasp;  and  a  lingering  death  is 
to  them  no  less  sudden  than  if  they  were 
killed  by  a  flash  of  lightning. 

III.  It  is  asked,  "  Who  may  abide  the  day 
of  his  coming!"  The  effect  is  compared  to  a 
refiner's  fire,  and  to  fuller's  soap.  The  re- 
finer's fire  penetrates  the  metal,  and  thereby 
searches,  discovers,  and  consumes  the  dross. 
The  fuller's  soap  also,  though  it  does  not 
destroy  the  te.xture  of  the  cloth,  cleanses  it, 
by  removing,  and  as  it  were  consuming  the 
spots  and  defilement  which  are  found  in  it. 
The  idea  conveyed  by  these  illustrations  is 
tiie  same.  The  day  of  his  coming  is  a  day 
of  trial,  a  trial  which  issues  in  the  purification 
of  the  work  of  God  in  his  church,  and  in  the 
detection  and  destruction  of  every  thing  in 
it  which  is  contrary  to  his  will. 

The  coining  of  Messiah  may  be  taken  in 
several  senses. 

To  the  Jews,  according  to  the  promise  of 
God  repeated  from  age  to  age,  he  came  in 
person.  The  Word  was  made  flesh,  and 
dwelt  among  them,  John  i.  12.  The  term  in 
tlie  original  alludes  to  the  visible  symbol  of 
the  divine  presence,  which  resided  in  the 
tabernacle  and  temple.  Thus  for  a  season 
he  resided  among  them,  in  a  temple  not  made 
with  hands,  but  farmed,  by  the  immediate 
agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  womb  of  a 
virgin.  This  was  a  liappy  time  to  those  who 
received  and  acknowledged  him.  But  the 
bulk  of  the  nation  could  not  abide  the*trial 
which  his  appearance  exposed  them  to,  they 
were  proved  by  it  to  be  but  reprobate  and 
counterfeit  silver.  The  thoughts  of  many 
hearts  were  revealed,  Luke  ii.  3.5.  Many 
specious  characters  were  detected.  The  pre- 
tended sanctity  and  outward  strictness  of  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  was  evidenced  to  be 
mere  hypocrisy,    lie  exposed  them  in  their 


true  colours,  and  upon  many  occasions  puJ 
them  to  shame  and  to  silence.  And  where 
his  word  did  not  cleanse  like  soap,  it  burnt 
like  fire,  and  the  persons  and  places  that  re- 
jected iiim  were  rendered  inexcusable.  Their 
great  privilege  of  seeing  his  wonderful  works, 
and  hearing  his  gracious  words,  being  abused, 
aggravated  their  guilt  and  condenmation,  and 
made  (heir  doom  lieavier  than  that  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah.  To  them  tlie  day  of  the  Lord, 
which  in  their  own  sense  they  professed  to 
desire  was  darkness,  and  not  light,  Amos  v. 
18.  If  he  had  not  come  and  spoken  to  thern 
himself,  they  had  not  had  sin,  John  xv.  22. 
That  is,  comparatively,  he  found  them  great 
sinners,  and  they  would  have  been  such  if 
he  had  not  visited  them.  But  after  he  had 
spoken  to  tiiem,  and  spoken  in  vain,  they  had 
no  cloak  for  their  sin.  From  that  time  they 
were  deprived  of  every  shadow  of  plea,  ex- 
cuse, or  extenuation.  And  all  their  former 
wickedness  was  light,  compared  with  the 
enormous  crime  they  were  guilty  of  m  re- 
jecting and  crucifying  the  Son  of  Gotl.  By 
refusing  him,  they  rendered  their  case  help- 
less and  hopeless,  because  there  is  no  other 
name  but  his,  given  among  men,  whereby 
they  may  be  saved.  But  he  cleansed  those 
who  received  him,  he  removed  their  guilt, 
their  fears,  their  ignorance.  He  gave  them 
a  clean  heart  and  a  new  spirit.  Yet  to  these 
also  he  was  as  a  refiner's  lire,  and  as  fuller's 
soap.  They  likewise  had  prejudices  and 
selfish  tempers,  which  were  not  at  once  re- 
moved. He  called  them  to  a  state  of  suffer- 
ing and  self-denial,  to  forsake  all,  and  to  take 
up  their  cross  daily  for  his  sake. 

In  another  sense,  his  coining  is  not  re- 
strained to  a  particular  time.  Wherever  his 
gospel  is  preached,  the  Lord  is  come.  It  is 
by  the  gospel  he  rides  forth  prosperously, 
conquering  and  to  conquer,  Psalm  xlv.  4. 
Thus  he  has  promised  to  be  present  with  his 
ministers,  and  wherever  two  or  three  are 
met  in  his  name,  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
Thus  he  is  come  to  us.  And  tlie  effects  are 
the  same  as  when  he  was  personally  upon 
earth.  His  gospel  still  discovers  the  tlioughts 
of  many  hearts.  Many  persons  who  till  then 
were  reputed  religious,  by  tlie  contempt  they 
cast  upon  this  wonderful  expedient  of  infinite 
wisdom  and  love  to  save  sinners,  manifest 
their  ignorance  and  hatred  of  the  law  and 
holiness  of  God,  and  that  the  religion  they 
pretend  to  is  an  empty  lifeless  form,  destitute 
of  love  and  power.  To  them,  though  in  itself 
a  savour  of  life,  it  proves  a  savour  of  death. 
It  provokes  their  enmity,  increases  their  ob- 
duracy, and  leaves  them  without  excuse. 
But  it  is  life  indeed  to  those  who  receive  it. 
They  are  raised  by  it  from  a  death  of  sin, 
unto  a  life  of  righteousness  and  peace.  Their 
tempers,  desires,  pursuits,  and  hopes  are 
changed  and  elevated.  Old  things  pass  away, 


SEK.  IV.J 


THE  LORD  COMING  TO  HIS  TEMPLE. 


229 


and  all  thinirs  become  new  to  them,  accord- 
ing as  it  is  written,  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ 
Jesus,  he  is  a  new  creature,"  2  Cor.  v.  17. 

lie  conies  to  individuals  by  the  power  of 
liis  Spirit.  This  makes  the  word  of  his  gos- 
pel effectual.  For  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not 
in  word  only,  but  in  power.  When  he  thus 
visits  the  hearts  of  sinners,  his  word  is  like 
fire  and  soap  ;  "quick  and  powerful,  sharper 
than  a  two-edged  sword,"  Heb.  iv.  12.  Then 
they  feel  and  tremble,  and  cry  out  with  the 
prophet,  "  Wo  is  me,  I  am  undone  !"  But  in 
this  way  their  dross  is  consumed,  their  de- 
filement removed.  When  he  thus  wounds, 
he  likewise  heals.  He  gives  them  faith ;  by 
faith  they  look  unto  him,  and  are  enlightened 
and  saved. 

We  surely  expect  that  he  will  come  again. 
Not  as  he  once  came,  in  a  state  of  humilia- 
tion. The  Babe  of  Bethlehem,  the  Man  of 
sorrows,  who  hung,  and  bled,  and  died  upon 
the  cross  for  our  sins,  will  return  in  glory. 
"  Behold,  he  cometh  in  the  clouds,  and  every 
eye  shall  see  him,"  Rev.  i.  7.  Concerning 
this  day,  emphatically  called  the  day  of  the 
Lord,  we  may  well  say,  "  Who  may  abide 
it  ?"  To  those  who  have  not  been  the  sub- 
jects of  his  refining  operations  here,  he  will 
•  then  be  a  consuming  fire.  That  great  day 
(for  which  all  other  days  were  made,)  "  when 
the  Lord  shall  descend  with  the  voice  of  the 
archangel  and  the  trump  of  God,  will  burn 
like  an  oven,  and  all  the  proud,  and  all  that 
do  wickedly,  shall  be  as  stubble,  and  the  day 
that  cometh  shall  burn  them  up,"  Mai.  iv.  1. 
Where,  then,  shall  the  impenitent  ungodly 
sinner  appear  ]  But  it  will  be  a  joyful  day  to 
them  that  love  his  appearing.  He  will  arise 
upon  them,  as  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  with 
healing  in  his  wings;  he  will  wipe  away 
their  tears,  vindicate  their  characters,  ac- 
knowledge them  before  an  assembled  world, 
and  say  unto  them,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my 
Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for 
you,"  Matth.  xxv.  :34. 

IV.  It  is  particularly  said,  "He  will  purify 
the  sons  of  Levi, — that  they  may  offer  unto 
the  Lord  an  offering  in  righteousness."  The 
sons  of  Levi,  the  priests,  the  officiating  min- 
isters of  God,  were  gone  out  of  the  way,  and 
had  corrupted  the  covenant  of  the  I^ord,  and 
thereby  had  caused  many  to  stumble,  Mai. 
ii.  8,  y.  They  dishonoured  their  office,  and 
becarae  themselves  vile  and  contemptible. 
Tlius  they  went  on  from  bad  to  worse,  till 
the  men  of  that  generation  filled  up  the  mea- 
sure of  the  iniquity  of  their  forefathers,  by 
the  rejection  of  Messiah.  He  also  rejected 
them.  The  blasted  barren  fig-tree,  (Matth. 
xxi.  19,)  vvhich  withered  to  the  very  root  at 
his  word,  was  an  emblem  of  their  condition. 
In  a  little  time,  wrath  came  upon  them  to 
the  uttermost ;  they  siiw  the  temple  in  which 
they  had  trusted,  and  which  they  had  profaned, 


destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  greater  part  of 
them  perished.    But  a  remnant  of  them  was 
purified.    We  read,  that  after  his  ascension, 
a  great  company  of  the  priests  were  obedient 
to  the  faith.  Acts  vi.  7.    And  his  apostles 
and  disciples  were  sent  forth  with  a  new 
spirit,  and  a  new  character,  to  offer  and  to 
serve  in  righteousness.    The  purport  of  this 
passage  has  been  repeatedly  exemplified  un- 
der the  christian  dispensation.    A  declension 
from  the  simplicity  and  purity  of  worship, 
principles,  and  morals,  was  visible  very  early 
in  the  church.  The  progress  of  it  was  rapid, 
especially  from  the  time  of  Constantine. 
When  persecution  ceased,  and  a  tide  of 
wealth  and  worldly  honours  flowed  in  upon 
those  who,  by  their  profession,  were  bound  tb 
be  patterns  of  humility  and  self-denial  to 
others;  from  that  period,  till  the  Reformation, 
ecclesiastical  history  affords  us  little  more 
than  a  detail  of  such  instances  of  pride,  in- 
trigue, o])pression,  and  cruelty,  under  the 
pretext  of  religion,  as  had  not  been  known 
among  the  heathens.  And  the  nations  which 
were  relieved  from  the  chains  and  darkness 
of  Popery  at  the  Reformation,  did  not  long 
preserve  much  more  than  a  name  and  a  form 
to  distinguish  them.    In  most  countries,  the 
state  became  the  idol  of  the  church,  and  the 
church  the  creature  of  the  state.    How  it  is 
with  us  in  this  nation,  I  need  not  say.  Facts 
speak  for  themselves.    It  is  a  mournful  fact, 
that  the  ministry  is  become  contemptible; 
nor  is  it  difficult  to  assign  the  cause.  But 
we  are  favoured  with  the  gospel,  and  are  eye- 
witnesses of  its  purifying  power.    It  still 
produces  the  effects  which  marked  its  pro- 
gress when  it  was  preached  by  the  apostles. 
It  enlightens  the  dark  mind,  softens  the  hard 
heart,  heals  the  wounded  spirit;  and  many 
persons  who  before  were  burdensome  to 
society,  are  rendered  by  it  ornamental  and 
useful.    When  every  other  argument  and 
motive  has  failed  of  success,  the  considera- 
tion of  the  mercies  of  God  in  Christ,  revealed 
by  the  gospel,  constrains  the  believing  sinner 
to  present  himself  a  living,  willing,  holy  sa- 
crifice unto  God.  Thus,  being  purified  by  the 
blood  of  Jesus,  he  offers  to  the  Lord  a  sacri- 
fice in  righteousness.    Such  principles  and 
aims  are  essential  to  a  christian  miniHter. 
He  knows  the  terrors  of  the  Lord,  and  has 
tasted  of  his  goodnes.s.    He  is  constrained 
by  love,  the  love  of  Christ,  and  the  love  of 
souls.   He  preaches,  as  tlie  apostle  did,  Jesns 
Christ,  and  him  crucified;  a  subject  which, 
thou<rh  despised  and  reproached  by  the  for- 
mal Jew  and  the  sceptical  Greek,  i.-<  evidenced 
by  its  efficacy  to  be  the  wis-dom  and  power 
of  (iod.    Such  ministers  nuiy  be,  and  fre- 
quently are,  depreciated  and  disregarded ;  but 
they  cannot  be  contepiptible,  until  integrity, 
benevolrnce,  and  usefulness,  are  the  proper 
objects  of  contempt. 


230  % 


IMMANUEL, 


[her.  v. 


SERMON  V.  I 

IMMANUEL. 

Behold  a  virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bear  a 
son,  and  shall  call  his  name  Immanuel, 
God  with  us. — Isaiah  vii.  14. 

There  is  a  signature  of  wisdom  and  power 
impressed  upion  the  works  of  God,  wiiich  evi- 
dently disting'uishes  them  from  the  feeble 
imitations  of  men.  Not  only  the  splendour 
of  the  sun,  but  the  jrlimmerinn;  liffht  of  the 
glow-worm,  proclaims  his  glory.  The  struc- 
ture and  growth  of  a  blade  of  grass  are  the 
effects  of  the  same  power  which  produced 
the  fabric  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  In 
his  word  likewise  he  is  inimitable.  He  has 
a  style  and  manner  peculiarly  his  own.  What 
he  is  pleased  to  declare  of  himself  by  the 
prophet,  may  be  prefixed  as  a  proper  motto 
to  the  whole  revelation  of  his  will  in  the 
Bible.  "  My  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts, 
neither  are  your  ways  my  ways,  saith  the 
Lord.  For  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than 
the  earth,  so  are  my  ways  higher  than  your 
ways,  and  my  thoughts  than  your  thoughts," 
Isa.  Iv.  8,  9.  This,  superiority  of  his  thoughts 
to  ours,  causes  a  proportionable  difference  in 
his  manner  of  operation.  His  ways  are  above 
our  conceptions,  and  often  contrary  to  them. 
He  sometimes  produces  great  effects  by 
means  which,  to  us,  appear  unsuitable  and 
weak.  Thus  ho  gave  Gideon  a  complete 
victory,  not  by  providing  him  an  army  equal 
to  that  of  the  enemy,  but  by  three  hundred 
men  furnished  with  earthen  pitchers  and 
lamps,  Judges  vii.  19,  20.  At  other  times 
the  greatness  of  his  preparations  intimates 
that  there  are  difficulties  in  the  case,  insu- 
perable to  any  power  but  his  own,  where  our 
narrow  apprehensions,  until  enlightened  and 
enlarged  by  his  teaching,  can  scarcely  per- 
ceive any  difficulty.  It  is  eminently  so  with 
respect  to  the  restoration  of  fallen  man  to  his 
favour.  We  have  but  slight  thoughts  of  his 
holiness,  and  therefore  are  but  slightly  affect- 
ed by  the  evil  of  sin.  But  though  he  be  rich 
in  mercy,  no  wisdom  but  his  own  could  have 
proposed  an  expedient  whereby  the  exercise 
of  his  mercy  towards  sinners  might  be  made 
to  correspond  with  his  justice  and  truth,  and 
with  the  honour  of  his  moral  government. 
His  gospel  reveals  this  expedient,  and  points 
out  a  way  in  which  mercy  and  truth  meet 
together;  and  his  inflexible  righteousness  is 
displayed  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  peace 
of  sinners  who  submit  to  his  appointment; 
and  thus  God  appears  not  only  gracious  but 
just,  in  receiving  them  to  favour.  This  is 
the  greatest  of  all  his  works,  and  exhibits 
the  most  glorious  discovery  of  his  character 
and  perfections.  The  means  are  answerable 
to  the  grandeur  of  the  design,  and  are  sum- 
marily expressed  in  my  text. 


I  shall  not  take  up  your  time  in  attempt- 
ing to  clear  the  difficulties  which  have  been 
observed  in  the  context.  It  may  suffice  for 
my  purpose  to  affirm,  that  this  passage  ex- 
pressly and  exclusively  refers  to  the  Messiah, 
for  which  my  warrant  is  the  authority  of  the 
evangelists  Matthew  and  Luke ;  (Matt.  i.  2:^ ; 
Luke  i.  .31,  32 ;)  who  directiy  apply  it  to  him, 
and  assure  us  that  it  was  accomplished  in 
him.  If  sinners  are  to  be  saved,  without  in- 
jury to  the  honour  of  his  law  and  government 
(and  otherwise  they  must  perish,)  two  things 
arc  necessary. 

I.  That  a  virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bring 
forth  a  son. 

II.  That  this  son  of  the  virgin  shall  have 
a  just  right  to  be  called  Immanuel,  God  with 
us. 

I.  A  virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bring  forth 
a  son.  The  Mediator,  the  surety  for  sinful 
men,  must  himself  be  a  man.  Because  those 
whom  he  came  to  redeem  were  partakers  of 
flesh  and  blood,  he  therefore  took  part  of  the 
same.  Had  not  Messiah  engaged  for  us,  and 
appeared  in  our  nature,  a  case  would  have 
occurred  which  I  think  we  may  warrantably 
deem  incongruous  to  the  divine  wisdom.  I 
mean,  that  while  fire  and  hail,  snow  and 
vapour,  and  the  stormy  wind,  fulfil  the  will 
of  God,  while  the  brutes  are  faitliful  to  the 
instincts  implanted  in  them  by  their  Maker, 
a  whole  species  of  intelligent  beings  would 
have  fallen  short  of  the  original  law  and  de- 
sign of  their  creation,  and  indeed  have  acted 
in  direct  and  continual  opposition  to  it.  For 
the  duty  of  man  to  love,  serve,  and  trust  God 
with  all  his  heart  and  mind,  and  to  love  his 
neighbour  as  himself,  is  founded  in  the  very 
nature  and  constitution  of  things,  and  neces- 
sarily results  from  his  relation  to  God,  and 
his  absolute  dependence  on  him  as  a  creature. 
Such  a  disposition  must  undoubtedly  have 
been  as  natural  to  man  before  his  fall,  as  it 
is  for  a  bird  to  fly,  or  a  fish  to  swim.  The 
prohibitory  form  of  the  law  delivered  to  Is- 
rael from  Mount  Sinai,  is  a  sufficient  intima- 
tion that  it  was  designed  for  sinners.  Surely 
our  first  parents,  while  in  a  state  of  inno- 
cence, could  not  stand  in  need  of  warnings 
and  threatening  to  restrain  them  from  wor- 
shipping idols,  or  profaning  the  name  of  the 
great  God  whom  they  loved.  Nor  would  it 
have  been  necessary  to  forbid  murder,  adul- 
tery, or  injustice,  if  his  posterity  had  con- 
tinued under  the  law  of  their  creation,  the 
law  of  love.  But  the  first  act  of  disobedience 
degraded  and  disabled  man,  detached  him 
from  his  proper  centre,  if  I  may  so  speak, 
and  incapacitated  him  both  for  his  duty  and 
his  happiness.  After  his  fa.l,  it  became  im- 
possible for  either  Adam  or  his  posterity  to 
obey  the  law  of  God.  But  Messiah  fulfilled 
it  exactly,  as  a  man,  and  me  principles  of  it 
are  renewed,  by  the  power  oi  his  grace,  in  all 
who  believe  on  him.    And  though  tlieir  best 


SF.R.  v.] 


IMMANUEL 


231 


endeavours  fall  short,  his  ohedience  to  it  is 
accepted  on  their  behalf,  and  he  will  al 
lon:;-tli  )5crfectly  restore  them  to  their  primi- 
tive order  and  honour.  When  they  shall 
see  him  as  he  is,  they  will  be  like  him,  and 
air  their  powers  and  faculties  will  be  per- 
fectly conformed  to  his  imanrc. 

Again,  IMsssiah  must  not  only  be  a  man, 
but  a  p,irt:iker  of  our  very  nature.  It  had 
been  eipially  easy  to  the  power  of  God  to  have 
formed  the  body  of  the  second  Adam,  as  he 
formed  the  first,  out  of  the  dust  of  the  earth. 
But  thoug-h,  in  this  way,  he  would  have  been 
a  true  and  perfect  man,  he  would  not  have 
been  more  nearly  related  to  us  than  to  the 
ann'els.  Thercf  )re,  when  God  sent  forth  his 
Son  to  be  made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  us 
from  the  curse  of  the  law,  that  we  might  re- 
ceive the  adoption  of  cliildren,  (Gal.  iv.  4,  5,) 
and  be  re-admitted  into  his  happy  family,  he 
was  made  of  a  woman.  Thus  he  became  our 
Gocl,  our  near  kinsman,  with  whom  the 
right  of  redemption  lay. 

But  farther,  if  he  had  derived  his  human 
nature  altogether  in  the  ordinary  way,  from 
sinful  parents,  we  see  not  how  he  could  have 
avoided  a  pirticipation  in  that  defilement 
and  depravity  which  tlie  fall  of  Adam  had 
entailed  upon  all  his  posterity.  But  his  body, 
that  holy  thing,  conceived  and  born  of  a  vir- 
gin, was  the  immediate  production  of  God. 
Therefore  he  was  perfi'ctly  pure  and  spotles.s, 
and  qualified  to  be  such  a  high  priest  as 
became  us,  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and 
separate  from  sinners;  (Heb.  vii.  26;)  who 
needed  not,  as  tiie  typical  high-priests  of 
Israi'l,  to  offer  up  sacrifice,  first  for  his  own 
sin,  and  then  for  the  sins  of  the  people,  Ileb. 
vii.  "27.  These  difficulties  were  obviated  by  a 
virgin's  conceiving  and  bearing  a  son.  His 
obedience  was  witiiout  defect,  his  nature 
v.'ilhout  blemish,  and,  having  no  sin  of  his 
own,  when  he  voluntarily  ofl!ered  himself  to 
make  an  atonement  for  the  sins  of  his  people, 
his  sacrifice  was,  so  far,  answerable  to  the 
strict  and  extensive  demands  of  the  law  and 
justice  of  Go  1. 

Let  us  make  a  solemn  pause,  and  call  upon 
our  -souls  to  admire  and  adore  the  wisdom  and 
povvei  of  God  in  this  appointment.  Thus 
the  Lord  created  a  new  thing  upon  the 
earth ! 

H.  But  surely  our  admiration  and  gratitude 
will  be  rnise  1  still  hicfher,  if  we  rightly  un- 
derstanil  the  latter  part  of  my  te.xt.  This  son 
of  the  virgin  shall  be  called  Immanuel,  God 
with  us.  Though  t'le  human  nature  of  Christ 
was  absolutely  perfect,  his  obedience  com- 
mensurate to  the  utmost  extent  of  the  law, 
and  his  substitution  and  sufferings  for  sinners 
voluntary,  yet,  had  he  been  no  more  than  a 
man,  he  would  not  have  been  equal  to  the 
great  undertaking  of  saving  sinners.  A  due 
consideration  of  the  majesty,  holiness,  au- 
thority, and  goodness  of  God  will  make  sin 


appear  to  be,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  ex- 
ceedingly sinful,  Rom.  vii.  I'S.  Whoever  has 
a  right  sense  of  the  nature  and  effects  of  that 
rebellion  against  the  Most  High,  which  the 
scripture  intends  by  the  term  sin,  will  not 
need  many  arguments  to  convince  him  that 
the  Mediator  between  God  and  man  must  be 
possessed  of  such  dignity  and  power  as  can- 
not be  attributed  to  a  creature  without  de- 
stroying the  idea  of  a  created  and  dependent 
being,  by  ascribing  to  him  those  perfections 
which  arc  incommunicably  divine. 

If  Messiah  had  been  a  sinless  and  perfect 
man,  and  no  more,  he  might  have  yielded  a 
complete  obedience  to  the  will  of  God,  but  it 
could  have  been  only  for  himself  The  most 
excellent  and  exalted  creature  cannot  e.xceed 
the  law  of  his  creation.  As  a  creature,  he  is 
bound  to  serve  God  with  his  all,  and  his  obli- 
gations will  always  be  equal  to  his  ability. 
But  an  obedience  acceptable  and  available 
for  others,  for  thousands  and  millions,  for  all 
who  are  willing  to  plead  it,  must  be  con- 
nected with  a  nature  which  is  not  thus  ne- 
cessarily bound.  A  sinner,  truly  convinced 
of  his  obnoxiousness  to  the  displeasure  of 
God,  must  sink  into  despair,  notwithstanding 
the  intimation  of  a  Saviour,  if  he  were  not 
assured  by  the  scripture  that  it  was  a  divine 
person  in  the  human  nature  who  engaged  for 
us.  It  is  this  alone  affords  a  solid  ground  for 
hope,  to  know  that  he  who  was  before  all,  by 
whom  all  things  were  made,  and  by  whom 
they  consist,  assumed  the  nature  of  man ; 
that  the  great  Lawgiver  himself  submitted 
to  be  under  his  own  law.  This  wonderful 
condescension  gave  an  immense  value  and 
flignity  to  all  that  he  did,  to  all  that  he  suf- 
fered :  thus  he  not  only  satisfied  but  honoured 
the  law.  So  that  we  may,  without  hesitation, 
affirm,  that  the  law  of  God  was  more  honoured 
by  Messiah,  in  his  obedience  to  it,  during  the 
few  years  of  his  residence  upon  earth,  and 
terminated  by  his  last  and  highest  act  of 
obedience  in  submitting  to  the  death  of  the 
cross,  than  it  could  have  been  by  the  unsin- 
ning  obedience  of  all  mankind  to  the  end  of 
time. 

But  Messiah  was  not  only  to  obey  the  law 
for  us,  but  he  was  likewise  to  expiate,  to  sus- 
tain, and  to  exhaust  the  curse  due  to  sin, 
Gal.  iii.  13.  In  this  attempt,  no  mere  crea- 
ture could  have  endured.  Nor  could  the  suf- 
ferings of  a  creature  have  been  proposed  to 
the  universe,  to  angels,  and  men,  as  a  con- 
sideration suflicient  to  vindicate  the  righ- 
teousness and  truth  of  God  in  the  remission 
of  sin,  after  he  had  determined  and  solemnly 
declared  that  the  wages  of  sin  is  death.  The 
apostle  assures  us  that  it  is  impossible  for  the 
blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats  to  take  away  sin, 
Heb.  X.  4.  They  who  differ  from  the  apostle 
in  their  j\idgment,  who  think  it  very  possible 
for  God,  if  he  pleased,  to  forgive  the  sinner 
who  should  offer  a  bull  or  a  goat,  or  even 


232 


IMMANUEL. 


[SER.  V, 


without  any  offering',  by  the  sovereign  exer- 
cise of  his  mercy,  may  be  reminded  that  tlie 
question  is  not  simply  what  God  can  do,  but 
what  it  becomes  him  to  do,  agreeable  to  his 
perfections,  and  to  his  character  as  governor 
of  the  world.  Of  this  his  infinite  wisdom  is 
the  only  competent  judge ;  and  we  learn 
from  his  word,  that  it  is  impossible  any  blood, 
but  that  of  his  own  Son,  can  cleanse  us  from 
guilt,  or  save  us  from  misery.  The  blood  of  a 
bull  or  a  goat,  of  a  man  or  an  angel,  (if  an- 
gels could  bleed,)  are  all  equally  insufficient 
to  the  great  purpose  of  declaring  his  righ- 
teousness, of  manifesting  to  all  intelligent 
creatures  his  infle.xible  displeasure  against 
Bin,  in  the  very  act  of  affording  mercy  to  sin- 
ners. But  since  the  atoning  blood  is  the  blood 
of  Immanuel,  of  him  who  is  God  with  us ;  the 
sinner  who  makes  it  his  plea,  builds  his  hope 
upon  a  rock  which  cannot  be  removed;  and 
obtaining  forgiveness  in  this  way,  he  likewise 
obtains  by  it  such  a  knowledge  of  the  hein- 
ousness  of  sin,  as  disposes  him  from  that  hour 
to  fear,  hate,  and  forsake  it. 

But  though  forgiveness  be  an  essential 
part  of  salvation,  it  is  not  the  whole.  We 
cannot  be  happy,  except  the  power  of  sin  be 
likewise  destroyed.  A  well-grounded  hope 
in  the  mercy  of  God,  is  connected  with  a 
thirst  for  sanctiiication,  and  a  conformity  to 
his  image.  But  neither  this  hope  nor  this 
desire  is  natural  to  us.  Our  case  requires  the 
help  of  an  almighty  arm,  of  the  power  which 
can  cause  the  blind  to  see,  the  deaf  to  hear, 
the  dead  to  arise ;  which  can  take  away  the 
heart  of  stone,  and  create  a  heart  of  flesh.  So 
likewise  the  difficulties  attendant  on  our 
christian  profession,  arising  from  the  spirit 
of  the  world  around  us,  the  snares  to  which 
we  are  exposed  in  every  situation,  our  weak- 
ness, the  deceitfulness  of  our  hearts,  the 
subtilty,  vigilance,  and  power  of  our  spi- 
ritual enemies,  are  so  many  and  great,  that 
unless  he,  on  whom  we  depend  for  salvation, 
be  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost,  we  can  have 
no  security,  either  for  our  progress,  or  our 
perseverance,  in  the  grace  of  God.  Unless 
the  Saviour  of  sinners  be  omnipresent,  omni- 
scient, unchangeable,  "  the  same  yesterday, 
to-day,  and  for  ever;"  that  is,  unless  he  be 
God,  how  can  he  answer  the  prayers,  satisfy 
the  wants,  and  relieve  the  distresses  of  all 
who  trust  in  him  in  every  age,  and  of  all  who 
in  every  place  equally  need  his  support  at 
the  same  moment !  Or  how  can  he  engage 
to  give  rest  to  every  weary  soul,  to  secure 
them  from  perishing,  and  to  bestow  upon 
them  eternal  life !  David  comfortably  con- 
cluded, that  because  the  Lord  was  his  shep- 
herd, he  should  not  want,  and  had  no  reason 
to  fear,  (Psalm  xxiii.  1,  4,)  not  even  when 
passing  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
death.  To  us  Jesus  is  made  known  as  the 
great  shepherd  of  the  sheep;  but  how  can  we 
place  the  like  confidence  in  him,  unless  we 


likewise  are  assured  that  our  shepherd  is  the 
Lord? 

1  shall  not  attempt  to  vindicate  this  doc- 
trine largely  from  the  exceptions  of  those 
who  call  themselves  men  of  reason.  It  is  a 
point  of  revelation,  and  it  is  expressly  re- 
vealed. It  demands  our  assent  upon  the  au- 
thority of  God,  who  requires  us  to  receive 
this  record  which  he  has  given  us  of  his  Son. 
Tlius  far  it  approves  itself  to  our  reason,  that 
however  difficult  it  may  be  to  our  concep- 
tions, yet  thus  it  must  be,  upon  a  supposition 
that  sinners  can  be  saved  without  prejudice 
to  the  honour  of  the  divine  government.  If 
we  affirm,  that  he  who  was  born  in  a  stable, 
and  suffered  as  a  malefactor  upon  Mount 
Calvary,  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life, 
many  will  think  it  a  hard  saying.  But  it  is 
the  doctrine  of  scripture,  the  very  pillar  and 
ground  of  truth;  the  only  foundation  of  hope 
for  an  awakened  conscience,  the  only  standard 
by  which  we  can  properly  estimate  the  evil 
of  sin,  the  worth  of  the  soul,  and  the  love  of 
God.  We  do  not,  however,  say,  that  the  hu- 
man nature  of  Christ,  considered  in  itself, 
possesses  the  attributes  of  Deity,  or  is  the 
proper  object  of  worship ;  nor  do  we  suppose 
that  God  could  suffer,  bleed,  or  die.  But  we 
say  with  the  apostle,  "  that  God  was  in  Christ 
reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,"  2  Cor. 
v.  19.  We  believe  that  the  human  nature 
was  so  intimately  and  indissolubly  united  to 
the  divine,  that  the  properties  and  actings  of 
each  nature  are  ju.'^tly  ascribed  to  the  one 
per.son  of  Christ,  God-man,  Immanuel,  God 
with  us.  Thus  we  read  that  the  final  judg- 
ment of  the  world  is  committed  to  a  man, 
and  that  (jod  hath  purchased  his  church  with 
his  01071  blood.  Acts  xvii.  31;  xx.  28. 

Behold  then  the  character  of  Messiah  in 
this  prophecy  !  a  man  !  a  God  !  a  di\'ine  per- 
son in  the  human  nature !  God  manifested  in 
the  flesh  !  Immanuel,  God  with  us ! 

As  fallen  creatures,  we  had  lost  the  true 
knowledge  of  God,  and  were  unable  to  form 
such  conceptions  of  his  greatness  and  good- 
ness, as  are  necessa^ry  to  inspire  us  with 
reverence,  to  engage  our  confidence,  or  pro- 
duce obedience  to  his  will.  His  glory  shines 
in  the  heavens  and  fills  the  earth ;  we  are 
surrounded  by  the  tokens  of  his  power  and 
presence;  yet,  till  we  are  ins-tructed  by  his 
word,  and  enlightened  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  he 
is  to  us  an  unknown  God.  The  prevalence 
of  idolatry  was  early,  and  (with  an  exception 
to  the  people  of  Israel)  soon  became  univer- 
sal. Men  who  boasted  of  their  reason,  wor- 
shipped the  sun  and  moon,  yea,  the  works  of 
their  own  hands,  instead  of  the  Creator.  And 
even  where  revelation  is  vouchsafed,  the  bulk 
of  mankind  live  without  God  in  the  world. 
But  he  is  known,  trusted,  and  served,  by 
those  who  know  Messiah.  To  them  his  glory 
is  displayed  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ, 
2  Cor.  iv.  6.  His  agency  is  perceived  in  the 


■ER.  v.] 


IMMANUEL. 


233 


creation,  liis  providence  is  acknowledged,  and 
his  presence  f'olt  as  God  witli  us. 

As  fallen  creatures,  (Jod  is  against  us,  and 
we  arc  against  him.  The  alienation  of  our 
hearts  is  the  great  cause  of  our  ignorance 
of  him.  We  are  willingly  ignorant.  The 
thoughts  of  him  are  unwelcome  to  us,  and  we 
do  not  like  to  retain  him  in  our  knowledge. 
Guilt  is  tlie  parent  of  atheism.  A  secret  fore- 
boding, that  if  there  be  a  God,  we  are  obnox- 
iou.s  to  his  displeasure  ;  and  that  if  he  takes 
cognizance  of  our  conduct,  we  have  nothing 
to  hope,  but  every  thing  to  fear  from  him, 
constrains  many  persons  to  try  to  persuade 
themselves  that  there  is  no  God ;  and  many 
more  to  think,  or  at  least  to  wish,  that  if 
there  be  a  God,  he  does  not  concern  himself 
with  human  affairs.  What  a  proof  is  this  of 
the  enmity  of  the  heart  of  man  against  him  ; 
that  so  many  persons  who  would  tremble  at 
the  thought  of  being  in  a  ship,  driven  by  the 
winds  and  waves,  without  compass  or  pilot, 
should  yet  think  it  desirable,  if  it  were  pos- 
sible, to  be  assured,  that  in  a  world  like  this, 
so  full  of  uncertainty,  trouble,  and  change,  all 
things  were  left  at  random,  without  the  in- 
terference of  a  supreme  governor  !  But  this 
enmity,  these  dark  apprehensions,  are  re- 
moved, when  the  gospel  is  received  by  faith. 
For  it  brings  us  the  welcome  news,  that 
there  is  forgiveness  with  him ;  that  God  is 
reconciled  in  his  Son  to  all  who  seek  his 
mercy.  In  this  sense,  likewise,  Messiah  is 
Immanuel,  God  with  us,  on  our  side,  no  longer 
the  avenger  of  sin,  but  the  author  of  salvation. 

Immanuel  is  God  with  us,  God  in  our 
nature  still.  He  suffered  as  a  man,  and  as  a 
man  he  now  reigns  on  the  throne  of  glory ; 
exercising  all  power  and  authority,  and  re- 
ceiving all  spiritual  worship  both  in  heaven 
and  upon  earth.  He  is  the  head  of  all  princi- 
palities and  powers,  thrones  and  dominions. 
Thus  man  is  not  only  saved,  but  un.speakably 
honoured  and  ennobled.  He  is  brought  into 
the  nearest  relation  to  him,  who  is  over  all 
blessed  for  ever.  The  angels  adore  him ; 
only  redeemed  sinners  can  say,  "  He  loved 
us,  and  gave  himself  for  us;  he  has  washed 
us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood  ;"  (Gal.  ii. 
20;  Rev.  i.  5;)  he  is  our  Saviour,  our  shep- 
herd, our  Immanuel,  God  with  us. 

I  shall  conclude  with  a  few  obvious  reflec- 
tions which  offer  from  this  important  subject. 

I.  Wliat  a  cold  assent  is  paid  to  the  doc- 
trine of  the  (iodhead  of  Christ  by  many  who 
profess  and  receive  it  as  a  truth  !  They  have 
received  from  viducation,  from  books  or  mi- 
nisters, what  is  called  an  orthodox  scheme  of 
religions  sentiments,  and  with  this  they  are 
contented.  They  have  not  been  accustomed 
to  doubt  of  it,  and  therefore  take  it  for  granted 
that  they  really  believe  it.  But  as  I  have 
already  hinted,  it  is  so  contrary  to  our  natu- 
ral apprehensions,  that  no  man  can,  from  his 
heart,  say  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  unless  he 

Vol.  il.  2  G 


be  taught  of  God.  And  a  cordial  belief  of 
this  point  will  and  must  produce  great  and 
abiding  effects.  They  who  know  the  Sa- 
viour's name,  will  so  trust  in  him,  as  to  re- 
nounce every  other  ground  of  confidence. 
They  will  love  him  supremely,  and  forsake 
every  thing  that  stands  in  competition  with 
his  favour.  They  will  glory  in  his  cross,  they 
will  espouse  his  cause,  and  devote  themselves 
to  his  service.  They  will  make  continual  ap- 
plication to  him,  that  they  may  receive  out 
of  his  fulness  grace  according  to  their  need. 
They  will  obey  his  precepts,  and  walk  in  hia 
Spirit.  Happy  were  it,  indeed,  if  all  who 
join  in  repeating  the  Creed,  and  who  bow 
their  knee  at  the  mention  of  his  name,  were 
thus  minded.  But  the  lives,  tempers,  and 
pursuits  of  thousands,  give  too  sure  an  evi- 
dence, that  when  they  express  their  assent 
with  their  lips,  they  neither  know  what  they 
say,  nor  whereof  they  affirm.  Their  acknow- 
ledgment of  his  character,  has  no  more  salu- 
tary influence,  than  that  of  the  evil  spirits 
when  he  was  upon  earth,  who  said,  and  per- 
haps with  a  much  fuller  conviction,  "  We 
know  thee  who  thou  art,  the  holy  one  of 
God,"  Mark  i.  24. 

2.  What  a  strong  foundation  does  this  doc- 
trine afford  for  the  faith  and  hope  of  those 
who  indeed  know  Messiah,  and  have  put 
their  trust  in  him!  This  truth  is  the  rock 
upon  which  the  church  is  built,  and  the  gates 
of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it.  "  If  God 
be  for  us,  who  shall  be  against  us  1"  The 
difficulties  of  our  warfare  are  great,  the  ene- 
mies of  our  peace  are  many.  The  world  may 
frown,  and  Satan  will  rage,  but  Jesus  has 
overcome  the  world,  and  is  greater  than  all 
our  foes.  He  will  guide  his  people  with  his 
unerring  wisdom,  support  them  with  his 
almighty  arm,  supply  them  out  of  the  inex- 
haustible riches  of  his  grace,  revive  them 
when  fainting,  heal  them  when  wounded, 
plead  for  them  above  as  their  great  high  priest, 
manage  for  them  upon  earth  as  their  great 
shepherd,  and  at  last  make  them  more  than 
conquerors,  and  give  them  a  crown  of  life. 

3.  On  the  contrary,  how  dreadful  must  be 
the  state  of  those  who  finally  reject  him,  and 
say  in  their  hearts,  "We  will  not  have  this 
man  to  rule  over  us  I"  He  is  now  proposed 
as  a  Saviour,  he  invites  sinners  to  come  to 
him,  that  they  may  have  life,  and  assures  us, 
"that  him  that  cometh  he  will  in  nowise  cast 
out,"  John  vi.  .H7.  Happy  are  they  who  hear 
and  obey  his  voice  to-day,  while  it  is  called 
to-day.  To-morrow  is  uncertain.  Death  may 
be  at  the  door,  and  at  death  our  state  will  be 
determined  for  eternity.  They  who  refuse 
him  now,  in  the  character  of  a  Saviour,  must 
then  appear  at  his  tribunal,  and  stand  before 
him  as  their  Judge;  and  must  answer,  in 
their  own  persons,  for  all  their  transgressions 
of  the  holy  law,  and  for  their  contempt  of  the 
gospel  of  the  grace  of  God. 


234 


SALVATION 


PUBLISHED 


[8ER.  VV. 


SERMON  VI. 

SALVATION  PUBLISHED  FROM  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

0  Zioii,  thnt  bringpst  f^ond  tidinffs,  get  thee 
lip  into  the  high  7iwimtnit}s :  O  J/riisa- 
lem,  that  hringest  good  tidings,  lift  up 
thi/  voice  ii'ith  strengtlL,  lift  it  up,  be  nut 
afraid :  say  unto  the  cities  of  Judah,  Be- 
hold your  God .' — Isaiah  xl.  9. 

It  would  be  improper  to  propose  an  altera- 
tion, tliouo  li  a  slijrht  one,  in  the  reading'  of  a 
text,  without  beariiio'  my  testimony  to  the 
great  value  ff  our  Eno-li.sli  version,  which  I 
believe,  in  jxiiiit  of  simplicity,  strength,  and 
fidelity  is  not  likely  to  be  excelled  by  a  new 
translation  of  the  whole  scriptures.  But  there 
are  undoubtedly  particular  passages  where  a 
small  change  in  the  expression  might  render 
the  sense  clearer,  and  be  equally  answerable 
to  the  original  Hebrew  or  Greek.  The  ad- 
dress of  tiiis  verse  as  it  stands  in  the  Messiah 
is,  "  O  thou  that  tellest  good  tidings,"  &ic.  as 
the  Bishop  of  London  has  lately  translated  it. 
Zion  and  Jerusalem  are  considered  by  the 
prophet,  not  as  brino'lnu',  but  as  receiving 
good  tidings  ;  and  the  publisher  of  these  good 
tidings  is  written  with  a  feminine  construc- 
tion. The  sense  may  be  thus  expressed, 
"  Let  iier  that  bringeth  good  tidings  to  Jeru- 
salem and  Zion,  get  up  into  the  high  moun- 
tains and  lift  up  her  voice."  But  the  apostro- 
phe is  more  animated.  That  it  was  the 
custom  in  Israel  for  the  women  to  publish 
and  celebrate  good  news  with  songs  and  in- 
struments is  well  known.  We  have  an  early 
instance  in  the  book  of  Exodus.  When  the 
Lord  had  delivered  them  from-the  power  of 
Pharaoh,  and  they  saw  their  enemies,  who 
had  so  lately  threatened  them,  dead  upon  the 
sea  shore,  Miriam,  the  sister  of  Aaron,  took 
a  timbrel  in  her  hand,  and  all  the  women 
went  out  after  her  with  timbrels  and  with 
dances;  and  Miriam  answered  them,  "Sing 
ye  to  the  Lord,  for  he  hath  triumphed  glori- 
ously :  the  horse  and  his  rider  hath  he  thrown 
into  the  sea,"  Exod.  xv.  20,  21.  So  after- 
wards, when  David  returned  from  the  slaugh- 
ter of  the  Philistines,  the  women  came  out 
to  meet  him  and  Saul,  with  tabrets  and  in- 
struments of  music;  and  they  answered  one 
another  as  they  played,  "  Saul  hath  slain  his 
thou.-:ands,  and  David  his  ten  thousands," 

1  SauL  xviii.  6,  7.  Thus  likewise  Deborah, 
in  her  sublime  song,  represents  the  mother 
of  Sisera  (Judges  v.  28,  29)  and  her  women 
sinsring  alternately,  from  a  confident,  though 
vain  expectation,  that  Sisera  would  return  a 
conijueror.  In  my  text,  the  prophet,  in  pros- 
pect of  Messiah's  appearance,  speaks  of  it  as 
an  event  suited  to  excite  a  general  joy.  The 
gospel  (as  the  word  imports)  is  good  news, 
glad  tidings  indeed  !  the  best  news  that  ever 
readied  the  ears,  or  cheered  the  heart  of 


man.  The  women  are  therefore  called  upon 
to  proclaim  his  approach,  on  the  tops  of  the 
hills  and  mountains,  from  v.  henco  they  n;ay 
be  seen  and  heard  to  the  greatest  advantage, 
for  the  spreading  of  the  tidings  throughout 
the  whole  country.  Zion  is  as  a  besieged 
city,  but  let  her  know  that  relief  is  at  hand; 
say  unto  her,  "  Behold  your  God  I"  The 
Lord  God  will  come  with  a  .«trong  hnnd,  or 
against  the  strong  one,  and  his  people  ?hall 
know  him  as  their  shepherd,  full  of  care, 
kindness,  and  power. 

The  promise  of  Iminanuel,  God  v.'ith  us,  is 
now  to  be  spread  like  the  morning  from  the 
tops  of  the  mountains.  The  day  is  breaking, 
and  this  passage  prepares  for  the  following, 
"  Arise,  shine,  for  thy  light  is  come!"  The 
welcome  news  is  to  be  dispersed  from  Jeru- 
salem to  Samaria,  from  Jew  to  Gentile,  from 
one  kingdom  to  another  people,  till  all  the 
nations  and  ends  of  the  earth  shall  see  the 
salvation  of  God,  Psalm  xcviii.  3. 

The  cau.se  of  this  exultation  arises  from  the 
character  of  Messiah,  compared  with  the  de- 
sign of  his  appearance,  and  this  is  answerable 
to  the  condition  in  which  he  finds  mankind. 

The  deplorable  state  of  fallen  man  by  na- 
ture is  largely  described  both  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament and  in  the  New.  It  may  suffice  to 
take  notice  of  three  principal  features  which 
characterise  our  whole  species,  and  apply  to 
every  individual  of  the  race  of  -Adam,  until 
the  grace  of  God,  which  bringeth  snlvalion, 
affords  relief  These  are  guilt,  alienation  of 
heart,  and  misery. 

1.  Guilt. — All  have  sinned.  We  are  the 
creatures  of  God.  He  made  us,  and  lie  jire- 
serves  us.  Our  life,  faculties,  and  comforts 
*re  all  from  him.  He  is  therefore  our  great 
Lord,  our  supreme  benefactor.  Of  course  u  e 
belong  to  him.  His  we  are,  and  not  our  ov.  n. 
It  follows,  that  dependence,  gratitude,  sub- 
mission, and  o!;edieiice  are  incumbent  on  us, 
as  they  must  be  upon  all  intelligent  crea- 
tures, from  the  very  nature  of  things.  The 
relation  which  subsists  between  an  infinitely 
wise  and  good  Creator  and  his  creatures,  if 
capable  of  knowing  him,  necessarily  implies 
this  subjection;  and  the  obligation  is  indis- 
soluble. But  we  have  evidently  broken  this 
law  of  our  creation.  We  have  violated  the 
order  of  God's  government.  We  have  im- 
plicitly, if  not  formally,  renounced  our  alle- 
giance, disowned  his  right  over  us,  and  set 
up  for  ourselves.  A  dependent  creature  af- 
fecting independence;  a  worm  presuming 
upon  its  own  power,  making  itself  its  own 
end  ;  a  rebel  against  the  divine  government, 
boasting  of  morality  and  goodness,  and  trust- 
in:,'-  to  his  own  conduct  to  recommend  him  to 
the  favour  of  his  Maker;  a  being  formed  for 
immortality,  proposing  his  whole  happiness 
in  things  which  he  feels  to  be  unsatisfying, 
knows  to  be  uncertain,  and  from  which  he  is 
conscious  he  must,  in  a  few  years  at  most,  be 


SER.  VI.] 


FROM  THE  MOUNTAINS. 


235 


finally  removed :  these  are  solecisms  which 
Klrori'/ly  prove  the  depravity,  degeneracy, 
and  demerit  of  m:in.  It  is  possible  that,  had 
we  l)een  wholly  left  to  ourselves,  we  should 
never  have  been  aware,  while  in  tiiis  world, 
of  the  juot  and  inevitable  consequences  of  our 
rebellion,  llavini;-  lost  all  right  tlioug'hts  of 
God,  an  1  conceiving  of  him,  as  if  he  were 
altogether  like  ourselves,  we  might  have  felt 
neitiier  fear  nor  remorse.  But  there  is  a  re- 
velation, by  which  we  are  informed  of  his 
determined  purpose  to  avenge  disobedience, 
and  to  vindicate  the  honour  of  his  govern- 
nif'nt ;  and  we  are  assured  that  he  is  not  an 
inditferont  spectator  of  our  opposition  to  his 
established  order.  His  justice  and  truth  are 
engaged  to  punish  transgressors,  and  our  ob- 
noxiousness  to  punishment  is  what  we  mean 
by  guilt.  If  the  scripture  be  true  tiiere  is  no 
way  of  escape,  unless  he  himself  be  pleased 
to  appoint  one.  This  he  has  done,  and  the 
declaration  of  this  appointment  is  a  part  of 
the  good  tidings  contained  in  my  te.xt.  Pro- 
claim it  from  the  tops  of  the  mountains  that 
there  is  forgiveness  with  him.  Say  unto  Jeru- 

'  salem.  Behold  Messiah  !  Behold  your  God  ! 
He  comes  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of 
himself,  Heb.  i.x.  26.  He  can  do  it,  for  he  is 
God ;  and  he  will  do  it,  for  he  has  taken  on 

'  him  our  nature  for  this  very  purpose,  2  Cor. 
V.  21.  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world  ! 

2.  Alienation  of  mind. — Not  only  is  it  true 
that  we  have  sinned  against  the  Lord,  but  a 
principle  of  aversion  from  him  is  deeply  root- 
ed in  our  hearts.  Therefore  one  part  of  our 
natural  ciiaracter  is,  haters  of  God,  Rom.  i. 
30.  This  is  thought  a  hard  saying.  Many 
who  will  admit  that  their  conduct  is  blame- 
able,  and  that  they  are  not  altogether  what 
they  ought  to  be,  will  by  no  means  plead 
guilty  to  this  charge.  If  they  fall  short  of 
their  duty,  and  in  some  instances  transgress 
his  commandments,  they  say  it  is  their  infir- 
mity, they  are  sorry,  and  hope  to  do  better 
some  time  or  other.  However,  they  are 
willing  to  think  that  their  hearts  are  tolera- 
bly good,  they  mean  well,  and  are  shocked  at 
the  idea  of  hating  God.  They  rather  presume 
that  they  love  him,  though  they  are  not  so 
careful  to  please  him  as  they  should  be.  I 
do  not  assert  that  we  hate  God  under  that 
character  which  our  vain  imaginations  form 
of  him.  If  we  can  persuade  ourselves,  in 
direct  contradiction  to  the  testimony  of 
scripture,  that  he  is  not  strict  to  mark  what 
is  amiss;  that  he  will  dispense  with  the 
strictness  of  his  law ;  that  he  will  surely 
have  mercy  upon  us,  because  we  are  not 
openly  abandoned  and  profligate  in  our  con- 
duct ;  that  he  will  accept  of  lip-worship,  in 
which  the  heart  has  no  corcern,  reward  us 
for  actions  in  which  we  had  no  intention  of 
pleasing  him,  permit  us  to  love  and  serve 
the  world  with  all  our  mind,  and  soul,  and 


strength,  while  we  live,  and  make  us  happy 
in  another  world,  when  we  can  live  in  this 
no  longer.  If  we  form  such  an  image  of  God, 
it  is  too  much  like  our  own  to  provoke  our 
enmity,  for  it  is  destitute  of  holiness,  justice, 
and  truth.  But  the  carnal  mind  is  and  must 
be  enmity  against  God,  (Rom.  viii.  7,)  accord- 
ing to  the  character  he  has  given  of  himself 
in  his  word.  We  have  a!i  inbred'  dislike  to 
all  his  moral  attributes,  to  the  rule  of  his 
government,  and  to  the  methods  of  his  grace. 
We  cannot,  that  is,  we  will  not  propose  either 
his  glory  as  our  chief  end,  or  his  favour  as 
our  chief  good.  The  proof  is  plain.  The 
ends  which  we  actually  pursue  and  the  sup- 
posed good  which  we  deliberately  prefer,  are 
utterly  inconsistent  with  the  plan  which  he 
has  prescribed  for  us.  His  ways,  though 
truly  pleasant  in  themselves,  appear  un  pi  eas- 
ing to  us,  and  we  think  we  can  plan  better 
for  ourselves.  We  do  not  like  to  retain  God 
in  our  thoughts,  (Rom.  i.  28,)  which  is  a  sure 
sign  of  enmity.  Nay,  this  enmity  is  so  strong 
in  us  naturally  that  we  cannot  bear  others 
sliould  think  more  highly  of  God  than  we  do, 
or  be  more  attached  to  him  than  we  are.  This 
was  the  ground  of  the  first  murder.  Abel 
loved  God,  and  God  was  pleased  to  testify  his 
approbation  of  Abel,  and  therefore  Cain 
killed  him,  1  John  iii.  12.  This  has  been  the 
great  cause  of  the  opposition  and  ill-treat- 
ment which  the  servants  of  God  have  met 
with  from  the  men  of  the  world  in  all  suc- 
ceeding ages;  a  cause  which  still  subsists, 
and  will  continue  to  operate  upon  posterity 
yet  unborn.  Can  we  show  a  stronger  mark 
of  dislike  to  a  person  than  by  hating  all  who 
profess  a  regard  to  him,  and  when  that  is  the 
only  cause  of  our  resentment !  Such  is  the 
prevailing  enmity  against  God.  For  how 
often  do  we  see,  that,  when  his  grace  enables 
a  sinner  to  forsake  the  spirit  and  practice  of 
the  world,  his  former  friends  are  immediately 
oflfended,and  perhaps  those  of  his  own  house- 
hold become  his  inveterate  enemies  I 

But,  O  thou  that  bringest  good  tidings  lift 
up  thy  voice  !  Say  to  poor  sinners.  Behold 
your  God !  He  comes  to  take  this  enmity 
away  !  The  cross  of  Christ  subdues  it,  when 
every  other  expedient  has  been  found  ineffec- 
tual. The  heart,  too  hard  to  be  softened  by 
a  profusion  of  temporal  benefits,  and  too  stout 
to  be  subdued  by  afilictions,  is  melted  by  the 
dying  love  of  a  Saviour,  and  by  that  discovery 
of  the  divine  perfections  which  is  exhibited 
in  redemption.  We  have  a  striking  instance 
of  this  efl^ect,  in  the  case  of  Saul  of  Tarsus, 
Acts  ix.  1 — 20.  His  misguided  conscience, 
under  the  influence  of  prejudice,  persuaded 
him,  that  he  ought  to  do  many  things  against 
Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Instigated  with  rage, 
and  not  satisfied  with  the  injuries  he  had 
ofl^ered  to  his  disciples  at  Jerusalem,  but  still 
breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaughter,  he 
journeyed  towards  Damascus,  designinp^  t<** 


236 


SALVATION  PUBLISHED,  &c. 


[SEK.  VI. 


harass  and  persocuto  tliem  wherever  he  found 
them.  In  this  temper  of  mind,  lie  was  sud- 
denly arrested  on  his  way,  by  a  light,  and  a 
voice  from  heaven.  lie  fell  to  the  ground. 
But  Jesus,  whom  he  had  ignorantly  perse- 
cuted, instructed  him  in  the  knowledge  of 
iiis  person  and  love,  pardoned  his  sin,  and 
commissioned  him  to  preach  the  faith  he  had 
laboured  to  destroy.  How  sudden,  how  evi- 
dent, how  abiding  was  the  change  which 
then  took  place  in  his  heart  and  in  his  con- 
duct! From  that  moment  he  accounted  "all 
things  loss  and  dung,  for  the  excellency  of 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord," 
Phil.  iii.  8.  Unwearied  by  labour  and  hard- 
ship, undismayed  by  opposition  and  danger, 
he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  the 
cause  of  his  Master ;  and  like  Cajsar,  account- 
ing nothing  done  while  any  thing  remained 
to  do,  his  active  and  intrepid  spirit  was  con- 
tinually meditating  new  services,  Acts  .xix. 
21.  And,  though  he  knew  that  bonds  and 
afflictions  awaited  him  in  every  place,  he 
was  always  upon  the  wing  to  publish  to  his 
fellow-sinners  the  grace  and  glory  of  him 
whom  he  had  so  long  opposed,  only  because  he 
knew  him  not.  And  although  the  circum- 
stances attending  the  apostle's  case  were 
extraordinary,  the  case  itself,  as  to  the  sub- 
stance, is  not  singular.  I  trust  many  persons 
in  this  assembly  have  been  the  subjects  of 
a  like  change.  The  doctrine  which  Paul 
preached,  has  enlightened  your  understand- 
ings, has  inspired  you  with  hopes  and  desires 
to  which  you  were  once  strangers,  and  given 
a  new  direction  to  the  conduct  and  aims  of 
your  life.  You  were  once  afar  off  from  God, 
but  you  are  now  brought  nigh  by  the  blood 
of  Cl»ist.  You  once  lived  to  yourselves,  but 
now  you  feel  that  you  are  no  longer  your 
own,  and  have  devoted  yourselves  to  him 
who  died  to  save  you  from  the  present  evil 
world,  and  from  the  wrath  to  come. 

3.  Misery. — If  we  are  guilty  in  the  sight 
of  God,  and  alienated  from  him  in  our  hearts, 
we  must  be  miserable.  Guilt  entails  a  bur- 
den, and  a  foreboding  of  evil  upon  the  con- 
science. And  our  alienation  from  the  fountain 
of  living  waters,  (Jer.  ii.  13,)  compels  us  (for 
we  are  insufficient  to  our  own  happiness)  to 
seek  our  resources  from  broken  cisterns,  and 
pits  which  will  hold  no  water.  Farther,  sin 
has  filled  the  world  with  woe.  The  whole 
creation  travails  and  groans;  and  natural  evil 
is  inseparable  from  moral,  as  the  shadow  from 
the  body.  Though  the  earth  be  filled  with 
tokens  of  the  goodness,  patience,  and  forbear- 
ance of  God,  it  likewise  abounds  with  marks 
of  his  displeasure.  I  think  we  have  sufficient 
reason  to  attribute  earthquakes,  hurricanes, 
fimine,  and  pestilence,  to  sin  as  their  original 
and  proper  cause.  We  can  hardly  conceive, 
that  if  mankind  had  continued  in  that  happy 
Btate  of  love  and  obedience  to  God,  in  which 
our  first  parents  were  created,  Ihey  would 


have  been  exposed  to  such  calamities.  When 
God  at  the  beginning,  surveyed  every  thing 
that  he  had  made,  "  behold  it  was  very  good," 
Gen.  i.  31.  All  was  beauty  and  harmony, 
till  sin  introduced  disorder  and  a  curse.  Eiit 
far  worse  than  wliat  we  suffer  immediately 
from  the  providence  of  God,  are  the  evils 
which  we  bring  upon  ourselves  and  upon 
each  other.  The  dreadful  consequences  of 
war,  rapine,  discord,  hatred,  ambition,  ava- 
rice, and  intemperance,  furnish  part  of  every 
page  in  the  mournful  history  of  human  lile, 
and  are  felt  in  every  nation,  city,  village,  and 
family.  Want,  cares,  and  diseases,  prey  upon 
individuals.  Disappointment,  dissatisfaction, 
vanity,  and  vexation  of  spirit,  are  experi- 
enced by  persons  of  every  rank,  and  in  every 
stage  of  human  life.  How  much  more  desir- 
able would  it  be,  were  it  not  for  the  hope  of 
the  gospel,  to  share  with  the  brute  creation, 
than  to  bear  the  name  of  man  in  his  fallen 
state  !  The  brutes  have  few  wants ;  their 
propensities  and  the  means  of  gratifying 
them,  are  suited  to  their  natures,  adapted  to 
their  powers,  and  conducive  to  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  species.  They  neither  regret  the 
past,  nor  tremble  under  apprehensions  of  the 
future.  It  is  far  otherwise  with  man.  His 
boasted  pleasures  end  with  a  sting,  and  oflen 
he  cannot  bear  his  own  reflections  on  them. 
He  suffers  almost  as  much  from  imaginary 
fears,  as  from  real  afflictions.  The  more  he 
possesses,  the  more  are  the  sources  of  his 
anxieties  multiplied  and  enlarged.  And  after 
having  been  long  wearied  with  a  train  of 
inortification.s,  pains,  and  inquietudes,  he 
must  at  last,  however  unwilling,  yield  to 
that  stroke  of  death,  the  thought  of  which, 
when  strongly  realized  to  his  mind,  was 
always  sufficient  to  embitter  the  happiest 
hours  of  his  life. 

But  publish  the  glad  tidings  from  the 
mountains,  and  let  the  joyful  sound  diffuse 
over  the  plain.  Your  God  cometh  !  Mes- 
siah establishes  a  new,  a  spiritual  kingdom 
upon  the  earth,  and  his  happy  subjects  are 
freed  from  the  misery  in  which  they  were 
involved.  They  commit  all  their  concerns  to 
him,  and  he  manages  for  them.  Their  fears 
are  removed,  their  irregular  desires  correct- 
ed, and  all  that  is  really  good  for  them,  is 
secured  to  them  by  his  love,  promise,  and 
care.  Afflictions  still  await  them,  but  they 
are  sanctified.  To  them  the  nature  of  afflic- 
tion is  changed.  They  are  appointments 
graciously  designed  for  their  advantage. 
Their  crosses,  no  less  than  their  comforts, 
are  tokens  of  God's  favour;  (Ileb.  xii.  6,  7;) 
they  have  them  only  because  their  present 
situation  requires  discipline,  and  they  could 
not  be  .so  well  without  them.  They  are  as- 
sured of  support  under  them,  (2  Cor.  xii.  9,) 
and  a  final  deliverance  out  of  them  all :  for 
there  is  a  happy  hour  approaching,  when  all 
their  troubles  shall  cease,  and  they  shall  enter 


SER.  VII.] 


THE  MORNIXG  LIGHT. 


237 


upon  a  state  of  eternal,  uninterrupted,  incon- 
ceivable joy,  Isa.  Ix.  20;  Rev.  xxi.  4. 

For  these  purposes  the  Son  of  God  was  re- 
vealed. The  prophets  saw  his  day  afar  off, 
and  proclaimed  his  approach. — Thy  God 
Cometh !  Though  truly  a  man,  he  is  truly 
God.  Neither  man  nor  angel  could  remove 
our  guilt,  communicate  to  us  a  spiritual  life, 
relieve  us  from  misery,  and  give  us  stable 
peace  in  a  changing  world,  hope  and  triumph 
in  death,  and  eternal  life  beyond  it.  But  his 
wisdom  and  power  are  infinite,  and  his  pur- 
pose unchangeable.  He  would  not  have  in- 
vited the  weary  and  heavy  laden  to  come  to 
him,  if  he  was  not  able  and  determined  to 
give  them  rest.  None  that  seek  him  are  dis- 
appointed, or  sent  empty  away  :  a  sufficient 
proof  that  his  compassion,  his  bounty,  his 
fulness  are  properly  divine.  Therefore  the 
apostle,  speaking  of  the  riches  of  his  grace, 
uses  the  epithet,  "unsearchable,"  Ephes.  iii. 
8.  His  treasury  of  life  and  salvation  is  inex- 
haustible, like  a  boundless,  shoreless,  bot- 
tomless ocean ;  like  the  sun,  which  having 
cheered  the  successive  generations  of  man- 
kind with  his  beams,  still  shines  with  undi- 
minished lustre,  is  still  the  fountain  of  light, 
.  and  has  always  a  sufficiency  to  fill  innumer- 
\    able  millions  of  eyes  in  the  same  instant. 

Does  the  language  of  my  text  cause  joy  to 
spring  up  in  your  hearts !  or  is  it  nothing  to 
you  ?  If  you  heard  the  Messiah,  you  were, 
i  perhaps,  afl^ected  by  the  music  of  the  passage ; 
how  much  are  you  to  be  pitied,  if  you  were 
hitherto  unaffected  by  the  sentiment !  Yet 
once  more,  hear, — Thy  God  cometh  !  He  did 
come  in  the  fulness  of  time,  according  to  the 
prophecy,  and  the  word  of  prophecy  assures 
us  that  he  will  come  again.  "Behold  he 
cometh  in  the  clouds :  and  every  eye  shall  see 
him,  and  they  also  that  pierced  him,"  Rev.  i. 
7. — Prepare  to  meet  thy  God,  Amos  iv.  12. 


SERMON  VII. 

THE  MORNING  LIGHT. 

Arise,  siiiriP,  for  thy  li^ht  is  come,  and  the 
fflori/  of  the  Lord  is  risen  upon  thee.  For, 
behold,  darkness  shall  cover  the  earth,  and 
gross  darkness  the  people ;  but  the  Lord 
shall  arise  upon  thee,  and  his  glory  shall 
be  seen  upon  thee  :  and  the  Gentiles  shall 
come  to  thy  light  and  kings  to  the  bright- 
ness of  thy  rising. — Isaiah  Ix.  1 — 3. 

One  strong  internal  proof  that  the  Bible  is 
a  divine  revelation,  may  be  drawn  from  the 
subject-matter,  and  particularly  that  it  is  the 
book,  and  the  only  book,  which  teaches  us  to 
think  highly  and  honourably  of  God.  I  say, 
the  only  book,  for  there  is  no  right  knowledge 
of  God  where  the  '      is  not  known.  What 


is  the  .Tupiter  of  Homer,  compared  with  the 
God  of  Israel,  as  he  is  represented  to  us  by 
his  servants  the  prophets?  And  if  the  hea- 
then philosopher.s,  in  some  detached  passages, 
have  sentiments  not  altogether  unworthy  of 
him,  history  honestly  tells  us  how  they  ob- 
tained them.  Tliey  travelled,  and  they  are 
generally  said  to  have  travelled  into  Phcenicia 
or  Egypt,  to  the  confines  of  that  people  who 
alone  thought  riglitly  of  God,  because  to  them 
only  he  had  made  himself  known  by  a  revela- 
tion. If  such  a  description  as  w'e  have  in  the 
fortieth  chapter  of  Isaiah,  from  the  twelfth 
verse  to  the  end,  had  been  known  only  of 
late  years,  recovered,  we  will  suppose,  out 
of  the  ruins  of  Herculaneum,  there  is  little 
doubt  but  it  would  have  engaged  the  atten- 
tion and  admiration  of  the  learned  world. 
For  the  most  admired  writings  of  antiquity, 
upon  a  candid  comparison,  are  unspeakably 
inferior  to  it.  The  inimitable  sublimity  of  the 
prophets  is  natural,  just,  and  unforced,  and 
flows  from  the  grandeur  of  their  subjects,  be- 
cause tliey  were  influenced  by  him  who  alone 
can  speak  worthily  of  himself. 

A  sone  so  vast,  a  theme  so  high. 
Calls  for  the  voice  that  tuned  the  sky. 

With  them,  the  whole  compass  of  the  crea- 
tion is  but  as  dust  upon  the  balance,  in  re- 
spect of  the  great  Creator.  His  purpose  is 
fate,  his  voice  is  power.  He  speaks  and  it  is 
done.  Thus  he  called  the  universe  into  being; 
and  thus,  as  the  great  Lord  and  proprietor  of 
all,  he  still  maintains  and  governs  it,  direct- 
ing the  frame  of  nature,  and  every  particular 
event  and  contingence,  to  the  promoting  of 
his  own  glory,  the  last  and  highest  end  of  all 
his  works. 

The  principal  of  these  is,  the  exhibition  of 
his  perfections  in  the  person  of  his  Son.  The 
prophecies  we  have  already  considered  an- 
nounce this  event,  with  a  gradual  increase 
of  clearness  and  precision,  as  the  period  of 
accomplishment  is  supposed  to  draw  nigh. 
We  lately  heard  the  command  lo  proclaim 
his  approach  from  the  hills  and  tlie  tops  of 
the  mountains.  Here  the  prophet  begins  to 
contemplate  the  efl^ects  of  his  actual  appear- 
ance. The  earth  is  considered  as  involved  in 
a  state  of  gross  darkness,  but  the  sun,  the 
Sun  of  righteousness  is  about  to  arise,  and  to 
fill  it  by  his  beams,  with  light,  life,  and  glory. 
These  efliects,  indeed,  will  not  extend  to  all, 
for  many  will  love  darkness  rather  than  light. 
But  he  will  not  shine  in  vain.  There  will  be 
a  people  prepared  to  receive  him,  and  to  re- 
joice in  his  light.  They  shall  arise  as  from 
sleep,  as  from  the  grave,  and  his  light  re- 
flected upon  them  shall  cause  them  to  shine 
likewise.  Darkness  shall  still  cover  those 
who  reject  him  ;  yea,  their  darkness  will  be 
increased.  But  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
seen  upon  all  who  believe,  and  their  num- 
bers, from  age  to  age,  shall  be  enlarged. 
Nations  shall  come  to  him,  and  kings  shall 


233 


THE  MORNING  LIGHT. 


[sEU.  vn. 


be  subservipnt  to  tha  sprearlin!r  of  his  king- 
dom. Such  is  the  scopn  of  the  pissaTe  before 
us.  I  shiil  hriefl}'  consider  a  few  of  the  lead- 
ing particulars  contained  in  it. 

I.  As  the  sun  is  the  source  of  lifrht  to  the 
natural  world,  so  is  Messiah  to  tlic  moral  and 
spiritual  world.  liijjht,  and  its  opposite,  dark- 
ness, are  fig'uratively  used  in  scripture.  Tlie 
latter  is  applied  to  a  state  of  ignorance,  sin, 
and  misr^ry,  as  in  the  following  te.xts.  "  He 
that  walketh  in  darkness,  knoweth  not  whi- 
ther he  goeth,"  John  xii.  3.\  "  If  we  say  that 
we  have  fellowship  with  him,  and  walk  in 
darkness,  we  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth,"  1 
John  i.  6.  "Cast  ye  the  unprofitable  servant 
into  outer  darkness  :  there  shall  be  weeping 
and  gnashing  of  teeth,"  Matth.  xxv.  30.  The 
foriner,  therenire,  signifies  true  knowledge, 
holiness,  and  happiness.  "  Ye  were  sometime 
darkness,  but  now  are  ye  liglit  in  the  Lord  : 
walk  as  children  of  the  light,"  Eph.  v.  8. 
"  When  I  sit  in  darkness,  the  Lord  shall  be 
a  light  unto  me,"  INIicah  vii.  8.  "Light  is 
sown  for  the  righteous,  and  joy  for  the  up- 
right in  lieart,"  Psalm  xcvii.  IL  I  select  but 
one  instance  of  each  kind  ;  an  attentive  reader 
of  the  scriptures  will  meet  with  many  ex- 
pressions of  a  like  import.  But  there  is  like- 
wise an  intermediate  state;  light  advancing 
from  the  early  dawn  to  the  perfect  day.  This 
twilight,  no  less  than  day-light  is  from  tlie 
sun.  Such  was  the  state  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment church.  Messiah  was  the  source  of 
their  knowledge,  hope,  and  joy;  but  he  was 
(if  I  may  so  speak)  below  the  horizon  as  to 
them.  Though  believers  under  that  dispen- 
sation were  a  people  saved  of  the  Lord,  they 
were  trained  up  under  types  and  shadows, 
were  influenced  by  a  spirit  of  comparative 
bondage  and  distance,  like  children  under 
age,  and  rather  longed  for  than  actually  pos- 
sessed the  gracious  liberty  which  the  cliildren 
of  God  enjoy  under  the  gospel.  But  the  sun 
arose,  and  the  shadows  vanished,  when  the 
Son  of  God  incarnate  dwelt  and  conversed 
with  men,  honoured  his  temple  with  his  per- 
sonal presence,  and  superseded  all  the  Leviti- 
cal  sacrifices,  by  the  one  offering  of  himself 
upon  the  cross.  "The  law  was  given  by 
Moses,  but  grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus 
Christ."  But  more  especially  we  date  the 
beginning  of  his  visible  kingdom  from  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  which  followed  his  ascen- 
sion. Then  he  signally  bestowed  the  gifts 
which,  as  mediator,  he  had  received  for  men, 
and,  by  the  power  of  his  Holy  S])irit,  au- 
thorized and  qualified  his  servants  to  go  forth 
and  preach  salvation  in  his  name.  Then  the 
partition-wall  between  Jew  and  Gentile  was 
taken  away,  and  his  righteousness  was  openly 
shown  in  the  sight  of  the  Heathen.  Abra- 
ham, Moses,  Elijah,  and  other  servants  of 
God,  had  been  highly  fivoured  and  highly 
honoured ;  but  we  are  assured  by  our  Lord 
himself,  that  none  bom  of  woman  had  been 


greater  than  John  his  forerunner — and  yet 
ho  added,  "the  lenst  in  tlie  kingdom  of  li'ea- 
vcn,"  that  is,  in  the  New  Testament  or  gos- 
pel-church, "  is  greater  than  he,"  Matth.  xi. 
11.  The  apostles  were  happy  in  the  peculiar 
privilege  of  attending  on  his  person,  yet  he 
told  them,  "it  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go 
away,"  Johnxvi.  7.  There  were  still  greater 
privileges  depending  upon  the  influence  of 
the  promised  Comforter,  who  was  to  abide 
with  the  church  for  ever.  By  the  power  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  the  Lord  is  now  present  with 
all  his  ministers  and  people  in  every  place, 
whether  retired  in  secret  from  the  view  of 
men,  or  assembled  together  in  his  name ; 
(Matth.  vi.  6,  xviii.  20,  xxviii.  20;)  and 
though  tlic  great  events  upon  which  their 
hopes  are  founded,  his  life,  passion,  death, 
resurrection,  and  ascension  took  place  long 
ago,  he  so  realizes  the  declaration  of  them  in 
his  word  to  their  hearts,  that  they  are  no  less 
assured  of  what  they  read  than  the  apostles, 
who  saw  him  with  their  own  eyes.  Thus  the 
gospel-state  is  a  dispensation  of  light.  The 
Sun  is  risen  with  life  and  healing  in  his 
beams,  and  they  who  have  the  eyes  of  their 
understanding  opened,  enjoy  a  bright  and 
marvellous  day.  They  see,  admire,  adore, 
rejoice,  and  love. 

II.  The  subjects  of  Messiah's  kingdom,  the 
living  members  of  his  church,  are  so  irradi- 
ated by  him  that  they  shine  likewise,  as  the 
moon  shines,  but  with  a  borrowed  light  de- 
rived from  the  sun.  Beholding,  in  this  glass, 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  they  are  changed  into 
the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  (2  Cor. 
iii.  IS,)  according  to  the  measure  and  growth 
of  their  faith.  Two  points  may  be  observed 
under  this  head. 

1.  The factthat theydothusshine.  Though 
they  were  once  darkness,  they  are  now  light, 
Eph.  v.  8.  A  dark,  ignorant,  wicked,  selfish 
christian  is  a  contradiction  in  term.s.  There 
may  be  such,  there  are  too  many  such,  amongst 
those  who  make  a  profession  of  the  name  of 
Christ ;  but  they  who  truly  know  him  walk 
in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light.  They  have 
knowledge,  a  good  understanding,  P.salm  cxi. 
10.  Perhaps  the  greater  part  of  real  chris- 
tians have  little  acquaintance  with  the  litera- 
ture and  science  of  the  world :  their  moral 
capacities  may  be  weak,  and  not  improved  by 
education ;  they  may  be  in  the  esteem  of 
men,  as  they  are  in  their  own,  but  babes ; 
yet  they  know  more  than  the  wisest  philo.>o- 
phers  who  are  destitute  of  the  grace  of  God. 
They  know  themselves,  they  know  the  Lord, 
they  know  the  evil  of  sin,  and  the  way  of 
salvation  ;  what  tlieir  proper  happiness  con- 
sists in,  and  how  it  is  to  be  obtained.  They 
have  learned  to  endure  affliction,  to  forgive 
injuries,  and  to  overcome  evil  with  good. 
They  have  attained  a  just  sense  of  the  vanity 
of  the  world  and  the  importance  of  eternity. 
They  are  instructed  to  be  contented  and  use- 


SER.  VII.  1 


THE  MORNING  LIGHT. 


239 


ful  in  their  stations,  to  discliarg'o  thoir  duties 
in  relative  lite  with  propriety,  ami  to  meet 
death  with  comfort.  In  all  these  particulars, 
many  who  have  dazzling  talents,  and  are 
celebrated  for  abilities  and  endowments,  are 
miserably  at  a  loss.  True  believers  are  con- 
formed to  the  spirit  and  temper  of  their  Sa- 
viour, and  therefore  are  different  and  dis- 
tinguished from  the  world  around  them.  And 
they  have,  at  least,  the  beginnings  of  true 
peace  and  solid  happiness,  in  communion 
with  him  whom  they  serve. 

2.  The  cause. — They  shine  wholly  by  his 
ligiit.  If  their  own  words  may  be  taken,  the 
proof  of  this  is  easy.  They  are  free  to  con- 
fess that  they  are  wise  only  by  his  wisdom, 
strong  by  his  power  working  in  them,  and 
that  without  him  they  have  not  sufficiency 
to  think  a  good  thought,  2  Cor.  iii.  5.  Ex- 
perience has  taught  them  that  they  cannot 
stand  unless  he  upholds  them,  nor  watch 
unless  he  watcheth  with  them,  nor  be  safe 
or  happy  a  single  day  without  fresh  commu- 
nications from  him.  But  this  their  e.xperi- 
ence  and  acknowledgment  is  the  express 
and  current  doctrine  of  scripture.  There  is 
a  renl,  though  mystical  union  between  Christ 
and  his  people.  He  is  the  vine,  (John  xv.  1,) 
they  the  branches :  he  is  their  head,  they 
the  members  of  his  body.  They  dwell  in 
him  by  faith,  he  dwells  in  them  by  his  Spirit. 
He  is  their  root  and  their  life ;  all  their 
springs  are  in  him,  and  it  is  out  of  his  fulness 
that  they  receive,  John  i.  16.  Therefore  the 
apostle  says,  "  I  live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ 
liveth  in  me;"  (Gal.  ii.  20;)  "I  can  do  all 
things  through  Christ  strengthening  me,"  2 
Cor.  xii.  9.  And  our  Lord  himself,  who  com- 
forted Paul  with  that  promise,  "  My  grace 
is  sufficient  for  thee,"  apprised  all  his  fol- 
lovver.s  of  their  entire  dependence  upon  him, 
by  saying,  "  Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing," 
John  xv.  5.  The  language  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tamf^nt  is  to  the  same  purport.  "They  look- 
ed unto  him  and  were  enlightened,"  Psalm 
xxxiv.  .5.  "  In  the  Lord  Jehovah  I  have 
rigiiteousness  and  strength,"  Isaiah  xlv.  24. 

"  He  giveth  power  to  the  faint,  and  to  them 
that  have  no  might  he  increaseth  strength," 
Isaiah  xl.  29.  Thus  things  are  constituted 
and  conducted,  that  no  flesh  should  glory  in 
his  presence,  but  that  he  who  glorieth  may 
glory  in  the  Lord,  1  Cor.  i.  29—31. 

in.  They  who  wilfully  refuse  and  turn 
from  this  light,  do  thereby  involve  themselves 
in  double  darkness,  and  become  more  infatu- 
ated and  wicked  than  those  to  whom  the 
light  has  not  been  proposed.  Their  evils, 
likewise,  are  more  aggravated  than  they 
would  have  been  if  the  light  had  not  visited 
them.  Thus  our  Lord  Messiah  speaks  of  the 
Jews,  "  If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  unto 
them,  they  had  not  had  sin ;  but  now  they 
have  no  cloak  for  their  sin,"  John  xv.  22. 
And  again,  "  For  judgment  I  am  come  into 


this  world,  that  they  which  see  not  miglit 
see,  and  they  which  see  might  be  niado 
blind,"  John  ix.  39.  He  came  to  make  the 
ignorant  wise  unto  salvation  ;  but  they  who, 
from  a  proud  conceit  of  their  own  wisdom 
and  sufficiency,  disdain  his  instruction,  being 
left  to  themselve.s,  give  abundant  evidence 
that  the  light  they  boast  of  is  but  gross  and 
palpable  darkness.  The  grossest  errors,  the 
greatest  obduracy  of  heart,  the  most  extreme 
profanenessof  spirit,  and  the  most  abominable 
wickedness  in  practice,  may  be  expected, 
and  will  certainly  be  found  where  the  gospel 
is  despised. 

It  is  evident,  that  the  morality  which  is  so 
highly  admired  by  the  christian  world,  and 
set  in  opposition  to  the  gospel  of  Christ,  is 
much  leaner  and  more  scanty  than  the  mora- 
lity of  the  Heathens.  I  speak  of  the  idea 
only  ;  for  neither  have  the  Heathens  of  old, 
nor  of  the  present  day,  acted  up  to  their  own 
rules.  But  I  do  nothesitate  to  affirm,  that  none 
of  our  modern  moralists  who  have  disowned 
the  gospel  revelation,  have  given  ns  a  sys- 
tem of  morality  equal  to  that  of  Tully  the 
Pagan.  Many  of  the  Heathens  acknow- 
ledged the  desirableness  and  necessity  of  re- 
velation ;  though  infidels,  born  in  a  christian 
land,  think  it  a  high  mark  of  their  wisdom  to 
despise  it ;  and  avowed  atheists,  that  is,  men 
who  deny  either  the  being  or  the  providence 
of  God,  or  the  obligations  mankind  are  under 
to  obey  him,  are  seldom  to  be  met  with  but 
in  countries  where  the  Bible  is  known.  The 
heart  must  have  obstinately  and  repeatedly 
resisted  light  and  conviction,  before  it  can 
ordinarily  proceed  to  these  dreadful  lengths. 
But  while  the  blind  stumble  in  tlio  noon  of 
day,  Messiah's  people  shall  walk  in  confi- 
dence and  peace,  (Psalm  Ixxxix.  1.5,  16,)  and 
shine  as  lights  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and 
perverse  generation,  Phil.  ii.  1.5. 

IV.  The  third  verse  of  this  chapter  fore- 
tells, and  therefore  secures,  the  conversion 
of  the  Gentiles  or  Heathens.  The  times  and 
the  seasons  are  in  the  disposal  of  God,  but 
the  scriptures  must  be  fulfilled.  Much  was 
done  in  the  first  age  of  Christianity.  A  single 
instrument,  the  apostle  Paul,  as  he  himself 
informs  u.s,  preached  the  faith,  which  he  for- 
merly laboured  to  destroy,  "from  Jerusalem 
round  about  to  Illyricum,"  (Rom.  xv.  19,) 
and  probably  much  farther  afterwards.  And 
the  Lord,  who  appointed  him  to  this  service, 
accompanied  his  message  with  hisown  power; 
so  that  he  had  signal  success,  in  turning  men 
from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  worship 
of  dumb  idols,  to  serve  the  living  and  true 
God;  and  in  planting  the  gospel,  and  gathei- 
ing  churches  in  every  province.  The  gospel 
found  an  early  reception  at  Rome,  which  fa- 
cilitated its  spread  into  the  different  parts  of 
the  Roman  empire.  And  we  have  reason  to 
believe  it  was  introduced  into  our  island  in  a 
few  years  after  our  Lord's  ascension.  And 


S40 


THE  SUN  RISING 


[SER.  VIII. 


tlionnrli  what  was  called  tlio  conversion  of 
hoatlien  nations  in  some  followiiioj  ages,  went 
little  tarther  than  to  prevail  on  them  to  as- 
sume the  name  of  Christians,  and  left  them 
considered  as  nations,  as  destitute  of  the 
spirit  and  blessinirs  of  Christianity  as  it  found 
thorn  ;  yet  I  cannot  doubt,  that  wherever  the 
New  Testament,  and  the  suffering's  of  Mes- 
siah were  known,  some  individuals  at  least 
experienced  a  real  and  saving'  change.  And 
we  are  warranted  to  hope  for  still  greater 
thing's;  for  a  time  when  the  gross  darkness, 
which  as  yet  covers  a  great  part  of  the  world, 
shall  be  dispelled  ;  and  the  Redeemer's  king- 
dom, spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet,  as  a 
stone  cut  out  without  hands,  shall  become  a 
pre:\t  mountain,  and  fill  the  whole  earth,  Dan. 
ii.  3 1.  But  this  pleasing  subject  will  come  more 
directiv  under  our  consideration  hereafter. 

V.  'riie  call  in  my  text  may  be  taken  in 
a  general  sense,  like  that  of  the  apostle, 
"  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from 
the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light,'* 
Eph.  v.  14.  Natural  light  requires  eyes  to 
perceive  it.  It  would  be  absurd  to  point  out 
the  beauties  of  an  extensive  prospect  to  a 
blind  man.  To  him  the  face  of  nature  pre- 
sents only  a  universal  blank.  But  the  light 
of  the  G^ospel  not  only  discovers  the  most  im- 
portant objer-ts  to  those  who  can  see,  but  has 
a  imrvellous  efficacy  to  open  the  eyes  of 
the  blind.  It  is  the  appointed  instrument  of 
divine  power  for  this  purpose.  In  vain  would 
be  the  labour  and  expectation  of  the  husband- 
man, if  God  did  not  afford  the  rain,  and  the 
snow,  to  water  the  earth,  and  the  enlivening 
infln'^nces  of  the  sun,  to  draw  forth  the  ten- 
der blade,  and  to  ripen  the  corn.  Equally 
unsuccessful  would  the  preaching  of  the 
g'ospel  prove  to  sinful  men,  though  in  itself 
it  be  eminently  the  truth  and  wisdom  of  God, 
exactlv  suited  to  their  state,  and  of  the 
hiirlif'st  importance  to  their  welfare,  if  he  had 
not  promised  that  his  word,  where  simply 
and  faithfully  delivered  in  dependence  upon 
his  blessing,  shall  not  be  spoken  in  vain,  but 
shall  certainly  accomplish  the  end  for  which 
he  has  sent  it,  Is.  Iv.  10,  II.  This  promise, 
together  with  the  experience  of  its  truth  in 
our  own  case,  and  our  knowledge  of  its  uni- 
form effects  in  every  age  and  country  where 
the  doctrine  of  the  cross  has  been  preached, 
encourages  ministers  to  persevere  in  publish- 
ing the  fflad  tidinafs,  in  defiance  of  all  the 
opposition  and  disappointments  we  meet  with. 
We  lament,  but  cannot  wonder,  that  the 
g'ospel  is  so  generally  neglected.  As  a  dis- 
pensation of  grace,  it  offends  the  pride  of  man, 
as  a  dispensation  of  holiness,  it  contradicts 
his  desires  and  passions.  His  spirit  is  de- 
grraded,  his  heart  is  pre-engaged,  he  loves 
the  present  world,  and  has  no  more  taste  or 
inclination  for  a  life  of  communion  with  God 
here,  and  such  a  heaven  as  the  scriptures 
propose  hereafter,  than  the  beasts  of  the  field. 


But  the  Lord  has  said,  "  T  will  work,  snd 
who  shall  let  iiV  Is.  xliii.  13.  When  he  is 
pleased  to  clothe  the  word  preached  with  the 
influences  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  to  apply  it 
to  the  conscience,  it  is  quick,  powerful,  pfne- 
trating',  and  irresistible  as  lightning;  it  con- 
veys a  voice,  which  the  deaf,  yea,  the  dead, 
must  hear :  it  forces  a  light  upon  the  n)ind 
which  cannot  be  evaded.  Then  thinirs  are 
seen  as  they  are.  The  nature  and  desert  of 
sin  is  apprehended,  and  then  the  gospel  is 
found  to  be  the  only  balm  for  a  distressed  and 
wounded  conscience.  Therefore,  having  the 
Lord's  command  and  promise,  we  are  not  to 
be  discouraged  by  the  carelessness  or  obsti- 
nacy of  those  who  know  not  what  they  do. 
We  are  aware  of  the  difficulty,  yea,  the  im- 
possibility of  succeeding  in  our  endeavour  to 
save  the  souls  of  our  hearers,  if  we  had  rnly 
to  depend  upon  our  own  arguments  or  ear- 
nestness. We  are  not  to  reason,  but  to  ol  ey. 
Our  business  is  to  deliver  our  message,  and 
in  our  happier  moments  to  water  it  with  our 
prayers  and  tears.  When  we  have  done  this 
we  can  do  no  more.  The  event  must  be  left 
with  him  in  whose  name  we  speak.  We 
must  not  suppress  nor  disguise  what  we  are 
commanded  to  declare  ;  nor  wilfully  make 
any  additions  of  our  own,  to  accommodate  it 
to  the  taste  or  prejudice  of  our  hearers, 
2  Cor.  iv.  2.  Let  those  preach  smooth  things 
who  will  venture  to  answer  at  the  great  tri- 
bunal, for  the  souls  that  have  miscarried 
imder  their  ministry ;  we  dare  not.  Let 
those  be  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
(Rom.  i.  16,)  who  feel  no  obligations  to  him 
for  his  dying  love  ;  we  cannot,  and  by  the 
grace  of  God,  we  will  not ;  we  will  glory  in 
it.  God  forbid  that  we  should  glory  in  any 
thing  else  !  (Gal.  vi.  14.)  Like  Ezckiel,  we 
are  commanded  to  preach  and  prophesy  to 
dry  bones,  and  he  who  sends  us  can  cause 
the  dry  bones  to  live.  "  O  ye  dry  bones, 
hear  the  word  of  the  Lord  !"  Ezek.  xxxvii.  4. 
The  word  of  his  salvation  is  sent  to  you. 
The  Lord  is  risen  indeed  !  Arise,  shine,  for 
your  light  is  come!  In  his  name  we  pro- 
claim pardon  and  peace  to  all  who  will  seek 
him.  But  seek  him  to-day,  while  it  is  called 
to-day;  to-morrow  is  not  yours.  Seek  him 
now,  while  he  may  be  found.  Harden  not 
your  hearts.  Tremble,  lest  a  promise  being 
left  us  of  entering  into  his  rest,  any  of  you 
should  finally  come  short  of  it,  Heb.  iv.  1. 


SERMON  VIII. 

THE  SUN  RISING  UPON  A  DARK  WORLD. 

Tlie  people  that  walked  in  darkness  have 
seen  a  great  light ;  they  that  dwell  in  the 
land  of  the  shadow  of  death,  upon  them 
hath  the  light  shined. — Isaiah  ix.  2. 
Contrasts  are  suited  to  illustrate  and 

strengthen  the  impression  of  each  other.  The 


SER.  VIll.] 


UPON  A  DARK  WORLD. 


241 


happiness  of  those,  who,  by  faith  in  Messiah, 
are  brouglit  into  a  state  of  peace,  liberty,  and 
comfort,  is  greatly  enhanced  and  heightened 
by  the  consideration  of  that  previous  state  of 
niscry  in  which  they  once  lived,  and  of  the 
greater  misery  to  which  they  were  justly  ex- 
3)osed.    They  are  not  only  made  meet  to  be 

fiartakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
ight,  (Col.  i.  12, 13,)  but  they  have  been  de- 
livered from  the  pHswers  of  darkness.  Thus, 
■while  they  have  communion  with  God  as  a 
father,  they  contemplate  their  pri\'ilege  with 
a  greater  pleasure,  than  they  probably  could 
do  if  they  had  never  known  a  difference. 
They  remember  a  time  when  they  were  afar 
off,  without  hope,  and  without  God  in  the 
World ;  and  they  remember  how  carelessly 
they  then  trifled  upon  the  brink  of  destruc- 
tion. In  this  deplorable  and  dangerous  situa- 
tion they  were  found  of  the  Lord,  when  they 
sought  him  not,  Isa.  Ixv.  1.  He  convinced, 
humbled,  and  pardoned  them,  and  brought 
them  near  to  himself,  into  a  state  of  adoption 
and  communion  by  the  blood  of  Jesus.  The 
admiration,  gratitude,  and  love,  which  they 
feel  for  this  undeserved  grace,  gives  them  a 
more  lively  sense  of  the  blessings  they  enjoy. 
Yea,  the  thought  of  what  they  have  been  re- 
deemed from  (of  which  they  will  then  have 
a  much  clearer  perception  than  at  present) 
will  add  to  their  joys  in  heaven,  and  inspire 
such  a  song  of  praise  as  will  be  peculiar  to 
themselves,  and  in  which  the  holy  angels, 
who  never  felt  the  stings  of  guilt,  nor  tasted 
the  sweetness  of  pardoning  mercy,  will  not 
be  able  to  join  them.  They  are  accordingly 
represented,  in  the  prophetical  vision,  as 
standing  nearest  to  the  throne,  and  uniting 
in  the  noblest  strains  of  praise  to  him  who 
sitteth  upon  it,  (Rev.  v.  9 — 21,)  while  the 
surrounding  angels  can  only  take  part  in  the 
chorus,  and  admire  and  adore,  when  they 
behold  the  brightest  displays  of  the  glory  of 
the  wonder-working  God,  manifested  in  his 
love  to  worthless,  helpless  sinners. 

These  opposite  ideas  are  joined  in  my  text. 
The  people  who  are  spoken  of  as  rejoicing  in 
a  great  light,  were,  till  this  light  arose  and 
shone  upon  them,  in  rinrkness;  walking,  sit- 
ting, living  in  darkness,  and  in  the  land  of 
the  shadow  of  death.  That  this  passage  refers 
to  Messiah,  we  have  a  direct  proof.  The 
evangelist  refers  it  expressly  to  him,  and 
points  out  the  time  and  manner  of  its  literal 
accomplishment,  .Matth.  iv.  1."),  16.  I  shall 
first  consider  the  literal  sense  and  completion 
of  the  prophecy,  and  then  show  how  fitly  it 
applies  to  the  state  of  mankind  at  large,  and 
to  the  happy  effects  of  the  gospel  of  salvation ; 
which,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  has  been  the 
instrument  of  bringing  multitudes  of  many 
nations,  peoples,  and  languages,  out  of  a 
state  of  gross  darkness,  into  marvellous  light, 
1  Pet.  ii.  9. 

L  Hebrew  words  (like  many  in  our  own 
Vol.  IL  2  H 


language)  have  often  more  than  one  significa- 
tion. But  only  one  sense  can  be  expressed 
in  a  version.  And  therefore  interpreters  and 
translators  frequently  differ.  Which  of  the 
different  vvords,  used  to  express  the  meaning 
of  the  same  original  term,  is  most  happily 
chosen,  may  be  sometimes  decided  by  the 
context.  The  two  words,  in  the  first  verse 
of  this  chapter,  rendered  lightly  affiicled  and 
grievously  tifflicted,  signify  likewise,  the  one 
to  think  lightly  of,  to  account  vile ;  and  the 
other,  to  honour,  to  render  honourable,  and 
glorious.  Both  these  words  occur  in  one 
verse,  and  are  used  in  these  senses,  in  the 
Lord's  message  to  Eli,  "  Them  that  honour 
me  I  will  honour,  and  they  that  despise  me 
shall  be  lightly  esteemed,"  1  Sam.  ii.  30. 
Had  the  same  words  been  thus  rendered  in 
the  passage  before  us,  the  sense  of  both 
verses  would,  I  think,  have  been  more  plain, 
connected,  and  consistent  to  the  following 
purport,  agreeable  to  the  translation  given  by 
Vitringa,  and  the  present  Bishop  of  London. 
"  Nevertheless  there  shall  not  be  dimness  [or 
darkness]  as  in  the  time  of  her  vexation  or 
distress.  He  formerly  debased  [made  light 
or  vile]  the  land  of  Zebulon  and  N^aphtali, 
but  in  the  latter  time  he  hath  made  it  glori- 
ous, even  [the  land]  by  the  way  of  the  sea, 
beyond  Jordan,  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles.  [For] 
the  people  tliat  walked  in  darkness  have  seen 
a  great  light,"  &c. — Such  was  the  afflicted 
and  low  state  of  Galilee  previous  to  the  com- 
ing of  Messiah  ;  such  was  the  exaltation  and 
honour  it  derived  from  his  appearance. 

1.  The  land  allotted  to  the  tribes  of  Issa- 
char,  Zebulon,  and  Naphtali,  was  chiefly 
included  in  the  province,  which,  upon  a  sub- 
sequent division  of  the  country,  obtained  the 
name  of  Galilee.  The  northern  part  of  it,  the 
inheritance  of  Naphtali,  was  the  boundary  or 
frontier  towards  Syria,  and  had  been  fre- 
quently vexed  and  afflicted,  when  the  sins 
of  Israel  brought  the  armies  of  their  enemies 
upon  them,  as  frontier  countries  usually  suf- 
fer most  in  times  of  mvasinn  and  war.  Par- 
ticularly this  part  of  the  land,  called  Galilee 
of  the  Gentiles,  was  the  first,  and  most  im- 
mediately exposed  to  the  ravages  of  Tiglath- 
Pileser  and  Sennacherib.  And  as  the  peo- 
ple there  were  likewise  more  mixed  with 
foreigners,  and  at  the  greatest  distance  from 
the  capital,  Jerusalem,  on  these  accounts 
Galilee  was  lightly  esteemed  by  the  Jews 
themselves.  They  thouglit  that  no  prophet 
could  arise  in  Galilee,  John  vii.  52.  It  even 
prejudiced  Nathaniel  against  the  first  report 
he  received  of  Jesus  as  Messiah,  that  he 
lived,  and  was  generally  supposed  (by  those 
who  were  content  to  be  governed  by  popular 
rumour,  without  inquiring  attentively  for 
themselves)  to  have  been  born  in  Galilee. 
He  asked  with  an  appearance  of  surprise, 
"  Can  any  good  thing  come  out  of  Nazareth  ?" 
John  i.  46.  They  were  accounted  a  rude,  un- 


242 


THE  SUN  RISING 


[see.  VIII. 


polished,  provincial  people.  And  therefore, 
when  Peter  would  have  denied  any  acquaint- 
ance with  his  Lord,  he  was  discovered  to  be 
a  Galilean,  (Mark  xiv.  70,)  by  his  dialect  and 
manner  of  speech. 

2.  This  despised  and  least  valued  part  of 
the  land  of  Israel  was  the  principal  scene  of 
Messiah's  life  and  ministry,  insomuch  that, 
as  I  have  observed,  he  was  supposed  to  have 
been  born  there,  a  mistake  which  his  enemies 
industriously  supported  and  made  the  most 
of;  for  those  who  could  persuade  themselves 
that  it  was  so  in  fact,  would  think  themselves 
justified  in  rejecting  his  claim,  it  being  one 
undeniable  mark  of  Messiah,  g-iven  by  the 
prophet  Micah,  that  he  was  to  be  born  in 
Bethlehem  of  Judah,  Micah  v.  2.  He  was, 
however,  brought  up  at  Nazareth,  and  lived 
for  a  time  in  Capernaum,  towns  in  Galilee, 
but  both  of  so  little  repute,  that,  had  they  not 
been  connected  with  his  history,  it  is  not 
probable  that  their  names  would  have  been 
transmitted  to  posterity. 

3.  But  by  his  residence  there,  Galilee  was 
honoured  and  ennobled.  He  himself  declared, 
that  on  this  account,  Chorazin,  Bethsaida,  and 
Capernaum  (though  probably  none  of  them 
were  more  than  inconsiderable  fishing-towns) 
were  exalted  even  to  heaven,  Matth.  xi.  21 
— 2-).  Those  were  highly  privileged  places 
which  our  Lord  condescended  to  visit  in  per- 
son ;  so  likewise  are  those  places  where  he  is 
pleased  to  send  his  gospel.  I  have  observed 
formerly,  and  I  make  no  apology  for  repeat- 
ing a  truth  so  very  important  and  so  little 
attended  to,  that  the  glorious  gospel  of  the 
blessed  God,  when  faithfully  preached,  and 
thankfully  received  and  improved,  renders  an 
obscure  village  more  honourable,  and  of  more 
real  consequence,  than  the  metropolis  of  a 
great  empire,  where  this  light  shineth  not. 
For  what  are  the  dark  places  of  the  earth, 
however  celebrated  for  numbers  and  opu- 
lence, for  the  monuments  of  ambition  and 
arts,  but  habitations  of  cruelty,  infatuation, 
and  misery  ! 

4.  Though  Galilee  was  favoured  with  the 
scriptures,  and  with  synagogue-worship,  and 
the  inhabitants  were  a  people  who  professed 
to  know  the  God  of  Israel,  it  was  a  land  of 
darkness  at  the  time  of  Messiah's  appearance. 
Thougii  they  were  not  idolaters,  ignorance 
prevailed  among  them.  The  law  and  the  pro- 
phets were  read  in  their  synagogues,  but  we 
may  believe  to  little  good  purpose,  while  they 
were  under  the  direction  of  perverse  teachers, 
who  substituted  the  traditions  of  men  for  the 
commands  of  God.  The  single  circumstance 
of  keeping  herds  of  swine,  as  the  Gadarenes 
did,  seems  a  proof  that  the  law  of  Moses  was 
but  little  regarded  by  them.  They,  as  well  as 
the  people  of  Judea,  were  under  the  guidance 
of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  in  their  religious 
concerns,  who  were,  if  I  may  use  a  modern 
phrase,  the  clergy  of  that  time ;  and  tliese,  we 


are  assured  by  him  who  knew  their  hearts, 
were  generally  corrupted,  blind  leaders  of 
the  blind.  Yet  they  were  held  in  ignorant 
admiration,  and  implicitly  submitted  to.  From 
the  character  of  the  public  ministers  of  reli- 
gion, we  may,  without  great  danger  of  mis- 
take, infer  the  character  of  the  people  who 
are  pleased  and  satisfied  with  their  ministra- 
tions. As  the  disciple  cannot,  ordinarily,  be 
expected  to  be  superior  to  his  master,  (Luke 
vi.  40,)  the  religion  of  the  scribes  may  be 
taken  as  a  standard  of  that  of  the  Galileans, 
who  were  instructed  by  them  :  yet  these  were 
the  people  among  whom  Messiah  chiefly  con- 
versed; so  that  his  enemies  styled  him  a 
Galilean  and  a  Nazarene,  as  a  mark  of  re- 
proach and  contempt.  Many  of  his  apostles, 
perhaps  the  most  of  them,  were  Galileans 
likewise.  He  seeth  not  as  man  seeth,  1  Sam. 
xvi.  7.  The  most  of  his  immediate  followcra 
while  upon  earth  were  such  as  men  despised, 
on  account  of  their  situation,  rank,  or  call- 
ings; publicans  and  sinners,  fishermen  and 
Galileans.  This  was,  among  other  reasons, 
for  the  encouragement  of  the  poor,  the  desti- 
tute, the  despised,  the  miserable,  and  the 
guilty,  in  succeeding  ages,  who  should  desire 
to  put  their  trust  in  his  name  and  to  implore 
his  mercy.  To  those  who  received  him  he 
was  the  light,  the  true  light ;  he  relieved 
them  from  the  ignorance,  wickedness,  and 
distress  in  which  he  found  them.  They,  on 
their  parts,  bore  testimony  to  him.  They  saw 
and  acknowledged  his  glory.  They  felt  his 
power,  and  devoted  themselves  to  his  service. 
Thus  much  for  the  literal  sense. 

II.  But  this  prophecy  is  not  to  be  restrained 
to  the  first  and  more  immediate  season  of  its 
accomplishment.  The  Lord  speaks  thus  of 
Messiah  in  another  place :  "  It  is  a  light  thing 
that  thou  shouldest  be  my  servant,  to  raise 
up  the  tribes  of  Jacob,  and  to  restore  the  pre- 
served of  Israel :  I  will  also  give  thee  for  a 
liglit  to  the  Gentiles,  tliat  thou  mayest  be  my 
salvation  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,"  Isaiah 
xlix.  6.  And  there  are  many  declarations  of 
a  like  import.  He  is  still  the  light  of  the 
world,  (John  viii.  12,)  though  no  longer  visi- 
ble and  conversant  with  men.  By  the  in- 
fluence and  power  of  his  Spirit,  he  is  still 
present  wherever  his  gospel  is  known.  This 
his  word  of  grace  and  truth  he  sends  where 
he  pleases,  and  with  a  discrimination  not  un- 
like that  which  he  observed  when  he  was 
upon  earth.  The  gospel  is  preached  to  the 
poor.  Courts  and  palaces  are  seldom  favoured 
with  it.  While  he  passes  by  many  great 
cities,  many  habitations  of  the  wise  and 
wealthy,  he  is  known  in  villages  and  cot- 
tages. His  condescension  and  favour  to  those 
who  are  unnoticed  by  the  world,  cannot  be 
too  highly  extolled.  That  the  others  are  ex- 
cluded from  the  same  benefits  is  more  pro- 
perly to  be  ascribed  to  their  obstinacy  than 
to  his  will.   They  exclude  themselves.  He 


SER.  VIII.] 


UPON  A  DARK  WORLD. 


stands  at  the  door  and  knocks,  Rev.  iii.  20. 
His  word  is  within  their  reach ;  his  ministers 
are  within  their  call.  They  mio'ht  easily  en- 
joy every  mean  and  help  which  the  gospel 
provides  for  sinners  if  they  pleased,  but  they 
do  not  please.  They  are  either  engaged  in  a 
round  of  sensual  pleasure,  or  engrossed  by 
studies  and  pursuits  which  possess  their 
hearts  and  fill  up  their  thoughts  and  time,  so 
that  they  have  neither  leisure  nor  inclination 
to  attend  to  the  things  which  pertain  to  their 
peace.  Instead  of  inviting  his  gospel  to  them, 
they  too  frequently  employ  their  power  and 
influence  to  discountenance,  and,  if  possible, 
to  suppress  it.  They  have  their  choice.  The 
great  and  the  gay  will  not  receive  his  mes- 
sage ;  it  is  therefore  sent  to  the  poor  and  to 
the  wretched,  and  they  will  hear  it.  Yet  as 
he  visited  Jerusalem  in  person,  and  taught 
there,  so  London  likewise  is  favoured  with 
the  light  of  his  gospel.  But  alas!  how  few 
believe  the  report !  They  who  do,  experience 
the  change  dos<-ribcd  in  my  text.  Their  dark- 
ness is  changed  into  marvellous  light. 

Mankind,  till  enlightened  by  the  word  and 
Spirit  of  grace,  are  ^ruly  in  a  state  of  dark- 
ness. Thick  darkness  is  a  vail  which  conceals 
from  us,  not  only  distant,  but  the  nearest  ob- 
jects. A  man  in  the  dark  cannot  perceive 
either  friend  or  enemy ;  he  may  be  in  great 
danger,  yet  think  himself  in  safety  ;  or,  if  he 
thinks  himself  in  danger,  bo  unable  to  take 
any  step  for  his  preservation,  from  a  want  of 
light.  Thus,  though  God  be  our  maker  and 
preserver,  thougli  in  him  we  live,  move,  and 
have  our  being,  though  we  are  surrounded 
with  his  presence,  and  proofs  of  his  wisdom 
and  goodness  are  before  us  wherever  we  turn 
our  eyes,  yet  we  live  without  him  in  the 
world.  Equally  ignorant  are  we  of  ourselves, 
of  the  proper  happiness  of  our  nature,  or  how 
it  is  to  be  attained.  We  know  neither  the 
cause,  nor  the  cure,  nor  the  consequences  of 
our  proneness  to  cleave  to  the  dust,  and  of 
placing  our  affection  on  inadequate  and  un- 
satisfying objects. 

And  if  we  suppose  a  person  awakened  to 
a  conviction  of  the  evil  of  sin,  and  to  under- 
stand that  nothing  less  than  the  favour  of 
God  can  tnake  a  rational  and  immortal  crea- 
ture ha])])y,  still,  without  the  gospel,  he 
would  be  in  darkness  and  the  shadow  of 
death.  His  case  may  be  comparxl  to  that  of 
a  person  shipwrecked  upon  some  desert,  in- 
hospitable coast,  sufiering  great  horrors  and 
anxiety,  from  his  e.xposeduess  to  perish,  by 
hunger,  by  enemies,  or  wild  beasts — who,  if 
he  saw,  at  no  very  great  dist-mce,  an  island, 
and  was,  by  some  means,  informed  and  as- 
sured, that  that  island  was  the  seat  of  safety, 
plenty,  and  pleasure;  and  that,  if  he  was 
once  there,  iiis  dangers  would  all  cease,  and 
his  utmost  wishes  be  .satisfied;  still,  if  there 
■were  neither  bridge,  nor  boat,  nor  any  means 
by  which  he  might  arrive  thither,  to  know 


that  happiness  was  so  near  him,  yet  inac- 
cessible to  him,  would  but  aggravate  his 
misery,  and  make  his  despair  more  emphati- 
cally pungent.  Miserable  indeed  must  we 
be,  if  we  clearly  perceived  that  only  he, 
whose  creatures  we  are,  can  make  us  happy; 
and  that,  as  sinners,  we  have  forfeited  his 
favour,  and  are  utterly  incapable  of  regaining 
it,  if  we  were  letl  under  these  views,  without 
any  hope  of  relief.  Such  must  have  been  our 
situation  sooner  or  later,  if  God,  who  is  rich 
in  mercy,  had  not  himself  provided  the  means 
of  recouciliation.  For  though  a  hope  of  par- 
don is  easily  taken  up  by  those  who  are  igno- 
rant of  the  holiness  of  God,  and  the  malignity 
of  sin,  yet  nothing  but  a  declaration  from 
himself,  that  there  is  forgiveness  with  him, 
can  give  peace  to  a  truly  awakened  con- 
science. But  Jesus  dispels  this  darkness,  and 
brings  life  and  immortality  to  light  by  the 
gospel.  For, 

L  The  office  and  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
so  absolutely  necessary  to  make  us  duly  sen- 
sible, either  of  our  danger,  or  of  the  possi- 
bility of  escaping  it,  is  entirely  the  eftect  of 
his  mediation.  The  soul  of  man,  originally 
formed  to  be  the  temple  of  the  living  God, 
when  defiled  by  sin,  was  justly  forsaken  by 
its  great  inhabitant;  and,  since  the  fall, 
answers  the  prophetical  description  given  of 
Babylon :  "  It  is  become  the  habitation  of 
devils,  tiie  hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and  a 
cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird," 
Rev.  xviii.  2.  If  we  ask,  as  with  good  reason 
we  may.  How  can  the  wise  and  holy  God, 
who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity, 
and  with  whom  evil  cannot  dwell,  return  to 
his  sanctuary,  thus  polluted  and  profaned  ? 
an  answer  is  afforded  in  that  gracious  pro- 
mise, "  I  will  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you, 
and  you  shall  be  clean :  from  all  your  filthi- 
ness,  and  from  all  your  idols,  will  I  cleanse 
you:  and  1  will  take  away  the  stony  heart, 
and  I  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh,  and,"  in 
order  to  this,  "I  will  put  my  Spirit  within 
you,"  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25,  20.  But  tiie  source  of 
this  mercy  is  his  sovereign  love  and  purpose, 
to  give  the  seed  of  tlie  woman,  his  only  Son, 
to  be  the  mediator  of  sinners.  By  his  atone- 
ment, to  be  manifested  in  due  time,  but  which 
had  a  virtual  influence  from  the  heginnnig, 
the  Holy  Spirit  returned  to  dwell  with  men. 

2.  His  obedience  unto  death,  when  re- 
vealed by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  enliphtenc  d 
consci(>nce,  affords  a  clear  and  ^:ati^  factory 
discovery  of  reconciliation  with  Gtjd :  it 
shows,  that  on  his  part,  every  hinderonce  to 
the  free  exercise  of  mercy  is  thereby  re- 
moved, the  honour  of  his  law  vindicated,  and 
the  demands  of  his  justice  answered.  On  oi  r 
parts,  by  opening  a  door  of  hope,  it  removes 
that  enmity  and  obduracy  of  heart,  which  iiro 
nourished  by  consciousness  of  guilt,  and  a 
secret  foreboding  of  deserved  puni^bmen^. 
But  when  the  dignity  of  the  Redeemer's 


244 


CHARACTERS  AND  NAMES  OF  MESSIAH. 


[see.  rx. 


person,  the  causes,  nature,  and  design  of  his 
Bufferinn-s  are  understood,  emotions  of  admi- 
ration, love,  and  gratitude,  till  then  unknown, 
are  felt,  and  obstinate  sinners  are  made  a 
willinfr  people  in  this  day  of  divine  power. 

3.  The  doctrine  of  the  cross  pours  a  light 
upon  every  subject  and  circumstance  in  which 
we  are  concerned.  It  enlarges  the  mind,  and 
forms  the  judgment  and  taste,  agreeable  to 
the  standard  of  truth,  and  the  real  nature  of 
things.  It  rectifies  those  prejudices  and  pre- 
possessions which  dispose  us  to  mistake  good 
for  evil,  and  evil  for  good,  (Isa.  v.  20,)  to 
pursue  trifles  with  earnestness,  and  to  trifle 
witli  things  of  the  greatest  importance.  In 
Jesus  Christ  crucified,  all  the  treasures  of 
wisdom  and  knowledge  are  at  once  both  hid- 
den and  exhibited.  This  object  the  holy  an- 
gels, whose  knowledge  of  the  wonders  in 
creation,  without  doubt,  greatly  surpasses  our 
conceptions,  incessantly  contemplate  with  de- 
light, as  affording  the  brightest  displays  of 
the  manifold  wisdom  of  God,  Eph.  iii.  10.  It 
is  especially  the  fountain  of  wisdom  to  sin- 
ners. They  look  unto  him,  and  are  enlight- 
ened. The  slight  and  partial  thoughts  they 
once  entertained  of  the  great  God,  the  mis- 
taken judgment  they  formed  of  themselves, 
of  their  state  and  their  conduct,  are  corrected 
by  their  knowledge  of  the  cross:  from  thence 
they  derive  a  solid  hope,  a  humble  spirit,  just 
views  of  their  duty  and  obligations,  and  mo- 
tives and  prospects  which  animate  them  in  a 
course  of  cheerful,  persevering  obedience  to 
the  will  of  God. 

4.  In  this  way,  God,  as  revealed  in  Christ, 
is  apprehended  and  chosen,  as  the  chief  and 
proper  good  of  the  soul.  Thus  the  poor  are 
enriched  with  the  pearl  of  great  price,  and 
the  weary  obtain  rest.  The  mind,  no  longer 
burdened  with  anxiety,  nor  mortified  with  a 
succession  of  disappointments,  which  attend- 
ed the  vain  pursuit  of  happiness  in  earthly 
things,  possesses  present  peace,  and  rejoices 
in  the  expectation  of  future  glory.  It  is  re- 
leased from  the  slavery  of  hewing  out  broken 
cisterns,  and  introduced  to  the  fountain  of 
living  waters.  Or,  to  close  with  the  beautiful 
image  in  my  text,  The  people  who  once 
walked  in  darkness,  and  the  region  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  are  translated  into  the  king- 
dom of  life  and  salvation.  Col.  i.  13. 

How  greatly  are  they  to  be  pitied  who  re- 
ject the  light  of  the  gospel !  It  is  true,  they 
cannot  see  it ;  but  it  is  equally  true,  they  will 
not.  But  may  I  not  hope  that  this  is  a  day 
of  divine  power,  in  which  some  of  you  shall 
be  made  a  willing  people  ?  Do  not  reason 
against  your  own  life,  but  repent,  and  believe 
the  gospel.  The  light  shines  around  you, 
whether  you  perceive  it  or  not ;  and  it  has  an 
efficacy  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind.  Where 
the  gospel  is  preached,  the  Lord  is  present. 
If  you  call  upon  him,  he  will  hear,  and  you 
shall  receive  your  sight.  If  the  grace  and  the 


glory  of  the  Saviour  have  hitherto  made  no 
impression  upon  your  heart,  you  are  spi- 
ritually blind.  Could  you  be  sensible  of  your 
disorder,  the  remedy  is  at  hand.  If  now,  at 
last,  you  are  willing  to  seek  him,  ho  will  be 
found  of  you.  But  if  you  deliberately  prefer 
darkness,  your  state  is  awfully  dangerous; 
and  if  you  persist  in  your  obstinacy,  your 
ruin  is  unavoidable.  God  is  gracious  and 
long-suffering,  but  he  will  not  be  mocked, 
Gal.  vi.  7.  Humble  yourselves  at  once,  and 
implore  his  mercy,  or  else  prepare  to  meet 
him  in  judgment.  But  be  assured  he  will 
not  meet  you  as  a  man.  You  must  either 
bend  or  break.  The  Lord  forbid  that  he 
should  say  to  any  of  you,  in  the  great  day  of 
his  appearance,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed, 
into  everlasting  fire !" 


SERMON  IX. 

CHAHACTEHS  AND  NAMES  OF  MESSIAH. 

For  unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is 
given  ;  and  the  government  shall  be  upon 
his  shoulder :  and  his  name  shall  be  called. 
Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God, 
the  Everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of 
Peace. — Isaiah  ix.  6. 

Such  was  the  triumphant  exultation  of  the 
Old  Testament  church  I  Their  noblest  hopes 
were  founded  upon  the  promise  of  Messiah ; 
their  sublimest  songs  were  derived  from  the 
prospect  of  his  advent.  By  faith,  which  is 
the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  they  con- 
sidered  the  gracious  declarations  of  the  faith- 
ful unchangeable  God  as  already  accomplish- 
ed, though  the  actual  performance  respected 
a  period,  as  yet  future  and  distant;  especially 
as  believers,  under  that  dispensation,  already 
felt  the  influence  of  the  redemption  which 
Messiah  was  to  consummate  in  the  fulness  of 
time.  It  was  the  knowledge  of  his  engage- 
ment on  the  behalf  of  sinners  that  gave  life 
and  significancy  to  all  the  institutions  of  the 
ceremonial  law,  which  otherwise,  though  of 
divine  appointment,  would  have  been  a  heavy 
and  burdensome  yoke.  Acts  xv.  10.  Isaiah, 
therefore,  prepares  this  joyful  song  for  the 
true  servants  of  God,  who  lived  in  his  time ; 
and  though  it  was  a  day  of  trial  and  rebuke, 
they  were  provided  with  a  sufficient  com- 
pensation for  all  their  sufferings,  in  bemg 
warranted  to  say,  "  Unto  us  a  child  is  born, 
unto  us  a  son  is  given ;  and  the  government 
shall  be  upon  his  shoulder,"  &.c. 

This  ancient  song  is  still  new.  It  has  been, 
and  will  be  taken  up  from  age  to  age,  by  the 
New  Testament  church,  with  superior  ad- 
vantage. I  trust  many  of  you  understand  it 
well,  and  rejoice  in  it  daily.  Men  naturally 
look  for  something  wherein  to  rejoice  and 


SKR.  IX.]  CHARACTERS  AND 


NAMES  OF  MESSIAH. 


S46 


glory.  Little  reason  have  the  wise  to  glory 
in  their  supposed  wisdom,  (Jer.  ix.  23,)  or 
the  strong'  in  their  fading  strength,  or  the 
rich  in  their  transitory  wealth  ;  but  tliis  is  a 
just  and  unfailing  ground  of  glory  to  true 
christians,  that,  "  Unto  us  a  child  is  born, 
unto  us  a  son  is  given,"  &c. 

When  a  sinner  is  enlightened  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  to  understand  the  character  and  offices 
of  Messiah,  his  ability  and  willingness  to  save 
those  who  are  ready  to  perish,  and  the  hap- 
piness of  all  who  are  brought  into  subjection 
to  his  gracious  government,  and  wiien  he 
begins  to  fool  the  cheering  effects  of  faith  in 
his  name,  tlien  this  song  becomes  his  own, 
and  exactly  suits  the  emotions  and  gratitude 
of  his  heart.  But  many  persons  will  despise 
and  pity  him  as  a  weak  enthusiast.  And  yet, 
perhaps,  they  do  not  think  so  unfavourably 
of  the  rapture  of  Archimedes,  of  whom  it  is 
related,  that  having  suddenly  discovered  the 
solution  of  a  difficult  problem  while  he  was 
bathing,  he  was  so  transported  with  joy,  that 
he  forgot  his  situation,  sprang  instantly  from 
the  bath,  and  ran  through  the  city,  crying, 
"  I  have  found  it,  I  have  found  it !"  He  is 
not  usually  charged  with  madness  on  this  ac- 
count, though  the  expression  of  his  joy  was 
certainly  over-proportioned  to  the  cause.  The 
truth  is,  the  world  will  allow  of  a  vehemence 
approaching  to  ecstacy,  on  almost  any  oc- 
casion, but  on  that  alone,  which,  above  all 
others,  will  justify  it.  A  person  who  would 
be  thought  destitute  of  taste,  if  he  was  unaf- 
fected by  the  music  to  which  this  passage  is 
set,  would,  at  the  same  time,  hazard  his  repu- 
tation for  good  sense,  with  some  judges,  if 
he  owned  himself  affected  by  the  plain  mean- 
ing of  the  words.  Incompetent  judges  surely ! 
who  are  pleased  to  approve  of  warmth  and 
emotion  of  spirit,  provided  the  object  be  tri- 
vial, and  only  condemn  it  in  concerns  of 
the  greatest  importance !  But  I  trust  the 
character  of  my  auditory  is  very  different, 
and  that  the  most  of  you  desire  to  enter  into 
the  spirit  of  tliis  passage,  and  to  have  a  more 
lively  sense  of  your  own  interests  in  it.  May 
the  Lord  grant  your  desire,  and  accompany 
our  meditations  upon  it  with  his  power  and 
blessing ! 

Every  clause  in  this  passage  might  furnish 
subject  for  a  long  discourse;  but  my  plan 
will  only  permit  me  briefly  to  touch  upon  the 
several  particulars,  which  will  lead  to  a  re- 
capitulation or  summary  of  what  has  been  al- 
ready considered  more  largely  concerning  the 
person,  offices,  and  glory  of  Messiah.  We  have, 

I.  His  incarnation. — "  Unto  us  a  child  is 
bom;"  in  our  nature,  born  of  a  woman: 
"  Unto  us  a  son  is  given  ;"  not  merely  a  man 
child,  but,  emphatically,  a  son,  the  Son  of 
God.  This  was  the  most  precious  gift,  the 
highest  proof  and  testimony  of  divine  love. 
The  distinction  and  union  of  these  widely 
distant  natures,  which  constitute  the  person 


I  of  Christ,  the  God-man,  the  Mediator,  is,  in 
the  judgment  and  language  of  the  apostle, 
the  great  mystery  of  godliness,  (1  Tim.  iii. 
16,)  the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth.  I  shall 
not  repeat  what  I  have  already  offered  on 
this  point  in  the  fifth  sermon.  It  is  tlie  cen- 
tral truth  of  revelation,  which,  like  the  sun, 
diffuses  a  light  upon  the  whole  system,  no 
part  of  which  can  be  rightly  understood  with- 
out it.  Thus  the  Lord  of  all  humbled  himself, 
to  appear  in  the  form  of  a  servant  for  the 
sake  of  sinners. 

II.  His  exaltation. — "The  government 
shall  be  upon  his  slioulder."  In  our  nature 
he  suffered,  and  in  the  same  nature  he  reigns. 
When  he  had  overcome  the  sharpness,  the 
sting  of  death,  he  took  possession  of  the  king- 
dom of  glory  as  his  own,  and  opened  it  to  all 
who  believe  in  him.  Now  we  can  say,  He 
who  governs  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  and 
whom  all  things  obey,  is  the  child  who  was 
born,  the  son  who  was  given  for  us.  Some 
subsequent  passages  will  lead  us  hereafter  to 
contemplate  more  directly  the  glory  of  the 
Redeemer's  administration  in  the  kingdoms 
of  providence  and  grace.  At  present,  there- 
fore, I  shall  only  observe,  that  the  exaltation 
of  the  Redeemer  infers  the  dignity  and  secu- 
rity of  the  people  who  are  united  to  him  by 
faith.  They  have,  in  one  respect,  an  appro- 
priate honour,  in  which  the  angels  cannot 
share.  Their  best  friend,  related  to  them  in 
the  same  nature,  is  seated  upon  the  throne 
of  glory.  Since  he  is  for  them,  who  can  be 
against  them  !  What  may  they  not  expect, 
when  he,  who  has  so  loved  them  as  to  redeem 
them  with  his  own  blood,  has  all  power  com- 
mitted unto  him,  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth ! 
For, 

III.  The  names  and  characters  here  ascrib- 
ed to  him,  are  not  only  expressive  of  what 
he  is  in  himself,  but  of  what  he  has  engaged 
to  be  to  them. 

1.  His  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful. — 
In  another  place  the  word  is  rendered  Secret, 
Judges  xiii.  18.  It  is  true  of  him  in  both 
senses.  He  is  Wonderful  in  his  person,  obe- 
dience, and  sufferings ;  in  his  grace,  govern- 
ment, and  glory.  So  far  as  we  understand 
his  name,  the  revelation  by  which,  as  by  a 
name,  he  is  made  known,  we  may,  we  must 
believe,  admire,  and  adore.  But  how  limited 
and  defective  is  our  knowledge  !  His  name  is 
Secret.  Who  can  by  searchmg  find  him  out? 
Job.  xi.  7.  His  greatness  is  incomprehensible, 
his  wisdom  untraceable,  his  fullness  inex- 
haustible, his  power  infinite.  No  one  know- 
eth  the  Son  but  the  Father.  But  they  have 
a  true,  though  not  an  adequate  knowledge  of 
him,  who  trust,  love,  and  serve  him  ;  and  ia 
their  view  he  is  Wonderful !  The  apostle  ex- 
presses the  sentiment  of  their  hearts,  when 
he  says,  "  Yea,  doubtless,  I  count  all  things 
but  loss  and  dung  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord." 


340 


CHARACTERS  AND  NAMES  OF  MESSIAH. 


[SER.  IX. 


y.  Another  of  his  names  is  Counsellor. — 
The  great  councils  of  redemption,  in  which 
every  concern  respecting  the  glory  of  God 
and  the  salvation  of  sinners  was  adjusted, 
were  established  with  him,  and  in  him,  before 
tlie  foundation  of  the  world.  And  he  is  our 
Counsellor  or  Advocate  with  the  Father, 
who  pleads  our  cause,  and  manages  all  our 
affiiirs  in  perfect  righteousness,  and  with  in- 
fallible success;  so  that  no  suit  can  possibly 
miscarry  which  he  is  pleased  to  undertake. 
To  him  likewise  we  must  apply  (and  wo  shall 
not  apply  in  vain)  for  wisdom  and  direction, 
in  all  that  belongs  to  our  duty,  and  the  ho- 
nour of  our  profession  in  the  present  life.  In 
all  our  difficulties,  dangers,  and  cares,  we 
must  look  to  him  for  guidance  and  support. 
This  is  to  be  wise  unto  salvation.  His  secret 
is  with  them  that  consult  him ;  so  that  though 
the  world  may  deem  them  weak  and  ignorant 
as  babes  (and  he  teaches  them  to  think  thus 
of  themselves,)  they  have  a  cheering  and 
practical  knowledge  of  many  important  sub- 
jects, which  are  entirely  hidden  from  those 
who  are  wise  and  prudent  in  their  own  eyes. 

'S.  He  is  the  Mighty  God. — Thougli  in  the 
office  of  mediator,  he  acts  in  the  character  of 
a  servant,  his  perfections  and  attributes  are 
truly  divine.  Only  the  mighty  God  could 
make  a  provision  capable  of  answering  the 
demands  of  the  holy  law,  which  we  had  trans- 
gressed. Only  the  mighty  God  could  be  a 
suitable  Shepherd  to  lead  millions  of  weak 
helpless  creatures  to  glory,  through  the  many 
difficulties,  dangers,  and  enemies,  they  are 
exposed  to  in  their  passage.  Add  to  this,  the 
honour,  dependence,  and  obedience,  which 
this  great  Shepherd  claims  from  his  sheep, 
are  absolute  and  supreme;  and  they  would 
be  guilty  of  idolatry,  if  they  did  not  know 
that  he  is  the  mighty  God.  Though  real 
christians,  who  are  enlightened  and  taught 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  may,  and  do  differ  in 
their  views  and  explanations  of  some  reveal- 
ed truths,  I  conceive  they  must  be  all  agreed 
in  tliis  point.  It  is  not  only  necessary  to  be 
known  as  the  only  solid  foundation  of  a  sin- 
ner's hope,  but  it  immediately  respects  the 
object  of  divine  worship.  For  if  the  Redeem- 
er is  not  possessed  of  the  incommunicable 
perfections  of  Deity,  the  New  Testament, 
in  its  most  obvious  and  literal  siffnification, 
would  be  chargeable,  not  only  with  counte- 
nancing, but  with  expressly  teaching  and  en- 
joining idolatry. 

4.  Farther,  he  shall  be  called  the  Everlast- 
ing Father. — He  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them 
brethren,  (Heb.  ii.  11,)  having  condescended 
to  assume  their  human  nature.  But  they 
are  also  his  children.  They  are  born  into 
his  family  by  the  efficacy  of  his  own  word 
and  Spirit.  From  him  they  derive  their  spi- 
ritual life,  being  united  to  him  by  faith,  and 
receiving  from  first  to  last  out  of  his  fullness. 
And  he  is  an  everlasting  Father.   Our  fa- 


thers according  to  the  flesh  are  subject  to 
death.  But  his  relation  to  them  subsists  un- 
changeably, and  therefore  they  cannot  be 
destitute  :  and  he  is  thus  equally  to  them  all. 
They  live  upon  the  earth,  and  are  removed 
from  it,  in  a  long  succession  of  ages ;  but  he 
is  the  Father  of  the  everlasting  age,  the 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever.  All 
generations  shall  call  him  blessed.  To  him, 
therefore,  the  apostle  teaches  us  to  apply 
that  sublime  passage  of  the  Psalmist :  "  Thou, 
IjOrd,  in  the  beginning  hast  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  tiie  earth,  and  the  heavens  are  the 
work  of  thy  hands.  They  shall  perish,  but 
thou  remainest;  and  they  all  shall  wax  old 
as  doth  a  garment ;  and  as  a  vesture  shalt 
thou  fold  them  up,  and  they  shall  be  changed ; 
but  thou  art  the  same,  and  thy  years  shall 
not  fail,"  Psalm  cii.  25—27 ;  Heb.  i.  10—12. 

5.  Lastly,  he  shall  be  called  the  Prince  of 
Peace, — whose  sovereign  prerogative  it  is  to 
speak  peac©  to  his  people ;  (Psalm  Ixxxv.  8 ;) 
and  there  is  no  peace,  deserving  the  name, 
but  that  which  he  bestows.  The  scripture 
expres.sly  declares,  that  there  is  no  peace 
to  the  wicked.  Is.  Ivii.  21.  By  whatever 
name  we  call  that  thoughtless  security  and 
insensibility,  in  which  mankind  generallj'' 
live  while  ignorant  of  God  and  of  themselves, 
we  cannot  allow  it  to  be  peace.  It  is  the 
effi?ct  of  blindness  and  hardness  of  heart;  it 
will  neither  bear  reflection  nor  examination. 
Can  they  be  said  to  possess  peace,  however 
flitally  regardless  they  may  be  of  futurity, 
who  are  at  present  under  the  dominion  of 
restless,  insatiable,  and  inconsistent  passions 
and  appetites'?  But  the  kingdom  of  Messiah 
is  a  kingdom  of  peace,  and  in  him  his 
happy  subjects  enjoy  a  peace  which  passeth 
all  understanding,  (Phil.  iv.  7,)  such  as  the 
world  can  neither  give  nor  take  away.  He 
has  made  peace  by  the  blood  of  his  cross, 
(Col.  i.  20,)  for  all  that  come  unto  God  by  him. 
Until  they  are  in  trouble  and  distress,  until 
they  feel  the  bitterness  and  fear  the  conse- 
quences of  their  sins,  and  see  the  impossi- 
bility of  helping  themselves,  they  will  not 
apply  to  him;  but  whenever  they  do  seek 
him,  thus  weary  and  heavy-laden,  he  hears 
their  prayer.  Their  minds,  for  a  season,  are 
like  the  sea  in  a  storm,  they  are  distressed 
with  guilt,  fears,  and  temptations;  but  when 
he  reveals  his  mighty  name  and  boundle.ss 
grace  to  their  hearts,  and  says.  Peace,  be  still, 
(Mark  iv.  .'59,)  then  there  is  a  great  calm. 
Being  justified  by  faith,  they  have  peace  with 
God  through  our  Lord  .Tesus  Christ.  He 
gives  them  peace  likewise  in  a  changing 
troublesome  world,  by  inviting  and  enabling 
them  to  cast  all  their  cares  upon  him,  and  to 
trust  all  their  concerns  in  his  hands,  upon  the 
assurance  his  word  gives  them,  that  he  careth 
for  them,  and  will  manage  and  overrule 
every  thing  for  their  good.  In  proportion  as 
their  faith  realizes  his  promises,  they  feel  a 


SER.  IX.] 


CHARACTERS  AND 


NAMES  OF  MESSIAH, 


247 


composure  and  satisfaction.  Knowing  that 
the  liiiirs  of  their  head  are  numbered,  that 
their  afflictions,  no  less  than  their  comforts, 
are  tokens  of  liis  love,  that  he  will  give  them 
strength  according  to  their  day,  that  he  will 
be  their  guide  and  their  euard  even  unto 
death ;  they  are  not  greatly  moved  by  any 
events,  or  disturbed  by  apprehensions,  be- 
cause their  hearts  are  fixed,  (Psalm  cxii.  7,) 
trusting  in  the  Lord.  Farther,  he  teaches 
them  (what  can  only  be  learnt  of  him)  how 
to  seek  and  maintain  peace  among  men.  His 
love  subdue.s  the  power  of  self,  and  forms 
them  to  a  spirit  of  philanthropy  and  benevo- 
lence, which  has  often  such  an  effect,  that 
they  who  dislike  them  for  their  attachment  to 
him  and  to  his  precepts,  and  would  willingly 
speak  evil  of  them,  are  ashamod,  and  put  to 
silence,  by  their  perseverance  in  well-doing. 
Thus  their  peace  increases  as  a  river,  which 
runs  with  a  deeper  and  a  broader  stream  as  it 
approaches  the  ocean.  For  their  peace  is  then 
strongest  and  most  unshaken,  when  they 
draw  near  to  death,  and  are  upon  the  point 
of  resigning  their  souls  into  his  hands.  This 
is  the  time,  when,  if  not  before,  the  false 
peace  of  tiie  worldling,  will  give  way  to  ter- 
ror and  dismay.  But  "  mark  the  perfect  man, 
and  behold  the  upright,  for  the  end  of  that 
man  is  peace,"  Psaltn  xxxvii.  37.  It  must  be 
allowed,  that  many  of  his  people,  through  the 
power  of  temptation  and  remaining  unbelief, 
have,  at  some  seasons,  uncomfortable  fears 
concerning  a  dying  hour ;  but  when  the  time 
of  their  dismission  actually  arrives,  we  sel- 
dom see  them  afraid  of  the  summons.  There 
is  a  strength  necessary  to  support  the  soul  at 
the  approach  of  death,  which  is  usually  with- 
held till  the  time  of  need.  But  then  it  is 
vouchsafed.  They  who  have  frequently  ac- 
cess to  the  beds  of  dying  believers,  can  bear 
testimony,  as  eye-witnesses,  to  the  faithful- 
ness of  their  Lord.  How  often  have  we  seen 
them  triumphing  in  the  prospect  of  immor- 
tality !  as  happy,  in  defiance  of  pain  and  sick- 
ness, as  we  can  well  conceive  it  possible  to 
be  while  in  the  body,  and  as  sure  of  heaven, 
a.s  if  they  were  already  before  the  throne. 

Such  is  the  cliaracter  of  Messiali !  This  is 
the  God  whom  we  adore;  our  almighty,  un- 
changeable Friend  !  His  greatne.ss  and  good- 
ne.ss,  his  glory  and  his  grace,  when  once 
known,  fix  the  heart,  no  more  to  rove,  and 
fill  it  witii  admiration,  gratitude,  and  desire. 
From  hence  spring  a  choerfid,  unreserved 
obedience  to  his  commands,  and  a  deliberate 
voluntary  submission  to  his  holy  will.  For 
his  people  do  not  serve  him  or  yield  to  him 
by  constraint ;  at  least  it  is  only  the  pleasing 
constraint  of  love,  which  makes  their  duty 
their  delight,  and  their  burden  and  grief  is 
that  they  can  serve  him  no  better. 

May  we  be  all  thus  minded !  I  dare  not 
hope  it  is  so  with  us  all  at  present.  But  this 
is  the  day  of  his  grace.    For  this  cause  he 


came  into  the  world,  that  he  might  draw 
many  hearts  to  himself,  John  xii.  'S2.  And 
for  this  purpose  he  favours  us  with  his  gospel, 
by  which  he  still  says,  "  Look  unto  me,  and 
be  ye  saved,"  Isaiah  xlv.  22.  "  Come  unto 
mc,  and  I  will  give  you  rest,"  Matth.  xi.  28. 
To  be  found  among  his  faithful  followers,  in 
the  great  day  when  he  shall  come  to  judge 
the  world,  is  the  one  thing  which,  above  all 
others,  deserves  our  solicitude. 

Hear  then  his  voice  to-day.  Perhaps  you 
are  apprised  of  the  necessity  of  a  change  of 
heart  and  lite,  at  some  future  period,  in  order 
to  die  safely.  Such  a  change  is  equally  ne- 
cessary if  you  wish  to  live  comfortably. 
While  you  are  unfit  to  die,  you  can  have  no 
true  enjoyment  of  life.  It  were  easy  to  prove 
at  large  that  procrastination  is  highly  dan- 
gerous. Admitting  that,  according  to  your 
present  feelings,  you  really  think  yourself 
determined  to  seek  the  Lord  at  some  future 
time,  do  you  consider  how  many  uncertainties 
you  presume  upon]  Are  you  sure  that  you 
shall  not  be  suddenly  cutoff  by  an  unexpect- 
ed and  unthought-of  stroke,  or  visited  by  a 
fever  which  may  quickly  bring  you  into  a 
state  of  delirium  or  stupefaction,  and  render 
your  projected  repentance  impracficablel 
Yea,  it  will  in  any  circumstances  be  imprac- 
ticable, unless  God  is  pleased  to  influence 
your  mind  by  his  good  Spirit.  If  you  grieve 
this  Spirit  now,  by  resisting  his  operations, 
what  reason  have  you  to  expect  that  he  will 
then  return  1  Do  we  not  see  many  instances 
of  what  the  poet,  with  great  propriety,  calls, 
"  A  slow  sudden  death  !"  How  many  people, 
while  pining  away  under  the  power  of  some 
incurable  disease,  amuse  themselves  with  the 
hope  of  recovery  to  the  last  gasp ;  and  though 
their  acquaintance  read  death  in  their  coun- 
tenance for  weeks  or  months,  in  defiance  of 
such  repeated  and  long-continued  warnings, 
they  die  as  suddenly,  with  respect  to  their 
own  apprehensions,  as  if  killed  by  lightning. 
Tremble,  lest  such  be  your  last  end,  if  you 
trifle  with  God,  who  now  calls  you  by  his 
gospel,  to  seek  him  to-day,  while  it  is  called 
to-day. 

But  I  would  lead  you  to  consider  your  de- 
lay not  only  as  dangerous  but  as  unreason- 
able. Why  are  you  afraid  of  being  happy  too 
soon  !  What  strange  and  hard  thoughts  have 
you  of  God,  if  you  suppose  you  can  find  more 
pleasure  in  living  according  to  your  own 
wills  than  in  obedience  to  his  commands! 
Can  the  world  give  you  such  peace  and  satia- 
faction  as  I  have  attempted  to  de.scribe  ?  Do 
you  think  a  real  persuasion  that  God  is  your 
friend,  and  that  heaven  will  bo  your  home, 
will  spoil  the  relish  of  your  earthly  enjoy- 
ments, or  make  your  lives  uncomfortable  1 
What  hard  thing  does  the  Lord  require  of 
you,  that  you  are  so  unwilling  to  comply  ? 
If  we  set  aside,  for  a  moment,  tlie  considera- 
tion of  a  future  state  and  a  final  judgment, 


248 


THE  ANGEL'S  MESSAGE  AND  SONG. 


[see.  X. 


yet  even  in  a  temporal  view  you  would  be 
great  g'ainers,  if  your  spirit  and  your  conduct 
were  repulated  by  the  g-ospel.  What  heart- 
breaking' troubles,  what  losses,  contests,  pains 
of  body,  and  remorse  of  conscience,  would 
some  of  you  have  avoided,  if  you  had  believed 
and  obeyed  the  word  of  God  !  What  distresses 
may  your  headstrong  passions  soon  plunge 
you  into,  if  you  presume  to  go  on  in  your 
sins !  For  that  the  way  of  transgressors  is 
hard,  is  not  only  declared  in  scripture,  but 
proved  by  the  history  and  observation  of 
every  day.  Forsake  the  foolish,  therefore, 
and  live.  And  while  the  door  of  mercy  is 
still  open  befijre  you,  pray  to  him  who  is  able 
to  bless  you  indeed,  by  delivering  you  from 
the  guilt  and  from  the  power  of  your  iniqui- 
ties ;  lest,  if  being  often  reproved,  (Prov. 
xxix.  1,)  and  still  hardening  your  hearts,  you 
should  suddenly  be  destroyed,  and  that  with- 
out remedy. 


SERMON  X. 

THE  angel's  message  AND  SONG. 

There  were  in  the  same  country  shepherds 
abidinff  in  the  field,  keeping  watch  over 
their  flock  by  night.  And  lo,  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  came  upon  them,  and  the  glory 
of  the  Lord  shone  round  about  them :  and 
they  were  sore  afraid.  And  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  said  unto  them.  Fear  not ;  for, 
behold,  I  bring  unto  you  good  tidings  of 
great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all  people. 
For  unto  you  is  born  this  day,  in  the  city 
of  David,  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the 
Lord.  And  this  shall  be  a  sign  unto  you ; 
Ye  shall  find  the  babe  wrapped  in  swad- 
dling-clothes, lying  in  a  manger.  And 
suddenly  there  was  with  the  angel  a  mul- 
titude of  the  heavenly  host,  praising  God, 
and  saying.  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
on  earth  peace,  good-will  towards  men. — 
Luke  ii.  8—14. 

The  gratification  of  the  great,  the  wealthy, 
and  the  gay  was  chiefly  consulted  in  the  late 
exhibitions  in  Westminster- Abbey.  But  not- 
withstanding tlie  expense  of  the  preparations, 
and  the  splendid  appearance  of  the  auditory, 
I  may  take  it  for  granted  that  the  shepherds 
who  were  honoured  with  the  first  information 
of  the  birth  of  Messiah,  enjoyed,  at  free  cost, 
a  much  more  sublime  and  delightful  enter- 
tainment. How  poor  and  trivial  is  the  most 
studied  magnificence  and  brilliancy  of  an 
earthly  court  compared  with  that  effulgence 
of  glory  which  surrounded  the  shepherds! 
The  performers  of  this  Oratorio,  if  I  may  be 
allowed  the  expression,  were  a  multitude  of 
the  heavenly  host.  And  though  I  do  not  sup- 
pose that  the  angel  delivered  his  message  in 


tlie  cadence  which  we  call  recitative,  I  have 
no  doubt  but  the  chorus  was  a  song,  sweetly 
melodious  as  from  blest  voices ;  a  song  which 
the  redeemed  and  the  angels  of  the  Lord  are 
still  singing  before  the  throne ;  a  new  song, 
(Rev.  v.  9,)  a  song  which  will  be  always  new. 
We  are  made  acquainted  with  the  subject, 
yea,  with  the  very  words  of  this  song.  May 
our  hearts  be  suitably  affected  by  the  con- 
sideration of  them  to-day  !  The  melody  and 
harmony  of  heaven  are  far  above  our  concep- 
tions. The  music  of  that  happy  land  has  no 
dependence  upon  the  vibrations  of  the  air,  or 
the  admirable  structure  of  the  human  ear. 
But  we  have  reason  to  believe  there  is,  in 
the  world  of  light  and  love,  sometliing  analo- 
gous to  what  we  call  music,  though  different 
in  kind,  and  vastly  superior  in  effect  to  any 
strains  that  can  be  produced  by  the  most  ex- 
quisite voices  or  instruments  upon  earth ;  as 
we  readily  judge  the  glory  of  an  angel  to  be 
unspeakably  more  excellent,  both  in  kind  and 
in  degree,  than  any  thing  that  is  deemed 
glorious  among  mortals. 

To  consider  this  passage  at  large  would 
require  many  discourses.  I  shall  confine 
myself  at  present  to  a  few  brief  reflections 
on  the  circumstances  of  this  heavenly  vision, 
the  message  of  the  angel,  and  the  concluding 
chorus  or  song. 

I.  The  circumstances. 

1.  Lo,  an  angel  came  upon  them,  &c. — 
Suddenly,  when  they  had  no  expectation  of 
such  a  visit,  without  any  thing  that  might 
previously  engage  their  attention,  all  at  once, 
like  a  flash  of  lightning,  a  glory  shone  around 
them,  and  an  angel  appeared.  We  do  not 
wonder  that  they  were  impressed  with  fear. 
We  live  near,  perhaps  in  the  midst  of,  an  in- 
visible world,  full  of  great  and  wonderful 
realities,  which  yet,  by  too  many  persons,  are 
considered  and  treated  as  nonentities,  be- 
cause they  are  not  perceived  by  our  bodily 
senses.  But  the  scripture  assures  us  of  the 
fact ;  and  to  reject  this  testimony,  because  it 
is  not  confirmed  by  our  senses,  is  no  less 
irrational  and  unphilosophical  than  impious^ 
A  man  born  blind  can  have  no  more  concej)- 
tion  of  light  and  colours,  than  we  have  of 
what  passes  in  tlie  world  of  spirits.  And  a 
nation  of  blind  men,  if  there  were  such  a  na- 
tion, would  probably  treat  a  seeing  person  as 
a  visionary  madman,  if  he  spoke  to  them  of 
what  he  saw.  But  he  would  be  sure  of  his 
own  perceptions,  though  he  could  not  satisfy 
the  inquiries  and  cavils  of  the  blind.  Our 
senses  are  accommodated  to  our  present 
state ;  but  there  may  be  a  multitude  of  ob- 
jects, as  real  in  themselves,  and  as  near  to 
us,  as  any  that  we  behold  witli  oui  eyes,  of 
which  we,  for  want  of  suitable  faculties,  can 
have  no  idea.  To  deny  this,  and  to  make  oui 
senses  the  criteria  of  the  existence  of  thingi* 
which  are  not  within  their  reach,  is  exactl. 
such  an  absurdity  as  a  blind  man  would  ht 


SER.  X.] 

guilty  of,  who  should  deny  the  possibility  of 
a  rainbow,  because  he  never  heard  it  or  felt 
it.  However,  faith  is  the  evidence  of  thing's 
not  seen.  And  they  who  believe  the  word  of 
God  cannot  doubt  of  the  existence  of  an  in- 
visible state  and  invisible  agents.  The  bar- 
rier between  the  inhabitants  of  that  state  and 
us  is  too  strong  to  be  passed,  for  the  will  of 
the  great  Creator  seems  to  be  the  barrier. 
Otherwise  it  is  probable  they  could  easily 
surprise  us,  since,  upon  special  occasions, 
they  have  been  permitted  to  discover  them- 
selves. We  have  a  natural  dread  of  such 
visitants  even  thou^jh  they  should  appear  to 
us,  as  they  did  to  the  shepherds,  as  messen- 
gers of  peace  and  mercy  from  God.  Yet  we 
must  shortly  mingle  with  them.  Death  will 
introduce  us  into  the  world  of  spirits,  and 
what  we  shall  then  meet  with,  what  beings 
will  be  ready  to  accost  us  upon  our  first 
entrance  into  that  unknown,  unchangeable 
state,  who  can  say?  It  deserves  our  serious 
thought.  We  are  now  encompassed  by  the 
objects  of  sense,  but  we  must  be  soon  sepa- 
rated from  them  all.  We  live  in  a  crowd,  but 
we  must  die  alone.  Happy  are  they,  who,  like 
Stephen,  shall  be  able  to  commend  their  de- 
parting spirits  into  the  hands  of  Jesus !  He 
is  Lord  of  all  worlds,  and  has  the  keys  of 
hades,  of  the  invisible  state. 

2.  The  angel  spoke — The  gospel  was 
preached  by  an  angel  to  Zacharias,  to  the 
virgin  mother  of  Messiah,  now  to  the  shep- 
herds ;  and,  perhaps,  to  none  but  these.  The 
angel,  who  appeared  to  Cornelius,  said  no- 
thing to  him  of  Jesus,  but  only  directed  him 
to  send  for  Peter,  Acts  x.  4,  5.  The  glorious 
gospel  of  the  blessed  God,  with  respect  to  its 
dignity,  depth,  and  importance,  may  seem  a 
fitter  theme  for  the  tongue  of  an  angel  than 
of  a  man;  but,  angels  never  sinned,  and 
though  they  might  proclaim  its  excellency, 
they  could  not,  from  experience,  speak  of  its 
efficacy.  In  this  respect  sinful  worms  are 
better  qualified  to  preach  to  others,  concern- 
ing him  by  whom  they  have  themselves  been 
healed  and  saved.  Their  weakness,  likewise, 
is  better  suited  to  show  that  the  influence  and 
succe.ss  of  the  gospel  is  wholly  owing  to  the 
power  of  God.  It  has  therefore  pleased  God 
to  put  this  treasure  into  earthen  vessels,  and 
to  commit  the  ministry  of  his  word,  not  to 
angels,  but  to  men.  They  whom  he  is  pleased 
to  employ  in  this  office,  however  weak  and 
unworthy  in  themselves,  derive  an  honour 
and  importance  from  the  message  entrusted 
to  them,  and  are  so  far  worthy  of  the  same 
attention,  as  if  an  angel  from  heaven  spoke. 
They  are  sinful  men,  and  have  reason  to  think 
humbly  of  tlicmsclves:  nor  should  they,  as 
the  servants  of  a  suffering,  crucified  Master, 
cither  wonder  or  complain  if  they  meet  with 
unkindness  from  those  whom  they  wish  to 
Berve;  but  they  may  magnify  their  office, 
(Rom.  xi.  1.3,)  and  it  is  at  the  peril  of  their 

Vol.  II.  2  I 


249 

hearers  to  despise  it.  Wliat  the  world  ac- 
counts in  us  the  foolishness  of  preaching,  ia 
made  to  those  who  simply  receive  it,  the 
wisdom  and  power  of  God.  To  others,  even 
angels  would  preach  in  vain.  They  who  hear 
not  Moses  and  the  prophets,  who  submit  not 
to  the  ordinary  methods  and  means  of  grace 
which  God  has  appointed,  would  not  be  per- 
suaded, though  one  should  rise  from  the  dead. 

3.  The  angel  was  sent  with  the  most  in- 
teresting news  that  could  be  made  known  to 
mankind ;  not  to  Caesar,  or  to  Herod,  or  to 
the  High  Priest,  but  to  obscure  and  lowly 
shepherds.  The  Lord  seetli  not  as  man  seeth ; 
the  petty  distinctions  that  obtain  among  men 
are  not  regarded  by  him.  He  is  equally  near 
to  them  that  fear  him  in  every  situation  of 
life,  as  the  sun  shines,  as  freely  and  fully,  up- 
on a  cottage  as  upon  a  palace.  These  shep- 
herds were,  doubtless,  of  the  number  of  the 
happy  few,  who,  in  that  time  of  degeneracy, 
were  waiting  and  longing  for  the  consolation 
of  Israel.  The  heads  of  the  Jewish  people 
found  their  consolation  in  their  rank,  and 
wealth,  and  in  the  respect  paid  them  by  the 
vulgar.  These  things  usually  add  to  the  idea 
of  self-importance,  and  feed  those  tempera 
which  are  most  displeasing  to  the  Lord,  and 
which  indispose  the  mind  to  the  reception  of 
the  gospel,  or  to  any  due  inquiry  concerning 
it.  And  thus,  in  fact  from  age  to  age,  it  has 
generally  been  hidden  from  the  wise  and  the 
great,  and  revealed  unto  babes.  The  magi, 
or  wise  men  who  lived  in  the  east,  where  the 
knowledge  of  astronomy  obtained,  but  where 
the  scripture  was  not  known,  were  guided  to 
Messiah  by  the  appearance  of  a  new  star  or 
meteor.  The  shepherds,  who  were  acquaint- 
ed with  the  prophecies  concerning  Messiah, 
were  informed  of  their  accomplishment  by  an 
angel.  Thus  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  suit 
the  different  manner  of  making  known  his 
will,  to  the  previous  situation  of  the  persons. 

II.  The  message  of  the  angel,  though 
concise,  was  comprehensive  and  full.  It  con- 
tained the  Fact,  "  Unto  you  is  born  this  day" 
— the  Place,  "In  the  city  of  David,"  that  ig, 
in  Bethlehem,  so  called,  because  David  like- 
wise had  been  born  there  ;  (Luke  ii.  4;) — the 
Ollice  of  Messiah,  "  A  Saviour" — his  Name, 
Honour,  and  Character,  "Christ,"  or  the 
Anointed ;  "  the  Lord,"  the  head  and  king 
of  Israel,  and  of  the  church,  the  Lord  of  all. 
I  do  but  recite  these  particulars  now,  as  they 
will  repeatedly  ofler  to  our  consideration  in 
the  series  of  subjects  before  me.  The  de- 
scription of  the  state  in  which  they  would  find 
him,  was  such,  as  could  only  be  reconciled  to 
his  titles  and  honours,  by  that  simple  faith, 
which,  without  vain  reasoning,  acquiesces  in 
the  declarations  of  God.  For  how  unlikely 
would  it  seem  to  a  merely  iiuman  judgment, 
that  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  the  promised  Mes- 
siah, the  Lord  of  all,  should  be  a  babe  wrap, 
pedinswaddling-clothes,  and  lying  in  aman- 


THE  ANGEL'S  MESSAGE  AND  SONG. 


250 


THE  ANGEL'S  MESSAGE  AND  SONG. 


[SER.  X. 


ger.  Yet  thus  it  was.  Thoug-h  rich  in  him- 
self, he  became  poor  for  our  salics,  2  Cor. 
viii.  9.  On  this  account,  as  the  scriptures 
had  foretold,  he  was  despised  and  rejected  of 
men.  Though  he  came  to  his  own,  as  a  Ix)rd 
or  Master  to  his  own  house ;  yet,  coming'  in 
this  manner,  his  own  professed  servants,  who 
pretended  that  they  were  longing  and  waiting 
for  him,  slighted  and  opposed  him  ;  preferred 
a  notorious  malefactor  to  him,  and  put  him  to 
death  as  an  impostor  and  blasphemer.  But 
the  shepherds  reasoned  not  through  unbelief, 
and  therefore  they  were  not  staggered  :  they 
obeyed  the  message,  they  went,  they  saw, 
they  believed. 

The  seeming  repugnance  between  the 
greatness  of  Messiah's  claims,  and  the  state 
of  humiliation  in  which  he  appeared  when 
upon  earth,  was  the  great  stumbling-block 
then,  and  continues  to  be  so  at  this  day.  Be- 
cause he  stooped  so  low,  and  made  himself 
of  no  reputation,  too  many  still  refuse  to  ac- 
knowledge his  divine  character.  But  they 
wlio  are  willing  to  be  taught  by  the  word  and 
Spirit  of  God,  see  a  beauty  and  propriety  in 
his  submitting  to  be  born  in  a  stable,  and  to 
live  as  a  poor  man,  destitute  of  house  or  pro- 
perty. Hereby  he  poured  contempt  upon 
worldly  pomp  and  vanity,  sanctified  the  state 
of  poverty  to  his  followers,  and  set  them  an 
encouraging  example  to  endure  it  with  cheer- 
fulness. They,  like  the  shepherds  and  his 
first  disciples,  are  delivered  from  their  natural 
pre  judices,  and  are  enabled  to  behold  his  glory, 
through  the  vail  of  his  outward  humiliation, 
as  the  glory  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Fa- 
ther. And  his  condescension  in  becoming  poor 
for  their  sakes,  that  they  through  his  poverty 
might  be  made  rich,  affects  their  hearts  with 
admiration  and  gratitude. 

But  though  too  many,  who  are  governed  by 
the  spirit  and  maxims  of  this  world,  are  far 
from  admiring  his  love,  in  assuming  our  na- 
ture under  those  circumstances,  which,  from 
his  infancy  to  his  death,  exposed  him  to  the 
contempt  of  his  enemies,  it  is  otherwise 
thought  of  in  yonder  world  of  light.  For  we 
reid,  that  when  the  angel  had  declared  to  the 
shej)lierds  the  glad  tidings,  a  multitude  of  the 
heavenly  host  expressed  their  joy  by  a  song, 
which  is  the  next  subject  that  offers  to  our 
consideration. 

III.  Their  highest  praise  was  excited  by  a 
view  of  the  elTects  which  this  unexampled 
love  would  produce. 

1.  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest."  In  the 
highest  heaven,  in  the  highest  degree,  for 
this  highest  instance  of  his  mercy.  At  the 
creation  these  morning-stars  sung  for  joy.  Job 
xxxviii.  7.  But  redemption  was  a  greater 
work  than  they  had  yet  seen,  and  a  work  by 
which  his  goodness,  wisdom,  and  power, 
would  be  still  more  abundantly  magnified. 
The  glory  of  God,  the  exhibition  of  his  ador- 
able perfections,  to  the  view  of  intelligent 


creatures,  is  the  last  and  highest  end  of  all 
his  works.  Nor  would  it  be  worthy  of  the 
infinite  eternal  God,  in  comparison  with 
whose  immensity,  the  aggregate  of  all  creat- 
ed good  is  no  more  than  a  point  compared 
with  the  universe,  or  a  single  ray  of  light 
compared  with  the  sun,  to  propose  any  thing 
short  of  his  own  glory,  as  the  ultimate,  final 
cause  of  his  desigTis.  And  in  proportion  as 
any  finite  intelligences  are  conformed  to  the 
will  of  their  Creator,  and  impressed  with  a 
sense  of  his  pre-eminence,  their  highest  end 
and  aim  will  be  the  same  with  his.  If,  there- 
fore, we  compare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the 
good  of  his  creatures  together,  we  may  refer 
to  them  what  our  Lord  was  pleased  to  declare 
of  the  two  great  commandments.  The  former 
is  incomparably  the  first  and  greatest  of  his 
ends ;  the  second,  in  its  proper  place  and 
subordination,  is  like  unto  it,  and  inseparably 
connected  with  it,  or  rather  derived  from  it. 
The  former  is,  if  1  may  so  speak,  the  essen- 
tial difference  of  the  divine  operations  ;  the 
latter,  so  far  as  consistent  with  it,  is  the  result 
of  a  glorious  and  efficacious  property  of  his  con- 
summate excellence."  In  the  redemption  of 
fallen  man,  both  are  displayed  to  the  highest 
advantage.  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
and  on  earth  peace,  good-will  towards  men." 

The  glory  of  his  goodness : — this  shines 
bright  in  the  capacities  and  happiness  he  has 
communicated  to  angels ;  but  it  shines  with 
greater  brightness  in  the  mercy  afforded  to 
mankind  ;  whether  we  consider  the  objects, 
who  are  sinners,  rebels,  and  enemies ;  or  his 
purpose  in  their  favour,  not  only  to  restore 
the  life  they  had  forfeited,  but  to  bestow  it 
more  abundantly,  (John  x.  10,)  with  respect 
to  title,  security,  and  honour ;  or  lastly,  and 
principally,  the  mean  by  which  their  deliver- 
ance from  everlasting  misery,  and  their  pos- 
session of  everlasting  happiness,  is  procured; 
and  which  could  only  be  procured  by  the  hu- 
miliation and  death  of  the  Son  of  his  love. 

The  glory  of  his  wisdom,  in  adjusting  the 
demands  of  his  holiness,  justice,  and  truth, 
with  the  purposes  of  his  mercy  ; — in  provid- 
ing such  a  method  for  the  exercise  of  his 
mercy,  as  renders  his  displeasure  against  sin 
more  conspicuous  by  pardoning,  than  by  pu- 
nishing it; — in  abasing  the  sinner's  pride, 
by  the  very  considerations  which  inspire  his 
hope  and  confidence ;  so  that  while  he  con- 
fesses himself  unworthy  of  the  very  air  that 
he  breathes,  he  is  encouraged  and  warranted 
to  claim  a  participation  in  all  the  blessings 
of  grace  and  glory: — and  finally,  in  proposing 
motives,  which,  when  rightly  understood,  are 
always  found  sufficient  to  influence  the  heart, 
even  though  it  has  been  habitually  hardened 
in  sin,  long  deaf  to  the  voice  of  reason,  con- 
science, and  interest,  and  equally  unaffected 
by  the  judgments  or  the  mercies  of  God,  till 
enlightened  to  perceive  the  excellency  of  the 
gospel. 


SER.  XI.] 


MESSIAH'S  ENTRANCE  INTO  JERUSALEM. 


251 


The  glory  of  his  power,  in  making  all  the 
acts  of  free  ag-ents,  through  a  long  succession 
of  ages,  subservient  to  this  great  purpose, 
not  excepting  those  who  most  laboured  to 
obstruct  it ; — in  changing  the  disposition  of 
the  sinner,  however  obstinate  ; — and  in  car- 
rying on  his  work  of  grace,  when  once  be- 
gun, in  such  feeble  inconsistent  creatures  as 
men  are,  in  defiance  of  all  difficulties  and 
opposition  arising  from  within  or  without. 

These  are  subjects  which  the  angels  de- 
sire to  look  into,  (1  Pet.  i.  12,)  which  fill  the 
most  e.Kalted  intelligences  with  admiration. 
The  glory  of  God  was  manifested,  was  cele- 
brated in  tlie  highest  heavens,  when  Messiah 
was  born  of  a  woman. 

2.  The  great  design  and  effect  of  his  ap- 
pearance with  regard  to  mankind,  is  peace. 
"  On  earth  peace."  Man,  as  a  fallen  crea- 
ture, is  in  a  state  of  war  and  rebellion  against 
his  Maker.  He  lias  renounced  his  allegiance 
and  dependence,  is  become  his  own  end.  He 
is  now  against  God,  disobedient  to  his  laws, 
and  disaffected  to  his  government.  And  his 
conscience,  if  not  stupifiedand  cauterized  by 
frequent  resistance  of  conviction,  suggests 
that  God  is  against  him.  He  feels  he  is  not 
happy  here,  he  fears  he  shall  be  miserable 
hereafter.  This  apprehension  strengthens 
his  aversion  from  God.  And,  indeed,  with- 
out an  express  assurance  from  the  Lord  him- 
self, whom  he  has  offended,  that  there  is 
forgiveness  with  him,  he  would  not  only  fear, 
but  sink  into  despair,  if  he  rightly  understood 
the  horrid  enormity  of  a  slate  of  alienation 
from  the  blessed  God.  But  infinite  wisdom 
and  mercy  have  provided,  and  propounded  a 
method,  by  which  the  honour  of  the  divine 
perfections  and  government  are  secured,  and 
pardon  and  peace  vouchsafed  to  rebels.  God 
was  in  Chri.st  reconciling  the  world  unto 
himself  The  knowledge  of  this  mercy, 
when  revealed  to  the  sinner's  heart,  sub- 
dues his  enmity,  constrains  him  to  throw 
down  his  arms,  and  to  make  an  unreserved 
submission  and  surrender  of  himself;  forms 
him  to  a  temper  of  love  and  confidence,  and 
disposes  him  to  habitual  and  cheerful  obe- 
dience. Now  mercy  and  truth  are  met 
together,  righteousness  and  peace  have  kiss- 
ed each  other,  (Psal.  Ixxxv.  10 ;)  and  God  is 
glorified  in  the  highest,  for  peace  proclaimed 
upon  the  earth. 

The  expression  of  "  good  will  towards 
men,"  seems  to  rise  upon  the  former.  Not 
only  peace?,  but  acceptance  and  adoption  in 
the  Beloved.  Sinners  who  believe  in  tlie  Son 
of  God,  are  not  merely  delivered  from  the 
condemnation  they  have  deserved,  but  are 
united  to  their  Saviour ;  considered  as  one 
with  him,  his  children,  the  members  of  his 
body,  and  made  partakers  of  his  life,  and  his 
glory.  God  is  their  portion,  and  heaven  is 
their  home.  The  Loril's  satisfaction  in  this, 
as  the  greatest  of  all  hie  works,  is  expressed 


by  the  prophet  in  such  astonishing  terms  of 
condescension,  as  surpass  our  utmost  concep- 
tions ;  and  we  can  only  say,  Lord  what  is 
man  that  thou  art  thus  mindful  of  him  !  We 
believe,  admire,  and  adore.  "  The  Lord  thy 
God  in  the  midst  of  thee  is  mighty  :  He  will 
save,  he  will  rejoice  over  thee  with  joy,  he 
will  rest  in  his  love,  he  will  rejoice  over  thee 
with  singing,"  Zeph.  iii.  17. 

Assuredly  this  song  of  the  heavenly  host 
is  not  the  language  of  our  hearts  by  nature. 
We  once  sought  our  pleasure  and  happiness 
in  a  very  different  way.  We  were  indiffer- 
ent to  the  glory  of  God,  and  strangers  to  his 
peace.  And  some  of  us  are  still  blind  to  the 
excellencies  of  the  gospel,  and  deaf  to  its  gra- 
cious invitations.  But  we  must  not  expect  to 
sing  with  the  great  company  of  the  redeemed 
hereafter,  before  the  throne  of  glory,  unless 
we  learn,  and  love  their  song  while  we  are 
here.  Rev.  xiv.  3.  They  who  attain  to  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light,  are  first 
made*  meet  for  it  in  the  present  life,  and  in 
this  way.  They  believe  the  testimony  of  the 
scripture  respecting  their  own  guilt,  unwor- 
thincss,  and  helplessness  ;  then  they  receive 
the  record  whicli  God  has  given  of  his  Son. 
They  renounce  all  confidence  in  the  flesh ; 
(Phil.  iii.  3;)  they  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus, 
and  from  his  fulness  they  derive  grace  to 
worship  God  in  the  Spirit.  A  sense  of  their 
obligations  to  the  Saviour,  disposes  them  to 
praise  him  now  as  they  can  ;  and  they  rejoice 
in  hope  of  seeing  him  ere  long  as  he  is,  and 
that  then  they  shall  praise  him  as  they  ought. 
For  heaven  itself,  as  described  in  the  word 
of  God,  could  not  be  a  state  of  happiness  to  us, 
unless  we  are  like-minded  with  the  apostle, 
to  account  all  things  loss  and  dung  for  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus 
our  Lord. 


SERMON  XI. 

Messiah's  entrance  into  Jerusalem. 

Rejoice  greatly,  O  daughter  of  Zion ;  .shout, 
O  daughter  of  Jerusalem :  behold  thy 
King  comcth  unto  thee :  he  is  just,  and 
having  salvation  ;  lowly,  and  riding  upon 
an  ass,  and  upon  a  colt  the  foal  of  an  ass. 
— And  he  shall  speak  peace  unto  the  Hea- 
then.—Zech.  ix.  9,  10. 

The  narrowness  and  littleness  of  the  mind 
of  fallen  man  are  sufficiently  conspicuous  in 
the  idea  he  forms  of  magnificence  and  gran- 
deur. The  pageantry  and  parade  of  a  Roman 
triumph,  or  of  an  eastern  monarch,  as  de- 
scribed in  history,  exhibit  him  to  us  in  what 
he  himself  accounts  his  best  estate.  If  you 
suppose  him  seated  in  an  imperial  carriage, 
arrayed  in  splendid  apparel,  v^  earing  a  crown 


252 


MESSIAH'S  ENTRANCE 


[SER.  51. 


or  tiara  ornainentod  with  jewels,  preceded 
and  ibllowed  by  a  long  train  of  guards  and 
attendants,  surrounded  by  the  unmeaning' 
acclamations  of  ignorant  multitudes,  you  see 
the  poor  worm  at  the  summit  of  iiis  happiness. 
He  has  no  conception  of  any  thing  greater 
than  this.  And  the  spectators  are  generally 
of  tiie  same  mind.  They  admire,  and  they 
envy,  his  lot;  and  there  is  hardly  a  person  in 
the  crowds  around  him,  but  would  be  very 
glad  to  take  his  place,  were  it  practicable. 
Yet  this  great  little  creature  would  surely  be 
mortified,  if  in  the  height  of  his  self-compla- 
cence, he  could  consider  that  he  had  the 
very  same  regard  for  a  pre-eminence  in 
finery,  the  same  desire  to  be  admired  and 
envied,  and  felt  the  same  kind  of  satisfaction 
in  distinction  above  his  fellows,  when  he  was 
a  child  of  ten  years  old.  He  is  in  effect  a 
child  still,  only  he  has  changed  his  play- 
things, and  now  acts  upon  a  larger  scale, 
but  with  the  same  trifling  and  contracted 
views. 

How  different  was  Messiah's  entry  into  Je- 
rusalem foretold  in  this  prophecy,  the  accom- 
plishment of  which  we  read  in  the  evangel- 
ists !  And  how  differently  was  he  affected  by 
the  objects  around  him  !  He  poured  contempt 
upon  the  phantom  of  human  glory.  This 
King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords  was  meek 
and  lowly,  riding  upon  an  ass's  colt,  Luke 
xix.  3.J — '3^.  And  though  a  secret  divine 
influence  constrained  the  multitude  to  ac- 
knowledge his  character,  and,  with  some  ac- 
commodation to  the  customs  of  the  times,  to 
strew  their  garments  in  the  way,  as  tliey  pro- 
claimed the  King  who  came  in  the  name  of 
Jehovah ;  yet  he  appeared  unmoved  by  their 
applause.  Had  the  history  of  Jesus,  like 
those  which  we  have  of  Socrates  or  Cyrus, 
been  merely  the  work  of  a  human  writer, 
ambitious  to  adorn  a  favourite  character  with 
the  most  splendid  qualities  of  a  philosopher 
or  a  hero,  we  should  never  have  known  how 
his  mind  was  engaged  in  this  situation.  The 
Saviour  must  be  divine,  his  historian  must  be 
inspired,  the  fact  must  be  true ;  for  man 
could  not  have  invented  such  a  circumstance, 
that  this  meek  and  lowly  Saviour  took  no 
notice  of  the  zeal  and  homage  of  his  friends, 
because  his  heart  was  filled  with  compassion 
for  his  enemies,  who  were  thirsting  for  his 
blood.  For  it  was  then,  amidst  the  acclama- 
tion of  his  disciples,  that  he  beheld  the  city 
and  wept  over  it,  while  he  foretold  the  evils 
which  the  rejection  of  him  would  bring  upon 
it.  "  Oh  that  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou, 
at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  belonging 
to  thy  peace  !  But  now  they  are  hidden  from 
thine  eyes." 

An  angel  proclaimed  his  birth  to  the  shep- 
herds ;  and  wise  men  from  the  east  paid  such 
attention  to  the  new-born  Saviour,  that  the 
jealousy  of  Herod  was  excited,  and  attempts 
made  to  destroy  him.    But  this  wonderful  in- 


fant was  brought  up  in  a  state  of  obscurity,  in 
a  place  of  no  repute,  and  known  by  no  higher 
description  than  that  of  the  carpenter's  son. 
In  the  course  of  his  ministry  he  appeared  and 
was  treated  as  a  poor  man,  he  had  no  certain 
dwelling-place,  he  submitted  to  receive  sup- 
plies for  his  support  from  the  contributions 
of  a  few  of  his  followers,  for  the  most  of 
them  were  poor  like  himself  And  though 
he  wrought  many  wonderful  works  for  the 
relief  of  the  necessitous  and  miserable,  he  ad- 
mitted no  alteration  in  his  own  external  state, 
but  was  content  to  be  poor  and  despised,  for 
our  sakes,  to  the  end  of  iiis  life.  I  think  the 
only  occasion  on  v/hich  he  permitted  a  public 
acknowledgment  of  his  person  and  character, 
was  when  he  fulfilled  this  prophecy.  And 
still  he  was  the  same  meek  and  lowly  Sa- 
viour. As  his  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world, 
neither  were  there  any  marks  of  human 
grandeur  in  his  procession.  He  approached 
Jerusalem,  attended,  indeed,  by  a  concourse 
of  people,  but  riding  upon  an  ass,  and  weep- 
ing for  his  enemies. 

The  passage  of  the  Messiah  which  follows 
the  chorus  of  the  heavenly  host,  is  taken  from 
these  verses.  It  does  not  include  the  whole 
of  them.  In  one  clause  there  is  a  small  al- 
teration in  the  expression,  but  it  does  not  af- 
fect the  sense.  Instead  of,  "  He  is  just, 
having  salvation,"  it  is,  "  He  is  a  righteous 
Saviour." 

We  may  notice, 

I.  The  prophet's  address, — "  0  daughter 
of  Zion  and  Jerusalem." 

II.  The  exhortation  to  joy, — "  Rejoice  and 
shout." 

III.  The  cause  assigned  for  this  joy, — 
"  Thy  King  cometh." 

IV.  The  characters  of  the  King, — "A 
righteous  Saviour." 

V.  His  great  design, — "  To  speak  peace 
to  the  heathen." 

I.  The  address, — "O  daughter  of  Zion 
and  Jerusalem."  Zion  and  Jerusalem  are  in- 
differently used  as  emblems  of  the  church,  or 
professing  people  of  God.  When  they  occur 
together,  as  here,  contradistinguished  from 
each  other,  Zion,  the  city  of  David,  the  seat 
of  government,  and  of  the  temple-worship, 
may  denote  the  principal  persons  of  the 
ecclesiastical  and  civil  state;  and  Jerusalem 
may  be  expressive  of  the  people  at  large,  the 
daughters  of  a  place  signifying,  according  to 
the  Hebrew  idiom,  the  iniiabitants.  They 
boasted  that  they  were  the  Lord's  peculiar 
people ;  they  had  the  prophecies  and  promises 
concerning  Messiah  in  their  hands,  and  were 
professedly  expecting  and  waiting  for  his  ap- 
pearance. They  are,  therefore,  called  upon  to 
rejoice  in  it.  But  when  he  actually  came, 
though  he  came  to  his  own,  to  his  own  na- 
tion, city,  and  temple  ;  his  own  people,  to 
whose  affection  and  allegiance  he  had  the 
justest  claim,  received  him  not,  John  i.  11. 


tsm.  XI.] 


INTO  JERUSALEM. 


253 


There  were  a  few,  however,  who  truly  wait- 
ed for  him  as  the  hope  and  consolation  of 
Israel,  at  tiie  time  of  his  birth ;  and  many 
more  were  afterwards  convinced  by  his  gra- 
cious words  and  works,  that  he  only  had  the 
words  of  eternal  life,  and  became  his  follow- 
ers. By  their  acknowledged  principles,  they 
were  all  bound  to  acknowledge  that  prophet 
whom  Moses  had  foretold  God  would  raise  up 
among  them  like  unto  himself,  (Deut.  xviii. 
15 — 19 ;  Acts  vii.  •Yl,)  that  is,  to  be,  as  he 
had  been,  a  lawgiver,  to  institute  a  new  dis- 
pensation of  the  true  religion ;  and  their  re- 
fusal involved  them,  as  a  nation,  in  the  pu- 
nisiiment,  which  Moses  had  likewise  de- 
nounced against  those  who  should  refuse  to 
hearken  to  him.  Thus  their  peculiar  advan- 
tage in  possessing  a  divine  revelation,  while 
the  rest  of  mankind  were  left  ignorant  of  the 
will  of  God,  proved  an  aggravation  of  their 
guilt,  and  rendered  their  obstinacy  more  in- 
excusable, and  their  condemnation  more 
severe.  I  am  bound  to  take  every  opportu- 
nity of  noticing  the  striking  parallel,  in  this 
respect,  between  the  Jewish  nation  in  our 
Saviour's  time,  and  the  nations,  who,  since 
that  period,  have  admitted  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  a  revelation  from  God.  By  assum- 
ing the  Christian  name,  and  so  far  calling 
the  Saviour  Lord,  while  they  reject  the  spirit 
and  design  of  the  gospel,  and  treat  the  mi- 
nisters of  it  with  neglect  or  contempt,  they 
tread  in  the  steps,  and  share  in  the  guilt,  of 
those  who  pretended  to  expect  Messiah,  and 
yet  crucified  him  when  he  appeared  among 
them.  In  person  he  could  be  crucified  but 
once;  but  the  scripture  speaks  of  those  who 
crucify  the  Son  of  God  afresh,  and  put  him 
to  open  shame.  How  far  this  is  the  case  of 
the  persons  who  can  bear  to  hear  of  his  pas- 
sion and  his  kingdom,  when  made  the  subject 
of  a  musical  entertainment,  but  upon  no  other 
occasion,  deserves  their  serious  consideration. 

II.  The  exhortation  can  only  be  complied 
with  by  those  who  are  sensible  of  their  need 
of  a  Saviour,  and  his  authority  and  ability  to 
save.  To  these  the  prophet  brings  a  joyful 
message,  and  they  will  rejoice  and  shout. 
The  joy  of  harvest,  (Isa.  ix.  3,)  and  of  the 
victors  in  war,  when  dividing  the  spoil  of 
the  vanquished,  is  celebrated  with  shouting. 
But  sinners  who  by  the  knowledge  of  Mes- 
siah, are  delivered  from  going  down  into  the 
pit,  from  the  dominion  of  the  powers  of 
darkness,  and  are  translated  into  the  kingdom 
of  God,  experience  a  joy  far  superior,  in  kind 
and  degree,  to  any  satisfaction  that  temporal 
things  can  afford.  It  is  a  joy  unspeakable, 
and  full  of  glory,  1  Pet.  i.  8.  Jesus,  when 
known  and  received  by  faith,  is,  in  the  high- 
est sense,  light  to  those  who  sit  in  darkness, 
health  to  the  sick,  food  to  the  hungry,  and 
rest  to  the  weary  soul.  Thus  many  rejoiced 
in  his  goodness  when  he  was  upon  earth ; 
and  he  still  has  a  people,  and  will  have  to  the 


end  of  time,  who  do  and  shall  rejoice  in  him 
upon  these  accounts,  though  every  spring  of 
temporal  joy  sliould  be  dried  up.  They  who 
know  his  name,  and  put  their  trust  in  him, 
are  warranted  to  appropriate  those  strong  ex- 
pressions of  another  prophet:  "  Although  the 
fig-tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall  fruit 
be  in  the  vine,  the  labour  of  the  olive  shall 
fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat,  the 
flock  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there 
shall  be  no  herd  in  the  stalls ;  yet  I  will  re- 
joice in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my 
salvation,"  Hab.  iif.  17,  18. 

III.  The  ground  and  cause  of  this  joy  is 
assigned, — "  Thy  King  cometh."  Messiah  is 
a  king.  This  title  he  avowed  to  Pilate, 
(Mark  xv.  2,)  by  whose  order  it  was  affixed 
over  him  upon  his  cross.  That  this  was  not 
a  slight  and  arbitrary  circumstance,  but  pro- 
vidential and  important,  we  may,  I  think,  in- 
fer from  the  care  taken  by  the  evangelists  to 
preserve  the  remembrance  of  it,  for  it  is  re- 
corded by  them  all.  He  is,  indeed,  King  of 
kings,  King  and  Lord  of  nations.  King  of 
worlds ;  but  he  is  here  spoken  of  as  King  of 
Zion.  The  kingdom  he  came  to  establish 
upon  earth  is  not  of  this  world,  nor  like  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world.  The  maxims,  lan- 
guage, interests,  and  aims  of  it,  are  peculiar 
to  itself  His  power  and  providence  rule 
over  all ;  but  he  is  only  known,  admired,  and 
willingly  obeyed  by  the  subjects  of  his  spirit- 
ual kingdom,  who,  though  they  are  in  the 
world,  are  not  of  it,  but  strangers  and  pil- 
grims upon  the  earth.  Their  -"Kinv/^x,  or 
true  citizenship,  is  in  heaven,  Phil.  ii.  20. 
These  are  his  peculiar  people.  And  though 
they  partake  with  others  in  the  changes  and 
trials  incident  to  this  mortal  life,  and  have 
their  several  departments  and  duties  assigned 
them  according  to  his  will,  as  members  of  so- 
ciety, and  it  does  not  yet  appear  what  they 
shall  be ;  (1  John  iii.  2 ;)  they  are  even  now 
the  children  and  servants  of  the  Lord,  and  he 
manifests  himself  to  them  as  he  does  not  to 
others.  Happy  are  these  his  subjects  who 
dwell  under  his  shadow.  He  rules  them,  not 
with  that  rod  of  iron  by  which  he  bruises  and 
breaks  the  power  of  his  enemies,  but  with  his 
golden  sceptre  of  love.  He  reigns  by  his 
own  right,  and  by  their  full  and  free  consent, 
in  their  hearts.  He  reigns  upon  a  throne  of 
grace,  to  which  they  have  at  all  times  access; 
and  from  whence  they  receive,  in  answer  to 
their  prayers,  mercy  and  peace,  the  pardon 
of  all  their  sins,  grace  to  help  in  every  time 
of  need,  and  a  renewed  supply  answerable  to 
all  their  wants,  cares,  services,  and  conflicts. 
So  that,  though  they  are  surrounded  with 
snares,  and  fiercely  opposed  by  many  ene- 
mies, they  cannot  be  overpowered,  for  the 
Lord  himself  is  their  king  and  their  Saviour. 
We  have, 

IV.  Two  characters  of  this  King, — "  He  is 
just,  having  salvation,"  or,  as  it  is  in  the  pas- 


254 


MESSIAH'S  ENTRANCE  INTO  JERUSALEM. 


[SER.  XI. 


sage  of  the  Messiah,  "  lie  is  a  righteous  Sa- 
viour.*' 

1.  He  is  ri^iteous. — His  kingdom  is  found- 
ed in  righteousness.  It  is  the  effect  and  re- 
ward of  his  obedience  unto  death,  by  which 
he  made  an  end  of  sin,  and  brought  in  an 
everlasting  rigliteousness.  As  his  people  re- 
ceive and  e.xpect  all  from  his  hand,  so  like- 
wise for  his  sake.  Such  is  his  command,  and 
such  is  his  promise.  "  If  ye  shall  ask  any 
thing  in  my  name,  t  will  do  it,"  John  xiv.  14. 
In  pleading  their  cause,  and  managing  their 
concerns,  he  is  their  righteous  advocate. 
And  therefore,  because  his  intercession  is 
founded  upon  a  righteous  stipulation,  which 
he  has  completely  fulfilled,  he  does  not  say, 
"Father,"  I  ask,  but  "I  will,  that  those 
whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where 
I  am,  that  they  may  behold  ray  glory,"  John 
xvii.  24. 

2.  He  is  a  Saviour. — Having  salvation  in 
himself ;  yea,  he  is  their  salvation,  Isa.  xii.  2. 
His  wisdom,  power,  compassion,  and  deter- 
mined purpose,  are  all  engaged  to  save  them 
fully,  freely,  and  for  ever ;  to  save  them  from 
guilt,  from  Satan,  and  from  sin,  through  all 
the  dangers  and  trials  of  this  life ;  to  save 
them  to  the  uttermost,  till  he  fixes  them  final- 
ly out  of  the  reach  of  all  evil,  and  puts  them 
in  possession  of  all  the  happiness  of  which 
their  natures  are  capable,  in  a  conformity  to 
his  own  image,  and  the  enjoyment  of  un- 
clouded, uninterrupted  communion  with  God. 

V.  His  great  design  was  not  confined  to 
Israel  after  the  flesh;  "he  shall  speak  peace 
to  the  Heathen"  also.  His  kingdom  com- 
prises, besides  the  believing  posterity  of  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob,  a  great  multitude 
gathered  from  amidst  all  nations,  people,  and 
languages,  from  the  east  and  the  west,  from 
the  north  and  the  south,  Luke  xiii.  28,  29. 
Though  the  Heathen  were  universally  alien- 
ated from  God,  by  evil  works  and  an  evil  con- 
science, he  has  undertaken  to  reconcile  them, 
and  to  bring  those  near  who  were  once  afar 
off.  By  their  knowledge  of  him,  their  prisons 
shall  be  opened,  their  chains  broken,  (Isa.  xlv. 
14,)  their  condemnation  reversed,  and  they 
shall  be  renewed,  and  accepted  in  the  Be- 
loved, as  the  true  children  of  Abraham.  He 
shall  likewise  conciliate  peace  between  Jew 
and  Gentile,  make  of  both  one  people,  (Eph. 
ii.  13 — 16,)  pulling  down  the  walls  of  se- 
paration and  prejudice,  that  with  one  heart 
and  mind  they  may  love,  serve,  and  praise 
him.  For  where  faith  in  him  obtains,  all  dis- 
tinctions are  lost  and  superseded.  There  is 
then,  neither  Greek  nor  Jew,  circumcision 
nor  uncircumcision,  barbarian,  Scythian, 
bond  nor  free,  but  Christ  is  all,  and  in  all. 
Col.  iii.  11. 

Much  has  been  already  done  by  the  gospel. 
Multitudes  have  been  turned  from  darkness 
to  light,  and  from  the  worship  of  dumb  idols 
to  serve  the  living  and  true  God.    And  we 


expect  a  time  when  this  promise  will  be 
more  extensively  and  literally  fulfilled ;  when 
the  kingdom  shall  be  the  Lord's  to  the  end 
of  the  earth;  when  the  fulness  of  the  Gentdes 
shall  come  in,  all  Israel  shall  be  saved,  and 
the  nations  shall  learn  war  no  more. 

From  these  characters  of  the  Saviour,  we 
may  collect  the  character  of  his  people. 
For  they  beholding  his  glory,  are  changed 
(according  to  the  measure  of  their  faith)  into 
the  same  image.  The  incommunicable  per- 
fections of  God,  such  as  his  sovereignty,  and 
all-sufficiency,  can  only  produce  in  his  people 
correspondent  impressions  of  reverence,  sub- 
mission, and  dependence ;  an  attempt  to  be 
like  him  in  these  respects  would  be  highly 
impious,  and  was  indeed  the  original  source 
of  our  apostacy  from  him.  Man,  by  indulging 
a  desire  of  being  like  God,  rebelled  against 
him,  aspired  at  independence,  and  preferred 
the  gratification  of  his  own  will  to  the  righte- 
ous and  equitable  commands  of  his  Maker. 
The  unavoidable  consequence  of  this  madness 
is  misery.  It  is  not  possible  that  he  should 
be  happy,  till  he  be  reduced  to  his  proper 
state  of  subordination.  But  that  light  of  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ, 
which  is  revealed  to  the  renewed  heart  by 
the  gospel,  has  a  transforming  effect  upon 
those  who  receive  it;  they  are  made  par- 
takers of  a  divine  nature,  and  resemble  him, 
whose  they  are,  and  whom  they  serve,  in 
righteousness,  goodness,  and  truth,  Eph.  v.  9. 

They  are  righteous  as  he  is  righteous.  I 
speak  not  of  their  relative  state,  as  they  are 
accepted  and  accounted  righteous  in  the  Be- 
loved, but  of  their  real  character.  They  learn 
of  him  to  love  righteousness  and  hate  iniquity, 
Psalm  xlv.  7.  Their  principles  are  right, 
drawn  from  the  revealed  truths  of  God.  They 
comport  themselves  as  becomes  weak  and 
unworthy  sinners,  and  ascribe  the  glory  of 
their  salvation  to  the  Lord  alone ;  and  there- 
fore the  general  tenor  of  their  conduct  is 
governed  by  the  righteous  rules  of  his  pre- 
cepts ;  of  which  they  have  the  most  endear- 
ing and  animating  exemplification  in  the 
conduct  of  their  Saviour;  from  him  they 
learn  to  frame  their  tempers,  desires,  and 
hopes,  and  thus  give  evidence  that  they  are, 
in  deed  and  in  truth,  a  saved  people.  His 
love,  in  proportion  as  it  is  realized  in  tlieir 
hearts  by  faith,  teaches  them  likewise  to  love 
one  another,  and  to  exercise  benevolence  to 
all  men.  When  they  understand  the  true 
nature  of  his  spiritual  kingdom,  which  con- 
sisteth  not  in  external  distinctions  and  forms, 
but  in  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost;  (Rom.  xiv.  17;)  and  that  it  is 
his  great  design  to  form  to  himself  a  people 
from  amongst  the  nations  of  the  earth,  wlio 
shall  be  one  body,  enlivened  by  one  and  the 
same  spirit,  they  acquire  a  large  and  com- 
prehensive mind.  They  rise  above  the  in- 
fluence of  names,  parties,  and  divisions;  are 


i 


SER.  XII.] 


EFFECTS  OF  MESSIAH'S  APPEARANCE. 


255 


freed  from  the  narrow  views  and  interests  of 
self;  and  put  on,  as  the  elect  of  God,  bowels 
of  mercies,  kindness,  humility,  meekness, 
long-suffering',  forbearance,  and  forgiveness, 
(Col.  iii.  12,)  in  conformity  to  the  pattern  and 
will  of  their  great  exemplar.  Thus  he  speaks 
peace  to  them,  and  hushes  all  their  angry 
tumultuous  passions  into  a  calm. 

Such  is  the  spirit  and  tendency  of  the  gos- 
pel. Let  us  try  ourselves  by  this  touchstone, 
measure  ourselves  by  this  rule,  and  weigh 
ourselves  in  these  balances  of  the  sanctuary. 
They  that  are  Christ's  have  crucified  the 
flesh,  have  put  off  the  old  man,  and  are  re- 
newed in  the  spirit  of  their  minds.  If  he  be 
indeed  your  King,  your  consciences  will  bear 
you  witness  that  you  revere,  imitate,  and  obey 
him.  If  he  be  your  Savio^-,  you  certainly 
mu.st  be  sensible  yourselves,  and  others  must 
observe  that  you  are  different  from  what  you 
once  were. 

And  if  any  of  you  should  be  convinced, 
that  hitherto  you  have  been  a  christian  only 
in  name  and  in  form,  but  destitute  of  that 
which  constitutes  the  life  and  power  of  real 
godliness,  this  will  be  a  good  beginning.  For 
though  It  be  high  time  that  you  should  in 
good  earnest  attend  to  these  things,  blessed 
be  God  it  is  not  yet  too  late.  He  is  a  righ- 
teous and  a  gracious  Saviour;  seek  him  as 
such,  and  he  will  speak  peace  to  you  also. 
His  sure  promise  is  recorded  for  your  encou- 
ragement,*" Him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will 
in  no  wise  cast  out,"  John  vi.  37. 


SERMON  XII. 

EFFECTS  OF  MESSIAh's  APPEARANCE. 

Then  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall  be  opened, 
and  the  ears  of  the  deaf  shall  he  iinstop- 
ped :  Then  shall  the  lame  man  leap  as  a 
hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb  sing. — 
Is.  XXXV.  5,  6. 

How  beautiful  and  magnificent  is  the  ima- 
gery by  which  the  prophet,  in  this  chapter, 
represents  the  effects  of  Messiah's  appear- 
ance !  The  scene,  proposed  to  our  view,  is 
a  barren  and  desolate  wilderness.  But  when 
he,  who  in  the  beginning  said  "  Let  there  be 
light,  and  there  was  light,"  condescends  to 
visit  this  wilderness,  the  face  of  nature  is 
suddenly  changed  by  his  presence.  Foun- 
tains and  .streams  of  water  burst  forth  in  the 
burning  desert,  the  soil  becomes  fruitful, 
clothed  with  verdure,  and  adorned  with 
flowers.  The  towering  cedars,  wliich  were 
the  glory  of  Lebanon,  and  the  richest  pas- 
tures, which  were  tlie  excellency  of  Carmol, 
present  themselves  to  the  eye,  where,  a  little 
before,  all  was  uncomfortable  and  dreary. 
How  is  it,  that  so  few  of  tliose  who  value 
themselves  upon  their  taste,  and  who  profess 
to  be  admirers  of  pastoral  poetry  in  particular, 


are  struck  with  the  elegance  and  beauty  of 
this  description  !  Alas,  we  can  only  ascribe 
their  indifference  to  the  depravity  of  the 
human  heart.  They  would,  surely,  have 
admired  this  picture,  could  they  have  met 
with  it  in  any  of  their  favourite  authors  ;  but 
descriptive  paintings  in  this  style,  so  exqui- 
sitely combining  grandeur  with  simplicity, 
are  only  to  be  found  in  tiie  Bible,  a  book 
which  their  unhappy  prejudices  and  passions 
toooflen  lead  them  to  depreciate  and  neglect. 
But  they  who  have  a  scriptural  and  spiritual 
taste,  not  only  admire  this  passage  as  a  de- 
scription of  a  pleasing  change  in  outward 
nature,  but  consider  it  as  a  just  and  expres- 
sive representation  of  a  more  important,  a 
moral  change,  of  which  they  have  themselves 
been,  in  a  measure,  the  happy  subjects.  The 
barren  wilderness  reminds  them  of  the  s^ate 
of  mankind  by  the  fall,  and  of  their  own 
hearts,  before  Messiah,  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness, arose  upon  them  with  healing,  with  light, 
power,  and  comfort,  in  his  beams.  In  that 
memorable  hour,  old  things  passed  away,  and 
all  things  became  new.  The  Lord,  by  shin- 
ing into  their  hearts,  and  showing  them  his 
glory  in  the  person  of  Christ,  has  created  for 
them  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth.  The 
works  of  God  around  them  in  liis  creation 
and  providence  assume  a  difforentappearance. 
Before,  they  lived  without  him  in  the  world , 
but  now,  they  see  his  hand  wherever  they 
look,  they  hear  his  voice  in  every  event ;  for 
now  the  principles  of  his  grace  are  planted  in 
their  souls,  and  they  are  no  longer  barren  nor 
unfruitful,  but  are  filled  with  the  fruits  of 
righteousness,  which  are  by  Jesus  Christ  to 
his  praise,  Phil.  i.  11. 

The  verses  which  I  have  read  exhibit  the 
effects  of  Messiah's  power  and  goodness,  by 
another  image  equally  pleasing.  Not  only 
the  wilderness,  but  the  inhabitants  of  the  wil- 
derness partake  of  the  virtue  of  the  great  Re- 
deemer. He  finds  them  in  circumstances  of 
distress,  which  he  only  can  relieve.  But 
when  he  comes  the  blind  receive  their  sight, 
the  deaf  hear,  the  lame  walk,  and  the  dumb 
have  voices  given  them  to  resound  his  praise. 
These  mighty  works,  in  their  literal  sense, 
marked  his  character,  and  confirmed  his  claims 
when  he  was  upon  earth ;  and  to  these  he 
flimself  appealed  in  proof  of  his  being  the 
promised  Saviour  whom  the  prophets  had 
foretold,  and  that  no  other  was  to  be  expect- 
ed. Matt.  xi.  ,3—6. 

But  the  words  have  a  still  more  sublime 
and  important  sense.  As  the  great  Physician, 
he  cured  all  manner  of  bodily  diseases  and  in- 
firmities. But  this  was  not  the  principal  de- 
sign for  which  he  came  into  the  worlil.  The 
maladies  to  wliich  sin  has  sulyectod  tlio  body, 
are  but  emblems  of  the  more  dreadful  evils 
which  it  has  brought  upon  the  soul.  He 
came  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  mind  ;  to  make 
the  obstinate  will  attentive  and  obedient  to 


256 


EFFECTS  OF  MESSTAIFS  APPEARANCE. 


fsEE.  xn. 


the  voice  of  God ;  to  invig-orate  our  benumbed 
and  paralytic  faculties,  that  we  may  be  active 
and  cheerful  in  his  service ;  and  to  open  our 
lips,  that  our  mouths  may  show^  forth  his 
praise.  I  have  a  good  hope  that  I  may  war- 
rantably  say,  "  This  day  is  this  scripture  ful- 
filled in  your  ears,"  Luke  iv.  21.  Some  of 
you  who  were  once  darkness,  are  now  light 
in  the  Lord. 

Tliese  different  effects  are  produced  by  one 
simple,  but  powerful  operation.  While  La- 
zarus lay  in  the  grave,  all  his  natural  powers 
were  inactive.  But  when  the  voice  of  the 
Son  of  God  restored  him  to  life,  (John  xi.  43,) 
he  was,  of  course,  immediately  enabled  to  see, 
to  hear,  to  move,  and  to  speak.  Thus,  while 
we  were  spiritually  dead,  we  were  necessari- 
ly blind,  deaf,  dumb,  and  motionless,  with  re- 
spect to  all  the  objects  and  faculties  of  that 
life  of  God  in  the  soul,  which  is  the  perfec- 
tion and  honour  of  our  nature.  When  we 
are  made  partakers  of  this  life,  by  a  new  and 
heavenly  birth,  then  our  spiritual  senses  are 
brought  into  exercise,  then  the  eyes  of  the 
blind  are  opened,  to  see  the  beauty  and  glory 
of  divine  truths :  we  hear  the  voice  of  God, 
we  feel  a  liberty  to  walk  and  act  in  his  ser- 
vice, and  our  tongues  are  taught  to  praise 
him.  Here  are  four  chief  effects  of  a  work 
of  grace  upon  the  heart,  which  distinguish 
believers  from  the  rest  of  mankind. 

.And  these  effects  are  all  to  be  ascribed  to 
Messiah.  For  they  are  all  wrought  by  the 
agency  of  his  Holy  Spirit.  The  gifts  and 
graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  are  abso- 
lutely necessary,  as  well  for  the  perpetuating 
of  his  gospel  from  age  to  age,  as  for  making 
it  efficacious  and  successful,  are  bestowed 
upon  sinners  wlioUy  upon  the  account  of  his 
mediation.  It  was,  when  he  ascended  on 
high  and  led  captivity  captive,  that  he  pro- 
cured these  blessings  for  rebellious  men,  that 
the  Lord  God  might  dwell  among  them,  Psal. 
Ixviii.  18.  And  it  was  only  for  his  sake,  and 
on  tlie  account  of  what  he  has  to  accomplish 
in  the  fulness  of  time,  as  intimated  in  the 
promise  of  the  seed  of  the  woman  appointed 
to  bruise  tlie  serpent's  head,  that  there  were 
any  gracious  communications  afforded  to  fal- 
len man,  from  the  first  entrance  of  sin  into 
the  world.  But  now  the  Redeemer's  great 
work  is  fulfilled,  his  salvation  is  more  openly 
revealed  and  applied  by  the  publication  of  the 
gospel,  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from 
Heaven,  and  sinners  hear  the  voice  of  God 
and  live.  Then  all  the  changes  prefigured 
and  predicted  in  my  te.xt  take  place,  and  the 
wilderness  becomes  a  fruitful  field. 

1 .  They  were  one  e  bl  ind ,  bu  t  no w  th  cy  see. 
The  religion  of  true  believers  is  not  the  eflect 
of  imagination  and  blind  impulse,  but  is  de- 
rived from  a  solid  knowledge,  which  will  bear 
the  strictest  scrutiny,  and  is  the  reasonable 
service  of  an  enlightened  understanding. 
They  see  God ;  their  apprehensions  of  him 


are,  in  some  measure,  answerable  to  his 
greatness  and  his  goodness,  and  inspire  them 
with  reverence  and  love.  Their  conceptions 
of  other  things,  in  which  they  are  most  near- 
ly interested,  are  agreeable  to  the  truth.  Sin 
appears  to  them  hateful  in  itself,  as  well  as 
mischievous  in  its  consequences;  and  holi- 
ness, not  only  necessary  by  the  ordination  of 
God,  but  desirable  for  its  own  sake,  as  e!?sen- 
tially  belonging  to  the  true  dignity  and  hap- 
piness of  man.  They  know  themselves ;  they 
see  and  feel  that  they  are  such  creatures  as 
the  Bible  describes  them  to  be,  weak,  de- 
praved, and  vile.  Of  course,  they  see  the 
folly  of  attempting  to  recommend  themselves 
to  God,  and  can  no  longer  place  any  depend- 
ence on  what  they  once  accounted  their  wis- 
dom, power,  or  <if  hteousness  ;  and  therefore 
they  see  the  absolute  necessity  of  a  Saviour. 
They  see,  likewise,  and  approve  the  method 
of  salvation  proposed  by  the  gospel,  as  worthy 
of  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  God,  and  every 
way  adapted  to  the  exigencies  of  their  sins, 
wants,  and  fears.  They  see  and  admire  the 
excellence,  dignity,  and  sufficiency  of  him,  on 
whom  their  help  is  laid.  His  power  and  au- 
thority engage  their  confidence,  his  love  cap- 
tivates and  fixes  their  hearts.  They  see  the 
vanity  of  the  present  state,  and  the  vast  im- 
portance of  eternity.  In  these  respects  they 
have  all  of  them  a  good  understanding,  how- 
ever inferior  in  natural  capacity  oj  acquired 
knowledge  to  the  wise  men  of  the  world. 

2.  Their  knowledge,  so  far  as  they  have 
attained,  is  not  merely  speculative,  cold,  and 
indistinct,  like  the  light  of  the  moon.  The 
Sun  of  righteousness  has  shined  into  their 
hearts.  The  light  they  enjoy  is  vital,  cheer- 
ing, and  effective.  Because  they  thus  see, 
they  hear  likewise.  They  were  once  deaf  to 
the  voice  of  God,  whether  he  spoke  by  his 
word  or  his  providence,  whether  in  the  lan- 
guage of  mercy  or  judgment.  But  now  their 
deaf  ears  are  unstopped.  They  are  now  at- 
tentive, submissive,  and  willing  to  receive 
his  instructions,  and  to  obey  his  commands. 
With  them,  one  "  Thus  saitli  the  Lord,"  has 
the  force  of  a  thousand  arguments.  They 
desire  no  farther  proof  of  a  doctrine,  no  other 
warrant  for  tlieir  practice,  no  other  reason  for 
any  dispensation,  than  Thus  the  Lord  has 
said.  This  he  requires,  and.  This  is  his  ap- 
pointment. Thus  their  wills  are  brought 
into  subjection ;  and  they  so  und^stand,  as 
to  believe  and  obey. 

3.  Farther,  with  their  sight  and  hearing 
they  receive  power  and  activity.  Once  they 
were  tied  and  bound  in  the  chain  of  their  sins, 
or  like  a  man  benumbed  with  a  dead  palsy, 
unable  to  move.  If  they  sometimes  seemed 
to  e.xpress  desires  that  might  be  called  good 
with  respect  to  their  object,  they  were  faint 
and  ineffectual.  But  now  their  fetters  are 
broken,  the  health  and  strength  of  their  souls 
are  restored,  and  God  has  wrought  in  them  not 


SEIl.  XII.] 


EFFECTS  OP  MESSIAH'S  APPEARANCE. 


257 


only  to  will  but  also  to  do  according  to  his 
good  pleasure,  Pliil.  ii.  1:3.  It  is  not  more 
wonderful  tliat  a  cripple  should  suddenly  re- 
cover the  use  of  his  limbs,  than  that  a  person 
who  has  long  been  fettered  in  sinful  habits 
should  be  enabled  to  move  and  act  with  ala- 
crity in  the  service  of  God.  But  in  the  day 
of  divine  power  sinners  are  made  both  willing' 
and  able.  How  burdensome  was  that  which 
they  once  accounted  their  religion  !  how  lit- 
tle comfort  did  it  yield  them  !  how  little  did 
it  assist  them  against  their  passions  or  against 
their  fears!  But  all  tilings  are  become  new, 
since  they  iiave  attained  to  a  life  of  faith  in 
the  Son  of  God.  Their  religious  service  is 
now  pleasant,  and  their  warfare  against  sin 
and  the  world  victorious.  Their  obligations, 
motives,  resources,  encouragements,and  pros- 
pects inspire  them  with  a  holy  vigour  to  run, 
with  patience  and  perseverance,  the  race 
that  is  set  before  them. 

4.  Having  their  sight  and  hearing  thus  re- 
stored, and  their  hearts  enlarged  to  walk  at  li- 
berty in  the  ways  of  wisdom,  they  are  no 
longer  dumb,  silent,  and  sullen,  but,  out  of 
the  abundance  of  their  hearts,  their  mouths 
speak  the  language  of  gratitude,  praise,  and 
joy.  For  though  most  people  have  the  fa- 
culty of  speed),  and  can  use,  or  rather  abuse 
their  tongues  fluently  ;  though  we  are  suffi- 
ciently e.xpert  from  oar  childhood,  in  the  dia- 
lects of  falseiiood,  profaneness,  and  folly  ;  yet, 
by  nature,  we  are  dumb  with  respect  to  the 
language  that  becomes  us,  as  the  creatures  of 
God,  and  as  those  who  have  sinned  against 
him,  and  yet  are  invited  to  seek  his  mercy. 
But  when  grace  teaches  the  heart,  then  the 
heart  teaches  the  mouth,  Prov.  xvi.  23.  When 
we  believe,  then  we  speak,  yea,  we  sing  and 
greatly  rejoice ;  as  it  is  written,  "  In  that  day 
I  will  praise  thee ;  though  thou  wast  angry, 
thine  anger  is  turned  away,"  Isa.  xii.  1.  And 
again,  "  Tiie  voice  of  joy  and  thanksgiving  is 
in  the  tabernacles  of  the  righteous,"  Psal. 
c.xviii.  l-j.  "  Let  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord 
say.  That  he  is  good,  and  his  mercy  endureth 
for  ever,  Psal."  cvii.  1,  2 

It  is  of  great  importance  to  examine  our- 
selves by  this  test,  and  not  to  be  satisfied 
with  our  knowledge  of  the  gospel,  any  fartiier 
than  our  consciences  bear  us  witness,  that  it 
has  produced  a  real  moral  change  in  our  tem- 
pers, conduct,  and  pursuits.  For  there  is  a 
knowledge  which  is  falsely  so  called.  It  pufl^eth 
up,  but  edifieth  not.  Our  Lord's  declaration 
deserves  our  most  serious  attention :  "  For 
judgment  I  am  come  into  this  world,  that 
they  which  see  not  may  see,  and  that  they 
which  see,  might  be  made  blind,"  John  ix. 
39.  It  is  very  possible,  yea,  very  easy,  by 
the  help  of  books,  sermons,  and  converse,  to 
acquire  an  orderly  and  systematic  knowledge 
of  divine  truths;  it  may  be  learnt  thus,  like 
any  other  branch  of  human  science,  and  the 
heeul  be  well  stored  with  orthodox  sentiments  j 
Vol.  XL  2K 


and  there  may  be  an  ability  to  prove  and  de- 
fend them,  in  a  way  of  argumentation,  while 
the  heart  is  utterly  a  stranger  to  their  salu- 
tary influence.  Such  characters  are  too  com- 
mon. None  make  a  greater  parade  and  boast 
of  seeing  than  these  persons.  None  are  more 
fatally  blinded.  They  smile  with  disdain 
when  they  speak  of  a  self-righteousness 
founded  upon  prayers,  alms-deeds,  and  sacra- 
ments, but  are  not  aware  that  they  them- 
selves live  in  the  very  spirit  of  the  Pharisees, 
(Luke  xviii.  2,)  so  clearly  described  and  so 
expressly  condemned  in  the  New  Testament. 
Their  supposed  knowledge  of  the  doctrines 
which  they  misunderstand  and  abuse,  is  the 
righteousness  on  which  they  build  their 
hopes ;  and  trusting  to  this,  they  despise  all 
those  who  are  stricter  in  practice  than  them- 
selves, as  ignorant  and  legal,  and  discover  al- 
most as  great  dislike  to  close  and  faithful 
preaching  as  they  could  do  to  poison.  Though 
the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  when  rightly  re- 
ceived, are  productive  of  godliness,  it  is  to  be 
feared  there  are  people  who  espouse  and 
plead  for  them  to  quiet  their  consciences,  by 
furnishing  them  with  e.xcuses  for  the  sins 
they  are  unwilling  to  forsake.  It  is  not  sur- 
prising that  they  who  are  displeased  with 
the  yoke  of  our  Lord's  precepts  should  seem 
friendly  to  the  idea  of  salvation  without  the 
works  of  the  law.  The  notion  of  the  final 
perseverance  of  believer?  may  afford  a  pillow 
for  those  to  rest  on,  who,  being  at  present 
destitute  of  all  feeling  of  spiritual  life,  labour 
to  persuade  themselves,  that  they  are  chris- 
tians, because  they  had  some  serious  thoughts, 
and  made  some  profession  of  the  truth,  many 
years  ago.  So  likewise,  in  what  the  scrip- 
tures teach  of  the  total  inability  of  fallen 
man,  they  think  they  have  a  plea  to  justify 
their  negligence  and  sloth,  and  therefore  are 
not  disposed  to  contradict  the  testimony.  The 
invitation  and  command  to  wait,  and  watch, 
and  strive  in  the  ways  and  means  of  the 
Lord's  appointment,  they  evade,  as  they 
think,  with  impunity,  by  confessing  the 
charge,  and  saying,  I  am  a  poor  creature  in- 
deed, I  can  do  nothing  of  myself  aright,  and 
therefore  to  what  purpose  should  I  attempt 
to  do  any  thing?  A  minister  may  preach 
upon  these  points,  in  general  terms,  and  ob- 
tain their  good  word.  But  if  bespeaks  plain- 
ly and  faithfully  to  conscience ;  if  he  bears 
testimony  not  only  against  dead  works,  but 
against  a  dead  faith, — against  spiritual  pride, 
evil  tempers,  evil  speaking,  love  of  the  world, 
and  sinful  compliances;  if  he  insists  that  the 
branches  of  the  true  vine  should  bear  grapes, 
and  not  the  same  fruit  as  the  bramble ;  hear- 
ers of  this  stamp  will  think  they  do  God  ser- 
vice by  censuring  all  ho  can  say  as  low  and 
legal  trash.  How  awful !  that  people  should 
be  blinded  by  the  very  truths  which  they  pro- 
fefBS  to  believe  !  Yet  I  fear  such  cases  are  too 
frequent   God  grant  a  delusion  of  this  k '"d 


258 


THE  GREAT 


SHEPHERD. 


[SER.  XIII. 


may  never  be  found  ainong'st  us !  For  if  the 
Bait  itself  should  lose  its  savour,  wherewith 
shall  it  be  salted  !  Matt.  v.  13.  May  we 
come  simply  to  the  light,  with  a  desire  of  see- 
ing- more  of  ourselves,  and  more  of  our  Sa- 
viour, that  we  may  be  more  humble  and  spi- 
ritual, more  afraid  of  sin,  more  watchful  and 
successful  in  striving  against  it,  and,  in  our 
whole  conversation,  more  conformable  to  our 
glorious  Head ! 

But  to  return  : — From  what  has  been  of- 
fered upon  this  subject  we  may  observe, 

1.  Tl)at  true  Christianity  is  friendly  to  so- 
ciety, and  to  the  common  interests  of  man- 
kind. It  is  the  source  of  peace,  tenderness, 
benevolence,  and  every  humane  temper.  It 
is  calculated  to  soothe  tiie  fierce  disposition, 
to  enlarge  the  selfish  spirit,  and  to  transform 
the  lion  into  the  lamb.  What  then  must  we 
think  of  those  pretended  friends  to  liberty  and 
free  inquiry,  whose  unhappy  zeal  is  employed 
to  rob  us  of  the  only  light  and  balm  of  life  ! 
who,  by  their  misrepresentations  and  cavils, 
endeavour  to  persuade  otliers,  though  they 
cannot  effectually  persuade  tliemselves,  that 
the  gospel,  a  scheme  so  wise  in  its  constitu- 
tion, so  salutary  in  its  design,  so  powerful  in 
its  effects,  is  no  better  than  an  imposition,  the 
contrivance  of  superstitious  or  artful  men  ! 
Why  should  they  attempt  to  take  away  the 
foundation  of  our  hope  and  the  spring  of  our 
comfort,  (if  they  were  able,)  when  they  know 
they  have  nothing  to  substitute  in  their  place ! 
Let  us  think  of  them  with  that  compassion 
which  their  state  calls  for,  and  pray  for  them, 
if  peradventure  God  will  give  tliem  repent- 
ance to  the  acknowledgment  of  the  truth, 
2  Tim.  ii.  25. 

2.  The  chano-e  thus  wrought  is  great,  mar- 
vellous, and,  if  not  so  frequent,  might  be 
styled  miraculous.  It  is  more  than  educa- 
tion, e-xaraple,  persuasion,  or  resolution  can 
perform.  It  is  the  work  of  God  slone  to 
open  the  blind  eyes,  to  clnnije  the  heart  of 
stone  into  flesh,  and  to  raise  the  dead. 

This  thought  should  exclude  boasting.  The 
happy  subjects  of  this  change  were  no  better 
by  nature  or  practice  than  others.  They  have 
nothing  but  what  they  have  received.  The 
glory  and  praise  is  due  to  the  Lord  alone. 
It  should  likewise  soften  their  censure  of 
those  who  are  still  in  a  state  of  alienation 
from  God,  or  at  least  prevent  the  emotions  of 
anger  and  resentment  towards  them.  They 
know  not  what  they  do.  Their  danger  should 
e.xcite  our  pity  and  our  friendly  endeavours 
to  recover  tliem  from  the  error  of  their  way. 
And,  especially,  we  should  be  careful  so  to 
regulate  our  behaviour,  that,  if  they  obey  not 
the  word,  they  may  without  the  word  be  con- 
vinced and  won  (1  Pet.  iii.  1)  by  the  force  of 
our  example.  If  the  Lord  be  pleased  to  do 
that  for  them  which  he  has  done  for  us,  their 
dislike  of  us,  and  their  opposition  to  us,  will 
be  quickly  at  an  end ;  and  though  they  set 


out  after  us,  they  may  possible  make  a  swifter 
progress  in  the  christian  life  than  we  have 
done.  Thus,  though  Saul  of  Tarsus  approacli- 
ed  Damascus  as  an  enemy  and  a  persecutor, 
when  the  scales  fell  from  his  eyes,  he  not 
only  immediately  joined  the  disciples,  but  in 
a  little  time  became  a  pattern  to  them. 

That  the  change  is  the  work  of  God,  should 
likewise  be  considered  by  those  who,  from  a 
sense  of  the  greatness  of  their  sins,  and  the 
strength  of  their  sinful  habits,  are  ready  to 
sink  into  despair.  Whatever  apparent  diffi- 
culty there  may  be  in  your  case,  it  is  eas}'  to 
divine  power.  All  things  are  possible  with 
God,  (Mark  x.  27,)  and  all  things,  likewise, 
are  possible  to  him  that  believeth,  Mark  ix. 
23.  The  promises  invite  you  to  apply  to  liim 
who  is  the  author  and  finisher  of  faith,  and 
who  has  said  for  your  encouragement,  "Him 
that  Cometh  unto  me,  I  will  m  nowise  cast 
out." 


SERMON  XIIT. 

THE  GREAT  SHEPHERD. 

He  shall  feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd ;  he 
shall  gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and 
carry  them  in  his  hos  im,  and  shall  gently 
lead  those  that  are  with  young, — Isa.  xl.  11. 

It  is  not  easy  for  those  whose  habits  of  lifo 
are  insensibly  formed  by  the  customs  of  mo- 
dern times,  to  conceive  any  adequate  idea  of 
the  pastoral  life,  as  it  obtained  in  the  eastern 
countries,  before  that  simplicity  of  manners, 
which  characterized  the  early  ages,  was  cor- 
rupted by  the  artificial  and  false  refinements 
of  luxury.  Wealth,  in  those  days,  consisted 
principally  in  flocks  and  herds,  and  Abraham, 
Isaac,  Jacob,  and  others,  who  were,  to  speak 
in  modern  language,  persons  of  high  distinc- 
tion, were  likewise  shepherds.  The  book  of 
Genesis,  which  is  an  authentic  and  infallible 
history  of  the  most  ancient  times,  exhibits  a 
manner  of  living  so  different  from  our  own, 
that,  perhaps,  few  persons  are  qualified  to  en- 
ter fully-^into  the  spirit  of  the  descripti<in. 
The  poets  seem  to  have  derived  their  idea  of 
the  golden  age  from  some  imperfect  tradition 
of  this  primitive  state;  and,  if  we  compare  it 
with  the  .state  of  things  around  us,  methinks 
we  ha  ve  reason  to  say,  "  How  is  the  gold  be- 
come dim,  and  the  fine  gold  changed  !"  Lam. 
iv.  1.  The  opulence  of  Jacob  may  be  con- 
jectured from  the  present  ho  sent  to  his  bro- 
ther Esau,  Gen.  xxxii.  14,  15.  Yet  Jacob 
attended  his  flocks  himself,  in  the  drought  by 
day,  and  in  the  frost  by  night.  Gen.  xxxi.  40. 
The  vigilance,  the  providence,  the  tender- 
ness, necessary  to  the  due  discharge  of  the 
shepherd's  office,  have  been  frequently  ap- 
plied in  describing  the  nature  and  ends  of 


SER.  XIII.] 


THE  GREAT 


SHEPHERD. 


259 


g-overninent :  and  it  has  been  esteemed  a  high 
encoiniiiin  of  a  good  king,  to  style  him  the 
shepherd  of  his  people.  Tliis  character  Mes- 
siah, the  Saviour,  condescends  to  bear;  and 
happy  are  tiiey,  who,  with  a  pleasing  con- 
sciousness, can  say,  "  We  are  his  people  and 
the  sheep  of  his  pasture,"  Psal.  c.  3. 

The  passage  will  lead  me  to  speak  of  the 
shepherd,  the  flock,  and  his  care  and  tender- 
ness over  them. 

I.  Our  Lord  expressly  styles  himself  the 
Shepherd,  the  good  Shepherd  of  the  Sheep, 
(John  X.  11,  14,)  and  the  apostle  Peter  styles 
him  the  chief  Shepherd,  1  Peter  v.  4.  Plis 
faithful  ministers  have  the  honour  to  be  un- 
der-shepherds ;  he  appoints,  and  qualifies 
them  to  feed  his  flock.  Tliey  are  the  mes- 
sengers of  his  will,  but  they  can  do  nothing 
without  him ;  they  can  only  communicate 
what  they  receive,  and  cannot  watch  over 
the  flock,  unless  they  are  themselves  watched 
over  by  him,  Psal.  cxxvii.  1.  For,  with  re- 
spect to  efticacy,  he  is  the  chief,  and,  indeed, 
the  sole  Shepherd.  The  eyes  of  all  are  upon 
him,  and  his  eye  is  upon,  and  over  all  his 
flock.  The  Old-Testament  cliurch  had  a 
shepherd,  and  their  shepherd  was  Jehovah, 
Psal.  xxiii.  1.  Unless,  therefore,  the  Shepherd 
and  Bishop  of  our  souls  likewise  be  Jehovah, 
we  fall  unspeakably  short  of  the  privilege  of 
ancient  Israel,  if  their  Shepherd  was  almigh- 
ty, and  if  ours  could  be  but  a  creature.  Surely 
we  could  not  then  say,  what  yet  the  apostle 
affirms,  that  we  have  a  better  covenant,  es- 
tablished upon  better  promises ;  (Heb.  viii. 
6 ;)  smce  Messiah  himself  is  expressly  de- 
clared to  be  the  surety  and  the  mediator  of 
this  covenant.  But  would  it  not  be  better, 
upon  this  supposition,  with  David,  who  could 
say,  ''Jehovah  is  my  Shepherd,"  than  with 
us,  who  are  entrusted  to  the  care  of  a  dele- 
gated and  inferior  keeper,  if  Jesus  be  not  Je- 
hovah !  Besides,  who  but  Jehovah  can  relieve 
the  necessities  of  multitudes  in  all  places,  in 
the  same  moment,  and  be  equally  near  and 
attentive  to  tliem  in  every  age  !  The  sinner, 
who  is  enlightened  to  know  himself,  his 
wants,  enemies,  and  dangers,  will  not  dare  to 
confide  in  any  thing  short  of  an  almighty 
arm ;  he  needs  a  shepherd,  who  is  full  of 
wisdom,  full  of  care,  full  of  power;  able,  like 
the  sun,  to  shine  upon  millions  at  once,  and 
possessed  of  those  incommunicable  attri- 
brutes  of  Deity,  omniscience  and  omnipre- 
sence. Such  is  our  great  Shepherd  ;  and  he 
is  eminently  the  good  Shepherd  also,  for  he 
laid  down  his  life  for  the  sheep,  and  has  re- 
deemed them  to  God  by  his  own  blood. 

n.  A  shepherd  is  a  relative  name ;  it  has 
reference  to  a  fork.  Tiiis  great  and  good 
Shepherd  has  a  flock,  whom  he  loved  from 
everlasting,  and  whom,  having  loved,  he  will 
love  to  the  end,  John  xiii.  1. 

Formosi  pecoris  custos,  formoaior  ipse  ! 
He  humbled  himself  for  their  sakes,  submit- 


ted to  partake  of  their  nature  and  their  sor- 
rows, took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant, 
and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh. 
He  died  for  his  sheep,  the  just  for  the  unjust, 
(1  Pet.  iii.  18,)  to  redeem  them  from  the  curse 
of  the  law,  from  the  guilt  and  dominion  of 
sin,  from  the  power  of  Satan,  and  to  brin» 
them  to  God.  They,  by  nature,  are  all  gone 
astray,  every  one  to  his  own  way  ;  (Isa.  liii. 
6;)  but  having  thus  bought  them  with  his 
blood,  in  his  own  appointed  time,  he  seeksi, 
find.s,  and  restores  his  sheep.  By  the  power 
of  his  word  and  Spirit,  he  makes  himself 
known  to  their  hearts,  causes  them  to  hear 
and  understand  his  voice,  and  guides  them 
into  his  fold.  Then  they  become  his  sheep 
in  the  sense  of  my  text.  They  are  under  his 
immediate  protection  and  government. 

Considered  as  individuals,  they  are  fitly 
described  by  the  name  of  sheep.  A  sheep  is 
a  weak,  defenceless,  improvident  creature ; 
prone  to  wander,  and  if  once  astray,  is  seldom 
known  to  return  of  its  own  accord.  A  sheep 
has  neither  strength  to  fight  with  the  wol^ 
nor  speed  to  escape  from  him  ;  nor  has  it  the 
foresight  of  the  ant,  to  provide  its  own  suste- 
nance. Such  is  our  character,  and  our  situar 
tion.  Unable  to  take  care  of  ourselves,  prone 
to  wander  from  our  resting  place,  exposed  to 
enemies  which  we  can  neither  v^-ithstand  nor 
avoid,  without  resource  in  ourselves,  and 
taught  by  daily  experience,  the  insufficiency 
of  every  thing  around  us :  yet,  if  this  Shep- 
herd be  our  Shepherd,  weak  and  helpless  as 
we  are,  we  may  be  of  good  courage.  If  we 
can  say  with  David,  "  The  Lord  is  my  Shep- 
herd," we  may  make  the  same  inferences 
which  he  did,  "  Therefore  I  shall  not  want ;" 
therefore  I  need  not  fear. 

Collectively  they  are  a  flock.  They  are 
not,  indeed,  in  one  place.  They  arc  scatter- 
ed abroad,  dispersed  through  diffi;rent  ages 
and  countries,  separated  by  seas  and  moun- 
tains, and,  too  often,  by  misapprehensions  and 
prejudices,  by  names  and  forms  ;  and  only  a 
very  small  part  of  the  flock  are  known  to  each 
other.  But  they  are  all  equally  known  to 
him,  and  equally  under  his  eye.  In  his  view 
they  are  one  flock,  one  body ;  they  are  ani- 
mated by  one  and  the  same  spirit ;  their  views, 
hopes,  and  aims  are  the  same  ;  and,  yet  a  lit- 
tle while,  they  shall  be  all  brought  together, 
a  number  without  number,  to  rejoice  and  to 
join  in  worship,  before  his  throne  of  glory. 
For  they  have  an  inheritance  reserved  for 
them  in  heaven  ;  (1  Pet.  i.  4,  5 ;)  and  they 
shall  be  safely  kept,  while  they  are  sojourners 
upon  earth,  for  the  Shepherd  of  Israel  is  their 
keeper. 

III.  He  shall  feed  his  flock  like  a  shep- 
herd. The  word  is  not  restrained  to  feeding. 
It  includes  all  the  branches  of  the  sliepherd's 
oflice.  He  shall  act  the  part  of  a  shepherd  to 
his  flock.  We  have  a  beautiful  miniature 
description  of  what  he  has  engaged  to  do,  and 


260 


THE  GREAT 


SHEPHERD. 


[seh.  XIII. 


what  he  actually  does,  for  his  people,  as  their 
Shepherd,  in  the  tvventy-third  Psalm.  And 
the  subject  is  more  largely  illustrated  in  tlie 
thirty-fourth  chapter  of  E^ekiel's  prophecy. 
His  sheep,  from  ai^e  to  age,  have  been  wit- 
nesses to  the  truth  of  his  promises.  He  has 
a  flock  at  present  who  rejoice  in  his  care,  and 
greater  multitudes,  as  yet  unborn,  shall  suc- 
cessively arise  in  their  appointed  seasons,  and 
call  liim  blessed,  Psal.  l.xxii.  17.  For  he  is 
the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever. 

He  feeds  them. — He  leads  tiiein  into  green 
and  pleasant  pastures.  These  pastures  are 
his  word  and  ordinances,  by  which  ho  com- 
municates to  them  of  his  own  fulness;  for  in 
strict  propriety  of  speech,  he  himself  is  their 
food.  They  eat  his  flesh  and  drink  his  blood, 
John  vi.  This  was  once  thought  a  iiard 
saying,  (John  vi.  .5S,)  by  some  of  his  professed 
followers,  and  is  still  thought  so  by  too  many. 
But  it  is  his  own  saying,  and  therefore  I  am 
not  concerned  either  to  confirm  or  to  vindi- 
cate it.  Tiie  knowledge  they  receive  by  faith, 
of  his  incarnation  and  sufferings  unto  death, 
of  the  names  he  bears,  and  of  the  offices  and 
relations  in  which  he  is  pleased  to  act  for 
them,  is  the  life  and  food  of  their  souls.  The 
expression  of  feeding  them,  is  agreeable  to 
the  analogy  he  has  been  pleased  to  establish 
between  the  natural  and  the  spiritual  life. 
As  the  strength  of  the  body  is  maintained  and 
renewed  by  eating  and  drinking;  so  they 
who,  in  this  sense,  feed  upon  him  in  their 
hearts  by  faith  with  thanksgiving,  even  they 
live  (John  vi.  bl)  by  him;  for  his  flesh  is 
meat  indeed,  and  his  blood  is  drink  indeed. 

He  guides  them. — First,  by  his  example. 
He  has  trodden  the  path  of  duty  and  trial  be- 
fore them ;  and  they  perceive  and  follow  his 
footsteps.  Again,  by  his  word  and  Spirit  he 
teaches  them  the  way  in  which  they  should 
go  ;  and  both  inclines  and  enables  them  to 
walk  in  it.  Is.  xxx.  21.  He  guides  them,  like- 
wise, by  his  providence ;  he  appoints  the 
bounds  of  their  habitations,  the  line  and  call- 
ing in  wiiich  they  are  to  serve  him,  and  orders 
and  adjusts  the  circumstances  of  their  lives 
according  to  his  infinite  wisdom,  so  as  finally 
to  accomplish  his  gracious  designs  in  their 
favour. 

He  guards  them. — It  is  written  concerning 
him,  "He  shall  stand  and  feed  in  the  strength 
of  the  Lord,  in  the  majesty  of  the  name  of 
the  Lord  his  God,"  Micah  v.  4.  If  we  con- 
ceive of  a  flock  of  sheep  feeding  in  tiie  midst 
of  wolves,  who  are  restrained  from  breaking 
in  upon  them,  not  by  any  visible  inclosure, 
but  merely  by  the  power  of  the  shepherd's 
eye,  which  keeps  them  in  awe  and  at  a  dis- 
tance, it  will  give  us  some  idea  of  the  situa- 
tion of  his  people.  He  provides  them  food 
in  the  midst  of  many  and  mighty  enemies, 
(Psal.  xxiii.  5,)  who  envy  them  their  privi- 
lege, but  cannot  prevent  it.  If  he  should 
withdraw  his  attention  from  the  flock  for  a 


sin<fle  minute,  they  would  be  worried.  But 
lie  has  promised  to  keep  them  night  and  day, 
(Is.  xxvii.  3,)  and  every  moment;  therefore 
their  enemies  plot  and  rage  in  vain.  Their 
visible  foes  are  numerous;  but  if  we  could 
look  into  the  invisible  world,  and  take  a  view 
of  the  subtilty,  malice,  maciiinations  and  assi- 
duity of  the  powers  of  darkness,  who  are 
incessantly  watching  for  opportunities  of  an- 
noying tiiem,  we  should  have  a  most  striking 
conviction,  that  a  flock  so  defenceless  and 
feeble  in  themselves,  and  against  whicli  such 
a  combination  is  formed,  can  only  be  kept  by 
the  power  of  God. 

He  lieals  them. — A  good  shepherd  will  ex- 
amine the  state  of  his  flock.  But  there  is  no 
attention  wortljy  of  being  compared  with  his. 
Not  the  slightest  circumstance  in  tlieir  con- 
cerns escapes  his  notice.  When  they  are 
ready  to  faint,  borne  down  with  heavy  exer- 
cises of  mind,  wearied  with  temptations,  dry 
and  disconsolate  in  their  spirits,  he  sea.sona- 
bly  revives  them.  Nor  are  they  in  heaviness 
without  a  need-be  for  it.  All  his  dispensa- 
tions towards  them  are  medicinal,  designed 
to  correct,  or  to  restrain,  or  to  cure,  the  mala- 
dies of  tlieir  souls.  And  they  are  adjusted, 
by  his  wisdom  and  tenderness,  to  what  they 
can  bear,  and  to  what  their  case  requires,  it 
is  he  likewise,  who  heals  their  bodily  sick- 
ness, and  gives  them  help  in  all  their  tempo- 
ral troubles.  He  is  represented  to  us  as 
counting  their  sighs,  (Psal.  Ivi.  8,)  pulling 
their  tears  into  his  bottle,  recording  their  sor- 
rows in  his  book  of  remembrance  ;  and  even 
as  being  himself  touched  witli  a  feeling  of 
their  infirmities,  (Heb.  iv.  15,)  as  the  head 
feels  for  the  members  of  the  body. 

He  restores  them. — Tiie  power  and  sub- 
tilty of  their  enemies  are  employed  to  force 
or  entice  them  from  iiis  rule,  and  too  often 
prevail  for  a  season.  The  sheep  turn  aside 
into  forbidden  paths  ;  and  whenever  they  do, 
they  would  wander  farther  and  further,  till 
they  were  quite  lost  again,  if  he  were  not 
their  Shepherd.  If  he  permits  them  to  de- 
viate, he  has  a  time  to  convince  them,  that  it 
was  an  evil  and  a  bitter  tiling  to  forsake  tiie 
Lord  their  Shepherd,  (Jer.  ii.  19,)  and  to 
humble  them,  and  to  bring  them  back.  Thus 
they  become  more  sensible  of  their  own 
weakness,  and  of  their  obligations  to  his  gra- 
cious care ;  for  he  will  not  suflier  their  ene- 
mies to  triumph  over  them.  He  will  not 
lose  one  of  his  true  flock ;  not  one  convinced 
sinner,  who  has,  in  deed  and  in  truth,  sur- 
rendered and  entrusted  liis  all  to  him.  They 
must,  and  they  shall  smart  and  mourn  for 
their  folly  ;  but  he  will,  in  due  season,  break 
their  snares,  and  lead  them  again  into  the 
paths  of  peace,  for  his  own  name's  sake. 

The  flock  are  not  all  sheep.  There  are 
among  them  lambs.  These  are  especially 
mentioned,  and  for  these  he  expresses  a  pe- 
culiar tenderness.    He  will  gather  them  in 


SER.  XUI.] 


THE  GREAT  SHEPHERD. 


261 


his  arm,  and  carry  tliem  in  his  bosom. 
Thouarii  they  are  weaklings,  they  shall  not 
be  \eh  behind.  This  is  a  beautiful  and  pa- 
thetic image.  If  a  poor  Iamb  is  weary,  and 
unable  to  keep  up  with  the  flock,  it  shall  be 
carried.   Tliis  clause  affords  encouragement, 

1.  To  young'  people. — Early  serious  im- 
pressions are  often  made  upon  the  hearts  of 
children,  which  we  are  to  cherish,  by  direct- 
ing their  thoughts  to  the  compassion  of  the 
good  Shepherd,  who  has  said,  "  Suffer  little 
children  to  come  unto  ms,  and  forbid  them 
not,  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God," 
Mark  .x.  11.  This  high  and  holy  one,  who 
humbles  himself  to  notice  the  worship  of  the 
heavenly  host,  hears  the  prayers  of  worms 
upon  the  earth ;  and  his  ear  is  open  to  the 
prayers  of  a  child,  no  less  so,  than  to  the 
prayer  of  a  king. 

2.  To  young  converts. — Thes^  at  what- 
ever age,  are  children  in  the  Lord's  family, 
lambs  in  his  flock.  They  are,  as  yet,  weak, 
unsettled,  and  une.xperienced.  Almost  every 
day  brings  them  into  a  new  and  untried 
situation.  They  often  meet  with  opposition 
and  discouragement,,  where  they  have  pro- 
mised themselves  help  and  countenance.  Per- 
haps their  nearest  friends  are  displeased  with 
them.  They  are  liable,  likewise,  while  they 
are  inquiring  the  way  to  Zion,  to  be  per- 
plexed by  the  various  opinions  and  angry 
contentions  prevailing  among  the  different 
religious  persons  or  parties  to  whom  they 
may  address  themselves.  They  are  frequent- 
ly discouraged  by  the  falls  and  miscarriages 
of  professors,  some  of  whom,  it  is  possible, 
they  may  have  admired,  and  looked  up  to,  as 
patterns  for  their  own  imitation.  Add  to 
these  things,  what  they  suffer  from  new  and 
une.xpccted  discoveries  of  the  evil  and  deceit- 
fulness  of  their  hearts ;  the  mistakes  they 
commit,  in  judgment  and  practice,  for  want 
of  a  more  solid  and  extensive  knowledge  of 
the  scriptures;  and  the  advantage  the  great 
enemy  of  their  souls  derives  from  these 
their  various  difficulties  to  assault  their  peace 
and  obstruct  their  progress.  What  would 
become  of  them  in  such  circumstances,  if 
their  faithful  Shepherd  had  not  promised  to 
lead,  and  uphold  them,  with  the  arm  of  his 
power] 

There  is,  likewise,  particular  mention  made 
of  "  those  who  are  with  young."  These  he 
will  gently  lead. '  If  we  take  the  word  ac- 
cording to  our  version,  it  may  signify  a  state 
of  conviction  or  trouble.  Many  are  the  af- 
flictions of  the  righteous,  (Psal.  xxxiv.  19,) 
by  which  they  are  often  wearied  and  heavy 
laden.  But  when  their  spirits  are  over- 
whelmed within  them,  he  knoweth  their 
path.  Jacob  would  not  permit  his  cattle  that 
were  with  young  to  be  over-driven  for  one 
day,  lest  they  should  die.  Gen.  xxxiii.  13. 
Much  less  will  this  good  Shepherd  suffer  the 
burdened  among  his  flock  to  be  hurried  and 


tempted  beyond  what  they  are  able,  or  what 
he  will  enable  them  to  bear. 

But  the  word  signifies,  those  that  have 
young,  rather  than  those  that  are  with  young. 
Two  sorts  of  persons  in  the  Lord's  flock,  who 
come  under  this  description,  feel  an  especial 
need  of  his  compassion,  tenderness,  and  pa- 
tience. 

1.  He  only  knows  the  feelings  of  the  hearts 
of  parents;  what  solicitude  and  anxiety  they 
have  for  their  young  ones,  the  sucklings,  if  I 
may  so  speak,  of  the  flock,  which  mingle 
with  all  their  endeavours,  to  manage  rightly 
the  important  charge  committed  to  them, 
and  to  bring  their  children  up  in  the  nurture 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord. 

2.  Ministers,  likewise,  have  painful  exer- 
cises of  mind.  The  apostle  Paul  speaks  of 
travailing  in  birth  again,  till  Christ  be  form- 
ed in  our  hearers.  Gal.  iv.  19.  When  we 
know  of  any  newly  awakened,  and  beginning 
to  seek  his  salvation,  how  solicitous  is  our 
care  to  bring  them  forward,  to  comfort  them, 
to  warn  them  against  the  devices  of  their 
hearts,  and  of  their  enemies  !  And  how 
piercing  our  grief  and  disappointment,  if  they 
miscarry !  How  much  is  felt  in  sympathy 
for  the  trials  of  the  flock !  What  wisdom, 
faithfulness,  courage,  meekness,  and  unction 
from  on  high,  are  necessary  to  the  due  dis- 
cliarge  of  what  we  owe  to  the  flocks  of  wliich 
we  have  the  oversight !  Who  is  sufficient 
for  these  things !  And  when  we  have  done 
our  best,  our  all,  what  defects  and  defile- 
ments have  we  to  mourn  over !  But  this  is 
our  great  consolation,  that  he  who  knows  us, 
and  leads  us,  considers  our  frame,  and  re- 
members that  we  are  but  dust. 

In  this  delineation  of  the  character  and 
conduct  of  the  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep, 
(Heb.  xiii.  20,)  we  have  an  affecting  exem- 
plar and  pattern,  for  the  imitation  of  those 
who  act  in  the  honourable  office  of  under- 
shepherds,  and  are  called,  by  their  profession 
and  engagement,  to  feed  his  sheep  and  lambs. 
Whether  there  be  any  ministers  in  our  as- 
sembly, or  not,  you  will  at  least  permit  me 
to  speak  a  word  to  my  own  heart;  which  may, 
I  hope,  at  the  same  time,  impress  your  minds 
with  a  sense  of  our  great  need  of  your  pray- 
ers. Brethren,  pray  for  us !  (1  Thes.  v.  25  ;) 
and  pray  to  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that  he 
may  send  forth  more  faithful  labourers  into 
his  harvest.  Matt.  ix.  38.  For  it  is  his  work 
alone.  It  is  not  necessary,  that  a  minister 
of  the  gospel  should  be  in  the  first  line  of 
those  who  are  admired  for  their  abilities  or 
literature;  much  less  that  he  Should  be  dis- 
tinguished by  such  titles,  honours,  and  emo- 
luments as  this  world  can  give.  But  it  is 
necessary,  and  of  the  last  importance  to  his 
character  and  usefulness  here,  and  to  his  ac- 
ceptance in  the  great  day  of  the  Lord,  that 
he  should  have  a  shepherd's  eye  and  a  shep- 
herd's heart.    He  must  serve  the  flock,  no 


802 


REST  FOR  THE  WEARY. 


[SER.  XIV. 


for  filthy  lucre,  or  by  constraint  (that  con- 
straint, whicii  the  apostle  attributes  to  the 
love  of  Christ,  only  excepted,)  but  willingly, 
and  with  a  view  to  their  edification,  1  Pet.  v. 
2,3.  And  lie  must,  indeed,  serve  them,  not 
acting  as  a  lord  over  God's  heritage,  but  as 
an  example  to  the  flock  ;  not  preaching  him- 
self, (2  Cor.  iv.  .'3,)  perverting  his  sacred  office 
to  the  purposes  of  ambition  or  vain  glory,  or 
the  acquisition  of  wealth;  but  preaching 
Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  and  employing  all  his 
powers  to  turn  sinners  from  the  error  of  their 
ways.  lie  who  winneth  souls  is  wise,  Prov. 
xi.  39.  If  it  be  wisdom  to  propose  the  no- 
blest end,  the  faithful  minister  is  wise  ;  the 
end  at  which  he  aims,  in  subordination  to  the 
will  and  glory  of  God,  is  the  salvation  of 
souls;  and  the  recovery  of  one  immortal 
soul  to  tlie  favour  and  image  of  God,  is,  and 
will  at  length  be  found,  a  greater  and  more 
important  event,  than  the  deliverance  of  a 
whole  kingdom  from  slavery  or  temporal  ruin. 
If  it  be  wisdom  to  pursue  a  right  end  by  the 
fittest  means,  he  is  wise  ;  he  knows  the  gos- 
pel of  Clirist  to  be  the  power  of  God,  the  ap- 
pointed,the  effectual,  the  only  sufficient  mean 
for  his  accomplishing  his  great  purpose;  there- 
fore, however  unfashionable  it  may  be,  lie  is 
not  ashamed  of  it ;  he  preaches  it,  and  he  glo- 
ries in  it.  If  it  be  an  effect  of  wisdom,  not  to 
be  deterred  from  the  prosecution  of  a  great 
and  noble  design,  by  the  censure  and  dislike 
of  weak  and  incompetent  judges,  the  faithful 
minister  is  truly  wise.  He  loves  his  fellow 
creatures,  and  would  willingly  please  them 
for  their  good,  but  he  cannot  fear  them,  be- 
cause he  fears  and  serves  the  Lord.  He 
looks  forward,  with  desire,  to  the  day  of  that 
solemn  and  general  visitation,  when  the  Shep- 
herd and  Bishop  of  souls  shall  himself  appear, 
1  Pet.  ii.  25;  v.  4.  And  if  he  may  then 
stand  among  those  who  are  pardoned  and  ac- 
cepted in  the  Beloved,  and  receive  the  crown 
of  life,  which  his  Lord  has  promised  to  them 
that  love  him  (2  Tim.  iv.  8,) — this  thought 
fully  reconciles  him  to  the  trials  of  his  situa- 
tion ;  and  however  depreciated,  misrepresent- 
ed, opposed  or  ill-treated  here,  he  can  say, 
"None  of  these  things  move  me,  neither 
count  I  my  life  dear  to  myself,  so  that  I  may 
finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry 
which  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to 
testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God,"  Acts 
XX.  24. 

There  is  a  counter-part  to  this  character 
described  in  strong  and  glowing  language  by 
the  prophets.  There  are  idol-shepherds,  who 
feed  not  th^  flock,  but  themselves  ;  (Ezek. 
xxxiv.  2  ;)  who  neither  attempt  to  heal  the 
sick,  to  strengthen  the  feeble,  to  bind  up  that 
which  is  broken,  nor  to  recover  that  which 
has  been  driven  away ;  shepherds  (Isa.  Ivi.  10, 
11,)  who  cannot  understand,  greedy,  lovers  of 
gain — and  who,  by  a  change  of  metaphor,  are 
compared  to  slumbering  watchmen,  and  dumb  | 


dogs  that  cannot  bark.  The  New  Testament 
teaches  us  to  expect  that  such  persons,  under 
the  name  of  ministers,  will  be  found  likewise 
in  the  visible  cliurch  of  Christ :  men  of  cor- 
rupt minds  (I  Tim.  vi.  5;  Rom.  xvi.  1^^,)  des- 
titute of  the  truth,  who  serve  not  the  Lord 
Jesus,  but  their  own  belly  ;  men  who  are  of 
the  world  (1  John  iv.  5,)  and  speak  of  the 
world ;  and  therefore  the  world  heareth  and 
favoureth  them.  But,  alas  ! — neither  the 
wretched  slave  who  toils  at  the  galley -oar,  nor 
he  that  is  doomed  to  labour  in  a  deep  mine, 
where  the  light  of  the  sun  never  reaches  him, 
nor  the  lunatic  who  howls  in  a  chain,  are  such 
emphatical  objects  of  our  compassion,  as  the 
unhappy  man  who  prostitutes  the  name  and 
function  of  a  minister  of  Christ  to  the  gratifi- 
cation of  his  pride  and  avarice ;  and  whose 
object  is  not  the  welfare  of  the  flock,  but  the 
possession  of  the  fleece,  (Ezek.  xxxiii.  7,  8  ;) 
who  intrudes  into  the  post  of  a  watchman, 
but  gives  no  alarm  of  the  impending  danger. 
If  the  scriptures  be  true  ;  if  the  gospel  be  not 
indeed,  as  Pope  Leo  X.  profanely  styled  it, 
n  lucrative  fable  ;  the  more  he  accumulates 
riches,  the  more  he  rises  in  dignity,  the  more 
his  influence  extends,  the  more  he  is  to  be 
commiserated.  He  may  have  the  reward  he 
seeks  ;  he  may  be  admired  and  flattered  ;  he 
may  for  a  season  be  permitted  to  withstand 
and  discountenance  the  efforts  of  the  Lord's 
faithful  servants ;  he  may  shine  in  the  ac- 
complishments of  a  scholar  or  a  courtier  :  but 
nothing  less  than  repentance,  and  faith  in  the 
Redeemer,  whose  name  and  cause  he  has 
dishonoured,  can  finally  screen  him  from  the 
full  effect  of  that  terrible  denunciation — 
"  VVo  to  the  idol-shepherd  that  forsaketh  for 
neglecteth)  the  flock :  The  sword  shall  be 
upon  his  arm,  and  upon  his  right  eye  :  His 
arm  shall  be  clean  dried  up,  and  his  right  eye 
shall  be  utterly  darkened,  Zech.  xi.  17. 


SERMON  XrV. 

REST  FOR  THE  WEARY. 

Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest. 
Matt.  xi.  28. 

Which  shall  we  admire  most,  the  majesty, 
or  the  grace,  conspicuous  in  this  invitation  ? 
How  soon  would  the  greatest  earthly  monarch 
be  impoverished,  and  his  treasures  utterly 
exhausted,  if  all  that  are  poor  and  miserable 
had  encouragement  to  apply  freely  to  him, 
with  a  promise  of  relief  fully  answerable  to 
their  wants  and  wishes  !  But  the  riches  of 
Christ  are  unsearchable  and  inexhaustible. 
If  millions  of  millions  of  distressed  sinners 
seek  to  him  for  relief,  he  has  a  sufficiency  for 
them  all.    His  mercy  is  infinite  to  pardon  all 


SER    XIV.  J 


REST  FOR  TITE  WEARY. 


263 


their  sins;  his  grace  is  infinite  to  answer  and 
exceed  their  utmost  desires;  liis  power  is 
inlinite,  to  help  tliein  in  all  their  difficulties. 
A  number  witliout  number  have  been  thus 
waitinu;  upon  him,  from  age  to  age;  and  not 
one  of  them  has  been  sent  away  disappointed 
and  empty.  And  the  streams  of  iiis  bounty 
are  still  flowing,  and  still  full.  Thus  the  sun, 
liis  brightest  material  image,  has  been  the 
source  of  light  to  the  earth,  and  to  all  its  in- 
habitants, from  the  creation;  and  will  be 
equally  so  to  all  succeeding  generations,  till 
time  shall  be  no  more.  There  is,  indeed,  an 
appointed  hour  when  the  sun  shall  cease  to 
shine,  and  the  course  of  nature  shall  fail.  But 
the  true  Sun,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  has 
no  variableness  or  shadow  cf  turning;  (Mai. 
iv.  2;  James  i.  17;)  and  they  who  depend 
upon  him  while  in  this  world,  shall  rejoice  in 
his  light  for  ever.  Can  we  hesitate  to  accept 
of  these  words,  as  affording  a  full  proof  of  the 
divine  character,  the  proper  Godhead  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour;  supposing  only,  that  he 
meant  what  he  said,  and  that  he  is  able  to 
make  his  promise  good  !  Can  a  creature, 
however  excellent  and  glorious,  use  this 
language  ?  Can  a  creature  discharge  the 
debts,  soothe  the  distresses,  and  satisfy  the 
desires  of  every  individual  who  looks  to  him] 
Who,  but  the  Lord  God  (Psal.  cxlvi.  8;  Isa. 
]xi.  2,)  can  raise  up  all  that  are  bowed  down, 
and  comfort  all  that  mourn  ! 

Affain,  as  is  his  majesty,  so  is  his  mercy.  In 
acts  of  grace  amongst  men  there  are  always 
some  limitations.  If  a  kmg  proclaims  a  par- 
don to  a  rebellious  nation,  there  are  still  ex- 
ceptions. Some  ringleaders  are  excluded. 
Either  their  crimes  were  too  great  to  be  for- 
given, or  their  obstinacy  or  influence  are 
supposed  to  be  too  great  to  render  their 
safety  consistent  with  the' safety  of  the  state. 
But  the  Saviour  excludes  none  but  those  who 
wilfully  exclude  themselves.  As  no  case  is 
too  hard  for  his  power,  so  no  person  who  ap- 
plies to  him  is  shut  out  from  his  compassion. 
Him  that  cometh  to  him,  whatever  his  former 
character  or  conduct  may  have  been,  he  will 
in  no  wise  cast  out,  John  vi.  37.  This  glo- 
rious exercise  of  sovereign  mercy  is  no  less  a 
divine  attribute,  than  the  power  by  which  he 
created  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  It  is  the 
consideration  of  his  mercy  in  pardoning  sin, 
and  in  saving  sinners,  which  causes  that  ad- 
mirinir  exclamation  of  the  prophet,  "Who  is 
a  God  like  unto  thee  I"  Micah  vii.  19. 

This  passage  (including  the  two  following 
verses)  closes  the  first  part  of  the  Oratorio. 
In  tracing  the  series  of  the  scriptures  thus 
far,  we  have  considered  several  signal  pro- 
phecies which  foretold  his  appearance;  we 
have  seen  their  accomplishment  in  his  birth, 
and  have  (I  hope)  joined  with  the  heavenly 
host,  in  ascribing  glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
for  this  unspeakable  gift  and  effect  of  his 
love.  We  have  learnt  from  tlie  prophets,  iiis 


I  characters,  as  the  great  Restorer,  and  the 
great  Shepherd.  The  evangelist  proposes 
liim  to  our  mediUition  here,  in  a  gracious 
and  inviting  attitude,  as  opening  his  high 
commission,  proclaiming  his  own  sovereign 
authority  and  power,  and  declaring  his  com- 
passionate purpose,  and  readiness  to  give  re- 
freshment and  rest  to  the  weary  and  heavy 
laden. 

The  two  principal  points  in  the  text  are, 
the  invitation  and  the  promise. 

I.  The  invitation  is  expressed  in  very  ge- 
neral terms  :  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  la- 
bour and  are  heavy  laden."  There  is  no  quali- 
fying or  restraining  clause,  to  discourage  any 
person  who  is  willing  to  accept  it.  Whoever 
hath  an  ear  to  hear,  let  him  hear.  "  Let  him 
that  is  athirst  come,  and  who-soever  w  ill,  let 
him  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely,"  Rev. 
xxii.  17.  I  cannot  doubt  but  these  words 
authorise  me  to  address  myself  to  every  per- 
son in  this  assembly.  I  speak  first  lo  you  who 
are  spending  your  money  for  that  which 
satisfieth  not,  (Isa.  Iv.  2;)  who  are  wearied  in 
seeking  happiness  where  it  is  not  to  be  found, 
and  in  digging  pits,  and  hewing  out  cisterns 
for  yourselves,  which  can  held  no  water, 
(Jer.  ii.  13,)  and  iiave  hitherto  been  regard- 
less of  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  which 
is  always  near  you.  While  you  are  pursuing 
the  wealth  or  honours  of  this  world,  or  vi'ast- 
ing  your  time  and  strength  in  the  indulgence 
of  sensual  appetites,  and  look  no  higher,  are 
you  indeed  happy  and  satisfied !  Do  you  find 
the  paths  in  which  you  are  led,  or  rather  hur- 
ried and  driven  on,  to  be  the  paths  of  plea- 
santness and  peace?  Prov.  iii.  7.  With  what 
face  can  you  charge  the  professors  of  re- 
ligion with  hypocrisy,  if  you  pretend  to  satis- 
faction in  these  ways  !  We  have  trodden 
them  far  enough  ourselves,  to  be  assured  that 
there  are  feelings  in  your  heart  which  con- 
tradict your  assertion.  You  know  that  you 
are  not  happy,  and  we  know  it  likewise.  Are 
you  quite  strangers  to  a  secret  wish  that  you 
had  never  been  born!  or  that  you  could 
change  condition  with  some  of  the  brute  crea- 
tion !  Are  you  not  heavy  laden,  burdened 
with  guilt,  and  fears,  and  forebodings,  harassed 
with  crosses,  disappointments,  and  mortifica- 
tions ?  Are  you  not  often,  at  least  sometimes, 
like  children  in  the  dark,  afraid  of  being 
alone,  unable  to  support  the  reflections  that 
are  forced  upon  you  in  a  solitary  hour,  when 
you  have  nothing  to  amuse  you  !  And  while 
you  seem  so  alert  and  upon  the  wing  after 
every  kind  of  dissipation  within  your  reach,  ia 
not  a  chief  motive  that  impels  you,  a  desire, 
if  possible,  of  hiding  yourselves  from  your- 
selves, and  of  calling  off' your  attention  from 
those  thoughts  which,  like  vultures,  are  ready 
to  seize  you,  and  prey  upon  you,  the  moment 
they  find  you  unemployed  '  And  how  often 
dcj  your  poor  expedients  fail  you,  especially 
in  time  of  trouble,  or  on  a  sick-bed?  What 


264 


REST  FOR  THE  WEARY. 


[SER.  XIV. 


comfort  rloos  the  world  afford  you  then  ? 
What  relief  do  you  then  derive  from  the 
companions  of  your  vain  and  gay  hours  1  Most 
probably,  at  such  a  season,  they  stand  aloof 
from  you  ;  the  house  of  mourning,  or  the 
chamber  of  sickness,  is  no  less  unpleasing  to 
them  than  to  yourself.  They  do  not  choose  the 
pain  of  being  reminded,  by  a  sight  of  your 
distress,  how  soon  the  case  may  be  their  own. 
Or,  if  they  visit  you,  you  find  them  miserable 
comforters.  But  I  have  to  speak  to  you  of 
one  who  is  able  to  comfort  you  in  all  seasons, 
and  under  all  circumstances ;  whose  favour  is 
better  than  life.  And  will  you  still  refuse  to 
hear  his  voice  7  What  hard  thing  does  the 
Lord  require  of  you  !  Only  to  come  to  him 
for  that  peace  and  rest  to  which  you  have 
hitherto  been  strangers.  But  though  you 
are  invited,  I  know  that  of  yourselves  you 
will  not  come ;  you  will  not,  and  therefore 
you  cannot.  Be  assured,  however,  the  invi- 
tation does  not  mock  you,  and,  if  you  finally 
refuse  it,  the  fault  will  lie  at  your  own  doors. 
But  may  I  not  hope  you  will  refuse  no 
longer?  The  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  his 
appointment,  and  has  a  great  efl^ect,  when 
accompanied  with  the  energy  of  his  Holy 
Spirit,  to  make  a  willing  people  in  the  day 
of  his  power. 

There  are  others,  however,  to  whom  this 
invitation  speaks  more  directly.  The  con- 
vinced sinner  is  heavy  laden  with  the  guilt 
of  sin,  and  wearied  with  ineffectual  strivings 
against  it.  He  is  weary  of  the  yoke  and 
burden  of  the  law,  when  he  can  neither  an- 
swer its  commands  with  cheerful  and  accept- 
able obedience,  nor  see  any  way  of  escaping 
the  penalty  which  is  due  to  transgressors.  He 
sighs  earnestly  and  anxiously  for  pardon  and 
liberty.  If  he  has  an  interval  of  comparative 
peace  and  hope,  it  is  more  derived  from  some 
occasional  fervour  and  liveliness  in  the  frame 
of  his  spirit,  than  from  the  exercise  of  faith ; 
and  therefore,  as  that  fervour  abates  (and  it 
will  not  always  remain  at  the  same  height,) 
his  fears  return.  If  in  such  a  favoured  mo- 
ment he  feels  little  solicitation  or  trouble 
from  the  evil  propensities  of  his  heart,  he  is 
willing  to  hope  they  are  subdued,  and  that 
they  will  trouble  him  no  more ;  but  his 
triumph  is  short,  the  next  return  of  tempta- 
tipn  revives  all  his  difficulties,  and  he  is  again 
brought  into  bondage.  For  nothing  but  the 
knowledge  of  the  Saviour,  and  the  supplies 
of  his  Spirit,  can  give  stable  peace  to  the 
mind,  or  victory  over  sin.  A  repetition  of 
these  disappointments  and  changes  fixes  a 
heavy  burden  and  distress  upon  the  mind. 
But  here  is  help  provided  e.xactly  suitable  to 
the  case.  Comply  with  this  invitation,  come 
to  him  and  he  will  surely  give  you  rest. 

But  what  is  it  to  come  to  Christ !  It  is  to 
believe  in  him,  to  apply  to  him,  to  make  his 
invitation  and  promise  our  ground  and  war- 
rant for  putting  our  trust  in  him.  ,  On  an- 


other occasion,  he  said,  "  He  that  cometh  to 
me  shall  never  Inmger,  and  he  that  believeth 
in  me  shall  never  tiiirst,"  John  vi.  35.  The 
expressions  are  of  the  same  import.  When 
he  was  upon  earth,  many  who  came  to  him, 
and  even  followed  him  for  a  sea.'on,  received 
no  saving  benefit  from  him.  Some  came  to 
him  from,  motives  of  malice  and  ill-will,  to 
ensnare  or  insult  him.  Some  followed  him 
for  loaves  and  fishes;  and  of  others,  who  were 
frequently  near  him,  he  complained,  "  Ye 
will  not  come  unto  me,  that  ye  may  have  life," 
John  V.  40.  But  they  who  were  distressed, 
and  came  to  him  for  relief,  were  not  disap- 
pointed. To  come  to  him,  therefore,  implies 
a  knowledge  of  his  power  and  ten  application 
for  his  help.  To  us  he  is  not  visible,  but  he 
is  always  near  us  ;  and  as  he  appointed  his 
disciples  to  meet  him  in  Galilee  (Matthew, 
xxviii.  16,)  previous  to  his  ascension,  so  he 
has  promised  to  be  found  of  those  who  seek 
him,  and  wait  for  him,  in  certain  means  of 
his  own  institution.  He  is  seated  upon  a 
throne  of  grace;  he  is  to  be  sought  in  his 
word,  and  where  his  people  assemble  in  his 
name ;  for  he  has  said.  There  will  I  be  in  the 
midst  of  them.  Matt,  xviii.  20.  They  there- 
fore who  read  his  word,  frequent  his  ordi- 
nances, and  pray  unto  him,  with  a  desire  that 
they  may  know  him,  and  be  remembered  with 
the  favour  which  he  beareth  to  his  own  peo- 
ple (Psal.  cvi.  4,)  answer  the  design  of  my 
text.  They  come  to  him,  and  he  assures 
them,  that  whoever  they  are,  he  will  in  no- 
wise cast  them  out.  If  tliey  thus  come  to 
him,  they  will  of  course  come  out  from  the 
world  and  be  separate,  2  Cor.  vi.  17.  If  they 
apply  to  him  for  refuge,  they  will  renounce 
all  other  refuge  and  dependence,  and  trust 
in  him  alone,  according  to  the  words  of  the 
prophet,  "  Ashur  shall  not  save  us,  we  will  not 
ride  upon  horses,  neither  will  we  say  any 
more  to  the  works  of  our  hands,  Ye  are  our 
gods,  for  in  thee  the  fatherless  (the  helpless 
and  comfortless)  findeth  mercy,"  Hoseaxiv.3. 

II.  The  promise  is,  "  I  will  give  you  rest." 
The  word  signifies  both  rest  and  refreshment. 
He  gives  a  relief  and  cessation  from  former 
labour  and  bondage,  and  superadds  a  peace, 
a  joyi  a  comfort,  which  revives  the  \veary 
spirit,  and  proves  itself  to  be  that  very  satis- 
faction which  the  soul  had  been  ignorantly, 
and  in  vain,  seeking  amongst  the  creatures 
and  the  objects  of  sense. 

This  rest  includes  a  freedom  from  the  fore- 
bodings and  distressing  accusations  of  a  guilty 
conscience  ;  from  the  long  and  fruitless  strug- 
gle between  the  will  and  the  judgment;  from 
the  condemning  power  of  the  law ;  from  the 
tyranny  of  irregular  and  inconsistent  appe- 
tites ;  and  from  the  dominion  of  pride  and 
self,  which  make  us  unliappy  in  ourselves, 
and  hated  and  despised  by  others.  A  freedom 
likewise  from  the  cares  and  anxieties  which, 
in  such  an  uncertain  world  as  this,  disquiet 


SEU.  XV.] 


MESSIAH'S 


EASY  YOKE. 


2G5 


the  minds  of  tliose  who  have  no  solid  scriptu- 
ral dependence  upon  God,  and  especially  a 
freedom  from  the  dread  of  death,  and  of  the 
thing's  which  are  beyond  it.  In  these  and 
other  respects,  tlie  believer  in  Jesus  enters 
into  a  present  rest.  He  is  under  tlie  guidance 
of  infinite  wisdom  and  the  protection  of  al- 
miglity  power  ;  he  is  permitted  to  cast  all  his 
cares  upon  the  Lord,  (1  Pet.  v.  7,)  and  is 
assured  that  tlie  Lord  caretli  for  him.  So  far 
as  he  possesses  by  faith  the  spirit  and  liberty 
of  his  high  calling,  he  is  in  perfect  peace. 
The  prophet  Jeremiah  has  given  a  beautiful 
description  and  illustration  of  this  rest  of  a 
believer;  (Jer.  xvii.  5 — 8;)  which  is  rendered 
more  striking  by  being  contrasted  with  the 
miserable  state  of  those  who  live  without  God 
in  the  world.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Cursed 
is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh 
flesh  his  arm  and  whose  heart  departeth  from 
the  Lord.  For  he  shall  be  like  the  heath  in 
the  desert,  and  shall  not  see  when  good 
Cometh,  but  shall  inhabit  tlie  parched  places 
of  the  wilderness,  in  a  salt  land  not  inhabited. 
But  blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  the 
Lord,  and  whose  hope  the  Lord  is ;  for  he 
shall  be  as  a  tree  planted  by  the  waters,  and 
that  spreadeth  out  her  roots  by  tlie  river,  and 
shall  not  see  when  the  lieat  cometh ;  but  her 
leaf  shall  be  green,  and  shall  not  be  careful 
in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease 
from  yielding  fruit." 

-  But  besides  rest,  there  is  refresliment. 
There  are  pleasures  and  consolations  in  that 
intercourse  and  communion  with  God  to 
which  we  are  invited  by  tlie  gospel,  which, 
both  in  kind  and  degree,  are  unspeakably  su- 
perior to  all  tliat  the  world  can  bestow,  and 
such  as  the  world  cannot  deprive  us  of ;  for  they 
have  no  necessary  dependence  noon  outward 
situation  or  circumstances ;  they  are  com- 
patible with  poverty,  sickness,  and  sufferings. 
They  are  often  most  sensibly  sweet  and  lively 
when  the  streams  of  creature-comfort  are  at 
t!ie  lowest  ebb.  Many  have  been  able  to  say 
with  the  apostle,  "  As  the  sufferings  of  Christ 
(tho.se  whicli  we  endure  for  his  sake,  or  sub- 
mit to  from  his  hand)  abound  in  us,  so  our 
consolation  in  Christ  also  aboundeth,"  1  Cor. 
i.  5.  The  all-sufficient  God  can  increase 
these  communications  of  comfort  from  him- 
self to  a  degree  beyond  our  ordinary  concep- 
tions, so  as  not  only  to  support  his  people 
under  the  most  exquisite  pains,  but  even  to 
suspend  and  overpower  all  sense  of  pain,  when 
tlie  torment  would  otherwise  be  extreme. 
And  he  has  sometimes  been  pleased  to  honour 
the  fidelity  of  his  servants,  and  to  manifest 
his  own  faitiifulness  to  them  by  such  an  in- 
terposition. One  well-attested  instance  our 
own  mirtyrology  affords,  that  of  Mr.  Bain- 
ham,  whosu!rer«d  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Mary. 
Wlien  he  was  in  the  fire,  he  addressed  him- 
self to  his  persecutors  to  this  effect:  "You 
call  for  miracles  in  the  proof  of  our  doctrine  ; 
Vol.  II.      2  L 


now  behold  one ;  I  feel  no  more  pain  from 
these  flames  than  if  I  was  laid  upon  a  bed  of 
roses."  But  in  ordinary  cases,  and  in  all 
cases,  tliey  who  taste  how  good  the  Lord  is  to 
them  that  seek  him,  how  he  cheers  them  with 
tlie  light  of  his  countenance,  and  what  sup- 
ports he  aflbrds  them  in  the  hour  of  need,  can 
without  regret  part  witii  the  poor  perishing 
pleasures  of  sin,  and  encounter  all  the  diffl- 
culties  they  meet  with  in  the  path  of  duty. 
Whatever  their  profession  of  his  name,  and 
their  attachment  to  his  cause  may  liave  cost 
them,  they  will  acknowledge  that  it  has 
made  them  ample  amends. 

Come,  therefore,  unto  him,  venture  upon 
his  gracious  word,  and  you  shall  find  rest  for 
your  souls.  Can  tlie  world  outbid  this  gra- 
cious offer  !  Can  the  world  promise  to  give 
you  rest  when  you  are  burdened  with  trouble  ] 
when  your  cisterns  fail,  and  your  gourds  wi- 
ther !  or  when  you  are  terrified  witii  tlie  ap- 
proach of  death,  when  your  pulse  intermits, 
when  you  are  about  to  take  a  final  iiirewell 
of  all  you  ever  saw  with  your  eyes,  and  an 
awful,  unknown,  untried,  unciiangeable  eter- 
nity is  opening  upon  your  view  !  Sucii  a  mo- 
ment most  certainly  awaits  you  ;  and  wiien  it 
arrives,  if  you  die  in  your  senses,  and  arc  not 
judicially  given  up  to  hardness  and  blindness 
of  heart,  you  will  assuredly  tremble,  if  you 
never  trembled  before.  O  !  be  persuaded ! 
May  the  Lord  himself  persuade  you  to  be 
timely  wise,  to  seek  him  now  wliile  he  may 
be  found,  to  call  upon  him  while  he  is  yet 
near,  lest  that  dreadful  threatening  should  be 
your  portion;  "Because  I  have  called,  and 
ye  refused,  I  have  stretched  out  my  hand  and 
no  man  regarded  ;  I  also  will  laugh  at  your 
calamity,  I  will  mock  when  your  fear  cometh," 
Prov.  i.  24,  26. 


SERMON  XV. 

uessiah's  easy  yoke. 

Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  7ne, 
for  I  am  meek  and  loivly  in  heart ;  and  ye 
shall  find  rest  to  your  souls.  For  my  yoke 
is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light.  Matth. 
xi.  29,  30. 

Though  the  influence  of  education  and  ex- 
ample may  dispose  us  to  acknowledge  the 
gospel  to  be  a  revelation  from  God,  it  can 
only  be  rightly  understood,  or  duly  prized,  by 
those  persons  who  feel  tliemselves  in  the  cir- 
cumstances of  distress  whicii  it  is  designed 
to  relieve.  No  Israelite  would  think  of  flee- 
ing to  a  city  of  refuge,  till,  by  having  unwit- 
tingly slain  a  man,  lie  was  exposed  to  the  re- 
sentment of  the  next  of  kin,  the  legal  aven 
ger  of  blood  ;  but  then,  a  sense  of  his  dan<rer 
would  induce  hnn  readily  to  avail  himself\)f 


260 


MESSIAH'S 


EASY  YOKE. 


[SER.  XV. 


tlie  appointed  method  of  safety.  The  skill  of 
a  jihysician  may  be  acknowledged,  in  general 
terms,  by  many  :  but  he  is  applied  to  only  by 
the  sick,  Matt.  ix.  12.  Tims  our  Saviour  s 
gracious  invitation  to  come  to  him  for  rest, 
will  be  little  regarded,  till  we  really  feel  our- 
selves weary  and  heavy  laden.  This  is  a 
principal  reason  why  the  gospel  is  heard 
with  so  much  indifference.  For  though  sin 
be  a  grievous  illness,  and  a  hard  bondage,  yet 
one  effect  of  it  is,  a  strange  stupidity  and  in- 
fatuation, whicb  renders  us  (like  a  person  in 
a  delirium)  insensible  of  our  true  state.  It 
is  a  happy  time  when  the  Holy  Spirit,  by 
his  convincing  power,  removes  that  stupor, 
whici),  while  it  prevents  us  from  fully  per- 
ceiving our  misery,  renders  Us  likewise  in- 
different to  the  only  mean  of  deliverance. 
Such  a  conviction  of  the  guilt  and  desert  of 
sin,  is  the  first  hopeful  .symptom  in  a  sinner's 
case;  but  it  is  necessarily  painful  and  dis- 
tressing. It  is  not  pleasant  to  be  weary  and 
heavy-laden ;  but  it  awakens  our  attention 
to  him  who  says.  Come  unto  me,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest,  and  makes  us  willing  to  take 
his  yoke  upon  us. 

Oxen  are  yoked  to  labour.  From  lience 
the  y<jke  is  a  figurative  expression  to  denote 
servitude.  Our  Lord  seems  to  use  it  here, 
both  to  intimate  our  natural  prejudices  against 
his  service,  and  to  obviate  tiiem.  Though  he 
submitted  to  sufferings,  reproach,  and  death 
for  our  sakes;  though  he  invites  us,  not  be- 
cause he  has  need  of  us,  but  because  we  have 
need  of  him,  and  cannot  be  happy  without 
him;  yet  our  ungrateful  hearts  think  unkindly 
of  him.  We  conceive  of  him  as  a  hard  mas- 
ter ;  and  suppose  that  if  we  engage  ourselves 
to  him,  we  must  bid  farewell  to  pleasure,  and 
live  under  a  continual  restraint.  His  rule  is 
deemed  too  strict,  his  laws  too  severe ;  and 
we  imagine,  that  we  could  be  more  happy 
upon  our  own  plans,  than  by  acceding  to  his. 
Such  unjust,  unfriendly,  and  dishonourable 
tboughts  of  him,  whose  heart  is  full  of  tender- 
ness, whose  bowels  melt  with  love,  are  strong 
proofs  of  our  baseness,  blindness,  and  depravi- 
ty ;  yet  still  he  continues  his  invitation, 
"  Come  unto  me." — As  if  he  had  said,  "  Be 
not  afraid  of  me.  Only  make  the  experiment, 
and  you  shall  find,  that  what  you  have  ac- 
counted my  yoke,  is  true  liberty ;  and  that  in 
my  service  which  you  have  avoided  as  bur- 
densome, there  is  no  burden  at  all;  for  my 
ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all  my 
paths  are  peace."  I  have  a  good  hope,  that 
many  of  my  hearers  can  testify,  from  their 
own  happy  experience,  that  (according  to  the 
beautiful  expression  in  our  liturgy)  his  ser- 
vice is  perfect  freedom. 

If  we  are  really  Christians,  Jesus  is  our 
Master,  our  Lord,  and  we  are  his  servants. 
It  is  in  vain  to  call  him  Ijord,  Lord,  (Luke  vi. 
4f5,)  unless  we  keep  his  coininandments. 
They  who  know  him  will  love  him  ;  and  they  , 


who  love  him  will  desire  to  please  him,  not 
by  a  course  of -service  of  their  own  devising, 
but  by  accepting  his  revealed  will  as  the 
standard  and  rule,  to  every  part  of  wliich  they 
endeavour  to  conform  in  their  tempers  and  in 
their  conduct.  He  is  likewise  our  Master  in 
another  sense,  that  is,  he  is  our  great  Teacher ; 
if  we  submit  to  him  as  such,  we  are  his  dis- 
ciples or  scholars.  We  cannot  serve  him  ac- 
ceptably, unless  we  are  taught  by  him.  The 
philosophers  of  old  had  their  disciples,  who 
imbibed  their  sentiments,  and  were  therefore 
called  after  their  names,  as  the  Pythagoreans 
and  Platonists,  from  Pythagoras  and  Plato. 
The  general  name  of  Christians,  which  was 
first  assumed  by  the  believers  at  Antioch 
(possibly  by  divine  direction)  intimates  tliat 
they  are  the  professed  disciples  of  Christ,  Acts 
xi.  26.  If  we  wish  to  be  truly  wise,  to  be 
wise  unto  salvation,  we  must  apply  to  him. 
For  in  this  sense,  the  disciple  or  scholar  can- 
not be  above  his  Master,  Luke  vi.  40.  We 
can  learn  of  men  no  more  than  they  can  teach 
us.  But  he  says,  "  Learn  of  me ;"  and  he 
cautions  us  against  calling  any  one  Master 
upon  earth.  He  does,  indeed,  instruct  his 
people  by  ministers  and  instruments ;  but  un- 
less he  is  pleased  to  superadd  his  influence, 
what  we  seem  to  learn  from  them  only,  will 
profit  us  but  little.  Nor  are  the  best  of  them 
so  thoroughly  furnished,  nor  so  free  from  mis- 
take, as  to  deserve  our  implicit  confidence. 
But  they  whom  he  condescends  to  teach,  shall 
learn,  what  no  instruction,  merely  human, 
can  impart.  Let  us  consider  the  peculiar,  the 
unspeakable  advantages  of  being  his  scholars. 

1.  In  the  first  place,  this  great  Teacher 
can  give  the  capacity  requisite  to  the  recep- 
tion of  his  sublime  instructions.  There  is  no 
prospect  of  excelling  in  human  arts  and 
sciences,  without  a  previous  natural  ability, 
suited  to  the  subject.  For  instance,  if  a  per- 
son has  not  an  ear  and  taste  for  music,  he 
will  make  but  small  proficiency  under  the 
best  masters.  It  will  be  the  same  with  respect 
to  the  mathematics,  or  any  branch  of  science. 
A  skilful  master  may  improve  and  inform  the 
scholar  if  he  be  rightly  disposed  to  learn,  but 
he  cannot  communicate  the  disposition.  But 
Jesus  can  open  and  enliven  the  dullest  mind  ; 
he  teaches  the  blind  to  see,  and  the  deaf  to 
hear.  By  nature  we  are  untractable,  and  in- 
capable of  relishing  divine  truth,  however  ad- 
vantageously proposed  to  us  by  men  like  our- 
selves. But  happy  are  his  scholars  I  he  ena- 
bles them  to  surmount  all  difficulties.  He 
takes  away  the  iieart  of  stone,  subdues  the 
most  obstinate  prejudices,  enlightens  the  dark 
understanding,  and  inspires  a  genius  and  a 
taste  for  the  sublim.e  and  interesting  lessons 
he  proposes  to  them.  In  this  respect,  as  in 
every  other,  there  is  none  who  teacheth  like 
him.  Job  xxxvi.  26. 

2.  He  teacheth  the  most  important  things. 
The  subjects  of  human  science  are  compara- 


SEU.  XV.] 


MESSIAH'S  EASY  YOKE. 


267 


lively  trivial  and  insig;nificant.  Wc  may  be 
safely  iq;norant  of  tlieiii  all.  And  we  may 
acquire  the  knowledge  of  them  all,  without 
beiny:  wiser  or  better,  with  respect  to  the 
concernments  of  our  true  happiness.  Expe- 
rience and  observation  abundimtly  confirm 
the  remark  of  Solomon,  That  he  vvlio  in- 
creaseth  knowledge  increaseth  sorrow.  The 
eye  is  not  satisfied  with  seeing,  nor  the  ear 
with  hearing,  Eccles.  i.  8,  18.  Unless  the 
heart  be  seasoned  and  sanctified  by  grace, 
the  sum-total  of  all  other  acquisitions  is  but 
vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit,  Eccles.  ii.  17. 
Human  learning  will  neither  support  the 
mind  under  trouble,  nor  weaken  its  attach- 
ment to  worldly  things,  nor  control  its  im- 
petuous passions,  nor  overcome  the  fear  of 
death.  The  confession  of  the  learned  Gro- 
tius,  towards  the  close  of  a  life  spent  in  lite- 
rary pursuits,  is  much  more  generally  known 
than  properly  attended  to.  He  had  deservedly 
a  great  name  and  reputation  as  a  scholar; 
but  his  own  reflection  upon  the  results  of  his 
labours  e.xpresses  what  lie  learnt,  not  from 
his  books  and  ordinary  course  of  studies,  but 
from  the  Teacher  I  am  commending  to  you. 
He  lived  to  leave  this  testimony  for  the  ad- 
monition of  the  learned,  or  to  this  effect: 
Ah,  vitum  prnrsus  perdidi  nihil  agendo 
labor io.se .'  "Alas!  I  have  wasted  my  whole 
life  in  taking  much  pains  to  no  purpose."  But 
Jesus  makes  his  scholars  wise  unto  eternal 
life,  and  reveals  tliat  knowledge  to  babes,  to 
persons  of  weak  and  confined  abilitie.s,  of 
which  the  wisdom  ofthe  world  can  form  no  idea. 

3.  Other  teachers,  as  I  have  already  hinted, 
can  only  inform  the  head ;  but  his  instruc- 
tions influence  the  heart.  Moral  philoso- 
phers, as  they  are  called,  abound  in  fine  words 
and  plausible  speeches,  concerning  the  beauty 
of  virtue,  the  fitness  of  things,  temperance, 
benevolence,  and  equity;  and  their  scholars 
learn  to  talk  after  them.  But  their  fine  and 
admired  sentiments  are  mere  empty  notions, 
destitute  of  life  and  efficacy,  and  frequently 
leave  the?n  as  much  under  the  tyranny  of 
pride,  passion,  sensuality,  envy,  and  malice, 
as  any  of  the  vulgar  whom  they  despise  for 
their  ignorance.  It  is  well  known,  to  the  dis- 
grace of  the  morality  which  the  world  ap- 
plauds, that  some  of  their  most  admired  sen- 
timental writers  and  teachers  have  deserved 
to  be  numbered  among  the  most  abandoned 
and  despicable  of  mankind.  They  have  been 
slaves  to  the  basest  and  most  degrading  appe- 
tites, anil  the  tenor  of  their  lives  has  been  a 
marked  contradiction  to  their  fine-spun  theo- 
ries. But  Jesus  Christ  efl^ectually  teaches 
his  disciples  to  forsake  and  abhor  whatever  is 
contrary  to  rectitude  or  purity;  and  inspires 
them  with  love,  power,  and  a  sound  mind. 
And  if  they  do  not  talk  of  great  things,  they 
are  enabled  to  perform  them.  Their  lives 
are  exemplary  and  useful,  their  deaths  com- 
fortable, and  their  memory  is  precious. 


4.  The  disciples  of  Jesus  are,  or  may  bo, 
always  learning.  His  providence  and  wis- 
dom have  so  disposed  things,  in  sub.'ervicncy 
to  the  purposes  of  bis  grace,  that  the  whole 
world  around  them  is  as  a  great  school,  and 
the  events  of  every  day,  with  which  they  are 
connected,  have  a  tendency  and  suitableness, 
if  rightly  improved,  to  promote  their  instruc- 
tion. Heavenly  lessons  are  taught  and  illus- 
trated by  earthly  objects;  nor  are  we  capa- 
ble of  understanding  them  at  present,  unless 
the  mode  of  instruction  be  thus  accommo- 
dated to  our  situation  and  weakness.  The 
scripture  (John  iii.  I'J,)  points  out  to  us  a 
wonderful  and  beautiful  analogy  between  the 
outward  visible  world  of  nature,  and  that 
spiritual  state  which  is  called  the  kingdom 
of  God ;  the  former  is  like  a  book  written  in 
cypher,  to  which  the  scripture  is  the  key, 
which,  when  we  obtain,  we  have  the  ether 
opened  to  us.  Thus,  wherever  they  look, 
some  object  presents  itself,  which  is  adapted, 
either  to  lead  their  thoughts  directly  to  Jesus, 
or  to  explain  or  confirm  some  passage  in  his 
word.  So  likewise,  the  incidents  of  human 
life;  the  characters  we  know,  the  conversa- 
tion we  hear,  the  vicissitudes  which  take 
place  in  familie.s,  cities,  and  nations;  in  a 
word,  the  occurrences  which  furnish  the  his- 
tory of  every  day,  afford  a  perpetual  com- 
mentary on  what  the  scriptures  teach  con- 
cerning the  heart  of  man  and  the  state  of  the 
world,  as  subject  to  vanity,  and  lying  in  wick- 
edness; and  thereby  the  g»eat  truths  which 
it  behoves  us  to  understand  and  remember, 
are  more  repeatedly  and  forcibly  exhibited 
before  our  eyes,  and  brought  home  to  our  bo- 
soms. It  is  the  peculiar  advantage  of  the  dis- 
ciples of  Christ,  that  their  lessons  are  always 
before  them,  and  their  Master  always  with 
them. 

5.  Men  who  are  otherwise  competently 
qualified  for  teaching  in  tlie  branches  of 
science  they  profess,  often  discourage  and  in- 
timidate their  scholars,  by  the  impatience, 
austerity,  and  distance  of  their  manner.  They 
fail  in  that  condescension  and  gentleness 
which  are  necessary  to  engage  the  attention 
and  aflfection  ofthe  timid  and  the  volatile,  or 
gradually  to  soften  and  to  shame  the  per- 
verse. Even  Moses,  though  eminent  for  his 
forbearance  towards  the  obstinate  people 
committed  to  his  care,  and  though  he  loved 
them,  and  longed  for  their  welfare,  wa.s,  at 
times,  almost  wearied  by  them.  Numb.  xi. 
11,  12.  But  Jesus,  who  knows  before-hand 
the  weakness,  the  dulness,  and  the  refracto- 
riness of  those  whom  he  deigns  to  teach,  to 
prevent  their  fears  is  pleased  to  say,  "  Jjcarn 
of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly."  With 
what  meekne.ss  did  he  conver.se  among  his 
disciples,  while  he  was  with  them  upon 
earth  !  He  allowed  them  at  all  times  a  gra- 
cious freedom  of  access.  He  bore  with  their 
mistakes,  reproved  and  corrected  them  witli 


268 


MESSIAH'S  EASY  YOKE. 


[SER.  XV. 


the  greatest  mildncsp,  and  taught  them  as 
theywere  able  to  bear,  with  a  kind  accom- 
modation to  their  prejudices;  leading  them 
on  step  by  step,  and  waiting  for  the  proper 
season  of  unfolding  to  them  those  more  dif- 
ficult points,  which,  for  a  time,  appeared  to 
them  to  be  hard  sayings.  And  though  he  be 
now  exalted  upon  his  glorious  throne  and 
clothed  with  majesty,  still  his  heart  is  made 
of  tenderness,  and  his  compassions  still 
abound.  We  are  still  directed  to  think  of 
him,  not  as  one  who  cannot  be  touched  with 
a  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  but  as  exercising 
the  same  patience  and  sympathy  towards  his 
disciples  now,  which  so  signally  marked  his 
character  during  his  state  of  humiliation. 
The  compliment  of  the  orator  to  a  Roman 
emperor,  though  excessive  and  absurd  when 
addressed  to  a  sinful  worm,  that  they  who 
durst  speak  to  him  were  ignorant  of  his 
greatness,  and  they  who  durst  not  were 
equally  ignorant  of  his  goodness,  is  a  just  and 
literal  truth,  if  applied  to  our  meek  and  gra- 
cious Saviour.  If  we  duly  consider  his  great- 
ness alone,  it  seems  almost  presumption  in 
such  creatures  as  we  are,  to  dare  to  take  his 
holy  name  upon  our  polluted  lips ;  but  then, 
if  we  have  a  proportionable  sense  of  his  un- 
bounded goodness  and  grace,  every  difficulty 
is  overruled,  and  we  feel  a  liberty  of  drawing 
near  to  him,  though  with  reverence,  yet  with 
the  confidence  of  children  when  they  speak 
to  an  affectionate  parent. 

A  person  may  be  meek,  though  in  an  ele- 
vated situation  of  life ;  but  Jesus  was  like- 
wise lowly.  There  was  nothing  in  his  ex- 
ternal appearance  to  intimidate  the  poor  and 
the  miserable  from  coming  to  him.  He  was 
lowly  or  humble.  Custom,  which  fixes  the 
force  and  acceptation  of  words,  will  not 
readily  allow  us  to  speak  of  humility  as  ap- 
plicable to  the  great  God.  Yet  it  is  said.  He 
humbleth  himself  to  behold  the  things  that 
are  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  Psal.  cxiii.  6. 
Humility,  in  strictness  of  speech,  is  an  at- 
tribute of  magnanimity ;  an  indifference  to 
the  little  distinctions  by  which  weak  and 
vulgar  minds  are  affected.  In  the  view  of 
the  hi^h  and  holy  One  who  inhabiteth  eter- 
nity (Is.  Ivii.  15,)  all  distinctions  that  caii 
obtain  among  creatures  vanish;  and  he  hum- 
bles himself  no  less  to  notice  the  worship  of 
an  angel,  than  the  fall  of  a  sparrow  to  the 
ground.  But  we  more  usually  express  this 
idea  by  the  term  condescension.  Such  was 
the  mind  that  was  in  Christ,  Phil.  ii.  .5.  It 
belonged  to  his  dignity,  as  Lord  of  all,  to 
look  with  an  equal  eye  upon  all  his  crea- 
tures. None  could  recommend  themselves 
to  him  by  their  rank,  wealth,  or  abilitie.s,  the 
gifts  of  his  own  bounty;  none  were  excluded 
from  his  regard,  by  the  want  of  those  things 
which  are  in  estimation  among  men.  And 


to  stain  the  pride  of  human  glory,  he  was 
pleased  to  assume  an  humble  state.  Though 
lie  was  rich,  he  made  himself  poor  ("J  Cor. 
viii.  9,)  for  the  sake  of  those  w  hom  he  came 
into  the  world  to  save.  In  this  respect  he 
teaches  us  by  his  example.  Ife  took  upon 
him  the  form  of  a  servant  (Phil.  ii.  7,)  a  poor 
and  obscure  man,  to  abase  our  pride,  to  cure  us 
of  selfishness,  and  to  reconcile  us  to  the  cross. 

The  happy  effect  of  his  instructions  upon 
those  who  receive  them,  is,  i-est  to  their 
souls.  This  has  been  spoken  to  before  ;  but 
as  it  is  repeated  in  the  text,  I  shall  not  en- 
tirely pass  it  over  here.  He  gives  rest  to  our 
souls, — by  restoring  us  to  our  proper  state 
of  dependence  upon  God ;  as  a  state  of  recon- 
ciliation and  peace,  and  deliverance  from 
guilt  and  fear;  a  state  of  subjection;  for  till 
our  wills  are  duly  subjected  to  the  will  of 
God,  we  can  have  no  rest — by  showing  us 
the  vanity  of  the  world,  and  thereby  putting 
an  end  to  our  wearisome  desires  and  pursuits 
after  things  uncertain,  frequently  unattain- 
able, always  unsatisfying — by  a  communica- 
tion of  sublimer  pleasures  and  hopes  than  the 
present  state  of  things  can  possibly  afford — 
and  lastly,  by  furnishing  us  with  those  aids, 
motives,  and  encouragements,  which  make 
our  duty  desirable,  practicable,  and  pleasant. 

How  truly  then  may  it  be  said,  that  his 
yoke  is  easy,  and  his  burden  light!  such  a 
burden  as  wings  are  to  a  bird,  raising  the 
soul  above  the  low  and  grovelling  attnch- 
ments  to  which  it  was  once  confined.  They 
only  can  rightly  judge  of  the  value  of  this 
rest,  who  are  capable  of  contrasting  it  with 
the  distractions  and  miseries,  the  remorse 
and  forebodings,  of  those  who  live  witliout 
God  in  the  world. 

But  we  are  all,  by  profession,  his  scholars. 
Ought  we  not  seriously  to  inquire,  what  we 
have  actually  learned  from  him  1  Surely  the 
proud,  the  haughty,  the  voluptuous,  and  the 
worldly,  though  they  have  heard  of  his  name, 
and  may  have  attended  on  his  institutions, 
have  not  hitherto  sat  at  his  feet,  or  drank  of 
his  Spirit.  It  requires  no  long  train  of  exami- 
nation to  determine,  whether  you  have  en- 
tered into  his  rest,  or  not;  or,  if  you  have  not 
yet  attained  it,  whether  you  are  seeking  it 
in  the  ways  of  his  appointment.  It  is  a  rest 
for  the  soul,  it  is  a  spiritual  blessing,  and 
therefore  does  not  necessarily  depend  upon 
external  circumstances.  Without  this  rest, 
you  must  be  restless  and  comfortless  in  a 
palace.  If  you  have  it,  you  may  be,  at  least 
comparatively,  happy  in  a  dungeon.  To-day, 
if  not  before  to-day,  while  it  is  called  to-day, 
hear  his  voice;  and  while  he  says  to  you  by 
his  word,  "  Come  unto  me,  and  learn  of  me," 
let  j'our  hearts  answer,  "  Behold,  we  come 
unto  thee,  for  thou  art  the  Lord  our  God," 
Jer.  iii.  22. 


SER.  XVI  ] 


THE  LAMB  OF  GOD,  &c. 


269 


SERMON  XVI. 

THE  LAMB  OF  GOD,  THE  GREAT  ATONEMENT. 

Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world ! — John  i.  29. 

Great  and  marvellous  are  the  works  of 
the  Lord  God  Almig-ht)' !  We  live  in  the 
midst  of  them,  and  the  little  impression  tl>ey 
make  upon  us  sufficiently  proves  our  depra- 
vity. He  is  great  in  the  very  smallest ;  and 
there  is  not  a  plant,  flower,  or  insect,  but 
bears  the  signature  of  infinite  wisdom  and 
power.  How  sensibly  then  should  we  be 
affected  by  the  consideration  of  the  whole, 
if  sin  had  not  blinded  our  understandings,  and 
hardened  our  hearts!  In  the  beginning,  when 
all  was  dark,  unformed,  and  waste,  his  pow- 
erful word  produced  light,  life,  beauty,  and 
order.  He  commanded  the  sun  to  shine,  and 
the  planets  to  roll.  The  immensity  of  crea- 
tion is  far  beyond  the  reach  of  our  concep- 
tions. The  innumerable  stars,  the  worlds, 
which,  however  large  in  themselves,  are, 
from  their  remoteness,  but  barely  visible,  to 
us  aro  of  little  more  immediate  and  known 
use,  than  to  enlarge  our  idea  of  the  great- 
ness of  their  Autlior.  Small,  indeed,  is  the 
knowledge  we  have  of  our  own  system ;  but 
we  know  enough  to  render  our  indifference  in- 
excusable. The  glory  of  the  sun  must  strike 
every  eye ;  and  in  this  enlightened  age,  there 
are  few  persons  but  have  some  ideas  of  the 
magnitude  of  the  planets,  and  the  rapidity 
and  regularity  of  their  motion.s.  Farther, 
the  rich  variety  which  adorns  this  lower 
creation,  the  dependence  and  relation  of  the 
several  parts  and  their  general  subserviency 
to  the  accommodation  of  man,  the  principal 
inhabitant,  together  with  the  preservation  of 
individuals,  and  the  continuance  of  every 
species  of  animals,  are  subjects  not  above  the 
rejch  of  common  capacities,  and  which  afford 
almost  endless  and  infinite  scope  for  reflec- 
tion and  admiration.  But  the  bulk  of  man- 
kind regard  them  not.  The  vicissitudes  of 
day  and  night,  and  of  the  revolving  seasons, 
arc  to  them  matters  of  course,  as  if  they  fol- 
lowed each  other  without  either  cause  or  de- 
sign. And  though  the  jjliilosophers,  who  pro- 
fessedly attach  themselves  to  the  study  of 
the  works  of  nature,  are  overwhelmed  by  the 
traces  of  a  wisdom  and  arrangement  which 
they  are  unable  to  comprehend  ;  yet  few  of 
them  are  led  to  reverential  thoughts  of  God, 
by  their  boasted  knowledge  of  his  creatures. 
Thus  men  live  without  God  in  the  world, 
though  they  live,  and  move,  and  have  their 
being  in  him,  and  are  ince-ssantly  surrounded 
by  the  most  striking  proofs  of  his  presence 
and  energy.  Perhaps  an  earthquake,  or  a 
hurricane,  by  awakening  their  fears,  may 
force  upon  their  minds  a  conviction  of  his 
power  over  them  and  excite  an  occasional 


momentary  application  to  him ;  but  when 
tliey  think  the  danger  over,  they  relapse  into 
their  former  stupidity. 

What  can  engage  the  attention,  or  soften 
the  obduracy  of  such  creatures  !  Behold  one 
wonder  more,  greater  than  all  the  former  ; 
the  last,  the  highest  effect  of  divine  good- 
ness !  God  has  so  loved  rebellious,  ungrateful 
sinners,  as  to  appoint  them  a  Saviour  in  the 
person  of  his  only  Son.  The  prophets  fore- 
saw his  manifestation  in  the  flesh,  and  fore- 
told the  happy  consequences — that  his  pre- 
sence would  change  the  wilderness  into  a 
fruitful  field,  that  he  was  coming  to  give  sight 
to  the  blind,  and  life  to  the  dead  ;  to  set  the 
captive  at  liberty ;  to  unloose  the  heavy  bur- 
den ;  and  to  bless  the  weary  with  rest.  But 
this  change  was  not  to  be  wrought  merely  by 
a  word  of  power,  as  when  he  said,  "  Let  there 
be  light,  and  there  was  light,"  Gen.  i.  3.  It 
was  great,  to  speak  the  world  from  nothing ; 
but  far  greater,  to  redeem  sinners  from  mise- 
ry. The  salvation,  of  which  he  is  the  Author, 
though  free  to  us,  must  cost  him  dear.  Be- 
fore the  mercy  of  God  can  be  actually  dis- 
pensed to  such  offenders,  the  rights  of  his  jus- 
tice, the  demands  of  his  law,  and  the  honour 
of  his  government  must  be  provided  for.  The 
early  institution  and  long  continued  use  of 
sacrifices,  had  clearly  pointed  out  the  neces- 
sity of  an  atonement ;  but  the  real  and  pro- 
per atonement  could  only  be  made  by  Mes- 
siah. The  blood  of  slaughtered  animals  could 
not  take  away  sin,  nor  display  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  in  pardoning  it.  This  was  the 
appointed  covenanted  work  of  Messiah,  and 
he  alone  could  perform  it.  With  this  view 
he  had  said,  "  Lo,  I  come,"  Psal.  xl.  7.  And 
it  was  in  this  view,  when  John  saw  him.  that 
he  pointed  him  out  to  his  disciples,  saying, 
"  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  !" 

Three  points  ofi'er  to  our  consideration  : 

I.  The  title  here  given  to  Messiah, — The 
Lamb  of  God. 

II.  The  efficacy  of  his  sacrifice, — He  taketh 
away  sin. 

III.  The  extent  of  it, — The  sin  of  the 
world. 

1.  He  is  the  Lamb  of  God. — The  paschal 
lamb,  and  the  lambs  which  were  daily  offered, 
morning  and  evening,  according  to  the  law 
of  Moses,  were  of  God's  appointment ;  but 
this  Lamb  was  likewise  of  his  providing.  The 
others  were  but  types.  Though  many,  they 
were  all  insufficient  (Heb.  x.  10)  to  cleanse 
the  consciences  of  the  offerers  from  guilt ;  and 
they  were  all  superseded,  when  Messiah,  by 
the  one  offering  of  himself,  once  for  all,  made 
an  end  of  sin,  and  brought  in  an  everlasting 
righteousness,  in  favour  of  all  who  believe  in 
his  name. 

This  title,  therefore,  the  Lamb  of  God,  re- 
fers to  his  voluntary  substitution  for  sinners, 
that  by  his  sufferings  and  death  they  who 
deserved  to  die  might  obtain  eternal  life 


270 


THE  LAMB  OF  GOD, 


[SEU.  XVI. 


throuj^h  him,  and  for  his  sake.  Mankind  were 
universally  cliiirn;eable  with  transgression  of 
the  law  of  God,  and  were  in  a  state  of  aliena- 
tion from  him.  A  penalty  in  case  of  diso- 
bedience, was  annexed  to  the  law  they  had 
broken ;  to  whicii  they,  as  offenders,  were 
therefore  obnoxious.  Thoug-h  it  would  be 
presumptuous  in  such  worms  as  we  are,  to 
determine,  upon  principles  of  our  own,  whe- 
ther the  sovereijjn  Judge  of  the  universe 
could,  consistently  with  his  own  glory,  remit 
this  penalty  without  satisfaction,  or  not,  yet, 
since  he  has  favoured  us  with  a  revelation 
of  his  will  upon  the  point,  we  may  speak 
more  confidently,  and  affirm,  that  it  was  not 
consistent  with  his  truth  and  holiness,  and 
the  honour  of  liis  moral  government,  to  do  it ; 
because  this  is  his  own  declaration.  We  may 
now  be  assured,  that  the  forgiveness  of  one 
sinner,  and,  indeed,  of  one  sin,  by  an  act  of 
mere  mercy,  and  without  any  interposing 
consideration,  was  incompatible  with  the  in- 
flexibility of  the  law,  and  the  truth  anil  justice 
of  the  Lawgiver.  But  mercy  designed  the  for- 
giveness of  innumerable  sinners,  each  of  them 
chargeable  with  innumerable  sins;  and  the 
declaration,  that  God  is  thus  merciful,  was  to 
be  recorded,  and  publicly  known  through  a 
long  succession  of  ages,  and  to  extend  to  sins 
not  yet  committed.  An  act  of  grace  so  gene- 
ral and  unreserved,  might  lead  men  (not  to 
speak  of  superior  intelligences)  to  disparaging 
thoughts  of  the  holiness  of  God,  and  might 
even  encourage  them  to  sin  with  hope  of  im- 
punity, if  not  connected  with  some  provision, 
which  might  show  that  the  exercise  of  his 
mercy  was  in  full  harmony  with  the  honour 
of  all  his  perfections.  How  God  could  be 
just,  and  yet  justify  those  (Rom.  iii.  2G) 
whom  his  own  righteous  constitution  con- 
demned, was  a  difficulty  too  great  for  finite 
understandings  to  solve.  But  herein  is  God 
glorious.  His  wisdom  propounded,  anrl  his 
love  afforded,  the  adequate,  the  only  possible 
expedient.  He  revealed  to  our  first  parents 
his  purpose,  which  in  the  fulness  of  time  he 
accomplished,  of  sending  forth  his  Son,  made 
of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  to  redeem 
siimers  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  (Gal.  iv.  4,) 
by  sustaining  it  for  them.  Considering  the 
dignity  of  his  person  and  the  perfection  of  his 
obedience,  his  su.Terings  and  death  for  sins 
not  his  own,  displayed  the  heinousness  of  sin, 
and  the  severe  displeasure  of  God  against  it, 
in  a  much  stronger  light  than  the  execution 
of  the  sentence  upon  the  offenders  could  pos- 
sibly do.  It  displays  likewise  the  justice  of 
this  sentence,  since  neither  the  dignity  nor 
the  holiness  of  the  surety  could  exempt  him 
from  suffering ;  and  that,  though  ha  was  the 
beloved  of  God,  he  was  not  spared.  This  is 
what  I  understand  by  atonement  and  satisfac- 
tion for  sin. 

n.  The  efficacy  of  this  atonement  is  com- 
plete.   The  Lamb  of  God,  thus  slain,  taketh 


away  sin,  both  with  respect  to  its  guilt  and  its 
defilement.  The  Israelites,  by  looking  to  the 
brazen  serpent,  (Numb.  xxi.  9,)  were  saved 
from  death,  and  healed  of  their  wounds.  The 
Lamb  of  God  is  an  object,  proposed,  not  to 
our  bodily  sight,  but  to  the  eye  of  the  mind, 
which  indeed  in  fallen  man  is  naturally  blind ; 
but  the  gospel-message,  enlivened  by  the 
powerful  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  ap- 
pointed to  open  it.  He  who  thus  seeth  the 
Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  (John  vi.  40.)  is 
delivered  from  guilt  and  condemnation,  is 
justified  from  all  sin.  He  is  warranted  to  plead 
the  sufferings  of  the  Lamb  of  God  in  bar  of 
his  own  ;  tbe  whole  of  the  Saviour's  obedience 
unto  death,  as  the  ground  and  title  of  his  ac- 
ceptance unto  life.  Guilt  or  obnoxiousness 
to  punishment  being  removed,  the  soul  has  an 
open  way  of  access  to  God,  and  is  prepared  to 
receive  blessings  from  him.  For  as  the  sun, 
the  fountain  of  light,  fills  the  eye  that  was 
before  blind,  the  instant  it  receives  sight;  so 
God,  who  is  the  fountain  of  goodness,  en- 
lightens all  his  intelligent  creatures  accord- 
ing to  their  capacity,  unless  they  are  by  sin 
blinded,  and  rendered  incapable  of  communion 
with  him.  The  Saviour  is  now  received  and 
enthroned  in  the  heart,  and  from  his  fulness 
the  life  of  grace  is  derived  and  maintained. 
Thus  not  only  the  guilt,  but  the  love  of  sin, 
and  its  dominion,  are  taken  away,  subdued  by 
grace,  and  cordially  renounced  by  the  believ- 
ing pardoned  sinner.  The  blood  which  frees 
him  from  distress,  preserves  a  remembrance 
of  tlie  great  danger  and  misery  from  which 
he  has  been  delivered  warm  upon  his  heart, 
inspires  him  with  gratitude  to  his  Deliverer, 
and  furnishes  him  with  an  abiding  and  con- 
straining motive  for  cheerful  and  universal 
obedience. 

in.  The  designed  extent  of  this  gratuitous 
removal  of  sin,  by  the  oblation  of  the  Lamb 
of  God,  is  expressed  in  a  large  and  indefinite 
manner :  He  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world. 
Many  of  my  hearers  need  not  to  be  told,  what 
fierce  and  voluminous  disputes  have  been 
maintained  concerning  the  extent  of  the 
death  of  Christ.  I  am  afraid  the  advantages 
of  such  controversies  have  not  been  answer- 
able to  the  zeal  of  the  disputants.  For  myself, 
I  wish  to  be  known  by  no  name  but  that  of  a 
christian,  and  implicitly  to  adopt  no  system 
but  the  Bible.  I  usually  endeavour  to  preach 
to  the  heart  and  the  conscience,  and  to  wave, 
as  much  as  I  can,  all  controversial  points. 
But  as  the  subject  now  lies  directly  before 
me,  I  shall  embrace  the  occasion,  and  simply 
and  honestly  open  to  you  the  sentiments  of 
my  heart  concerning  it. 

If  because  the  death  of  Christ  is  here  said 
to  take  away  the  sin  of  the  world,  or,  (as  this 
evangelist  expresses  it  in  anotlier  place.)  the 
whole  world,  (1  John  ii.  2,)  it  be  inferred, 
that  he  actually  designed  and  intended  the 
salvation  of  all  men,  such  an  inference  vrould 


SER.  XVI.] 


THE  GREAT  ATONEMENT. 


271 


be  contradicted  by  fact.  For  it  is  cortain  tliat 
all  iiiju  will  not  be  saved,  Matt.  vii.  l'\  11. 
It  is  to  he  feared,  that  tlio  greater  part  of  tlioso 
to  whom  the  word  of  his  salvation  is  sent 
poris!i  in  their  sins.  If  therefore  he  cannot 
be  disappointed  of  his  purpose,  since  many 
do  parish,  it  could  not  be  his  fixed  design 
that  all  men  should  be  finally  and  absolutely 
saved. 

The  exceeding  great  number,  once  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins,  who  shall  be  found  on  his 
right  hind  at  the  great  day  of  his  appearance, 
are  frcpicntly  spoken  of  in  appropriate  and 
peculiar  language.  They  are  styled  his  sheep, 
(Jo.'in  X.  II,  16,)  for  whom  he  laid  down  his 
life ;  his  elect,  (Mark  xiii.  27,)  his  own  ;  (John 
xiii.  I ;)  those  to  whom  it  is  given  to  believe 
in  his  name,  (Pliil.  i.  29,)  and  concerning 
who:n  it  was  the  Father's  good  pleasure  to 
predestinate  them  to  the  adoption  of  children, 
Eph.  V.  5.  By  nature  they  are  children  of 
wrath,  even  as  others,  (Eph.  ii.  3,)  and  no 
more  disposed  in  themselves  to  receive  the 
truth  than  those  who  obstinately  and  finally 
reject  it.  Whenever  they  become  willing, 
they  are  made  so  in  a  day  of  divine  power, 
(Psal.  ex.  3,)  and  wherein  they  differ,  it  is 
grace  that  makes  them  to  differ,  1  Cor.  iv.  7. 
Passages  in  the  scripture  to  this  purpose  are 
innumerable ;  and  though  much  ingenuity 
has  been  employed  to  soften  them,  and  to 
make  them  speak  the  language  of  an  hypo- 
thesis, they  are  so  plain  in  themselves  that  he 
who  runs  may  read.  It  is  not  the  language 
of  conjecture,  but  of  inspiration,  that  they 
whom  the  Lord  God  did  foreknow  he  also  did 
predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of 
his  Son,  Rom.  viii.  29.  And  though  some 
serious  persons  perplex  themselves  with  need- 
less and  painful  reasonings,  with  respect  to 
the  sovereignty  of  God  in  his  conduct  towards 
mankind,  they  all,  if  truly  spiritual  and  en- 
lightened, stand  upon  this  very  ground,  in 
their  own  experience.  Many,  who  seem  to 
differ  from  us  in  the  way  of  argumentation, 
perfectly  accord  with  us,  when  they  simply 
speak  of  what  God  has  done  for  their  souls. 
They  know  and  acknowledge  as  readily  as 
we,  that  they  were  first  found  of  him  when 
they  sought  him  not;  and  that  otherwise  they 
neither  should  nor  could  have  sought  him  at 
all ;  nor  can  they  give  any  better  reason  than 
this  why  they  are  saved  o\\t  of  the  world. 
That  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  make  tliem  his 
people,  1  Sam.  xii.  22. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  I  cannot  think  the 
sense  of  the  expression  is  sufficiently  explain- 
ed, by  saying.  That  the  world,  and  the  whole 
world  is  spoken  of,  to  teach  us  that  the  sacri- 
fice of  the  Lamb  of  God  was  not  confined, 
like  to  Levitical  offerings,  to  the  nation  of 
Israel  only ;  but  that  it  is  available  for  the 
sins  of  a  determined  number  of  persons,  call- 
ed the  Elect,  who  are  scattered  among  many 
nations,  and  found  under  a  great  variety  of 


states  and  circumstances  in  human  life.  This 
is  undoubtedly  the  truth,  so  far  as  it  goes; 
but  not,  I  apprehend,  fully  agreeable  to  the 
scriptural  manner  of  representation.  That 
there  is  an  election  of  grace,  we  are  plainly 
taught;  yet  it  is  not  said,  that  Jesus  Christ 
came  into  the  world  to  save  the  elect,  but 
that  he  came  to  save  sinners,  to  seek  and  to 
save  them  that  are  lost,  1  Tim.  i.  15  ;  Luke 
xix.  10.  Upon  this  ground  I  conceive  that 
ministers  have  a  warrant  to  preach  the  o-ospel 
to  every  human  creature,  and  to  address  the 
conscience  of  every  man  in  the  sight  of  God; 
and  that  every  person  who  hears  this  gospel 
has  thereby  a  warrant,  an  encouragement, 
yea,  a  command,  to  apply  to  Jesus  Christ  for 
salvation.  And  that  they  who  refuse,  thereby 
exclude  themselves,  and  perish,  not  because 
they  never  had,  nor  possibly  could  have  any 
interest  in  his  atonement,  but  simply  because 
they  will  not  come  unto  him  that  they  may 
have  life.  I  know  something  of  the  cavils 
and  c^irious  reasonings  which  obtain  upon 
this  subject,  and  I  know  I  may  be  pressed 
with  difficulties,  which  I  cannot  resolve  to  the 
full  satisfaction  of  inquiring  and  speculative 
spirits.  I  am  not  disheartened  by  meeting 
with  some  things  beyond  the  grasp  of  my 
scanty  powers,  in  a  book  which  I  believe  to 
be  in.spired  by  him  whose  ways  and  thoughts 
are  higher  than  ours,  as  the  heavens  are 
higher  than  the  earth,  Isa.  Iv.  S,  9.  But  I  be- 
lieve, that  vain  reasonings,  self-will,  an  at- 
tachment to  names  and  parties,  and  a  dispo- 
sition to  draw  our  sentiments  from  human 
systems,  rather  than  to  form  them  by  a  close 
and  humble  study  of  the  Bible,  with  prayer 
for  divine  teaching,  are  the  chief  sources  of 
our  perplexities  and  disputes. 

The  extent  of  the  atonement  is  frequently 
represented,  as  if  a  calculation  had  been 
made  how  much  sufl^ering  was  necessary  for 
the  surety  to  endure,  in  order  exactly  to  ex- 
piate the  aggregate  number  of  all  the  sins  of 
all  the  elect;  that  so  much  he  suffered  pre- 
cisely, and  no  more  ;  and  that  when  this  re- 
quisition was  completely  answered,  he  said. 
It  is  finished,  bowed  his  head,  and  gave  up 
the  ghost,  John  xix.  30.  But  this  nicety  of 
computation  does  not  seem  analonfous  to  that 
unbounded  magnificence  and  grandeur  which 
overwhelm  the  attentive  mind  in  the  con- 
templation of  the  divine  conduct  in  the  na- 
tural world.  When  God  waters  the  earth, 
he  waters  it  abundantly,  Psal.  Ixv.  10.  He 
does  not  restrain  the  rain  to  cultivated  or  im- 
provable spots,  but  with  a  profusion  of  bounty 
worthy  of  himself,  his  clouds  pour  down  water 
with  equal  abundance  upon  the  barren  moun- 
tain, the  lonely  desert,  and  the  pathless  ocean. 
Why  may  we  not  say  with  the  scriptures,  that 
Christ  died  to  declare  the  righteousness  of 
God,  (Rom.  iii.  25,  26,)  to  manifest  that  he 
is  just  in  justifying  the  ungodly  who  believe 
in  Jesus  !  And  for  any  thing  we  know  to 


272 


THE  LAxMB  OF  GOD,  &c. 


[SER.  XVI. 


thn  contrary,  the  very  same  display  of  the 
evil  and  demerit  of  sin,  by  the  Itccieemer'.s 
agonies  and  death,  might  have  been  equally 
necessary,  though  the  number  of  the  elect 
were  much  smaller  than  it  will  appear  to  be 
when  they  shall  all  meet  before  the  throne  of 
glory.    If  God  had  formed  this  earth  for  the 
residence  of  one  man  only  ;  had  it  been  his 
pleasure  to  afford  him  the  same  kind  and  de- 
gree of  light  which  we  enjoy,  the  same  glo- 
rious sun,  which  is  now  sufficient  to  enlighten 
and  comfort  the  millions  of  mankind,  would 
have  been  necessary  for  the  accommodation 
of  that  one  person.    So,  perhaps,  had  it  been 
his  pleasure  to  save  but  one  sinner,  in  a  way  ■ 
that  should  give  the  highest  possible  discove-  \ 
ry  of  his  justice  and  of  his  mercy,  this  could  ' 
have  been  done  by  no  other  method  than  that 
which  he  has  chosen  for  the  salvation  of  the  , 
innumerable  multitudes  who  will  in  the  great 
day  unite  in  the  song  of  praise  to  the  Lamb 
who  loved  them,  and  washed  them  from  their 
sins  in  his  own  blood.    As  the  sun  has  a  suf- 
ficiency of  light  for  eyes  (if  there  were  so 
many  capible  of  beholding  it)  equal  in  num- 
ber to  the  leaves  upon  the  trees,  and  the  blades 
of  grass  that  grow  upon  the  earth ;  so  in  Jesus, 
the  Sun  of  righteousness,  there  is  plenteous 
redemption ;  he  is  rich  in  mercy  to  all  that  call 
upon  him  ;  (Psal.  cxxx.  7  ;  Rom.  x.  12  ;)  and 
ho  invites  sinners,  without  exception,  to 
whom  the  word  of  his  salvation  is  sent,  even 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  to  look  unto  him, 
that  they  may  be  save  I,  Isa.  xiv.  22.  j 
Under  the  gospel-dispensation,  and  by  it, ' 
God  commands  all  men,  every  where,  to  re- 
pent. Acts  xvii.  .30.    All  men,  therefore,  I 
every  where,  are  encouraged  to  hope  for  for-  i 
giveness,  according  to  the  constitution  pre- 1 
scrihr-d  by  the  gospel ;  otherwise  repentance  ' 
would  be  both  iuipracticable  and  unavailing,  j 
And  therefore  the  command  to  repent,  im- 1 
plies  a  warrant  to  believe  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  as  taking  away  the  sin  of  the  world. 
Let  it  not  be  said,  that  to  call  upon  men  to 
believe,  which  is  an  act  beyond  their  natural 
power,  is  to  mock  them.  There  is  prescribed 
means  for  the  obtaining  of  faith,  which  it  is 
not  beyond  their  natural  power  to  comply 
with,  if  they  are  not  wilfully  obstinate.  We 
have  the  word  of  God  for  our  authoi-ity.  God 
cannot  be  mocked,  (Gal.  vi.  7,)  neither  doth 
he  mock  his  creatures.    Our  Lord  did  not 
mock  the  young  ruler,  when  he  told  him  that 
if  he  would  sell  his  possessions  upon  earth, 
and  follow  him,  he  should  have  treasure  in 
heaven,  Luke  xviii.  22.    Had  this  ruler  no 
power  to  sell  his  possessions  !   I  doubt  not 
but  that  he  himself  thought  he  had  power  to 
sell  them  if  he  pleased.    But  while  he  loved 
his  money  better  than  he  loved  Christ,  and 
preferred  earthly  treasures  to  heavenly,  he 
had  no  will  to  part  with  them.  And  a  want  of 
will  in  a  moral  agent,  isa  wantof  power  in  the 
strongest  sense.    Let  none  presume  to  offer 


such  excuses  to  their  Maker  as  they  would 
not  accept  in  their  own  concerns.  Il  you  say 
of  a  man,  he  is  such  a  liar  that  he  cannot 
speak  a  word  of  truth ;  so  profane  that  he 
cannot  speak  without  an  oath  ;  so  dishonest 
that  he  cannot  omit  one  opportunity  of  cheat- 
ing or  stealing  ;  do  you  speak  of  this  disabi- 
lity to  good,  as  an  extenuation,  and  because 
you  think  it  renders  him  free  from  blame  ! 
Surely  you  think,  the  more  he  is  disinchned 
to  do  good,  and  habituated  to  evil,  the  worse 
he  is.  A  man  thit  can  speak  lies  and  perjury, 
that  can  deceive  and  rob,  but  is  such  an  enemy 
to  truth  and  goodness  that  he  can  do  nothing 
that  is  kind  or  upright,  must  be  a  shocking 
character  indeed  !  Judge  not  more  favouraljly 
of  yourself  if  you  can  love  the  world  and  sen- 
sual pleasure,  but  cannot  love  God  ;  if  you  can 
foar  a  worm  like  yourself,  but  live  without 
the  fear  of  God;  if  you  can  boldly  trample 
upon  his  laws,  but  will  not,  and  there- 
fore cannot  humble  yourself  before  him,  and 
seek  his  mercy,  in  the  way  of  his  appoint- 
ment. 

We  cannot  ascribe  too  much  to  the  grace 
of  God ;  but  we  should  be  careful,  that  under 
a  semblance  of  exalting  his  grace,  we  do  not 
furnish  the  slothful  and  unfaithful  (Matt. 
XXV.  16)  with  excuses  for  their  wilfulness 
and  wickedness.  God  is  gracious;  but  let 
man  be  justly  responsible  for  his  own  evil, 
and  not  presume  to  state  his  case  so,  as 
would,  by  just  consequence,  represent  the 
holy  God  as  beinn-  the  cause  of  the  sin,  which 
he  hates  and  forbids. 

The  whole  may  be  summed  up  in  two 
points,  which  I  commend  to  your  serious  at- 
tention; which  it  must  be  the  business  of  my 
life  to  enforce;  and  which,  I  trust,  I  shall 
not  repent  of  having  enforced,  either  at  the 
hour  of  death,  or  in  the  day  of  judgment, 
whnn  I  must  give  an  account  of  my  preach- 
ing, and  you  of  what  you  have  heard  in  this 
place. 

1.  That  salvation  is,  indeed,  wholly  of 
grace.  The  gift  of  a  Saviour,  the  first  dawn 
of  light  into  the  heart,  all  the  supports  and 
supplies  needful  for  carrying  on  the  work 
from  the  foundation  to  the  top-stone,  all  is  of 
free  grace. 

2.  "That  now  the  Lamb  of  God  is  preached 
to  you  as  taking  away  the  sin  of  the  world,  if 
you  reject  him,  (which  may  the  Lord  forbid  !) 
I  say,  if  you  reject  him,  your  blood  will  be 
upon  your  own  head.  You  are  warned,  you 
are  invited.  Dare  not  to  say.  Why  doth  he 
yet  find  fault,  for  who  hath  resisted  his  will! 
Rom.  i.x.  19.  If  he  will  save  me,  I  shall  be 
saved  :  if  not,  what  can  I  do!  God  is  merci- 
ful, but  he  is  also  holy  and  just ;  he  is  al- 
mighty, but  his  infinite  power  is  combined 
with  wisdom,  and  is  regulated  by  the  great 
designs  of  his  government.  He  can  do  in- 
numerable things  which  he  will  not  do. 
What  he  will  do  (so  iir  as  we  are  concerned) 


SER.  XVII.] 


MESSIAH  DESPISED,  &c. 


273 


his  word  informs  us,  and  not  one  jot  or  tittle 
thereof  shall  fail.  Matt.  v.  18. 


SERMON  XVII. 

MESSIAH  DESPISED  AND  REJECTED  OF  MEN. 

He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men,  a  man 
of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief. 
— Isaiah  liii.  3. 

The  heathen  moralists,  ignorant  of  the  cha- 
racter and  perfections  of  God,  the  true  digni- 
ty and  iiruuortality  of  the  soul,  and  the  root 
and  extent  of  human  depravity,  had  no  better 
foundation  for  virhat  they  called  virtue,  than 
pride ;  no  higher  aim  in  their  regulations, 
than  the  interests  of  society  and  the  conduct 
of  civil  life.  They  expressed,  indeed,  occa- 
sionally, some  sentiments  of  a  superior  kind  ; 
l)ut  these,  however  just  and  valuable  upon  the 
principles  of  revelation,  were  delusive  and  im- 
practicable upon  their  own.  And  Brutus, 
one  of  the  most  admired  characters  of  anti- 
quity, confessed,  just  before  he  put  an  end  to 
his  own  life,  that  having  long  been  enamour- 
ed of  virtue  as  a  real  good,  he  found  it,  at 
last,  to  be  but  an  empty  name.  But  though 
they  had  so  little  satisfaction,  or  success,  in 
the  pursuit  of  virtue,  they  were  so  pleased 
witli  the  idea  they  fijrmcd  of  it,  as  generally 
to  suppose,  that  if  virtue  should  become  visi- 
ble, it  would  necessarily  engage  the  esteem 
and  admiration  of  mankind. 

Tliere  was,  however,  one  remarkable  ex- 
ception to  this  opinion.  The  wisdom  of  Socra- 
tes seems  to  have  been,  in  many  respects,  dif- 
ferent from  that  of  the  bulk  of  their  philoso- 
phers. Socrates  having  expressed  his  idea  of 
a  perfect  character,  a  truly  virtuous  man,  ven- 
tured to  predict  the  reception  such  a  person, 
if  such  a  one  could  ever  be  found,  would 
meet  with  from  the  world.  And  he  thought, 
tliat  his  practice  would  be  so  dissimilar  to  that 
of  other  men,  his  testimony  against  their 
wickedness  so  strong,  and  his  endeavours  to 
reform  them  so  importunate  and  unwelcome, 
that  instead  of  being  universally  admired,  he 
would  be  disliked  and  hated  ;  that  mankind 
were  too  degenerate  and  too  obstinate,  to  bear 
either  the  example  or  the  reproof  of  such  a 
person,  and  would  most  probably  revile  and 
persecute  him,  and  put  him  to  death  as  an 
enemy  to  their  peace. 

In  this  instance,  the  judgment  of  Socrates 
accords  with  the  language  of  the  Old,  and 
with  the  history  of  the  New  Testament. 
Messiah  was  this  perfect  character.  As  such 
Isaiah  describes  him.  He  likewise  foresaw 
how  he  would  be  treated,  and  foretold  that  he 
would  be  numbered  with  transgressors,  des- 
pised and  rejected,  by  the  very  people  who 
were  eye-witnesses  of  his  upright  and  be- 

VoL.  II.  2  M 


nevolent  conduct.  And  thus,  in  fact,  it 
proved.  When  Jesus  was  upon  earth,  true 
virtue  and  goodness  were  visibly  displayed, 
and  thereby  the  wickedness  of  man  became 
signally  conspicuous.  For  they  among  whom 
he  was  conversant,  preferred  a  robber  and  a 
murderer  to  him,  John  xviii.  40.  They  pre- 
served Barabbas,  who  had  been  justly  doomed  / 
to  die  for  enormous  crimes,  and  they  nailed 
Jesus,  in  his  stead,  to  the  cross. 

When  Messiah  appeared,  the  Jews  pro- 
fessed to  blame  the  wickedness  of  their  fore- 
fathers, who  had  opposed  and  slain  the  pro- 
phets. If  the^'  regretted  the  ill-treatment 
the  servants  of  God  had  formerly  received, 
might  it  not  be  hoped  that  they  would  reve- 
rence his  son  !  (Matt.  x.xi.  47,)  concerning 
whom,  under  his  character  of  Messiah,  their 
expectations  were  raised  by  tlie  scriptures, 
which  were  read  in  their  synagogues  every 
sabbath-day. 

But  he  was  despised  and  rejected  of  men. 
Angels  sung  praises  at  his  birtii,  but  men  de- 
spised him.  He  took  not  upon  him  the  na- 
ture of  angels,  but  of  man;  yet  men  rejected 
him.  Sinful,  helpless  men  rejected  and 
despised  the  only  Saviour.  He  came  to  his 
own,  but  his  own  received  him  not.  How 
lamentable  and  fat:il  was  their  obstinacy  ! 
Pretended  Messiahs  were  eagerly  regarded 
and  followed  by  them,  (John  v.  4;J,)  but  the 
true  Messiah  was  despised  and  rejected  of 
men ! 

Let  us  consider  the  clauses  of  the  text 
separately,  in  the  order  in  which  we  read 
them. 

I.  He  was  despised  and  rejected  of  men. — 
It  would  be  a  great  mistake  to  imagine  that 
the  Jews  were  the  only  people  capable  of  this 
ingratitude  and  obstinacy.  If  any  person 
here  thinks,  surely  I  would  not  have  despised 
him,  liaii  1  seen  his  wonderful  works,  and 
heard  him  speak  as  never  man  spake:  possi- 
bly tiiat  thought  may  prove  you  to  be  of  the 
very  same  spirit  with  those  who,  wliile  they 
thirsted  for  liis  blood,  ignorantly  presumed, 
that  if  they  had  lived  in  the  days  of  their 
forefathers,  they  would  not  have  joined  with 
them  in  persecuting  the  prophets.  Matt, 
xxiii.  31.  Tlie  prejudices  whicli  operated  so 
strongly  against  our  Lord's  mission  and  minis- 
try, were  not  peculiar  to  the  people  of  one 
age  or  country,  but  such  as  are  deeply  rooted 
in  the  nature  of  fallen  man.  The  same  prin- 
ciples which  influenced  the  Jews  to  oppose 
and  despise  his  person,  still  influence  mul- 
titudes to  slight  and  oppose  the  doctrine 
which  lie  taught,  and  which  he  commanded 
his  disciples  to  preach  and  perpetuate  to  the 
end  of  tiie  world.  In  proof  of  tliis,  it  will  be 
sufficient  to  assign  some  of  the  principal  causes 
of  the  contempt  and  hatred  whicli  he  met 
with  from  the  men  of  that  generation.  " 

1.  They  despised  him  for  wliat  they  ac- 
counted the  meanness  of  his  appearance. 


274 


MESSIAH  DESPISED 


[SEK.  XVII. 


Though  rich  in  himself,  he  became  poor  for 
our  sakes,  and  his  poverty  made  him  con- 
temptible in  their  eyes.  They  expected  Mes- 
siah would  appear  with  external  pomp  and 
power.  But  when  they  saw  him,  they  scorned 
him,  saying,  "Is  not  this  the  carpenter's 
son  J"  Matt.  xiii.  55.  He  who  had  not 
money  to  pay  the  tribute  demanded  of  him 
(Matt.  xvii.  27,)  nor  a  house  wherein  to  lay 
his  liead,  was  of  small  esteem  witli  those 
who  were  covetous,  proud  of  worldly  distinc- 
tions, and  fond  of  the  praise  and  admiration 
of  men. 

2.  Their  contempt  was  heightened,  when 
this  poor  man  publicly  asserted  his  proper 
character  and  claim,  demanded  their  atten- 
tion and  homage,  and  styled  himself  in  a  pe- 
culiar sense  tlie  Son  of  God,  the  resurrection 
and  the  life,  John  v.  18 ;  xi.  25.  For  this 
seeming  inconsistence  between  the  appear- 
ance he  made  and  the  honours  he  assumed, 
they  treated  him  as  a  demoniac  and  a  madman, 
John  X.  20.  Their  language  strongly  ex- 
pressed their  sentiments  of  him,  when  they 
asked  him  with  disdain,  "  Art  thou  greater 
than  our  father  Abraham  !  Whom  makest 
thou  thyself!"  John  viii.  53. 

3.  Tliey  objected  to  him  the  low  state  and 
former  characters  of  his  followers.  Some  of 
them  were  of  low  rank  in  life.  The  most  of 
those  who  constantly  attended  him  were  poor 
fishermen.  Others  had  been  of  bad  repute, 
publicans,  and  open  sinners.  For  this  they 
reproached  him,  and  thought  they  were  fully 
justified  in  their  contempt,  while  they  could 
say,  "  Have  any  of  the  rulers  or  Pharisees 
believed  on  him  !"  John  vii.  48. 

4.  They  were  further  exasperated  against 
him,  by  the  authority  and  severity  with  which 
he  taught.  It  is  true,  he  was  gentle  and 
meek  to  all  who  felt  their  need  of  his  help,  or 
sincerely  desired  his  instruction.  He  received 
them  without  exception,  and  treated  them 
with  the  greatest  tenderness.  But  he  vindi- 
cated the  honour  of  the  law  of  God,  from  the 
corrupt  doctrine  and  tradition  of  their  pro- 
fessed teachers.  He  exposed  and  unmasked 
the  hypocrisy  of  their  most  admired  charac- 
ters, and  compared  the  men  who  were  in  the 
highest  reputation  for  wisdom  and  sanctity, 
to  whited  sepulchres,  warning  the  people 
against  them  as  blind  guides  and  deceivers. 

5.  These  blind  guides  strengthened  the 
prejudices  of  their  blind  followers  against 
him,  by  misrepresentation.  They  attempted 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  scripture,  when 
they  thought  it  would  answer  their  purpose. 
They  eagerly  made  the  most  of  a  prevailing 
mistake,  that  Jesus  was  born  in  Galilee,  be- 
cause he  was  brought  up  in  Nazareth  from 
his  infancy.  This  thoy  urged  as  a  proof  that 
he  could  not  be  Messiah,  who  the  prophets 
had  declared  was  to  be  born  at  Bethlehem  in 
Judea.  When  he  healed  diseases  on  the  sab- 
bath-day,  they  represented  the  effects  of  Ms 


compassion  as  a  breach  of  that  strict  observ- 
ance of  the  Sabbath  which  was  enjoined  by 
the  law  of  Moses,  and  that  therefore  lie  could 
not  be  of  God,  John  ix.  1(5.  And  when  they 
were  not  able  to  deny  the  reality  of  his  won- 
derful works,  they  ascribed  them  to  the 
agency  of  Satan,  Matt.  xii.  24.  We  at  this 
distance  of  time,  can  easily  perceive  the 
folly  and  madness  of  their  attempts.  But 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  were  the  public 
authorized  doctors  and  teachers  of  the  people, 
and  were  supported  by  the  ecclesiastical  and 
civil  power ;  or,  as  we  should  now  express  it) 
by  church  and  state.  The  people  were  not 
apt  to  suspect  their  leaders,  whom  they 
thought  wiser  and  better  than  themselves ; 
or,  if  sometimes  they  hesitated,  were  im- 
pressed by  the  majesty  of  his  words,  or  the 
evidence  of  his  miraculous  works,  and  con- 
strained to  say,  "  Is  not  this  the  son  of  Da- 
vid ]"  (Matt.  xii.  23.)  They  were  soon  intimi- 
dated and  silenced  by  canons  and  laws ;  for 
it  was  carefully  enacted,  in  order  to  keep 
them  in  subjection,  that  whoever  acknow- 
ledged him  should  be  put  out  of  the  syna- 
gogues ;  (John  ix.  22 ;  xii.  48 ;)  that  is,  ac- 
cording to  our  modern  language,  excommu- 
nicated. This  among  the  Jews,  as  it  has  often 
since  been  among  Christians,  was  a  punish- 
ment which  drew  after  it  terrible  consequen- 
ces. A  man  must  be  in  good  earnest,  or 
rather  taught  and  supported  by  the  grace  of 
God,  who  could  resist  such  arguments  as 
these. 

These  things  are  easily  applicable  to  the 
church-history  of  succeeding  times.  The  gos- 
pel of  Christ  has  often  been,  and  is  to  this  day, 
rejected  and  despised  upon  similar  grounds. 
Its  simplicity  and  plainness,  and  the  manner 
of  its  proposal,  adapted  to  the  use  and  capa- 
city of  the  vulgar,  offend  those  who  are  wise 
in  tlieir  own  conceit,  and  proud  of  their  un- 
derstanding and  taste.  At  the  same  time 
they  are  equally  disgusted  by  the  sublimity 
of  its  doctrines,  which  will  not  submit  to  the 
test  of  their  vain  reasonings,  and  can  only  be 
received  by  humble  faith.  The  faithfulness 
and  freedom  which  its  ministers  are  enjoined 
to  use,  give  great  offence  likewise.  And  be- 
cause they  cannot  comply  with  the  humours 
of  those  who  wish  them  to  prophesy  smooth 
things  and  deceits,  they  are  accounted  censo- 
rious, uncharitable,  and  disturbers  of  the  pub- 
lic peace.  Again,  the  dislike  and  opposition 
it  frequently  meets  with  from  persons  of 
great  titles  and  high  stations,  deter  multi- 
tudes from  pursuing  those  inquiries,  which 
some  conviction  of  the  truth  would  prompt 
them  to,  were  they  not  discouraged  by  the 
fear  of  consequences.  How  often  has  a 
dread  of  the  displeasure  of  doctors,  bishops, 
universities,  councils,  and  popes,  or  an  igno- 
rant, slavish  deference  to  their  judgment  or 
decisions,  prevented  people  from  following' 
that  light  which  had  begun  to  force  itself 


SEa.  XVII.] 


AND  REJECTED  OF  MEN. 


275 


upon  their  consciences  1  How  few  among 
those  of  reputation  for  wisdom  and  learning, 
how  few  of  the  great  and  opulent,  have  en- 
couraged or  espoused  the  doctrine  of  the 
cross !  It  is,  therefore,  more  properly  a  sub- 
ject for  lamentation  than  for  wonder,  that  this 
way  is  despised,  and  almost  everywhere  spo- 
ken against,  Acts  xxviii.  22.  Farther,  as  the 
bulk  of  those  who  embrace  it  are  of  low  con- 
dition, so  many  of  them  are  as  free  to  confess 
to  the  praise  of  the  grace  of  God,  as  others 
can  be  to  urge  it  to  their  reproach,  that  till  they 
knew  and  received  this  despised  gospel,  their 
characters  and  practices  were  vile.  Lastly, 
what  unhappy  subtilty  has  been  employed,  in 
a  way  of  reason  and  argument,  with  an  ap- 
peal to  detaciied  and  perverted  passages  of 
scripture,  to  misrepresent  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  as  folly,  liypocrisy,  or  enthusiasm, 
and  even  to  charge  the  gospel  itself  with 
giving  encouragement  to  a  licentious  con- 
duct !  Tn  short,  the  spirit  of  the  world,  the 
arts  and  influence  of  designing  men,  are  so 
powerful,  that  what  our  Lord  said  in  Judea, 
holds  equally  true  in  Christendom,  "  Blessed 
is  he  who  is  not  offended  in  me  I"  Matt.  xi.  6. 

I  have  reserved  to  a  distinct  paragraph  the 
mention  of  one  cause  why  the  gospel  is  fre- 
quently despised  and  reproached.  Because, 
though  it  be  no  less  unjust  and  unreason- 
able than  those  wliich  I  have  recited,  it  is 
more  immediately  incumbent  upon  all  who 
name  the  name  of  Christ,  to  prevent  it  as 
much  as  possible ;  I  mean,  the  scandal  which 
arises  from  the  miscarriages  of  those  who  pro- 
fess it.  Oifences  of  this  kind  must  come,  but 
Woe  to  them  by  whom  they  come.  Matt,  xviii. 
7.  There  were  pretended  Christians,  even  in 
the  apostles  times,  who  were  enemies  to  the 
cross  of  Christ,  (Phil.  iii.  18,)  and  by  their 
evil  conduct  caused  the  ways  of  truth  to  be 
evil  spoken  of;  and  therefore  we  cannot  be 
surprised  that  there  are  such  persons  now. 
But  you  that  love  the  Lord,  hate  evil,  Psal. 
xcii.  10.  There  are  many  who  watch  for 
your  halting,  and  are  ready  to  say.  There  ! 
there  !  so  we  would  have  it.  It  would  be  in 
vain  for  ministers  to  declare  that  the  doc- 
trines ofgrace  are  doctrines  according  to  god- 
liness, unless  our  testimony  is  supported  by 
the  tempers  and  conduct  of  our  people  :  the 
world  will  probably  judge,  rather  by  what 
they  see  in  you,  than  by  what  they  hear  from 
us.  Nor  will  it  suffice  that  they  cannot  say 
you  are  an  adulterer,  a  drunkard,  a  miser,  or 
a  cheat.  If  you  espouse  our  doctrine,  they 
will  expect  you  to  be  humble,  meek,  patient 
and  benevolent ;  to  find  integrity  in  all  your 
dealings,  and  a  punctual  discharge  of  your 
duty  in  every  branch  of  a  relative  life.  What 
must  the  world  think  of  our  principles,  if  they 
who  avow  them  are  fretful,  envious,  censo- 
rious, discontented,  slothful,  or  unfaithful ; 
or  if  they  are  niggardly  and  hard-hearted,  or 
voluptuous  and  dissolute,  or  implacable  and 


revengeful !  they  who  tluis  lay  stumbling- 
blocks  before  the  blind,  and  confirm  the  pre- 
judices of  the  ignorant,  will  have  much  to 
answer  for. 

II.  It  is  further  said,  lie  was  a  man  of  sor- 
rows and  acquainted  with  grief — He  was 
surrounded  with  sorrows  on  every  side,  and 

'  grief  was  his  intimate,  inseparable  companion. 

I  Surely  this  consideration,  if  any,  will  animate 
us  to  endure  the  cross,  and  to  despise  the 

j  shame,  we  may  be  exposed  to  for  his  sake. 
Tlie  illustration  of  this  subject  will  offer  more 

{  fully  in  the  sequel.    It  shall  suffice,  at  pre- 

'  sent,  to  assign  three  causes  for  his  continual 
sorrows. 

j  1.  The  outward  course  of  life  to  which  he 
I  submitted,  for  the  sake  of  sinners,  exposed 
him  to  want,  weariness,  contempt,  and  oppo- 
sition. And  though  his  resignation  and  pa- 
j  tience  were  perfect,  yet  he  was  truly  a  man, 
and  partaker  of  our  nature,  witli  all  itsaffec- 
I  tions  and  sensibilities  which  do  not  imply 
sin.  His  feelings  therefore,  were  human, 
similar  to  our  own  in  similar  circumstances; 
and  they  were  often  painfully  exercised. 
Once  and  again  we  read  that  he  was  hungry 
and  had  no  food  ;  ho  was  thirsty,  (j\Iatt.  iv.  9 ; 
xxi.  19 ;  John  iv.  2,)  and  was  nearly  refused 
a  little  water  to  drink,  when  wearied  with  his 
journeying  in  the  heat  of  the  day.  His  cha- 
racter was  aspersed,  his  person  despised,  his 
words  insidiously  wrested,  and  his  actions 
misrepresented.  He  was  misunderstood  even 
by  his  friends,  betrayed  by  one  disciple,  de- 
nied by  another,  and  forsaken  by  the  rest, 
John  vii.  5.  It  is  hardly  possible  for  his  fol- 
lowers to  meet  with  any  outward  trial,  which 
may  not  remind  them  of  some  part  of  the  his- 
tory of  their  Lord  and  master,  who  left  them 
an  example  of  suffering,  that  they  should 
cheerfully  follow  his  steps,  1  Pet.  ii.  21. 

2.  His  perfect  knowledge  and  foresight  of 
those  sufferings  which  we  emphatically  call 
his  Passion.  How  often  does  he  speak  of 
them,  and  describe  the  circumstances  as  if 
they  were  actually  present  ?  Futurity  is,  in 
mercy,  concealed  from  us.  It  would  often 
bereave  us  of  all  present  comfort,  if  we  knew 
what  the  next  year,  or  perhaps,  what  tlie 
next  day  would  bring  forth.  If  some  of  you 
could  have  foreseen,  many  years  ago,  what 
you  have  since  been  brought  through,  you 
would  probably  have  sunk  under  the  appre- 
hension ;  or  the  stoutest  of  us  miijht  sink  now, 
if  we  were  certainly  to  know  what  may  be 
yet  before  us.  But  Jesus,  long  bef()re  he 
made  atonement  for  our  sins,  had  counted  the 
cost.  And  though  his  love  determined  him 
to  save  us,  the  prospect,  which  was  continu- 
ally present  to  his  view,  of  the  approaching 
unutterable  agonies  of  his  son\,  of  all  that  he 
must  endure  from  God,  from  the  powers  of 
darknfess,  and  from  wicked  men,  when  ho 
should  be  made  a  curse  for  us,  to  redeem  us 
from  the  curse  of  the  law,  (Gal.  iii  1'3  :*)  T 


276 


VOLUNTARY 


SUFFERING. 


[SER.  XVIII. 


say,  this  tremendous  prospect  was,  doubtless, 
a  perpetual  source  of  sorrow. 

3.  The  frame  of  his  spirit.  Whoever  has 
a  measure  of  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ, 
must  be  proportionally  burdened  and  grieved, 
like  righteous  Lot  in  Sodom,  '(2  Pet.  ii.  8,) 
with  tlie  wickedness  around  him,  if  he  lives 
in  society.  VViio  tliat  has  any  regard  for  the 
honour  of  God,  or  the  souls  of  men,  can  hear 
and  see  what  passes  every  hour  ;  how  the  au- 
thority of  (iod  is  affronted,  his  goodness 
abused,  and  his  mercy  despised,  without 
emotions  of  grief  and  compassion  !  If  we  are 
spiritually-minded,  we  must  be  thus  affected  ; 
and  we  should  be  more  so,  if  we  were  more 
spiritual.  But  the  holiness  of  Messiah,  and, 
consequently,  his  hatred  of  sin,  was  absolute- 
ly perfect.  His  view  of  the  guilt  and  misery 
of  sinners,  was  likewise  comprehensive  and 
clear.  How  must  he  be  therefore  grieved  by 
the  wickedness  and  insensibility  of  those  with 
whom  he  daily  conversed !  especially  as  he 
not  only  observed  the  outward  conduct  of 
men,  but  had  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the 
evil  heart,  which  is  hidden  from  ns.  In  this 
sense  his  sufferings  and  sorrows  began  with 
early  years,  and  continued  throughout  the 
whole  of  his  life.  He  undoubtedly  could 
say,  with  an  emphasis  peculiar  to  himself, 
"  I  beheld  the  transgressors,  and  was  grieved  ; 
rivers  of  waters  run  down  my  eyes,  because 
men  keep  not  tliy  lavi'."  Psal.  cxi.x.l56, 158. 

We  call  ourselves  the  followers  and  ser- 
vants of  him,  who  was  despised  of  men,  and 
encompassed  with  sorrows.  And  shall  we 
then  seek  great  things  for  ourselves  (Jer.  xlv. 
5,)  as  if  we  belonged  to  the  present  world, 
and  expected  no  portion  beyond  it  1  Or  shall 
we  be  tremblingly  alive  to  the  opinion  of  our 
fellow-creatures,  and  think  it  a  great  hard- 
ship, if  it  be  our  lot  to  suffer  shame  for  his 
sake,  who  endured  the  cross,  and  despised  the 
shame  for  us  1  Rather  may  we  account  such 
disgrace  our  glory,  and  every  loss  and  sufl^er- 
ing  that  we  may  endure  for  him,  a  gain ; 
while  on  the  other  hand  we  learn,  with  the 
apostle  Paul,  to  esteem  every  gain  and 
honour  this  world  can  afford,  to  be  but  loss 
and  dung  in  comparison  of  the  excellency  of 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord, 
Phil.  iii.  8. 


SERMON  XVIIL 

VOLCNTARY  SUFFERING. 

I  gave  my  back  to  the  smiters,  and  my  cheeks 
to  them  that  plucked  off  the  hair ;  I  hid 
not  my  face  from  shame  and  spitting. 
Isaiah  1.  6. 

Th.'VT  which  often  passes  amongst  men  for 
resolution,  and  the  proof  of  a  noble,  courage- 


ous spirit,  is,  in  reality,  the  effect  and  mark 
of  a  weak  and  little  mind.  At  least,  it  is 
chiefly  owing  to  the  presence  of  certain  cir- 
cumstances, whicii  have  a  greater  influence 
upon  the  conduct  than  any  inherent  prin- 
ciple. Thus  many  persons  who  appear  to  set 
death  and  danger  at  defiance  in  the  hour  of 
battle,  while  they  are  animated  by  the  exam- 
ples of  those  around  them,  and  instigated  by 
a  fear  of  the  punishment  or  shame  they  would 
incur  if  they  deserted  their  post ;  upon  a 
change  of  situation,  as,  for  instance,  on  a  bed 
of  sickness,  discover  no  traces  of  the  heroism 
for  which  they  were  before  applauded,  but 
tremble  at  the  leisurely  approach  of  death, 
though  they  were  thought  to  despise  it  under 
a  different  form.  It  was  not  true  fortitude, 
it  was  rather  a  contemptible  pusillanimity, 
that  determined  the  celebrated  Cato  to  de- 
stroy himself.  He  was  afraid  of  Caesar  ;  his 
dread  of  him,  after  his  victories,  was  so  great, 
that  he  durst  not  look  him  in  the  face;  and 
therefore  he  killed  himself  to  avoid  him.  To 
the  same  meanness  of  sentiment  we  may  con- 
fidently ascribe  the  pretended  gallantry  of 
modern  duellists.  They  fight,  not  because 
they  are  not  afraid  of  death,  but  because  they 
are  impelled  by  another  fear,  which  makes  a 
greater  impression  upon  a  feeble  irresolute 
mind.  They  live  upon  the  opinion  of  their 
fellow-creatures,  and  feel  themselves  too 
weak  to  bear  the  contempt  tliey  should  meet 
with  from  the  circle  of  their  acquaintance, 
if  they  should  decline  acting  upon  the 
false  principles  of  honour  which  pride  and 
folly  have  established.  They  have  not  reso- 
lution sufficient  to  act  the  part  which  con- 
science and  reason  would  dictate,  and  there- 
fore hazard  life,  and  every  thing  that  is  dear 
to  them  as  men,  rather  than  dare  to  withstand 
the  prevalence  of  an  absurd  and  brutal  cus- 
tom. 

A  patient  enduring  of  affliction,  and  espe- 
cially of  disgrace  and  contempt,  to  which  the 
characters  the  world  most  admire  are  confess- 
edly unequal,  is  a  much  surer  proof  of  true 
fortitude,  tlian  any  of  those  actions  which  the 
love  of  praise,  the  fear  of  man,  or  even  a  mer- 
cenary attachment  to  lucre,  are  capable  of 
producing.  True  magnanimity  is  evidenced 
by  the  real  importance  of  the  end  it  proposes, 
and  by  the  steadiness  with  which  it  pursues 
the  proper  means  of  obtaining  that  end  ;  un- 
disturbed and  unwearied  by  difficulty,  dan- 
ger, or  pain,  and  equally  indifferent  to  the 
censure  or  scorn  of  incompetent  judges.  This 
greatness  of  mind  is  essential  and  peculiar  to 
the  character  of  the  christian,  I  mean  the 
christian  who  deserves  the  name.  His  ends 
are  great  and  sublime  ;  to  glorify  God,  to  ob- 
tain nearer  communion  with  him,  and  to  ad- 
vance in  conformity  to  his  holy  will.  To 
attain  these  ends,  he  employs  the  means  pro- 
scribed by  the  Lord  :  he  waits  at  Wisdora'3 
gates,  (Prov.  viii.  34,)  and  walks  in  the  patha 


SER.  XVIIl.] 


VOLUNTARY  SUFFERING. 


277 


of  dependence  and  obedience.  He  therefore 
cannot  conform  to  the  prevailing- maxims  and 
pursuits  of  the  many,  and  is  liable  to  be 
hated  and  scorned  for  his  singularity.  But 
he  neither  courts  the  smiles  of  men,  nor 
shrinks  at  the  thought  of  their  displeasure. 
He  loves  his  fellow-creatures,  and  is  ready  to 
do  them  every  kind  office  in  his  povver;  but 
he  cannot  fear  them,  because  he  fears  the 
Lord  God. 

But  this  life  the  christian  lives  by  faith  in 
the  Son  of  God,  Gal.  ii.  20.  Jesus  is  the 
source  of  his  wi.sdom  and  strength.  He  like- 
wise is  his  exemplar.  He  is  crucified  to  the 
world  by  tiie  cross  of  Christ :  and  a  principal 
reason  of  his  indifterence  to  the  opinion  of  the 
world,  is  the  consideration  of  the  manner  in 
which  his  Lord  was  treated  by  it.  He  is  the 
follower  of  him  who  said,  "  I  gave  my  back 
to  the  smiters,  and  my  cheeks  to  them  that 
plucked  off  the  hair  :  I  hid  not  my  face  from 
shame  and  spitting." 

We  may  observe,  from  the  words,  that  the 
humiliation  of  Messiah  was  voluntary,  and 
that  it  was  extreme. 

\.  With  respect  to  his  engagement,  as  the 
Mediator  between  God  and  sinners,  a  great 
work  was  given  him  to  do,  and  he  became 
responsible ;  and  therefore,  in  this  sen.se, 
bound,  and  under  obligation.  But  this  com- 
pliance was  likewise  voluntary;  for  he  g-ave 
himself  up  freely  to  suffer,  the  just  for  the 
unjust.  Could  he  have  relinquished  our  cause, 
and  loft  us  to  the  deserved  consequence  of 
our  sin.s,  in  the  trying  hour  when  his  enemies 
seized  upon  him,  legions  of  angels,  (Matt, 
xxvi.  53,)  had  they  been  wanted,  would  have 
appeared  for  his  rescue.  But  if  he  was  de- 
termined to  save  others,  then  his  own  suffer- 
ings were  unavoidable.  Men  in  the  prose- 
cution of  their  designs,  oflen  meet  with  un- 
expected difficulties  in  their  way,  which, 
though  they  encounter  with  some  cheerful- 
ness, in  hope  of  surmounting  them,  and 
carrying  their  point  at  last,  are  considered  as 
impediments  ;  but  the  sufferings  of  Messiah 
were  essentially  necessary  to  the  accom- 
plishment of  his  great  designs,  precisely  de- 
termined, and  present  to  his  view  beforehand, 
so  that  (as  I  lately  observed)  there  was  not 
a  single  circumstance  that  happened  to  him 
unawares.  He  knew  that  no  blood  but  his 
own  could  make  atonement  for  sin,  that  no- 
thing less  than  his  humiliation  could  expiate 
our  pride  ;  that  if  he  did  not  thus  suffer,  sin- 
ners must  inevitably  perish;  and  therefore 
(such  was  his  love  !)  he  cheerfully  and  volun- 
tarily gave  his  back  to  the  smiters,  and  his 
cheeks  to  them  that  plucked  off  the  hair. 
Two  designs  of  vast  importance  filled  his 
mind;  the  completion  of  them  was  that  joy 
3et  before  him,  for  the  sake  of  which  he 
made  himself  of  no  reputation,  endured  the 
crass,  and  despised  the  shame.    These  were. 


the  glory  of  God,  and  the  salvation  of  -  sin- 
ners. 

1.  The  highest  end  of  his  mediation  was 
to  display  the  glory  of  the  divine  ciiaracter  in 
the  strongest  light,  to  afford  to  all  intelligent 
creatures  (Eph.  iii.  10)  the  brightest  mani- 
festation they  are  capable  of  receiving,  of  the 
manifold  wisdom  of  God,  his  holiness,  justice, 
truth,  and  love,  the  stability  and  excellence 
of  his  moral  government,  all  mutually  illus- 
trating each  other,  as  combined  and  shining^ 
forth  in  his  person,  and  in  his  mediatorial 
work.  Much  of  the  glory  of  God  may  be 
seen,  by  an  enlightened  eye,  in  creation, 
much  in  his  providential  rule  and  care  over 
his  creatures;  but  the  brightness  of  his  glory, 
(John  i.  18,)  the  express  and  full  discovery  of 
his  perfections,  can  only  be  known  by  Jesus 
Christ,  and  the  revelation  which  God  has 
given  of  himself  to  the  world  by  him.  And, 
accordingly,  we  are  assured,  that  the  angels, 
whose  knowledge  of  the  natural  world  is 
doubtless  vastly  superior  to  ours,  desire  to 
look  into  these  things  ;  and  that  the  manifold 
wisdom  of  God  is  supereminently  made 
known  to  principalities  and  powers,  in 
heaven,  by  the  dispensation  of  his  grace  to 
the  church  redeemed  from  the  earth. 

2.  Subordinate  to  this  great  design,  closely 
connected  with  it,  and  the  principal  effect  for 
which  it  will  be  admired  and  magnified  to 
eternity,  is  the  complete  and  everlastings  sal- 
vation of  that  multitude  of  miserable  sinners, 
who,  according  to  the  purjjose  of  God,  and  by 
the  working  of  his  mighty  power,  shall  be- 
lieve in  this  Saviour ;  and  who,  renouncing 
every  other  hope,  shall  put  their  trust  in  him, 
upon  the  warrant  of  the  promise  and  com- 
mand of  God,  and  yield  themselves  to  be  his 
willing  and  devoted  people.  Many  are  their 
tribulations  in  the  present  life,  but  they  shall 
be  delivered  out  of  them  all ;  they  shall  over- 
come, they  shall  be  more  than  conquerors,  by 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  the  word  of  his 
testimony ;  (Rev.  xii.  11 ;)  and  then  they  shall 
shine,  like  the  sun,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
The  consummation  of  their  happiness,  is  a 
branch  of  the  joy  which  was  set  before  him. 
For  their  sakes,  that  they  might  be  happy, 
that  he  may  be  admired  in  them,  and  by 
them,  to  the  glory  of  God,  who  is  all  in  all, 
he  voluntarily  sub.stituted  himself  to  suffer- 
ings and  death.  He  endured  the  cross,  and 
he  despised  the  shame.  He  g-ave  his  back  to 
the  smiters,  his  cheeks  to  them  that  plucked 
off  the  hair,  he  hid  not  his  face  from  shame 
and  spitting. 

H.  But  are  we  reading  a  prophecy,  or  the 
history  of  his  extreme  humiliation  '!  It  is  a 
prophecy ;  how  literally  and  exactly  it  was 
fulfilled,  we  learn  from  his  history  by  the 
evangelists.  With  what  cruelty,  with  what 
contempt  was  he  treated,  first  by  the  servants 
in  the  hall  of  the  High  Priest,  aflerwards  by 


27& 


VOLUNTARY 


SUFFERING. 


[sEH.  xxm. 


the  Roman  soldiers!  Let  us  consider  Iiim, 
who  enihired  the  contradiction  of  sinners 
against  himself,  Ileb.  xii.  3.  Tliesc  words  of 
the  apostle  suggest  some  preliminary  obser- 
vations, to  prepare  our  minds  for  receiving  a 
due  impression  from  the  several  particulars 
here  mentioned. 

When  the  apostle  would  dispose  believers 
by  an  argument  or  motive,  (which,  if  we  fully 
understood  it,  would  render  all  other  argu- 
ments unnecessary,)  to  endure  sufferings  and 
crosses  patiently,  he  says  "  Consider  him" — 
he  uses  a  word  which  is  properly  a  mathe- 
matical term,  denoting  the  ratio  or  propor- 
tion between  different  nuu)bers  or  figures ; 
q.  d.  "  Compare  yourselves  with  him,  and  his 
sufferings  with  your  own.  Consider  who  he 
is,  no  less  than  what  he  endured." 

In  the  apprehensions  of  men,  insults  are 
aggravated  in  proportion  to  the  disparity  be- 
tween the  person  who  receives,  and  who 
offers  them.  A  blow  from  an  equal  is  an  of- 
fence, but  would  be  still  more  deeply  resented 
from  an  inferior.  But  if  a  subject,  a  servant, 
a  slave,  should  presume  to  strike  a  king,  it 
would  justly  be  deemed  an  enormous  crime. 
But  Jesus,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of 
lords,  whom  all  the  angels  of  God  worship, 
made  himself  so  entirely  of  no  reputation, 
tluit  the  basest  of  the  people,  the  servants, 
the  common  soldiers,  were  not  afraid  to  make 
him  the  object  of  their  derision,  and  to  e.\- 
press  their  hatred  in  the  most  sarcastic  and 
contemptuous  manner.  It  is  said,  that  he 
endured  the  contradiction  of  sinners.  So, 
perhaps,  do  we ;  but  we  are  sinners  likewise, 
and  deserve  much  more  than  we  suffer,  if  not 
immediately  from  the  instruments  of  our 
grief,  yet  from  the  Lord,  who  has  a  right  to 
employ  what  instruments  he  pleases  to  afflict 
us  for  our  sins.  This  thought  quieted  the 
spirit  of  David,  when  his  own  son  rose  up 
against  his  life,  and  his  own  servant  cursed 
him  to  his  face,  2  Sam.  xvi.  11.  But  Jesus 
was  holy,  harmless,  and  undefiled,  he  had 
done  nothing  amiss ;  yet  the  usage  he  met 
with  was  such  as  has  seldom  been  offered  to 
the  vilest  malefactor.  Their  cruel  and  scorn- 
ful contradiction  was  likewise  expressly  and 
directly  against  himself;  whereas  his  people 
only  suffer  from  unreasonable  and  wicked 
men,  for  his  sake,  and  for  their  professed  at- 
tachment to  him.  In  the  most  violent  perse- 
cutions, they  who  could  be  prevailed  on  to 
renounce  his  name  and  his  cause  usually 
escaped  punishment,  and  were  frequently 
favoured  and  rewarded.  And  this  is  still  the 
ground  of  the  world's  displeasure ;  fierce  and 
bitter  as  their  opposition  may  seem,  the  way 
to  reconciliation  is  always  open ;  they  are  not 
angry  with  us  farther  than  we  avow  a  de- 
pendence upon  him,  and  show  ourselves  de- 
termined to  obey  him  rather  than  men.  If 
we  could  forsake  him,   their  resentment 


would  be  disarmed,  for  they  mean  no  more 
than  to  inti»)idate  us  from  his  service.  I  do 
not  think  that  they  who  make  peace  with 
the  world  upon  these  terms,  are  esteemed  by 
them  for  their  compliance,  but  they  are  sel- 
dom disturbed  any  longer.  It  is  plain,  there- 
fore, that  if  we  suffer  as  christians,  it  is  for 
his  sake.  Ho  likewise  suflered  tor  our  sakes; 
but  how  wide  is  the  difierence  between  him 
and  us  !  We,  when  the  trial  is  sharp,  are  in 
danger  of  flinching  from  the  cause  of  our  best 
Friend  and  benefactor,  to  whom  our  obliga- 
tions are  so  innumerable,  and  so  immense ; 
whereas  he  gave  himself  up  to  endure  such 
things  for  us,  w'hen  we  were  strangers  and 
enemies !  He  was  not  only  treated  with 
cruelty,  but  with  every  mark  of  the  utmost 
detestation  and  scorn,  which  wanton,  unfeel- 
ing, unrestrained  barbarity  could  suggest. 

I.  They  began  to  spit  upon  him  in  the 
High  Priest's  hall.  The  Roman  soldiers  like- 
wise did  spit  upon  him,  when  they  had  con- 
temptuously arrayed  him  in  a  scarlet  robe, 
and  bowed  the  knee  before  him,  in  mockery 
of  his  title  of  King.  Great  as  an  insult  of 
this  kind  would  be  deemed  amongst  us,  it  was 
considered  as  still  greater,  according  to  the 
customs  prevalent  in  eastern  countries. 
There,  to  spit,  even  in  the  presence  of  a  per- 
son, though  it  were  only  upon  the  ground, 
conveyed  the  idea  of  disdain  and  abhorrence. 
But  the  lowest  of  the  peo])le  spit  in  the  face 
of  the  Son  of  God.  No  comparison  can  fully 
illustrate  this  indignity.  There  is  some  pro- 
portion between  the  greatest  earthly  monarch 
and  the  most  abject  slave.  They  did  not  spit 
upon  Alexander,  or  Ca;sar,  but  upon  the  Lord 
of  glory. 

2  They  buffeted  and  beat  him  on  the  face, 
and  when  he  meekly  oHered  his  cheek  to 
their  blows,  they  plucked  ofi'the  hair.  The 
beard  was  in  those  times  accounted  honoura- 
ble: and  when  David's  servants  were  shaved 
by  the  command  of  Hanim,  (2  Sam.  x.  5,) 
they  were  ashamed  to  be  seen.  But  Jesus 
was  not  shaven.  With  savage  violence  they 
tore  off  the  hair  of  his  beard ;  while  he,  like 
a  sheep  before  the  shearers,  was  dumb,  and 
quietly  yielded  himself  to  their  outrages. 

3.  His  back  they  tore  with  scourges,  as 
was  foretold  by  the  psalmist:  "The  plovvers 
plowed  upon  my  back,  they  made  long  their 
furrows,"  Psal.  cxxix.  3.  The  Jewish  council 
condemned  him  to  death  for  blasphemy,  be- 
cause he  said  ho  was  the  Son  of  (iod.  Ston- 
ing was  the  punishment  prescribed  by  the  law 
of  Moses,  in  such  cases,  Lev.  xiv.  16.  But 
this  death  was  not  sufficiently  lingering  and 
tormenting  to  gratify  their  malice.  To  glut 
their  insatiable  cruelty,  they  were  therefore 
willing  to  own  their  subjection  to  the  Roman 
power  to  be  so  absolute,  that  it  was  not  law- 
j  ful  for  them  to  put  any  one  to  death,  (John 
1  xvii.  31,)  according  to  their  own  judicial  law  ; 


SER.  XIX.] 


MESSIAH  SUFFERING,  &c. 


279 


and  tlius  wilfully,  though  unwittingly,  they 
fulfilled  the  prophecies.  They  preferred  the 
punishment  wiiich  the  Romans  appropriated 
to  Waves  who  were  guilty  of  flagitious  crimes, 
and  therefore  insisted  tiiat  he  should  be  cru- 
cified. According  to  the  Roman  custom, 
those  who  were  crucified  were  previously 
scourged.  Thus,  when  they  had  mocked 
him,  and  made  him  their  sport,  by  putting 
a  crown  of  thorns  on  his  head,  and  a  reed 
in  his  hand  for  a  sceptre,  in  derision  of  his 
kingly  office,  he  was  stripped  and  scourg- 
ed. It  was  not  unfrequent  for  the  sufferers 
to  expire  under  the  severity  and  torture  of 
scourging.  And  we  may  be  certain  that 
Jesus  e.xpericnced  no  lenity  from  their  mer- 
ciless hands.  The  plowers  plowed  his  back. 
But  more  and  greater  tortures  were  before 
hitn.  lie  was  engaged  to  make  a  full  atone- 
ment for  sin  by  his  sufl^erings ;  and  as  he  had 
power  over  his  own  life,  he  would  not  dis- 
miss his  spirit,  till  he  could  say,  "It  is 
finished." 

And  now,  to  use  the  words  of  Pilate,  "Be- 
hold the  man  !"  John  xix.  5.  Oh !  for  a 
realizing  impression  of  this  his  e.xtreme  hu- 
miliation and  suffering,  that  we  may  he 
duly  affected  with  a  sense  of  his  love  to  sin- 
ners, and  of  the  evil  of  our  sins,  which  ren- 
dered it  necessary  that  the  surety  should 
thus  suffer!  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God, 
mocked,  blindfolded,  spit  upon,  and  scourged  ! 
Let  us  add  to  all  this  the  consideration  of 
his  praying  for  his  tormentors,  (Luke  .\xiii. 
34,)  and  we  have  an  example  of  perfect  mag- 
nanimity. 

Shall  we  then  refuse  to  suffer  shame  for  his 
sake,  and  be  intimidated  by  the  frov.'ns  or 
contempt  of  men,  from  avowing  our  attach- 
ment to  him  !  Ah !  Lord,  we  are,  indeed, 
capable  of  this  baseness  and  ingratitude.  But 
if  thou  art  pleased  to  strengthen  us  with  the 
power  of  thy  Spirit,  we  will  account  such  dis- 
grace our  glory.  Then  we  will  not  hang 
down  our  heads  and  despond,  but  will  rather 
rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad,  if  the  world 
revile  us,  and  persecute  us,  and  speak  all 
manner  of  evil  again.>t  us,  provided  it  be 
falsely,  (iMatt.  v.  11,)  and  provided  it  be  for 
thy  sake ! 

Shall  we  continue  in  sin,  (Rom.  vi.  1,) 
after  we  know  what  it  cost  him  to  expiate  our 
sins  !  God  forbid !  When  Mark  Antony  ad- 
dressed the  citizens  of  Rome,  to  animate 
them  to  revenge  the  death  of  Caesar,  he  en- 
larged upon  CiKsar's  ciiaracter,  his  great  ac- 
tions, his  love  to  the  Roman  people,  and  the 
evidence  he  had  given  of  it,  in  the  donations 
and  be(|unsts  he  had  appointed  them  by  his 
will,  the  particulars  of  which  he  specified. 
When  ho  had  thus  engaged  their  admiration 
and  gratitude,  and  they  discovered  emotions 
of  regret  and  sensibility,  that  CtEsar,  the 
greatest  character  in  Rome,  who  had  fought 
and  triumphed  for  theui,  and  had  remember- 


ed them  in  his  will,  should  bo  slain,  Antony 
threw  aside  a  cloth,  and  showed  them  his 
dead  body  covered  with  wounds  and  blood. 
This  sight  rendered  it  needless  to  say  more. 
The  whole  assembly  united  as  one  man,  to 
search  out,  and  to  destroy  his  murderers. 
The  application  is  obvious. — May  our  hearts, 
from  tills  hour,  be  filled  with  a  determined, 
invariable  resentment  against  sin,  the  pro- 
curing cause  of  the  humiliation  and  death  of 
our  best  Friend  and  benefactor  ! 


SERMON  XIX. 

MES-SIAH  SUFFERING  AND  WOUNDED  FOR  US. 

Surely  he  hath  borne  our  grief  and  carried 
our  sorrows. — He  was  wounded  for  our 
transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our  ini- 
quities ;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace 
was  upon  him,  and  with  his  stripes  we  are 
healed. — Isaiah  liii.  4,  5. 

When  our  Lord  was  transfigured,  Moses 
and  Elijah  appeared  in  glory  and  conversed 
with  him.    Had  we  been  informed  of  the  in- 
terview only,  we  should  probably  have  desir- 
ed to  know  the  subject  of  their  conversation, 
as  we  might  reasonably  suppose  it  turned 
upon  very  interesting  and  important  topics. 
The  scripture  malces  little  provision  for  the 
indulgence  of  our  curiosity,  but  omits  nothing 
that  is  necessary  for  our  instruction ;  and  we 
learn  thus  much  from  it,  that  they  discoursed, 
not  upon  the  trifling  things  which  the  world 
accounts  great,  such  as  the  rise  and  fall  of 
empires ;  but  they  spake  of  the  suflerings  of 
Jesus,  and  of  the  decease  which  he  sliould 
accomplish  at  Jerusalem,  Luke  ix.  31.  They 
spake  of  his  Exodus,  (as  the  Greek  word  is,) 
his  departure  out  of  this  life,  the  issue  and 
completion  of  his  engagement  for  sinners  ; 
that  is,  his  crucifixion  and  death.    This  is 
the  grand  theme  of  heaven  and  heaven-bora 
souls.    We  lately  considered  the  cruel  in- 
sults Messiah  submitted  to,  fi-om  the  servants 
in  the  High  Priest's  hall,  and  from  the  Ro- 
man soldiers.    The  passage  I  have  now  read 
leads  our  meditations  to  the  foot  of  the  cross. 
May  the  Holy  Spirit  realize  the  scene  to  our 
hearts  I    The  cross  of  Christ  displays  the  di- 
vine perfections  with  peculiar  glory.  Here 
the  name  of  God  is  revealed,  as  a  just  God 
and  a  Saviour.    Hero  the  believer  contem- 
plates in  one  view,  the  unspeakable  evil  of 
sin,  and  the  unsearchable  riches  of  mercy. 
This  gives  him  the  most  affecting  sense  of 
the  misery  which  he  has  deserved,  while  at 
the  same  time  he  receives  the  fullest  assur- 
ance that  there  is  foririveness  with  God,  and 
discovers  a  sure  foundation  whereon  he  may 
build  his  hope  of  eternal  life,  without  fear  of 
disappointment.   From  the  moment  the  apos- 


280 


MESSIAH  SUFFERING,  &c. 


lie  Paul  was  onlip'litenod  to  understand  this 
iny>^tery  of  redeeminij'  love,  he  accounted  his 
former  j^ain  but  loss ;  his  tbriner  supposed 
wisdom  no  better  than  folly  ;  and  became  de- 
termined to  know  nothings,  (1  Cor.  ii.  2 ;  Gal. 
vi.  14,)  to  depend  upon  nothing,  to  glory  in 
nothing,  but  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified. 

A  representation  of  the  Redeemer's  suffer- 
ings, capable  of  exciting  tears  and  moving 
the  passions,  may  be  made  by  the  povvers  of 
oratory ;  and  similar  emotions  have  often 
been  produced  by  a  romance  or  a  tragedy, 
though  the  subject  is  known  beforehand  to  be 
entirely  a  fiction.  But  light  in  the  under- 
standing is  necessary  to  convince  and  influ- 
ence the  heart.  Unless  the  mind  be  deeply 
penetrated  with  the  causes  which  renderexl 
Messiah's  death  necessary,  the  most  pathetic 
description  of  the  fact  will  leave  the  will  and 
aft'ections  unchanged.  I  hope  many  of  my 
auditory  can  assign  these  causes.  You  have 
felt  yourselves  personally  concerned  in  an 
event  which  took  place  long  before  your 
birth;  and  if  you  are  asked,  Why  was  Jesus 
mocked,  buffeted,  and  spit  upon  !  and  why 
were  his  enemies  permitted  to  nail  him  to  the 
cross!  You  can  answer,  "Surely  he  hath 
home  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows," — 
and  you  can  likewise  say,  "  By  his  stripes  we 
are  healed." 

The  words  lead  us  to  consider  the  cause 
and  the  effect. 

1.  The  cause  of  the  Redeemer's  sufferings, 
implied  in  the  word  our.  He  bore  the  griefs 
and  sorrows  which  were  our  desert.  Such  is 
the  language,  the  confession,  the  grateful 
acknowledgment  of  all  who  believe  in  his 
name.  They  who  are  delivered  by  grace 
from  the  spirit  and  power  of  this  evil  world, 
and  who  live  by  his  death,  and  likewise  they 
who  see  they  must  perish  unless  saved  by 
him,  are  authorized  to  consider  him  as  mind- 
ful of  them,  and  making  provision  for  them 
in  the  day  of  his  trouble.  They  wiio  were 
actually  healed  by  looking  at  the  brazen  ser- 
pent, according  to  God's  appointment,  had  a 
sufficient  proof  in  themselves,  that  it  was 
erected  and  placed  in  view  of  the  camp 
(Num.  xxi.  9)  on  their  account.  He  bore 
our  griefs. — It  does  not  follow  that  sinners 
must  have  been  crucified,  if  the  Saviour  had 
not  been  crucified  on  their  behalf  But  as 
this  was  a  painful  and  terrible  punishment,  it 
may  teach  us,  that  without  his  interposition 
we  were  justly  liable  to  extremity  of  misery 
in  the  present  life.  That  we  who  have  of- 
fended God  should  enjoy  health,  peace,  or 
satisfaction  for  a  single  hour ;  that  we  do  not 
draw  every  breath  in  the  most  excruciating 
pain  ;  that  we  derive  any  comfort  from  crea- 
tures; that  we  are  not  a  burden  and  a  terror 
to  ourselves,  and  mutually  to  each  other; 
that  our  state  while  upon  earth,  is,  in  any 
respect,  better  than  an  image  of  hell, — must 
wholly  be  ascribed  to  him.  A  sinner,  as  such, 


is  under  the  curse  of  the  law ;  and  this  curso, 
includes  every  species  of  misery  that  can  af- 
fect us,  either  in  mind,  body,  or  estate.  But 
he  was  appointed  from  the  beginning,  to  sus- 
tain and  exhaust  the  curse  for  us.  And 
therefore  the  earth,  though  so  long  inhabited 
by  wretches  in  a  state  of  bold  rebellion 
against  their  Maker,  is  filled  with  the  fruits 
and  evidences  of  his  long-suffering  patience 
and  mercy.  Therefore  he  still  affords  us  rain 
and  fruitful  seasons,  (Acts  xiv.  17,)  indulges 
us  with  a  variety  of  temporal  blessings,  and 
gives  us  power  to  take  comfort  in  them.  This 
consideration  greatly  enhances  the  value  of 
temporal  good  things  to  his  people.  They 
receive  them  as  from  his  hand,  as  tokens  of 
his  love,  and  pledges  of  his  favour,  sanctified 
to  their  use  by  his  blood  and  promise.  Cheer- 
ed by  such  thoughts  as  these,  his  poor  people 
often  enjoy  their  plain  fare  with  a  pleasure, 
of  which  the  expensive  and  dissipated  sen- 
sualist has  no  conception.  And  how  does  it 
add  to  the  relish  of  all  earthly  comforts,  to 
think,  while  we  are  using  them,  that 

There's  not  a  gift  his  hand  bestowa, 
But  cost  his  heart  a  groan ! 

So,  likewise,  the  remembrance  of  what  he 
bore  for  them  alleviates  the  pressure  of  all 
their  sufferings,  and  affords  them  a  ground 
whereon  they  may  rejoice,  yea  glory,  in  tribu- 
lation also,  Rom.  v.  'S. 

But  his  crucifixion,  and  the  whole  of  his 
suflerings  from  wicked  men,  cannot  give  us 
a  just  idea  of  what  he  endured  for  us.  Griev- 
ous as  they  were,  considered  in  themselves, 
they  were  light,  if  compared  with  the  agonies 
of  his  soul.  These  extorted  the  blood  from 
his  body,  (Luke  xxiii.  44,)  before  the  hand  of 
man  touched  him.  And  when  he  uttered  his 
most  dolorous  cry  upon  the  cross,  it  was  not 
for  the  anguish  of  his  bodily  wounds,  but  his 
soul  felt  for  a  season  a  separation  from  the 
presence  and  comforts  of  God.  Therefore  he 
said,  "  Why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  !"  Matt, 
xxvii.  46.  It  is  true  his  holy  nature  was  not 
capable  of  some  part  of  the  impenitent  sin- 
ner's portion.  Remorse  of  conscienee,  the 
stings  of  the  never-dying  worm,  and  the 
horrors  and  rage  of  despair,  could  not  touch 
him,  who  had  no  personal  sin,  and  whose 
love  and  faith  were  always  perfect.  But  a 
sword  pierced  his  soul :  and  it  pleased  the 
Father  not  only  to  permit  him  to  be  bruised 
by  the  cruelty  of  his  enemies,  but  to  bruise 
him  himself.  Is.  liii.  10. 

The  ground  of  all  this  was  laid  in  his 
voluntary  substitution  of  himself  from  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  to  obey  and  snf^ 
fer  in  behalf  of  his  people.  This  point  will 
offer  more  directly  from  the  passage  we  are 
next  to  consider.  At  present  let  us  briefly 
notice  the  expressions  before  us. 

I.  He  was  wounded. — This  word  whicl. 
signifies  pierced  or  stabbed,  refers  to  this  cru- 


6ER.  XIX.] 


AND  WOUNDED  FOR  US. 


2S1 


cifixion.  This  punishment  being  unknown 
to  the  Jews,  till  they  were  brought  under  the 
Roman  power,  they  had,  therefore,  no  express 
name  for,  in  their  language.  Yet  it  is  plain- 
ly described  by  the  psalmist,  who,  speaking, 
by  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  in  the  person  of 
Messiah,  says,  "  They  pierced  my  hands  and 
my  feet,"  Psal.  xxii.  16.  And  it  was  typified 
under  the  law  of  Moses,  (Deut.  xxi.  2'S ;  Gal. 
iii.  13 ;  1  Cor.  v.  7 ;  John  iii.  14,)  by  the  curse 
annexed  to  hanging  upon  a  tree,  which  was 
the  nearest  death  to  this ;  by  the  paschal 
lamb,  which  was  roasted ;  and  by  the  brazwi 
serpent.  It  was  a  fit  death  for  a  smuer,  paii)- 
ful  and  ignominious.  How  circumstantial 
were  the  prophecies,  how  apposite  the  types, 
how  exactly  was  all  fulfilled,  and  how  won- 
derful was  it  that  the  Jews  should  be  led  to 
depart  from  their  own  customs  and  purposes, 
in  order  to  their  accomplishment,  though 
they  intended  nothing  less !  But  it  was  the 
determined  counsel  and  appointment  of  God, 
(Acts.  ii.  23,)  who  over-rules  all  the  designs 
of  men,  and  all  that  to  us  appears  contingent, 
to  the  purposes  of  his  own  will  and  glory. 

2.  He  was  bruised. — If  we  distinguish 
wounded  from  bruised,  the  latter  may  be  re- 
ferred to  the  sorrows  of  iiis  sou],  for  it  is  ex- 
pressly said,  "  It  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise 
iiim :"  that  distress  broke  his  heart,  filled  him 
with  dismay,  caused  him  to  be  sore  amazed 
and  very  heavy,  and  to  say  to  his  disciples, 
"My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto 
death,"  Matt.  xxvi.  38.  No  words  can  be 
more  selected  and  emphatical,  than  those 
which  the  evangelists  use  in  describing  his 
consternation  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane. 
How  can  this  his  dejection  and  terror  be  ac- 
counted for  by  those  who  deny  that  his  suffer- 
ings and  death  were  a  proper  aionement  of 
sin  ;  and  who  suppose,  that  when  he  had 
given  to  men  a  perfect  rule  of  life,  and  com- 
mended it  to  them  by  his  own  example,  he 
died,  merely  to  confirm  the  truth  of  his  doc- 
trine, and  to  encourao'e  his  followers  to  faith- 
fulness under  sufferings  1  Many  of  his  fol- 
lowers, who  were  thus  witnesses  for  the  truth, 
and  patterns  of  fiiithfulness  to  us,  have  met 
death  in  its  most  terrible  forms  with  com- 
posure, yea,  with  pleasure,  yea,  with  trans- 
ports of  joy.  But  is  the  disciple  above  his 
Lord  !  If  christians  have  triumphed  in  such 
circumstances,  why  did  Christ  tremble  !  Not 
surely  because  their  courage  and  constancy 
wore  greater  than  his.  The  causes  were 
entirely  different.  The  martyrs  were  given 
up  to  them  who  only  could  kill  the  body  ;  but 
Jesus  suffered  immediately  from  the  hand  of 
God.  One  stroke  of  his  mighty  hand  can 
bruise  the  spirit  of  man  more  sensibly  than 
the  united  power  of  all  creatures.  Jesus 
died.  They  that  believe  in  him,  are  said  to 
sleep  in  him,  1  Tliess.  iv.  14.  To  them  death 
comes  disarmed  of  its  sting,  wearing  a  friend- 
ly aspect,  and  bringing  a  welcome  message 
Vol.  II.         2  N 


of  dismission  from  every  evil.  But  the  death 
of  Jesus  was  death  indeed,  death  in  all  its 
horrors,  the  death  which  sinners  had  deserved 
to  suffer  as  transgressors  of  the  law. 

3.  The  chastisement  or  the  punishment  of 
our  peace  was  upon  him,  that  chastisement  or 
punishment  on  the  account  of  which  sinners 
obtain  peace  with  God. — It  properly  signifies 
here,  a  punishment  for  instruction  or  example. 
Punishments  are  inflicted,  either  for  the  cor- 
rection of  an  offender,  or  for  the  prevention 
of  evil,  or  for  example  to  others.  The  two 
former  reasons  could  not  apply  to  our  Lord. 
He  had  committed  no  evil,  he  was  perfect 
before,  and  in  suffering.  But  standing  in  the 
place  of  sinners,  and  engaged  to  expiate  their 
offences,  he  was  made  a  public  example  of 
the  misery  and  distress  which  sin  demerited. 
Thus  justice  was  vindicated  in  the  exercise 
of  mercy,  and  sinners  believing  in  his  name, 
are  exempted  from  punishment,  for  his  sake, 
in  a  way  which  affords  not  the  least  encou- 
ragement or  extenuation  to  sin.  And  thus 
our  peace  is  procured. 

II.  The  effect  of  his  sufferings  for  sins  not 
his  own.  He  bore  our  griefs,  and  carried  our 
sorrows ;  he  was  wounded  and  bruised  for  us, 
the  chasti.sement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him, 
that  by  his  stripes  we  may  be  healed.  The 
Hebrew  word  here,  and  the  Greek  word 
which  the  apostle  Peter  uses  in  his  quotation 
of  this  passage,  (1  Pot.  iii.  24,)  which  we  ren- 
der stripes,  is  properly  the  mark  which  stripes 
or  wounds  leave  upon  the  body,  or  as  we  say, 
scars.  The  scars  in  his  hands,  feet,  and  side, 
and  perhaps  other  marks  of  his  many  wounds, 
remained  atler  his  resurrection.  And  John 
saw  him  in  vision,  before  the  throne,  as  a  lamb 
that  had  been  slain.  All  these  expressions 
and  representations,  I  apprehend,  are  design- 
ed to  intimate  to  us,  that  though  the  death  of 
Messiah  is  an  event  long  since  past,  yet  the 
effects  and  benefits  are  ever  new,  and  to  the 
eye  of  faith  are  ever  present.  How  admirable 
is  this  expedient,  that  the  wounds  of  one,  yea, 
of  millions,  should  be  healed,  by  beholding 
the  wounds  of  another  !  Yet  this  is  the  lan- 
guage of  the  gospel.  Look  and  live.  "Look 
unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved."  Three  great 
wounds  are  ours,  guilt,  sin,  and  sorrow  ;  but 
by  contemplating  his  weals,  or  scars  with  an 
enlightened  eye,  and  by  rightly  understand- 
ing who  was  thus  wounded,  and  why,  all 
these  wounds  are  healed. 

You  who  live  by  this  medicine  speak  well 
of  it.  Tell  to  others,  as  you  have  an  oppor- 
tunity, what  a  Saviour  you  have  found.  It 
is  usual  for  those  who  have  been  relieved,  in 
dangerous  and  complicated  diseases,  by  a  skil- 
ful physician,  to  commend  him  toothers  who 
are  labouring  under  the  like  maladies.  We 
often  see  public  acknowledgements  to  this 
purpose.  If  all  the  persons  who  have  felt  the 
efficacy  of  a  dying  Saviour's  wounds  appre- 
hended by  faith,  were  to  publish  their  caseS) 


282 


SIN  CHARGED  UPON  THE  SURETY, 


[SER.  XX, 


how  greatly  would  his  power  and  grace  be 
displayed !  They  are  all  upon  record,  and  will 
all  be  known  in  the  great  day  of  his  appear- 
ing. Some  of  them  are  occasionally  publish- 
ed, and  may  be  read  in  our  own  tongue. 
And  though  they  are  not  all  related  with 
equal  judgment,  nor  attended  with  circum- 
stances equally  striking,  yet  there  is  a  sutR- 
ciency,  in  tiiis  way,  to  leave  the  world  with- 
out excuse.  Not  to  mention  modern  accounts 
of  this  kind  (though  many  might  be  mention- 
ed which  are  indisputably  true,  and  superior 
to  tlie  cavils  of  gainsayers,)  the  Confessions 
of  Augustin  may  be  appealed  to,  as  a  proof 
that  the  gospel  is  not  a  system  of  notions  only, 
but  has  a  mighty  power  to  enlighten  the  be- 
wildered mind,  to  subdue  the  obstinate  will, 
to  weaken  the  force  of  long  confirmed  habits 
c'^  evil,  to  relieve  from  distressing  fears,  and 
to  effect  a  real,  universal,  permanent,  and 
beneficial  change  of  sentiment  and  conduct, 
such  as  no  similar  instance  can  be  found,  in 
the  history  of  mankind,  to  have  been  pro- 
duced by  any  other  principles.  But  if  you  are 
a  true  christian,  in  the  circle  of  your  connec- 
tions you  will  sometimes  have  a  fair  oppor- 
tunity of  giving  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is 
in  you.  Pray  for  grace  and  wisdom  to  im- 
prove such  seasons;  and  if  you  speak  the 
truth  in  simplicity  and  love,  you  know  not 
but  the  Lord  may  give  his  blessing  to  your 
testimony,  and  honour  you  as  an  instru- 
ment of  good.  And  to  convert  one  sinner 
from  the  error  of  his  way,  is  an  event  of 
greater  importance,  than  the  deliverance  of 
a  whole  kingdom  from  temporal  evil. 

Yet  remember,  if  you  espouse  this  cause,  a 
certain  consistency  of  character  will  be  ex- 
pected from  you,  without  which  you  had 
better  be  silent,  than  speak  in  its  defence,  or 
profess  yourself  a  sharer  in  the  privileges  of 
the  gospel.  There  are  too  many  persons  who 
treat  the  great  truths  we  profess  as  mere 
opinions,  points  of  speculation,  which  form 
the  shibboleth  of  a  party  :  there  are  others, 
who  think  an  attiichment  to  them  the  sure  sign 
of  an  enthusiastic  deluded  imagination  :  and 
there  are  others,  again,  who  misrepresent 
them  as  unfavourable  to  morality,  and  afl<)rd- 
ing  a  cloak  and  an  encouragement  to  licen- 
tiousness. Beware,  lest,  by  an  improper  con- 
duct, you  lay  stumbling-blocks  in  the  way  of 
the  blind,  strengthen  the  prejudices  of  the 
ignorant,  and  give  weight  to  the  calumnies 
of  the  malicious.  The  people  of  the  world 
are  quick-sighted  to  the  faults  of  religious 
professors ;  and  though  they  affect  to  despise 
their  principles,  they  are  tolerable  judges 
what  that  conversation  is  which  only  these 
principles  can  produce,  and  always  e.xpect 
it  from  those  who  avow  them.  They  will 
make  allowances  for  others,  and  admit  human 
infirmity  as  a  plea  for  their  faults,  but  they 
will  not  extend  their  candour  to  you.  If 
your  zeal  for  the  truth,  and  your  regular  at- 1 


tendance  upon  the  ministers  who  preach  it, 
are  not  accompanied  with  a  spirit  of  humility, 
integrity,  and  benevolence ;  if  you  are  pas- 
sionate, peevish,  discontented,  censorious,  or 
proud ;  if  they  observe  that  you  are  greedy 
of  gain,  penurious,  close-fisted,  or  hard-heart- 
ed ;  or  even  if  you  comply  with  their  cus- 
toms and  spirit,  mingle  with  them  in  their 
amusements,  and  do  not  maintain  a  noble 
singularity  by  avoiding  every  appearance  of 
evil ;  they  will  not  only  despise  you  in  their 
hearts,  but  they  will  take  the  occasion  of 
despising  and  speaking  evil  of  the  truth  itself 
on  your  account.  But  if  you  are  all  of  a 
piece,  and  are  truly  solicitous  to  adorn  your 
profession,  by  walking  agreeably  to  the  rules 
of  the  gospel,  and  filling  up  your  relations  in 
life  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good  of  your 
fellow-creatures;  by  thus  well-doing,  you 
will  put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish 
men,  (1  Pet.  ii.  15,)  and  in  a  great  measure 
stop  their  mouths  if  you  cannot  change  their 
hearts.  And  though  they  may  affect  to  rail  at 
you,  or  to  ridicule  you,  they  will  be  con 
strained  to  feel  a  secret  reverence  for  you  in 
their  consciences. 

But  are  there  any  hearts  of  stone  amongst 
us,  who  are  still  unaffected  by  the  love  and 
j  sufferings  of  the  Son  of  God ;  who  are  still 
I  crucifying  him  afresh,  and  living  in  sin, 
j  though  they  hear  and  know  what  it  cost  him 
1  to  make  an  atonement  for  sin  !  Yet  now  hear 
'  — now  look — Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  !  The 
1  Lord  in  mercy  open  the  eyes  of  your  mind. 
I  address  you  once  more.    I  once  more  con- 
j  jure  you,  by  his  agony  and  bloody  sweat,  by 
his  passion,  cross  and  death,  to  seek  to  him 
j  that  your  souls  may  live.    Can  you  be  proof 
against  these  arguments'!  Nay,  then,  should 
you  live  and  die  thus  obstinate,  you  must 
perish  indeed ! 


SERMON  XX. 

SIN  CHARGED  UPON  THE  StJllETY. 

All  we  like  sheep  have  ffone  astray;  we  have 
turned  every  one  to  his  own  way,  and  the 
Lord  hath  laid  upon  him  the  iniquity  of 
us  all. — Isaiah  liii.  6. 

Comparisons,  in  the  scripturi,  are  fre 
quently  tobe  understood  with  great  limitation, 
perhaps  out  of  many  circumstances,  one  only 
justly  applicable  to  the  case.  Thus,  when 
our  Lord  says,  "  Behold  I  come  as  a  thief," 
(Rev.  xvi.  15,)  common  sense  will  fix  the 
re.semblance  to  a  single  point,  that  he  will 
come  suddenly  and  unexpected.  So  when 
wandering  sinners  are  compared  to  wander- 
ing sheep,  we  have  a  striking  image  of  the 
danger  of  their  state,  and  of  their  inability  to 
recover  themselves.  Sheep  wandering  with- 


SER.  XX.] 


SIN  CHARGED  UPON  THE  SURETY. 


283 


out  a  shepherd,  am  exposed,  a  defenceless 
and  easy  prey,  to  wild  beasts  and  enemies," 
and  liable  to  perish  For  want  of  pasture ; 
for  they  are  not  able  cither  to  provide  for 
themselves,  or  to  find  the  way  back  to  the 
place  from  whence  they  strayed.  Whatever 
they  sufl'er,  they  continue  to  wander,  and  if 
not  soujrht  out,  will  be  lost.  Thus  far  the 
allusion  holds.  But  sheep  in  such  a  situation 
are  not  the  subjects  of  blame.  They  would 
be  highly  blaiiiable,  if  we  could  suppose  them 
rational  creatures ;  if  they  had  been  under 
the  eye  of  a  careful  and  provident  shepherd, 
had  been  capable  of  knowing  hiin,  had  wil- 
fully and  obstinately  renounced  his  protection 
and  "•uidance,  and  voluntarily  chosen  to 
plunge  themselves  into  danger,  rather  than 
to  remain  with  him  any  longer.  Thus  it  is 
with  man.  His  wandering  is  rebellious. 
God  made  him  upriglit,  but  he  has  sought 
out  to  himself  many  inventions,  Eccl.  vii.  29. 
God  has  appointed  for  all  mankind  a  safe 
and  pleasant  path,  by  walking  in  which,  they 
shall  find  rest  to  their  souls ;  but  they  say. 
We  will  not  walk  therein,  Jor.  vi.  16.  They 
were  capable  of  knowing  the  consequences 
of  going  astray,  were  repeatedly  warned  of 
them,  were  fenced  in  by  wise  and  good  laws, 
which  they  presumptuously  broke  through. 
And  when  they  had  wandered  from  him, 
they  were  again  and  again  invited  to  return 
to  him,  but  they  refused.  They  mocked  his 
messages  and  liis  messengers,  and  preferred 
the  misery  they  had  brought  upon  them- 
selves, to  the  happiness  of  being  under  his 
direction  and  care.  Surely  he  emphatically 
deserves  the  name  of  the  good  Shepherd, 
who  freely  luid  down  his  life  to  restore  sheep 
of  t  his  character ! 

My  text  therefore  expresses  the  sentiment 
oftho.se,  and  of  those  only,  who  are  acquaint- 
ed with  the  misery  of  our  fallen  state,  feel 
their  own  concern  in  it,  and  approve  of  the 
metho^l  which  God  has  provided  for  their  de- 
liverance and  recovery.  It  contains  a  con- 
fession of  their  own  guilt,  and  an  acknow- 
ledgment of  his  mercy. 

I.  A  confession  of  guilt  and  wretched- 
ness.— Sin  has  deprived  us  both  of  the  know- 
ledge and  presence  of  God.  In  consequence 
of  this,  we  wander,  every  one  to  his  own 
way.  All  are  under  the  power  of  sin,  and 
all  equally  strangers  to  tlie  paths  of  peace 
and  safety.  The  paths  which  sinners  choose 
for  themselves  are  diverse  from  each  other, 
as  inclination  or  circumstances  vary ;  but 
liowever  diflerent  in  appearance,  if  persisted 
in,  they  terminate  at  last  in  the  same  point. 
They  all  load  to  destruction.  We  may  ob- 
serve on  this  head, 

1.  It  is  a  sufficient  proof  of  our  depravity, 
that  we  prefer  our  own  ways  to  the  Lord's  ; 
nor  can  he  inflict  a  heavier  judgment  upon  us 
in  this  life,  than  to  give  us  up  entirely  to  the 


way  of  our  own  hearts.  He  made  us  to  be 
liappy  ;  but  as  he  made  us  for  him.sclf,  and 
gave  us  a  capacity,  and  a  vastness  of  desire, 
which  only  he  himself  can  satisfy,  the  very 
constitution  and  frame  of  our  nature,  render 
happiness  impossible  to  us,  unless  in  a  way 
of  dependence  upon  him,  and  obedience  to  his 
laws.  The  lamb  that  grazes  in  tiie  meadow, 
and  the  fi.sh  that  swims  in  the  stream,  are 
each  in  their  proper  element.  If  you  suppose 
them  to  change  places,  they  must  both  perish. 
But  the  brute  creation  have  no  propensity  to 
such  changes  as  would  destroy  them.  The 
instincts  implanted  in  them  by  their  great 
Creator  are  conducive  to  their  welfare ;  and 
to  these  instincts  they  are  uniformly  faithful. 
If  you  can  conceive  of  beasts  impatient  to 
leave  the  shore  and  improve  their  situation 
by  rushing  into  the  ocean ;  and  tiie  fishes 
equally  earnest  to  forsake  the  waters  in  quest 
of  new  and  greater  advantages  upon  the  dry 
land  ;  it  may  illustrate  the  folly  of  fallen  man, 
who,  turned  aside  by  a  deceived  heart,  refuses 
life,  and  seeks  death  in  the  error  of  his  ways. 
For  the  will  of  God  (if  I  may  so  speak)  is  our 
proper  element ;  and  if  we  depart  from  it,  our 
sin  unavoidably  involves  our  punishment.  We 
naturally  indulge  hard  thoughts  of  God,  and 
think  the  rule  he  has  enjoined  us  too  strict 
and  severe,  intended  to  restrain  us  from  real 
good,  and  propose  to  ourselves  some  unknown 
advantages  by  transgressing  it.  Thus  Satan 
persuaded  Eve,  and  we  derive  from  her :  and 
though  we  know  that  she  only  gained  misery 
by  the  experiment,  we  rashly  repeat  it  for 
ourselves.  The  Scripture  assures  us  that 
the  ways  of  (lod  are  pleasant ;  but  wc  will  not 
be  persuaded.  Experience  proves  that  the 
way  of  transgressors  is  hard,  but  we  resist 
the  conviction,  and  hurry  on  in  a  round  of 
continual  disappointment.  Are  the  proud, 
the  covetuous,  the  voluptuous,  or  the  ambi- 
tious, happy  ?  I  appeal  to  conscience. 

2.  There  is  only  one  right  way,  but  a 
thousand  ways  of  being  wrong.  If  you  are 
not  following  him,  who  has  said,  "  I  am  the 
way,  the  truth,  and  the  life,"  (John  xiv.  6,) 
you  are  wandering,  you  are  far  from  God ; 
for  none  can  come  to  the  Father  but  by  him  : 
and  far  from  peace,  for  there  can  be  no  true 
peace  in  the  mind  unless  he  bestows  and 
maintains  it.  The  profane  and  the  self-righ- 
teous, the  open  sinner  and  the  hypocrite,  the 
lover  of  pleasure  and  the  lover  of  gold,  the 
formal  Pajiist  and  the  formal  Protestant, 
though  they  seem  to  travel  different  roads, 
though  they  pity  or  censure  each  other,  will 
meet  at  last  (unless  the  grace  of  God  prevent) 
in  the  same  state  of  final  and  hopeless  misery. 
It  is  grievous  to  a  spiritual  and  benevolent 
mind,  to  sec  those  who  are  all  wrong  disputing 
among  themselves  which  of  them  is  right. 
Each  one  is  ready  to  think  himself  wise,  if 
the  folly  in  which  he  allows  himself  be  not 


294 


SIN  CHARGED  UPON  THE  SURETY, 


[SEK.  XX. 


precisely  of  the  same  kind  with  that  which 
he  condctnns  in  his  neigiibour.  But  the 
scripture  is  the  invariable  rule,  to  which  it  is 
your  duty  and  interest  to  be  conformed  now  ; 
for  it  is  g-iven  by  the  inspiration  and  authority 
of  God,  and  is  the  standard  by  which  you 
must  be  judged  at  last.  Whatever  character 
you  bear  amongfst  men,  if  you  have  not  faith 
and  holiness,  you  certainly  are  not  in  the  way 
of  life.  For  it  is  written,  "  He  that  believetli 
not,  shall  be  damned;"  (Mark  .\vi.  10;)  and 
again,  it  is  written,  "  Without  holiness,  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord,"  Heb.  xii.  14. 

3.  As  wandering  sheep  are  liable  to  in- 
numerable dang-ers  which  they  can  neither 
foresee  nor  prevent,  such  is  our  condition, 
until,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  spirit,  we  are 
stopped,  and  turned,  and  brought  into  the  fold 
of  the  good  Shepherd.  Oh  !  the  misery  of 
man  while  living  without  God  in  the  world  ! 
He  is  exposed  every  hour  to  the  stroke  of 
death,  which  would  at  once  separate  him 
from  all  that  he  loves,  and  plunge  him  into 
the  pit,  from  whence  there  is  no  redemption. 
And  at  present  he  is  perpetually  harassed 
with  cares  and  fears,  with  wants  and  woes, 
without  guidance  or  refuge ;  and  yet  so 
blinded  as  to  think  himself  safe,  and  that  his 
crooked  wandering  ways  will  lead  him  to 
happiness ! 

n.  An  acknowledgment  of  mercy. — 
Where  sin  abounded,  grace  has  much  more 
abounded.  Man  sinned,  and  Messiah  suffer- 
ed. The  Lord  hath  laid,  or  caused  to  meet 
upon  him,  the  iniquity  of  us  all,  that  is,  the 
punishment  due  to  them.  The  evils  we  had 
deserved  were  in  pursuit  of  us,  but  Jesus  in- 
terposed, and  they  all  seized  upon  him,  and 
he  endured  them,  that  we  might  be  spared. 
Do  we  ask  upon  what  grounds  ?  It  was  on 
the  grounds  of  his  voluntary  substitution  for 
sinners,  as  their  covenant  head  and  repre- 
sentative. 

So  much  correspondent  to  this  appoint- 
ment obtains  amongst  men,  as  may  show  that 
the  idea  accords  with  our  notion  of  justice. 
If  a  man  be  unable  to  pay  a  debt,  and  the 
creditor  should  exact  the  payment  from  a 
third  person  who  was  no  way  concerned,  it 
would,  with  reason,  be  deemed  a  very  op- 
pressive action.  But  if  it  be  known  that  this 
person  became  freely  bound  and  responsible 
for  the  debtor,  he  is  allowed  to  be  justly  lia- 
ble. But  in  the  present  case  I  make  no  ap- 
peal to  human  customs.  It  is  a  divine  ap- 
pointment, and  therefore  is  and  must  be 
right.  It  was  a  great  design,  the  triumph  of 
infinite  wisdom,  the  highest  effect  of  the  love 
of  God.  It  is  revealed,  not  to  be  submitted 
to  our  discussion,  or  that  we  may  sit  in  judg- 
ment upon  the  propriety  of  the  measure,  but 
it  demands  our  highest  admiration  and  praise, 
and,  like  the  sun,  brings  with  it  that  light 
by  which  the  whole  system  of  our  knowledge 


is  illuminated.  For  till  we  know  this  great 
truth,  and  are  able  to  see  its  influence  upon 
every  thing  we  are  related  to,  whatever  at- 
tainments we  may  boast,  we  are  in  fact  en- 
compassed with  thick  darkness,  with  dark- 
ness which  may  be  felt.  For  the  accomplish- 
ment of  this  design,  the  Son  of  God  was  so 
manifested  in  the  nature  of  man,  that  he,  and 
they  who  believe  in  him,  participate  in  a  real, 
though  mystical  union,  and  are  considered  as 
one :  he  their  living  head,  they  his  body,  con- 
sisting of  many  members ;  each  of  them  re- 
presented by  him,  accepted  in  him,  and  de- 
riving from  his  fulness  their  life,  their  light, 
their  strength  and  their  joy. 

1.  He  was  thus  appointed  and  constituted 
before  the  world  began,  according  to  the  holy 
counsel  and  covenant  settled  from  everlasting, 
(Prov.  viii.  31 ;  Tit.  i.  2,)  for  the  redemption 
of  sinners.  For  the  fall  of  man,  which  ren- 
dered his  interposition  necessary,  was  not  an 
unexpected  contingency,  but  was  foreseen 
and  provided  for  before  man  was  created  upon 
the  earth,  yea  before  the  foundations  of  the 
earth  were  laid. 

2.  After  man  had  sinned,  this  glorious 
Head  and  Surety  made  known  the  certainty 
and  benefit  of  his  mediation,  and  engagement 
on  the  behalf  of  sinners,  according  to  the  good 
pleasure  of  his  wisdom,  and  as  the  case  re- 
(juired ;  otherwise,  upon  the  entrance  of  sin, 
the  full  execution  of  the  sentence  of  the  law 
denounced  against  the  offenders,  miglit  per- 
haps have  immediately  followed  :  but  he  re- 
vealed himself  He  showed  mercy  to  Adam, 
covenanted  with  Noah,  walked  with  Abra- 
ham, conversed  with  Moses,  dwelt  with  his 
church  in  the  wilderness,  and  was  known  by 
the  name  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  Isa.  liv. 
5.  David  ascribes  (Psal.  xxiii.  1)  to  the 
Shepherd  of  Israel  the  name  of  Jehovah,  and 
Lsaiah  declares  that  the  Lord  of  Hosts  is  the 
Husband  of  the  church.  These  characters 
of  Shepherd,  and  Bridegroom,  and  Husband, 
are  appropriated  to  Messiah  in  the  New. 
Testament.  He  therefore  is  Jeliovah,  tiie 
Lord  of  Hosts,  whom  Abraham,  David,  and 
Isaiah  worshipped,  or  his  appearance  upon 
earth  would  be  evidently  to  the  disadvantage 
of  those  who  believe  in  him.  If  he  were  not 
God,  he  would  be  a  creature ;  for  there  is  no 
medium ;  and  consequently  our  Siiepherd 
would  be  infinitely  inferior  to  that  Almighty 
Shepherd  who  was  the  refuge,  the  trust,  and 
the  salvation  of  his  people,  before  Messiah 
was  manifested  in  the  flesh. 

3.  In  the  fulness  of  time  he  veiled  his 
glory.  He  who  was  in  the  form  of  God,  and 
thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God, 
took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was 
made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  Phil, 
ii.  6,  7;  Gal.  iv.  4.  Then  the  union  between 
him  and  the  people  whom  he  came  into  the 
world  to  save,  was  completed;  because  the 


SER.  XX.] 


SIN  CHARGED  UPON  THE  SURETY. 


285 


children  were  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood, 
he  likewise  took  part  of  the  same,  Heb.  ii.  14. 
The  Word,  wlio  in  tlio  bej^inninfr  was  God, 
and  was  with  God,  was  made  flesh,  John  i.  1. 
And  in  our  nature,  though  he  knew  no  sin, 
lie  was  treated  as  a  sinner  for  us,  to  declare 
the  rig-hteousness  of  God,  in  his  forbearance 
and  goodness  to  all  who  had  been  saved  in 
former  ages,  and  in  the  forgiveness  and  sal- 
vation of  all  who  should  trust  in  him  to  the 
end  of  time.  He  suffered  once,  once  for  all, 
the  just  for  the  unjust,  to  bring  us  to  God. 
And  now  God  is  revealed,  not  only  as  merci- 
ful, but  as  just,  in  justifying  him  which  be- 
lieveth  in  Jesus.  God  is  well  pleased  in  him, 
and,  tor  his  sake,  with  all  who  accept  him. 
Their  sins  are  e.xpiated  by  his  suflferings ; 
(Rom.  iv.  6;  Jer.  xxiii.  6;)  and  his  perfect 
righteousness,  the  whole  of  his  obedience 
unto  death,  is  the  consideration  or  ground  on 
which  they  are  accounted  righteous. 

By  virtue  of  this  union  likewise  he  is  their 
life.  They  receive  out  of  his  fulness,  as  the 
branches  (John  xv.  1)  derive  their  life  and 
fruitfulness  from  the  tree  whereon  they 
grow;  therefore  the  apostle  said.  "  I  live,  yet 
not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me,"  Gal.  ii.  20. 
This  is  the  great  mystery  of  Christianity, 
which  words  alone  cannot  explain:  it  is  a  di- 
vine appointment,  hidden  from  those  who  are 
wise  and  prudent  in  their  own  sight,  but  re- 
vealed to  all  who,  with  the  simplicity  of  chil- 
dren, are  desirous  of  being  taught  of  God, 
and  wait  patiently  upon  him,  in  the  use  of 
his  prescribed  means,  for  the  light  and  in- 
fluence of  his  Holy  Spirit. 

From  the  subject,  the  substitution  of  Mes- 
siah for  sinners,  we  may  learn, 

1.  How  to  estimate  the  evil  of  sin.  That 
sin  is  a  great  evil,  is  evident  by  its  effects.  It 
deprived  Adam  of  the  life  and  presence  of 
God,  and  brought  death  and  all  natural  evil 
into  the  world.  It  caused  the  destruction  of 
the  old  world  by  water.  It  is  the  source  of 
all  the  misery  with  which  the  earth  is  now 
filled  ;  it  will  kindle  the  last  great  conflagra- 
tion; yea,  it  has  already  kmdled  that  fire 
which  shall  never  be  quenched.  But  in  no 
view  does  the  sinfulness  of  sin  appear  so 
striking  as  in  this  wonderful  effect — the 
suffering  and  death  of  Messiah:  that  not- 
withstanding the  dignity  of  his  person,  and 
the  perfection  of  his  obedience  to  the  law, 
and  that  though  he  prayed  in  his  agonies, 
that  if  it  were  possible  the  cup  might  pass 
from  him,  (Luke  xxiii.  42,)  yet,  if  sinners 
were  to  be  saved,  it  was  indispensably  neces- 
sary that  he  should  drink  it.  This  shows  the 
evil  of  sin  in  the  strongest  light ;  and  in  this 
light  it  is  viewed  by  all  who  derive  life  from 
his  death,  and  healing  from  his  wounds.  We 
may  be  afraid  of  the  consequence  of  sin  from 
other  considerations,  but  it  is  only  by  look- 
ing to  him  who  was  pierced  (Zech.  xii.  10) 


for  our  transgressions,  that  we  can  learn  to 
hate  it. 

2.  The  complete  justification  of  those  who 
believe  in  him.  They  are  delivered  from  all 
condemnation,  Rom.  viii.  1.  Every  charge 
against  them  is  over-ruled  by  this  plea,  that 
Christ  has  died,  and  risen  on  their  behalf, 
and  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  forthem. 
And  though  they  are  still  in  a  state  of  disci- 
pline, for  the  mortification  of  sin  yet  remain- 
ing in  them,  and  though,  for  the  trial,  exercise, 
and  growth  of  their  faith,  it  is  still  needful 
that  they  pass  through  many  tribulations  ;  yet 
none  of  these  are  strictly  and  properly  penal. 
They  are  not  the  tokens  of  God's  displeasure, 
but  fatherly  chastisements  and  tokens  of  his 
love,  designed  to  promote  the  work  of  grace 
in  their  hearts,  and  to  make  them  partakers 
of  his  holiness,  Heb.  xii.  6 — 11.  Though  ne- 
cessary at  present,  they  will  not  be  necessary 
long,  and  therefore  the  hour  is  at  hand  when 
all  tears  shall  be  wiped  away  from  their  eyes, 
and  they  shall  weep  no  more.  His  true  ser- 
vants, in  the  midst  of  the  storms  by  which 
they  are  tossed  on  the  tempestuous  sea  of 
this  life,  are  no  less  safe,  and,  notwithstanding 
their  imperfections,  are  no  less  beloved,  than 
those  who  have  already  escaped  out  of  the 
reach  of  every  evil,  and  are  now  before  the 
throne. 

3.  The  reason  why  believers  are  not  wea- 
ried, nor  overpowered,  by  all  the  difficulties  of 
their  service,  nor  by  all  the  arts  and  eflforts 
of  their  enemies.  They  are  one  with  Christ. 
He  who  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth 
is  engaged  for  their  support.  When  they 
faint,  he  revives  them ;  when  they  are 
wounded,  he  heals  them ;  when  their  foot 
slippeth,  he  upholdeth  them.  He  has  said, 
"  because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also."  There- 
fore, who  can  prevail  against  them,  when 
their  life  is  hidden  with  Christ  in  Godl  And 
farther,  the  knowledge  of  their  Saviour's 
love,  and  of  the  holy,  awfiil,  yet  amiable  and 
endearing  character  of  God  displayed  in  his 
mediation,  is  the  source  of  their  love,  grati- 
tude, and  cheerful  obedience.  It  is  this 
makes  hard  things  easy,  and  bitter  things 
sweet.  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  them, 
2  Cor.  V.  14.  They  look  to  him  and  are  en- 
lightened. And  when  they  consider  who  he 
is,  in  what  way,  and  at  what  a  price  he  re- 
deemed them,  and  what  he  has  prepared  for 
them;  when  they  attend  to  his  gracious 
word,  "  Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou 
shall  suffer :  be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and 
I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life ;"  Rev.  ii.  10  ;) 
— they  out  of  weakness,  are  made  strong ; 
they  are  inspired  with  fresh  courage ;  they 
take  up  their  cross-  with  cheerfulness,  and 
can  adopt  the  language  of  the  apostle,  "  None 
of  these  things  move  me,  neither  count  I  my 
life  dear,  so  that  I  may  finish  my  course  with 
joy,"  Acts  XX,  24. 


2S6 


MESSIAH  DERIDED 


UPON  THE  CROSS.  \sm.  xxr. 


SERMON  XXI. 

MESSIAH  DERIDED  UPON  THE  CROSS. 

All  theij  that  see  me,  laugh  me  to  scorn  : 
they  shoot  out  the  lip,  they  shake  the  head, 
sayinff,  He  trusted  in  the  Lord,  that  he 
would  deliver  him :  let  him  deliver  him, 
seeing  he  delighted  in  him.  Psalm  xxii. 
7,S. 

Fallen  man,  tliough  alienated  from  the 
life  of  God,  and  degraded,  with  respect  to 
many  of  his  propensities  and  pursuits,  to  a 
level  with  the  beasts  that  perish,  is  not  whol- 
ly destitute  of  kind  and  compassionate  feel- 
ings towards  his  fellow-creatures.  While 
self-interest  does  not  interfere,  and  the  bitter 
passions  of  envy,  hatred,  malice,  and  re- 
venge, arc  not  roused  into  exercise,  he  has 
a  degree  of  instinctive  sympathy  with  them 
in  their  suflerings,  and  a  disposition  to  assist 
them,  if  he  can  do  it  without  much  detriment 
to  himself  The  source  of  these  social  feel- 
ings we  express  by  the  term  humanity ; 
which  seems  to  imply  a  consciousness  that 
they  properly  belong  to  our  nature,  and  that 
we  ought,  at  least,  to  be  always,  and  uni- 
versally affected  in  this  manner,  when  occa- 
sions offer.  But  while  the  heart  is  under 
the  government  of  self  our  humanity  is  very 
partial  and  limited  ;  and  it  is  to  be  ascribed 
to  the  goodness  of  God,  rather  than  to  any 
real  goodness  in  man, "that  it  is  not  wholly 
extinguished.  Were  this  the  case,  and  were 
the  native  evils  of  the  heart  left  to  exert 
themselves  in  their  full  strength  and  without 
control,  earth  would  be  the  very  image  of 
hell,  and  there  could  be  no  such  thing  as  so- 
ciety. But  to  prevent  things  from  running 
into  utter  confusion,  God  mercifully  preserves 
in  mankind  some  social  dispositions.  They 
are,  however,  so  weak  in  themselves,  so  pow- 
erfully counteracted  by  the  stronger  princi- 
ples of  our  depravity,  and  so  frequently  sup- 
pressed by  obstinate  habits  of  wickedness, 
that  in  the  present  state  of  things,  we  may 
almost  as  justly  define  man,  (whatever  impro- 
priety there  may  seem  in  the  expression,)  by 
saying,  "He  is  an  inhuman  creature,"  as  by 
ascribing  to  him  the  benevolent  properties  of 
humanity. 

The  rage,  cruelty,  and  savage  insensibility, 
with  which  sin  and  Satan  have  poisoned  our 
nature,  never  appear  in  so  strong  a  light,  as 
when  they  assume  a  religious  form  ;  when 
ignorance,  bigotry,  and  blind  zeal,  oppose  the 
will  and  grace  of  God,  under  a  pretence  of 
doing  him  service.  By  this  infatuation,  every 
hateful  passion  is  sanctified,  and  every  feel- 
ing of  humanity  stifled.  Thus,  triough  the 
sufferings  of  the  most  atrocious  malefactors 
usually  excite  pity  in  the  spectators,  and  often 
draw  tears  from  their  eyes,  yet  the  agonies 
of  God's  persecuted  servants,  under  the  most 


exquisite  tortures  which  malice  could  invent, 
have  frequently  raised  no  other  emotions  than 
those  of  derision  and  scorn.  My  text  leads 
us  to  consider  the  highest  instance  of  this 
kind.  The  twenty-second  psalm  undoubtedly 
refers  to  Messiah.  It  begins  with  the  very 
words  which  he  uttered  upon  the  cross;  nor 
could  David  speak  of  himself,  when  he  said, 
"  They  pierced  my  hands  and  my  feet."  He 
was  God's  servant  in  the  most  eminent  sense ; 
and  the  service  he  performed,  was  an  uninter- 
rupted course  of  benevolence  to  the  souls  and 
bodies  of  men.  He  spent  his  life  in  going 
about  doing  good ;  (Acts  i.  38 ;)  nor  could 
his  enemies  fix  a  single  stain  upon  his  con- 
duct. Yet  they  thirsted  for  his  blood  ;  and, 
because  he  came  into  the  world  to  save  sin- 
ners, they  accomplished  their  cruel  designs. 
We  have  already  seen  how  he  was  treated  by 
the  servants  and  by  the  soldiers,  when  con- 
demned by  the  Jewish  council,  and  by  the 
Roman  governor.  This  prophecy  was  ful- 
filled when  he  hung  upon  the  cross.  There 
have  been  persons  in  our  own  days,  whose 
crimes  have  excited  such  detestation,  that  the 
populace  would  probably  have  torn  them  in 
pieces,  before,  and  even  after  their  trial,  if 
they  could  have  had  them  in  their  power. 
Yet  when  these  very  obnoxious  persons  have 
been  executed  according  to  their  sentence, 
if,  perhaps,  there  was  not  one  spectator  who 
wished  them  to  escape,  yet  neither  was  one 
found  so  lost  to  sensibility,  as  to  insult  them 
in  their  dying  moments.  But  when  Jesus 
suffers,  all  that  see  him,  laugh  him  to  scorn  ; 
they  shoot  out  the  lip,  they  shake  the  head  ; 
they  insult  his  character  and  his  hope.  The 
evangelists  furnish  us  with  an  affecting  com- 
ment upon  this  passao-e.  They  inform  us  by 
whom  he  was  thus  scorned  and  derided ;  they 
mention  some  circumstances,  which  strongly 
mark  the  peculiar  and  excessive  contempt 
with  which  he  was  treated  ;  and  they  take 
notice  of  the  special  scope  and  object  of  their 
insults,  namely,  the  gracious  purpose  he  had 
often  expressed  towards  sinners,  and  the 
strong  confidence  he  had  vowed  in  God  his 
Father. 

I.  The  persons  who  scorned  and  derided 
him  were  various,  and  of  different  characters. 

1.  The  chief  priests,  elders,  and  rulers  of 
the  people.  When  these,  who  were  held  in 
ignorant  admiration  by  the  multitude,  set  the 
example,  we  do  not  wonder  that  it  was  gene- 
rally followed.  They  had  been  his  most 
avowed  and  determined  enemies,  they  had 
long  conspired  to  take  away  his  life,  and  in 
the  appointed  hour  their  plots  were  permit- 
ted to  succeed.  They  now  rejoiced  in  their 
success.  By  their  office  as  teachers  and  ex- 
pounders of  the  law,  they  ought  to  have 
pointed  him  out  to  the  people  as  the  object 
of  their  reverence  and  hope;  but  having  re- 
jected him  themselves,  Ihey  employed  all 
their  authority  and  iiifluonce  to  make  hijn 


SER.  XXI.] 


MESSIAH  DERIDED 


UPON  THE  CROSS. 


287 


the  object  of  gfeneral  contempt  And  lest 
the  extremity  of  his  torments  sliould  awaken 
sentiments  of  commiseration  in  the  multitude, 
they  were  the  first,  and  tlie  loudest,  in  revil- 
ing him,  as  he  hung'  upon  the  cross. 

2.  Tiie  populace  derided  him.  They  had 
been  instigated  by  the  priests  to  demand  his 
death  of  Pilate,  when  he  was  desirous  of  dis- 
missing' him,  and  rather  to  insist  that  Barab- 
bas  should  be  spared.  Matt,  xxvii.  20.  The 
populace,  though  no  less  ignorant,  were  less 
malicious  than  their  leaders.  At  different 
times,  wiien  tliey  heard  his  public  discourses, 
and  saw  his  w'onderful  works,  they  had  been 
staggered,  and  constrained  to  say,  "  Is  not  this 
the  Son  of  David  !"'  and  not  many  days  be- 
fore, the  popular  cry  had  been  strongly  in  his 
favour;  (Matt.  xxi.  10,  11;)  though  quickly 
after,  it  was,  "  Crucify  him,  crucify  him," 
Luke  xxiii.  21.  As  the  sea,  tiiough  some- 
times smooth,  is  always  disposed  to  obey  the 
impulse  of  the  wind,  so  the  common  people, 
though  easily  roused  to  oppose  the  truth, 
would  perhaps  be  quiet,  if  they  were  left  to 
themselves ;  but  there  are  seldom  wanting 
artful  and  designing  men,  who,  by  a  pretend- 
ed regard  for  religion,  and  by  misrepresenta- 
tions, work  upon  their  passions  and  preju- 
dices, and  stir  them  up  to  a  compliance  with 
their  purposes.  The  priests  by  degrees 
wrought  tiie  populace  up,  first  to  reject  the 
Messiah,  and  then  to  join  their  leaders  in 
mocking  and  deriding  him. 

3.  The  Roman  soldiers,  who  had  con- 
temptuously clothed  him  with  a  scarlet  robe, 
and  bowed  the  knee  before  him  in  derision, 
continued  to  mock  him  when  hanging  upon 
the  cross.  The  Romans,  to  whom  many 
monarcliies  wore  become  subject  and  tributa- 
ry, affected  to  despise  the  name  of  king  ;  and 
tliey  held  tiie  Jewish  nation  in  peculiar 
contempt.  The  title,  therefore,  of  king  of 
tiie  Jews,  affixed  to  his  cross,  afforded  them 
a  subject  for  the  keenest  sarcasm. 

4.  Yea,  such  is  the  hardness  of  the  human 
heart,  that  one  of  the  malefactors,  (Luke 
xxiii.  39,)  who  was  crucified  by  his  side,  un- 
affected with  his  own  guilt,  and  insensible  of 
the  just  judgment  of  God,  and  of  the  account 
he  was  soon  to  render  at  his  awful  tribunal, 
seemed  to  seek  some  relief  in  the  midst  of 
his  agonies,  by  joining  with  the  priests  and 
people,  in  railing  on  the  innocent  Jesus,  who 
was  suffering  before  his  eyes.  Thus  he  was 
tlie  object  of  universal  derision.  They  who 
were  at  the  greatest  distance  in  character 
and  sentiment,  who  differed  from,  despised, 
and  hated  each  other,  on  other  accounts, 
united  as  one  man,  in  expressing  every  pos- 
sible mark  of  hatred  and  scorn  against  him, 
who  liad  done  nothing  amiss. 

II.  They  sliowed  their  scorn  in  the  most 
pointed  and  cruel  manner.  Not  only  they 
who  had  clamoured  for  his  death  derided  him, 
but  others  who  were  only  passing  by  upon 


their  ordinary  occasions,  could  not  pass  on  till 
they  had  stopped  a  while  to  insult  him,  wag- 
ging their  heads,  and  reminding  him  or  what 
he  had  formerly  said,  and  charging  him  with 
the  supposed  folly  and  arrogance  of  his  claims. 
They  jested  upon  his  wants  ;  when  he  said, 
"  I  thirst,"  they  gave  him  vinegar  to  drink, 
mingled  with  gall.  They  jested  upon  his 
words ;  when  he  uttered  his  dolorous  com- 
plaint, "  Eli,  Eli,  lama  sabachthani.  My  G«^, 
ray  fiod,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  V  some 
of  them,  with  a  malicious  turn,  (which  possi- 
bly was  applauded  for  wit  by  others,)  from 
the  sound  of  the  beginning  of  the  sentence, 
took  occasion  to  suggest,  that  by  saying,  Eli, 
Eli,b.e  called  for  Elias  the  prophet,  to  come 
to  his  assistance.  Alas !  of  what  dreadful 
malignity  and  obduracy  is  the  heart  of  man 
capable]  How  may  we  conceive  the  heavenly 
hosts  to  have  been  affected  with  this  scene, 
when  they  beheld  their  Lord,  the  object  of 
their  worship  and  supreme  love,  thus  treated 
by  sinners'!  But  it  behoved  him  thus  to  suf- 
fer, (Luke  xxiv.  26,)  for  he  had  undertaken 
to  expiate  the  sins  of  many  of  his  murderers, 
and  to  offer  such  satisfaction  to  the  justice 
and  law  of  God,  as  might  render  it  consistent 
with  his  holiness  and  truth  to  pardon  the 
vilest  offenders,  who  should  trust  in  his  name, 
in  all  future  ages.  Therefore  there  was  no 
voice,  arrest,  or  interposition  from  the  hea- 
venly world — thus  he  must  be  tormented; 
thus  he  must  be  scorned,  and  suspended  as  a 
spectacle  to  angels  and  to  men,  till  he  had 
paid  the  full  price  of  redemption,  and  could 
say,  "  It  is  finished."  Then,  and  not  till  then, 
he  bowed  his  head,  and  breathed  out  his  spirit 
into  his  Father's  hands.  There  were,  how- 
ever, attestations  to  his  dignity,  in  this  his 
lowest  state.  He  showed,  by  his  gracious 
answer  to  the  penitent  malefactor,  that  he  had 
still  authority  upon  earth  to  forgive  sin,  and 
to  save  to  the  uttermost;  and  the  sun  with- 
drew his  light,  and  the  rocks  rent,  though 
daring  sinners  derided  and  mocked. 

III.  The  bulk  of  the  people  bore  their  part 
in  this  tragedy  through  precipitation  and  ig- 
norance. In  his  prayer  for  their  forgiveness, 
(a  prayer  which  was  signally  answered  after 
his  ascension,)  he  mentioned  the  only  extenu- 
ation their  wickedness  could  possibly  admit. 
They  knew  not  what  they  did.  It  was  other- 
wise with  those  who  were  principally  con- 
cerned in  procuring  his  death.  Long  before, 
when  they  could  not  deny  the  reality  of  his 
miracles,  they  ascribed  them  to  the  agency 
of  Beelzebub.  By  this  malicious,  wilful  op- 
position to  the  strongest  evidence  of  fact, 
against  the  conviction  of  their  own  minds, 
and  by  their  violent,  determined  rejection  of 
his  mission,  tiiey  oommitted  the  unpardon- 
able sin.  They  spoke  and  sinned  against  the 
Holy  Spirit.  This  sin  no  one  can  have  com- 
mitted, while  he  is  fearful  lesst  he  li;is  cMa- 
mitted  it ;  for  it  essentially  consists  m  a  de- 


288 


MESSIAH 


UNPITIED, 


[SER.  XXII, 


liberate  and  wilful  refusal  of  the  only  means 
of  salvation.  It  is  the  sign  of  final  absolute 
impenitence.  They  who  had  thus  ascribed 
his  miracles  to  Beelzebub,  expressed  the  same 
height  of  enlightened  malice  against  him  in 
his  dying  agonies,  and  there  was  a  poignancy 
in  their  insults,  of  which  the  ignorant  multi- 
tude were  not  capable. 

1.  They  reproached  his  great  design,  for 
whicli  he  came  into  tiie  world,  "  He  saved 
others,  himself  he  cannot  save,"  Matt,  xxvii. 
42.  How  different  is  the  force  of  the  same 
words,  according  to  the  intention  of  the 
speaker !  When  tiiey  said  "Ilis  blood  be  upon 
us.  and  upon  our  children,"  (ver.  25,)  they 
spoke  the  very  language  of  the  hearts  of 
those  who  love  him,  and  who  derive  all  their 
hopes  and  all  their  happiness  from  the  appli- 
cation of  his  blood  to  their  consciences.  But, 
to  themselves,  it  proved  the  most  dreadful  im- 
precation. So,  it  will  be  the  grateful  acknow- 
ledgment of  his  people  in  time,  and  to  eter- 
nity, that  when  he  was  resolved  to  save  them, 
the  difficulties  in  the  way  were  so  great,  that 
neither  his  prayer.s,  nor  his  tears,  nor  his  un- 
spotted innocence,  could  prevail  to  save  him- 
self But  for  this  his  love  to  sinners,  his 
enemies  reviled  him.  Nor  would  they  have 
ofiered  to  believe  if  he  would  come  down 
from  the  cross,  had  they  supposed  there  was 
the  least  probability  of  such  an  event,  for 
they  had  often  rejected  evidence  equal  to 
what  they  now  demanded. 

2.  Tliey  reproached  him  for  his  trust  and 
confidence  in  God.  He  had  said  that  God 
was  (.i'o»)  his  own  Father ;  (John  v.  18 ;)  and 
they  understood  him  to  use  the  expression  in 
60  high  a  sense,  as  thereby  to  make  himself 
equal  with  God.  Had  they  misunderstood 
him,  had  he  not  really  intended  what  they 
laid  to  his  charge,  surely  he  would  have  ex- 
plained himself  This  was  the  very  ground 
of  tlieir  proceeding  against  him  before  the 
council,  and  the  formal  reason  of  tlie  sen- 
tence of  death  they  pronounced  against  him. 
How  often  did  he  appeal  to  the  testimony  of 
the  scriptures,  and  of  John,  whom  they  durst 
not  but  acknowledge  to  have  been  a  prophet, 
and  to  his  own  mighty  works,  in  support  of 
his  claim  !  But  having  fastened  him  upon 
the  cross,  they  triumplied,  and  unwittingly 
expressed  their  exultation,  in  the  very  words 
which  David  had  foretold  should  be  used  to 
Messiah.  So  exactly  were  the  scriptures 
fnlfilled,  by  those  who  use  their  utmost  en- 
deavours to  evade  them,  and  to  prevent  their 
accom  plishment. 

But  what  is  all  this  to  usl  It  is  very  much 
to  us.  Christ  could  suffer  but  once,  yet  we 
read  of  those  who  crucify  him  afresh.  His 
gospel  represents  his  personal  ministry,  de- 
clares his  character,  reveals  his  love,  pro- 
duces the  same  effects  in  those  who  receive 
it,  and  they  who  oppose  it  are  considered  as 
opposing  him,  and  are  influenced  by  the  same 


spirit  which  instigated  the  unbelieving  Jews. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  many  reject  and  scorn 
it,  as  the  multitude  did  of  old,  through  igno- 
rance ;  and  that  the  intercession  of  him  who 
prayed  for  those  that  knew  not  what  they  did, 
will  prevail  for  their  conversion.  Whenever 
their  eyes  are  opened,  they  will  be  pricked  to 
the  heart,  (Acts  ii.  37,)  and  will  then  gladly 
inquire  of  those  whom  they  now  despise, 
What  they  must  do  to  be  .saved  ?  But  it  is 
to  be  feared,  there  are  in  christian  countries 
many  persons  who  too  nearly  resemble  the 
spirit  and  conduct  of  the  Jewish  rulers,  whose 
opposition  proceeds  from  rooted  enmity  to 
the  truth,  persisted  in  against  light  that  has 
sometimes  forced  upon  their  minds,  and  who, 
though  convinced,  will  not  be  persuaded. 
They  who  despise,  calumniate,  and  scorn  the 
believers  of  the  gospel,  would  certainly  offer 
the  like  treatment  to  the  Author  of  it,  if  he 
was  within  their  reach.  They  are  ill-treated 
for  his  sake,  and  he  considers  it  as  an  affront 
to  himself  Thus  he  said  to  Saul  of  Tarsus, 
when  breathing  out  threatenings  against  his 
disciples,  "  Why  persecutest  thou  me  !"  They 
who  reject  his  ministers,  reject  him,  Luke  x. 
16.  They  who  speak  disdainfully  of  his  dy- 
ing himself  to  save  otiiers ;  they  who  reproach 
or  ridicule  the  humble  confidence  of  his  peo- 
ple; who  censure  and  revile  their  hopes  and 
comforts  derived  from  his  good  word,  as  en- 
thusiasm or  hypocrisy ;  who  have  no  compas- 
sion for  their  distresses,  but  rather  wound 
them  as  with  a  sword  in  their  bones,  saying 
unto  them,  Where  is  now  your  God  ?  (Psal. 
cxv.  2,)  are  certainly  treading,  if  not  altoge- 
ther with  equal  vehemence,  in  the  footsteps 
of  the  Jewish  rulers. — May  the  Lord  in  mer- 
cy show  them  the  danger  of  their  path,  and 
give  them  a  timely  apprehension  of  the  de- 
struction to  which  it  leads  !  That  they  may 
humble  themselves  to  his  will,  implore  his 
pardon,  espouse  his  cause,  and  experience  the 
comforts  and  privileges  of  that  gospel  whicli 
they  have  hitherto  reviled  and  scorned. 


SERMON  XXn. 

MESSIAH  XJNPITIED,  AND  WITHOUT  COM- 
FORTER. 

Reproach  [rebuke]  hath  broken  my  heart, 
and  I  am  full  of  heaviness  ;  and  I  looked 
for  some  to  take  pity,  hut  there  was  none, 
and  for  comforters,  but  I  found  none. — 
Psalm  xix.  20. 

The  greatness  of  suffering  cannot  be  cer- 
tainly estimated  by  the  single  consideration 
of  the  immediate  apparent  cause  ;  the  impres- 
sion it  actually  makes  upon  the  mind  of  the 
sufferer  must  likewise  be  taken  into  the  ac- 


SEU.  xxn.] 

count.  Thnt  which  is  a  heavy  trial  to  one 
porson,  may  to  another  be  much  lighter,  and 
perhaps  no  trial  at  all  ;  and  a  state  of  outward 
prosperity,  in  which  the  eye  of  a  bystander 
can  see  nothing'  wanting  to  happiness,  may 
be,  and  I  doubt  not  oflen  is,  a  state  of  tor- 
ment to  the  possessor.  On  the  other  hand, 
we  know  that  the  consolations  with  which  it 
has  sometimes  pleased  God  to  cheer  his  suf- 
ferinij  servants,  have  enabled  them  to  rejoice 
in  the  greatest  e.vtremities.  They  have 
triumphed  upon  the  rack,  and  while  their 
flesh  was  consuming  by  the  fire.  The  Lord 
has  had  many  followers,  who,  for  his  sake, 
have  endured  scourging.s,  and  tortures,  and 
terrible  deaths,  not  only  without  reluctance 
or  dismay,  but  without  a  groan.  But  he  him- 
self was  terrified,  amazed,  and  filled  with 
angui-sh.  when  he  suffered  for  us.  Shall  we 
say.  The  disciples,  in  such  cases,  have  been 
superior  to  their  Master,  when  yet  they  ac- 
knowledged that  they  derived  all  their 
strength  and  resolution  from  him  ?  This  dif 
ference  cannot  be  well  accounted  for  by  those 
who  deny  that  his  sufferings  were  a  proper 
atonement  for  sin,  and  who  can  see  no  other 
reason  for  his  death,  than  that  by  dying  he 
was  to  seal  the  truth  of  his  doctrine,  and  to 
propose  himself  to  us  as  an  example  of  con- 
stancy and  patience.  But  the  great  ag'gra- 
vation  of  Messiah's  sufferings  was  the  sus- 
pension of  those  divine  supports  which  ena- 
ble his  people  to  endure  the  severest  afflic- 
tions to  which  he  calls  them.  Perhaps  some 
persons  who  acknowledge  our  Lord's  true 
character,  may,  upon  that  ground,  think  his 
agonies  less  insupportable,  since  he  was  not 
a  mere  man,  but  God  in  the  human  nature. 
It  was  indeed  the  dignity  of  his  person  that 
g'ave  influence  and  efficacy  to  all  that  he  did 
and  suffered  for  sinners.  It  is  likewise  true 
that  the  weight  laid  upon  him  was  more 
than  any  mere  creature  could  sustain.  I 
would  speak  with  reverence  and  reserve 
upon  a  point  which  is  too  high  for  our  weak 
minds  fully  to  comprehend  ;  but  in  whatever 
way  the  nature  of  m.an,  which  he  assumed, 
was  upheld  by  his  eternal  povver  and  God- 
head, we  may  venture  to  affirm  that  he  de- 
rived no  sensible  comfort  from  it.  For  we 
have  his  own  testimony,  that  in  this  sense 
God  had  forsaken  him.  The  divine  nature 
could  neither  bleed  nor  suffer.  He  was  truly 
and  properly  a  man  ;  and  as  a  man  he  suffer- 
ed, and  he  suffered  alone.  Many  of  his  ser- 
vants have  rejoiced  while  they  were  tor- 
mented, because  God  overbalanced  all  they 
felt  with  the  light  of  his  countenance;  but 
the  Saviour  himself,  deprived  of  this  light, 
experienced  to  the  uttermost,  all  that  sin 
de-served,  that  was  not  inconsistent  with  the 
perfection  of  his  character.  My  text  expresses, 
so  far  as  human  words  and  ideas  can  reach, 
his  exquisite  distress,  when  he  bore  our  sins 
in  his  own  body,  upon  the  tree.  Reproach 
Vol.  II.         2  O 


289 

broke  his  heart,  and  when  he  looked  for  pity 
and  comfort,  he  found  none. 

I.  Reproach  hath  broken  my  heart. — We 
must  not  confine  our  thoughts  here  to  the 
reproach  of  his  enemies.  The  passage  in  the 
Messiah  expresses  it  agreeably  to  the  version 
of  the  Psalms  used  in  our  liturgy.  Thy  rebuke. 
Though  he  knew  no  sin,  he  was  made  sin  for 
us.  He  was  accounted  and  treated  as  a  sin- 
ner. Now  a  sinner  is  deservedly  the  greatest 
object  of  contempt  in  the  universe,  and  in- 
deed the  only  object  of  deserved  contempt. 
Thus  he  incurred  the  reproach  of  the  law  and 
justice  of  God.  The  Holy  Father,  viewing 
the  Son  of  his  love  in  this  light,  as  charged 
with  the  sins  of  his  people,  forsook  him. 
God  infinitely  hates  sin,  and  will  have  no 
fellowship  with  it ;  and  of  this  he  gave  the 
most  awful  proof,  by  forsaking  his  beloved 
Son,  when  he  took  upon  him  to  answer  for 
the  sins  of  men.  Then  the  sword  of  the  Al- 
mighty awoke  against  him,  and  he  spared 
him  not,  Zech.  xiii.  7. 

This  rebuke  broke  his  heart.  Let  broken- 
hearted sinners  look  by  faith  upon  a  broken- 
hearted Saviour.  The  phrase  denotes  woe 
and  dejection  inconceivable,  with  a  failureof 
all  resource.  Any  thing  may  be  borne  while 
the  spirit,  the  heart  remains  firm,  but  if  the 
heart  itself  be  broken,  who  can  endurel  "A 
wounded  spirit  who  can  bear]"  Proverbs, 
xviii.  14. 

It  is  not  therefore,  surprising,  that  he  says, 
"  I  am  full  of  heaviness."  In  the  evangelists 
we  read,  that  "  he  began  to  be  sore  amazed 
and  very  heavy ;"  (Matt.  xxvi.  37,  38  ;  Mark 
xiv.  33  ;)  and  he  said  to  his  disciples,  "  My 
soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death." 
The  most  emphatical  words  are  used  to  de- 
scribe his  sensation  of  the  bitter  conflict  of 
his  soul  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  when 
as  yet  the  hand  of  man  had  not  touched  him. 
He  began  (s»5:<f<5=.<r5»i)  to  be  amazed  or  asto- 
nished. It  properly  signifies,  to  be  struck 
with  terror  and  surprise  by  some  supernatu- 
ral power,  such  as  Belshazzar  felt  when  he 
suddenly  saw  the  handwriting  against  him 
upon  the  wall;  (Dan.  v.  6 ;)  and  (^J>i/^ovi.v)  to  be 
very  heavy,  sated  with  grief,  full,  so  as  to  be 
incapable  of  more.  Some  critics  explain  the 
word,  as  importing  such  an  oppression  of 
mind  as  quite  unfits  a  person  for  conver.se  or 
society.  [Compare  Job  xxx.  29.]  He  said 
"  My  soul  is  (rrsf.?.o-j5)  exceeding  sorrowful," 
— surrounded,  encompassed  with  sorrows. 
It  is  added,  he  was  in  (:<y..v.x)  an  ag-ony; 
(Luke  xxii.  44;)  a  consternation  of  mind, 
such  as  arises  from  the  prospect  of  some  im- 
pending, unavoidable  evil,  like  the  suspense 
of  mariners  upon  the  point  of  shipwreck,  who 
tren^le  equally  at  the  view  of  the  raging 
waves  behind  them,  and  the  rocky  shore  be- 
fore their  eyes,  on  which  they  expect  in  a 
few  moments  to  be  dashed.  The  evils  he 
was  to  bear  and  to  expiate  were  now  collect- 


AND  WITHOUT  COMFORTER. 


290 


MESSIAH  UNPITIED, 


[SER.  xxtr. 


inor  to  a  point,  and  formed  a  dark  and  tremen- 
dous storm,  just  ready  to  break  upon  his  de- 
voted head,  and  the  prospect  fdled  his  soul 
with  unutterable  horror,  so  tiiat  his  sweat 
was,  as  it  were,  great  drops  of  blood  falling' 
down  to  the  ground.  INlany  have  sweat  un- 
der extremity  of  pain  or  terror,  but  his  ago- 
nies, and  tlie  effect  of  tliem,  were  peculiar 
to  himself :  Ilis  sweat  was  blood. 

Tliis  is  not  a  subject  for  declamation.  It 
ratlier  becomes  us  to  adore  in  humble  silence 
the  manifestation  of  the  goodness  and  severity 
of  God  (Rom.  xi.  22)  in  the  Redeemer's 
sufferings,  than  to  indulge  conjecture  and  the 
fligiits-of  imagination.  What  is  e.xpressly  re- 
vealed we  may  assert,  contemplate,  and  ad- 
mire.   His  soul  was  made  an  offering  for  sin, 
Isa.  liii.  10.    We  know  but  little  of  the  e.x- 
treme  malignity  of  sm,  because  we  have  but 
faint  views  of  the  majesty,  holiness,  and  good- 
ness of  God,  against  whom  it  is  committed. 
Yet  a  single  sin,  if  clothed  with  all  its  aggra- 
vations, and  the  guilt  of  it  brought  home  with 
power  to  the  heart,  is  sufficient  to  make  the 
sinner  a  terror  to  himself  Adam  had  sinned 
but  once  when  he  lost  all  comfort  and  confi- 
dence in  God,  and  sought  to  hide  himself 
We  have  but  slight  thoughts  of  the  e.xtent 
of  sin.    Not  only  positive  disobedience,  but 
want  of  conformity  to  the  law  of  God,  is  sin- 
ful.   Every  rising  thought  which  does  not 
comport  with  that  reverence,  dependence,  and 
love  which  is  due  to  God  from  creatures  con- 
stituted, furnished,  and  indebted  as  we  are, 
is  sinful.    The  sins  of  one  person  in  thought, 
word,  and  deed,  sins  of  omission  and  com- 
mission, are  innumerable.  What  then  is  con- 
tained in  the  collective  idea,  in  what  the 
scripture  calls  the  sin  of  the  world  !  What 
then  must  be  the  atonement,  the  considera- 
tion on  the  account  of  which  the  great  God 
is  no  less  righteous  than  merciful,  in  forgiv- 
ing the  sins,  which  his  inviolable  truth,  and 
the  honour  of  his  government,  engage  him  to 
punish.    And  they  are  punished,  though  for- 
given. They  v.-ere  charged  upon  Jesus  ;  they 
exposed  him  to  a  rebuke  which  broke  his 
heart.     They  filled  him  with  heaviness. 
When,  therefore,  we  are  assured  that  the 
justice  of  God  is  satisfied,  w'ith  respect  to 
every  sinner  of  the  race  of  mankind,  who,  in 
obedience  to  t!ie  divine  command,  makes  the 
sufferings  of  the  Saviour  his  plea  for  pardon, 
and  trusts  in  him  for  salvation,  and  that  upon 
this  one  ground  they  are  freed  from  all  con- 
demnation, and  accepted  as  children  ;  when 
we  are  told  that  the  glory  of  the  divine  per- 
fections is  displayed  in  the  highest,  by  this 
method  of  saving  millions  who  deserved  to 
perish,  we  safely  infer  the  greatness  of  the 
cause  from  the  greatness  of  the  effect.  The 
sufferings  of  Christ,  which  free  a  multi!ude 
of  sinners  from  the  guilt  of  innumerable 
sins,  must  have  been  inconceivably  great  in- 
deed : 


I     II.  Under  this  acctimulated  distress,  though 
his  will  was  perfectly  submissive  to  the  will 
of  God,  and  his  determination  fixed  to  en- 
dure all  that  the  case  required  ;  vet  as  he 
was  truly  a  man,  he  felt  like  a  man.  His  for- 
titude was  very  different  from  a  stoical  hard- 
ness of  spirit.    All  the  affections  of  pure  hu- 
manity, whatever  does  not  imply  sin,  such  as 
impatience  under  suffering,  and  an  undue, 
premature  desire  of  deliverance,  operated  in 
him,  as  they  might  do  in  one  of  us.    It  was 
no  impeachment  of  his  innocence,  or  of  his 
willinirness,  that  he  wislied,  if  it  were  po.ssi- 
blo,  for  some  relief  or  alleviation  of  his  mise- 
ry. He  looked,  as  we  do  when  we  are  in  hea- 
viness, for  some  to  have  pity  on  him,  and  to 
comfort  him,  but  there  was  none.  Thouirii 
the  pity  of  our  friends  is  often  ineffectual, 
and  can  afford  us  no  real  assistance,  yet  it 
gives  a  little  relief  to  have  those  about  us  to 
whom  we  can  open  our  minds,  who  will  sym- 
pathize with  us,  and  compassionately  attend 
to  our  complaints,  if  they  can  do  no  more. 
And  to  be  neglected  and  forsaken  in  e.\- 
tremity,  especially  by  those  who  have  pro- 
fessed great  friendship,  or  are  imder  great 
obligations  to  us,  will  be  felt  as  an  aggrava- 
tion of  the  most  distressinjr  case  that  can  be 
imagined.    But  thus  it  was  with  Messiah. 
He  had  to  complain,  not  only  of  the  cruelty 
of  his  enemies,  but  of  the  insensibility  and 
inconstancy  of  those  who  had  professed  the 
most  cordial  attachment  to  him.    The  im- 
pression thus  made  upon  him  as  a  man  was 
such,  that  it  is  distinctly  specified  in  the  pro- 
phetical enumeration  of  the  ingredients  which 
composed  the  bitter  cup  of  his  snflerins's. 
I     He  was  not  only  apprehended  by  cruel 
men,  but  betrayed  into  their  hands  by  one 
whom  he  had  admitted  into  the  number  of  his 
select  apostles,  who  had  been  employed  m  his 
service,  favoured  with  access  to  him  in  hia 
more  retired  hours,  and  was  present,  with 
the  rest,  when  he  kept  his  last  passover,  and 
took  his  solemn  and  atlectionate  leave  of 
them  before  he  entered  upon  his  passion.  It 
was  not  an  avowed  enemy,  but  one  of  the 
twelve  who  dipped  with  him  in  the  dish,  that 
was  guilty  of  this  enormous  ingratitude  and 
treachery.    How  keen  are  our  resentments, 
if  those  to  whom  we  have  shown  creat  kind- 
ness are  discovered  to  have  studied  our  ruin 
while  they  wore  the  mask  of  friendship  ! 
Though  IVIessiah  was  incapable  of  any  sinful 
perturbation  of  mind,  he  was  very  capable  of 
being  painfully  afiected  by  the  conduct  of 
Judas :  he  had  reason  to  look  for  pity  from 
him,  but  he  found  none. 

When  he  entered  the  garden  of  Gethse- 
mane,  he  commanded,  may  I  not  say,  he  en- 
treated, his  disciples  to  tarry  there  and  watch 
with  him.  And  to  engage  their  utmost  at- 
tention, he  spoke  plainly  to  them  of  hh  dis- 
tress, saying,  "  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrow- 
ful even  unto  death."  Yet  when  he  returned 


SER.  XXII.] 


AND  WITHOUT 


COMFORTER. 


291 


unto  them,  the  first,  the  second,  yea,  the 
third  lime,  he  found  them  sleeping.  How 
tender,  yet  how  forcible  was  his  e.\postula- 
tion  !  "  Could  ye  not  watch  one  hour  !" 
Matt,  x.'cvii.  40.  What !  could  they  know 
that  their  Lord  was  in  an  agony,  wrestling 
with  strong  cries  and  tears,  and  yet  sleep  ! 
as  regardless  of  his  sorrows  as  of  their  own 
approaching  danger !  Were  our  dearest 
friends  to  show  tiiemselves  equally  insensible 
when  we  were  in  extreme  anguish,  would 
not  their  indifference  wound  our  spirits  '!  He 
also  was  a  man ;  and  we  may  conceive  it  some 
addition  to  his  grief,  that  wiien  he  looked  to 
them  for  pity  and  comfort,  he  found  none. 

When  lie  was  apprehended,  notwithstand- 
ing their  former  protestation  of  zeal  and  love, 
they  all  forsook  him  and  fled.  Matt.  xxvi.  56. 
They  sought  their  own  safety,  and  left  him  in 
the  hands  of  his  enemies.  The  apostle  Paul 
was  thus  deserted,  and  his  expressions  inti- 
mate that  he  felt  it.  "  At  my  first  answer, 
no  man  stood  by  me,  all  men  forsook  me," 
2  Tim.  iv.  16.  He  had  imbibed  likewise  the 
spirit  of  his  master,  and  prayed  that  it  might 
not  be  laid  to  their  charge.  And  tliough  the 
Lord  Jesus  pitied  and  excused  the  weakness 
of  his  disciples,  and  permitted  them  to  take 
care  of  themselves,  it  was  in  them  an  in- 
stance how  little  he  could  depend  upon  those 
who  were  under  the  strongest  obligations  to 
him. 

But  Peter  followed  his  Lord  to  the  hall  of 
the  High  Priest,  and  there  saw  him,  with  his 
own  eyes,  insulted,  arraigned,  and  unjustly 
condemned.  Might  he  not  expect  that  Peter, 
the  most  active  and  earnest  of  all  his  follow- 
ers, would  have  pitied  him,  at  least  at  such 
a  time.  Alas  !  instead  of  pitying  him,  Peter 
denied  him  ;  he  denied,  with  oaths  and  im- 
precations, that  he  had  any  knowledge  of  him, 
whom  he  had  seen  transfigured  upon  the 
mount,  and  agonizing  in  the  garden.  We 
read  that  the  Lord  turned  and  looked  upon 
Peter,  Luke  xxiv.  6L  Who  can  conceive 
the  energy  of  that  look  !  It  was  full  of  mean- 
ing, and  Peter  well  understood  it.  Surely, 
though  a  look  of  tenderness  and  compassion, 
it  conveyed  tiie  expostulation  of  an  injured 
benefactor,  no  less  forcibly,  than  if  all  who 
were  present  had  heard  him  .say,  "  Peter,  is 
this  the  pity  I  am  to  expect  from  thee  ?" 

When  he  was  nailed  to  the  cross,  he  was 
surrounded  only  by  enemies.  These,  as  we 
have  seen,  far  from  pitying,  or  attempting  to 
comfort  him,  derided  and  mocked  him.  How 
have  some  of  us  felt  for  our  friends  in  their 
dying  hours,  though  we  have  seen  every  pos- 
sible attention  paid  to  them,  and  every  thing 
provided  and  done  for  them  that  could  ad- 
mini.ster  to  their  relief  and  comfort '  But  they 
who  have  tiie  fiith  which  realizes  unseen 
things,  have  beheld  their  best  Friend  expiring 
in  tortures,  and  insulted  by  his  murderers  in 
his  last  moments. . 


But  had  all  his  disciples  been  near  him, 
and  had  all  his  enemies  lieen  his  friends,  still, 
in  his  situation,  he  would  have  been  alone. 
The  loss  of  the  light  of  God's  countenance 
will,  to  the  soul  that  has  enjoyed  it,  create  a 
universal  solitude,  and  render  every  earthly 
good  tasteless,  in  proportion  as  that  soul  is 
united  to  him  in  love  ;  and  still  more,  if  there 
be  superadded  a  sense  of  his  displeasure. 
They  who  have  never  tasted  that  the  Lord  is 
good,  not  having  known  the  difference,  can 
have  no  conception  of  this  subject.  Their 
minds  are  at  present  occupied  with  earthly 
things;  and  while  they  are  ihus  engaged  with 
trifles,  they  cannot  believe,  though  they  are 
repeatedly  told  it,  that  to  an  immortal  spirit, 
a  separation  from  the  favour  of  God  involves 
in  it  the  very  essence  of  misery.  But  should 
death  surprise  them  in  their  sins,  tear  them 
from  all  tliat  they  have  seen  and  love'd,  and 
plunge  them  into  an  unknown,  unchangeable 
world,  tlien  (alas  !  too  late  !)  they  will  be  sen- 
sible of  their  immense,  irreparable  loss,  in  be- 
ing cut  off  from  the  fountain  of  life  and  com- 
fort. A  suspension  of  this  divine  presence, 
with  an  awful  sense  and  feeling  of  what  those 
for  whom  he  made  himself  responsible  de- 
served, was  the  most  dreadful  part  of  the  Re- 
deemer's sufferings.  He  was  perfectly  united 
to  the  will  and  love  of  his  heavenly  Father, 
and,  by  the  perfect  holiness  of  his  nature,  in- 
capable of  tasting  satisfaction  in  any  thing 
else,  if  his  presence  were  withdrawn.  But 
when  he  endured  the  curse  of  the  law  for  us, 
he  looked  to  God  for  pity  and  comfort,  but 
he  found  none. 

In  this  glass  we  are  to  contemplate  the  de- 
merit of  sin.  But  there  are  some  sufferings 
due  to  the  impenitent  sinner,  of  which  Mes- 
siah was  not  capable.  I  mean  the  conscious- 
ness of  personal  guilt,  the  gnawings  of  a  re- 
morseful conscience,  and  the  rage  of  despair. 
If  we  add  the  idea  of  eternity  to  the  whole, 
we  may  form  some  faint  judgment  of  what 
they  are  delivered  from  who  believe  in  him, 
and  what  misery  awaits  those  who  presume 
to  reject  him.  Awful  thought !  to  reject  the 
only  Saviour.  If  they  refuse  his  mediation, 
tliey  must  answer  in  their  own  persons. 
Then  they  will  find  no  pity,  no  comforter! 
For  who,  or  what,  can  comfort,  when  the 
Lord  God  Omnipotent  arises  to  punish  1 
What  will  your  pleasures,  your  wealth,  or 
friends,  do  for  you,  when  the  hand  of  the 
Lord  shall  touch  you  to  the  quick?  What 
smile  can  you  expect  will  support  you  against 
the  terror  of  his  frown"! 

Should  any  of  you  hear  the  Messiah  per- 
formed again,  then  and  there,  if  not  before, 
may  God  impress  upon  your  heart  the  sense 
of  this  passage.  Then  you  will  understand, 
that  tlie  sufferings  of  the  Son  of  God  are  by 
no  means  a  proper  subject  for  tlie  amusement 
of  a  vacant  hour. 


292 


NO  SORROW  LIKE  MESSIAH'S  SORROW. 


[SER.  XXIII, 


SERMON  XXIII. 

NO  SORROW  LIKE  MESSIAH's  SORROW. 

Is  it  nothing  to  yon,  all  ye  that  pass  by  1 
Behold,  and  see,  if  there  be  any  sorrow 
like  unto  my  sorrow  ! — Lament,  i.  12. 

Although  the  scriptures  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, the  law  of  Moses,  the  Psalms,  and  the 
prophecies,  (Luke  xxiv.  44,)  bear  a  harmoni- 
ous testimony  to  xMessiah,  it  is  not  necessary 
to  suppose,  that  every  sinjjle  passage  has  an 
immediate  and  direct  relation  to  him.  A 
method  of  exposition  has  frequently  obtained, 
of  a  fanciful  and  allegorical  cast,  under  the 
pretext  of  spiritualizing'  the  word  of  God. 
Ingenious  men,  and  sometimes  men  not  very 
ingenious,  have  endeavoured  todiscover  types 
and  mysteries  in  the  plainest  historical  parts, 
where  we  have  no  sufficient  evidence  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  intended  to  teach  them.  And 
upon  very  slight  grounds  a  proof  has  been  at- 
tempted of  the  g  reat  doctrines  of  the  gospel, 
which  may  be  proved,  much  more  safely  and 
solidly,  from  the  passages  of  scripture  in  vvhicl; 
they  are  plainly  and  expressly  revealed.  But 
by  taking  this  course,  instead  of  throwing  real 
light  updfi  the  places  they  iiave  in  this  man- 
ner attempted  to  explain,  they  have  perplexed 
their  hearers  and  readers,  and  led  them  to 
question,  whether  there  be  any  fixed  and  de- 
terminate sense  of  scripture  that  may  be  fully 
depended  upon.  It  is  true,  when  we  have  the 
authority  of  an  inspired  expositor  to  lead  us, 
we  may  follow  him  witbout  fear;  but  this 
will  not  warrant  us  to  strike  out  a  path  for 
ourselves,  and  trust  to  our  conjectures,  where 
we  have  not  such  an  infallible  guide.  The 
epistle  to  the  Hebrews  is  a  key  to  explain  to 
us  many  passages  in  a  higher  sense  than  per- 
haps we  should  have  otherwise  understood 
them.  But  it  is  best  for  us  to  keep  within 
safe  bounds,  and  to  propose  our  own  senti- 
ments, when  not  supported  by  New  Testa- 
ment autliority,  with  great  modesty,  lest  we 
should  incur  tiie  censureof  being  wise  above 
what  is  written.  I  may,  witbout  scruple, 
affirm,  that  the  history  of  Sarah  and  Hagar  is 
an  allegory  referring  to  the  two  covenants, 
because  the  apostle  Paul  (Gal.  iv.  24)  has 
affirmed  it  before  me ;  but  if  I  attempted  to 
spiritualize  the  history  of  Leah  and  Rachel 
likewise,  you  would  not  be  bound  to  believe 
me  without  proof  I  may  preach  the  gospel 
of  Christ  from  a  text  which  mentions  the 
manna  or  the  brazen  serpent,  (.John  iii.  14 ; 
vi.  .'U,  3.5,)  because  our  Lord  has  expounded 
these  things  as  typical  of  himself;  but  I 
must  not  be  confident  that  every  resemblance 
which  I  think  I  can  trace  is  the  true  sense 
of  the  place ;  because  I  may  imagine  many 
resemblances  and  types  which  the  scripture 
does  not  authorize. 

There  is,  however,  a  useful  way  of  preach- 


ing, by  accommodation,  that  is,  when  the 
literal  sense  is  first  clearly  stated,  to  apply 
the  passage,  not  directly  to  prove  a  doctriiie 
as  if  really  contained  in  it,  Int  only  to  illus- 
trate the  doctrine  expressly  taught  in  other 
parts  of  the  scripture.  Thus,  ibr  instance,  if 
the  question  of  Jonadab  to  Amnon  (2  Sam. 
xiii.  4)  were  chosen  for  the  sul  ject  of  a  dis- 
course, "  Why  art  thou,  being  a  king's  son, 
lean  from  day  to  day  !"  the  liistory  of  the 
context  directly  proves  the  malignity  of  sin- 
ful inordinate  desire,  and  the  misery  of  those 
who  are  under  its  dominion  ;  that  it  poisons 
every  situation  in  life,  and  renders  the  sinner 
incapable  of  satisfaction,  though  he  were  a 
king's  son.  The  form  of  the  question  might 
then  lead  to  observe.  That  believers  are  king's 
sons,  to  show  what  are  the  great  privileges  of 
their  adoption  ;  and  to  enquire  how  it  comes 
to  pass,  that  many  persons  so  highly  privileged 
are  lean,  that  is  unccmfortable,  weak  and 
languishing  in  their  profession !  These  points 
might  not  improperly  be  introduced  by  way 
of  accommodation,  though  they  are  not  di- 
rectly deducible  from  the  literal  sense  of  the 
question. 

The  text  I  have  just  read  to  you  has  led 
me  into  this  digression.  I  find  it  in  the  series 
of  the  passages  in  the  Messiah  ;  but  I  am  not 
sure,  that  in  the  literal  sense  it  immediately 
refers  to  him.  It  is  a  pathetic  exclamation, 
by  which  the  prophet  Jeremiah  expresseshis 
grief,  or  rather  the  grief  of  Jerusalem,  when 
the  sins  of  the  people  had  given  success  to 
the  Chaldean  army,  and  the  temple  and  the 
city  were  destroyed.  Jerusalem  is  poetically 
considered  as  a  woman,  lately  reigning  a 
queen  among  the  nations,  but  now  a  captive, 
dishonoured,  spoiled,  and  sitting  upon  the 
ground.  She  intreats  the  commiseration  of 
those  wlio  pass  by,  and  asks,  if  there  be  any 
sorrow  like  unto  her  sorrow  !  Such  a  question 
has  often  been  in  the  heart  and  in  the  mouth 
of  the  afflicted,  especially  in  an  hour  of  impa- 
tience. We  are  all,  in  our  turns,  disposed  to 
think  our  own  trials  peculiarly  heavy,  and 
our  own  cases  singular.  But  to  them  who  ask 
this  question,  we  may  answer.  Yes — there  has 
been  a  sorrow  greater  than  yours,  greater 
than  the  sorrow  of  Jeremiah,  or  of  Jerusalem. 
They  who  have  heard  of  the  sorrows  of  Jesus, 
will  surely,  upon  the  hearing  of  this  question, 
be  reminded  of  him,  whether  it  was  the  in- 
tention of  the  prophet  to  personate  him  or  not. 
If  we  conceive  of  him  hanging  upon  the 
cross,  and  speaking  in  this  language  to  us, 
"  Was  ever  any  sorrow  like  my  sorrow  ?" 
must  not  we  reply  with  admiration  and  gra- 
titude," No,  Lord,  never  was  love,  never  was 
grief,  like  thine." 

The  expostulation  and  the  question  are 
equally  applicable  to  the  sufl'erings  of  Mes- 
siah. The  former  indeed  is  not  inserted  in 
the  Oratorio,  but  I  am  not  willing  to  leave  it 
out.    The  highest  wonder  ever  exhibited  to 


SER.  xxHi.]         NO  SORROW  LIKE  MESSIAH'S  SORROW. 


293 


the  world,  to  angels,  and  men,  is  the  Son  of 
God  snffering  and  dying  for  sinners.  Next 
to  this,  hardly  any  thing  is  more  astonishing 
to  an  enlightened  mind — than  the  gross  and 
stnpid  insensibility  with  which  the  sufferings 
of  the  Saviour  are  treated,  and  the  indiffer- 
ence with  wiiich  this  wonderful  event  is  re- 
garded by  creatures  who  are  so  nearly  con- 
cerned in  it.  If  they  believe  in  him,  they 
will  be  healed  by  his  wounds,  and  live  by  his 
death.  If  they  finally  reject  him,  they  must 
perish ;  and  their  guilt  and  misery  will  be 
greatly  aggravated  by  what  they  have  heard 
of  him!  But  sin  has  so  blinded  our  under- 
standings and  hardened  our  hearts,  that  we 
have  naturally  no  feeling  either  for  him  or 
for  ourselves. 

I.  Is  the  expostulation  suited  to  any  person 
here  !  Can  I,  with  propriety,  say  to  some 
who  are  now  present,  Has  this  subject  been 
hitherto  nothing  to  you  ?  Then,  surely,  you 
have  not  heard  of  it  before ;  and,  therefore, 
now  you  do  hear  of  it,  you  will,  you  must  be 
affected.  If  you  were  to  read  in  the  common 
newspapers,  that  a  benevolent  and  e.xcellent 
person  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  murderers, 
who  had  put  him  to  death  in  the  most  cruel 
manner,  would  it  not  be  something  to  you  ? 
Could  you  avoid  impressions  of  surprise,  in- 
dignation, and  grief?  Surely,  if  tliis  transac- 
tion were  news  to  you,  it  would  engross  your 
thoughts.  But  alas  !  you  have  rather  heard 
of  it  too  often,  till  it  has  become  to  you  as  a 
worn-out  tale.  I  am  willing  to  take  it  for 
granted  that  you  allow  the  fact.  You  believe 
that  Jesus  Christ  sufl^red  under  Pontius 
Pilate,  was  condemned  by  the  Jews,  and 
crucified  by  the  Romans.  And  is  it  possible 
this  should  be  nothing  to  you  ?  Is  it  too  insig- 
nificant to  engage  or  deserve  your  attention  ] 
And  yet,  perhaps,  you  have  wept  at  a  repre- 
sentation or  a  narrative  which  you  know  was 
wholly  founded  in  fiction.  How  strange  ! 
What !  tlie  sorrow  of  Jesus  nothing  to  you  ! 
wlien  you  admit  that  he  suffered  for  sinners, 
and  will  probably  admit  that  you  are  a  sin- 
ner. No  longer  then  boast  of  your  sensi- 
bility !  your  heart  must  be  a  heart  of  stone. 
Yet  thus  it  is  with  too  many  ;  your  tempers, 
your  conduct,  give  evidence  that  hithertotlie 
death  of  Jesus  has  been  nothing  to  you.  You 
would  not  have  acted  otiierwise,  at  least  you 
would  not  have  acted  worse,  if  you  had  never 
heard  of  his  name.  Were  his  sufferings  any 
thing  to  you,  is  it  possible,  that  you  would 
live  in  the  practice  of  those  sins,  for  which 
no  atonement  could  suffice  but  his  blood  ! 
Were  you  duly  affected  by  the  thought  of  his 
crucifixion,  is  it  possible  that  you  could  cru- 
cify him  afresh,  and  put  him  to  open  shame, 
by  bearing  the  name  of  a  christian,  and  yet 
living  in  a  course  unsuitable  to  tiie  spirit  and 
precepts  of  his  gospel  ?  But  if  you  are  indif- 
ferent to  his  grief,  is  it  nothing  to  you  on 
your  own  account  ]  What !  is  it  nothing  to 


you  whether  you  are  saved  or  perish  ;  whether 
you  are  found  at  his  riglit,  or  his  left  hand, 
in  the  great  day  of  his  appearance  ;  or  whe- 
ther he  sliall  then  say  to  you,  "Come,  ye 
blessed,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for 
you ;"  or,  "  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlast- 
ing fire  !"  Matt.  xxvi.  34,  41.  There  is  no 
medium,  no  alternative.  If  you  refuse  this, 
there  remaineth  no  other  sacrifice  for  sin. 
This  lamentable  indifference  to  the  Redeem- 
er's sorrows,  is  a  full  proof  of  the  baseness 
and  wickedness  of  the  human  heart ;  and  it  is 
felt  as  such,  when  the  Holy  Spirit  convinces 
of  sin.  Natural  conscience  may  excite  a 
painful  conviction  of  the  sinfulness  of  many 
actions.  But  this  stupid  unbelief  of  the  heart 
is,  if  I  may  so  speak,  the  sin  of  sins,  it  is  the 
root  and  source  of  every  evil,  and  yet  so  con- 
genial to  our  very  frame,  as  we  are  depraved 
creatures,  that  God  alone  can  make  the  sin- 
ner feel  it ;  (John  xvi.  9 ;)  and  when  he  does 
feel  it,  the  sense  of  it  wounds  and  grieves 
him  more  than  all  his  other  sins. 

II.  With  respect  to  the  question,  if  we 
rightly  understand  what  has  been  observed 
from  the  scripture-history,  in  the  six  preced- 
ing sermons,  concerning  the  particulars  of 
his  passion,  we  may  answer  without  hesita- 
tion. Never  was  suffering,  or  sorrow,  like 
that  which  Messiah  endured  in  the  day  of 
tiie  Lord's  fierce  anger.  It  is  possible  that 
history,  which  is  little  more  than  a  detail  of 
the  cruelty  and  wickedness  of  mankind,  may 
furnish  us  with  instances  of  many  persons 
who  have  suffered  excruciating  torments,  and 
have  even  been  mocked  and  insulted  in  their 
agonies:  But, 

1.  Was  there  ever  a  character  of  his  dig- 
nity and  excellence  treated  in  such  a  man- 
ner? Job  considered  his  former  state  as  a 
great  aggravation  of  his  sufi'erings.  He  en- 
larges upon  the  respect  which  had  been 
shown  hini  in  his  prosperity.  "  Wlien  I 
went  out  to  the  gate,  through  the  city,  the 
young  men  saw  me  and  hid  themselves,  the 
aged  arose  and  stood  up.  When  the  car 
heard  me,  then  it  blessed  me ;  and  when  the 
eye  saw  me,  it  gave  witness  to  me,"  Job 
xxix.  8,  11.  But  afterwards,  speaking  of 
fools,  of  base  men,  of  the  vilest  of  the  earth, 
he  adds,  "Now  am  I  their  song,  yea,  their 
by- word.  They  abhor  me,  and  spare  not  to 
spit  in  my  face.  They  mar  my  patii,  they 
set  forward  my  calamity,  they  come  upon  me 
as  a  wide  breaking  in  of  waters,"  chap.  xxx. 
8 — 14.  But  Jesus  was  the  Lord  of  glory. 
He  whom  all  the  angels  of  God  worshipped, 
was  buffeted  and  spit  upon  by  the  lowest 
rabble.  If  a  great  king  was  degraded  from 
his  throne,  and  exposed  to  the  derision  of 
slaves,  this  would  be  a  small  thing  compared 
with  the  humiliation  of  him,  who,  in  his  own 
right,  was  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lord^ 

2.  Was  there  ever  so  innocent  a  sufferer'! 
When  Aaron  lost  his  two  sons,  he  held  his 


294 


NO  SORROW  LII^  MESSIAH'S  SORROW. 


[SER.  XXIII 


peace,  Lev.  x.  3.  A  little  before  he  had 
been  guilty  of  making  the  g-olden  calf.  The 
remeuibrance  of  this  offence  composed  his 
mind  under  his  great  trial.  He  saw  that  iie 
deserved  a  still  lieavier  punishment,  and  was 
silent.  In  like  manner,  David,  when  his  re- 
bellious son  Absalom  conspired  against  his 
life,  was  patient;  he  remembered  the  adul- 
tery and  murder  he  had  committed ;  and, 
though  he  mourned  under  his  afflictions,  he 
durst  not  complain,  2  Sam.  xvi.  11.  The 
malefactor  upon  the  cross  submitted  to  his 
sentence,  because  he  was  a  malefactor,  say- 
ing, "  And  we  indeed  justly,"  Luke  .x.xiv.  41. 
It  is  thus  with  all  who  know  themselves. 
Under  their  severest  afflictions,  they  admit 
the  propriety  of  the  prophet's  question,  "  Why 
should  a  living  man  complain  !"  Lam.  iii.  39. 
And  they  acknowledge,  that  it  is  of  the 
Lord's  great  mercy  they  are  not  utterly  con 
sumed.  But  Jesus  was  holy,  harmless,  and 
undefiled  ;  he  had  fulfilled  the  whole  law, 
and  had  done  nothing  amiss ;  yet  he  yielded 
himself  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a 
sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he 
opened  not  his  mouth,  Is.  liii.  7. 

3.  Did  ever  any  other  sufferer  experience 
in  an  equal  degree  the  day  of  God's  fierce 
anger  !  In  the  greatest  of  our  sufferings,  in 
those  which  bear  the  strongest  marks  of  the 
Lord's  displeasure,  there  is  always  some 
mitigation,  some  mixture  of  mercy.  At  the 
worst,  we  have  still  reason  to  acknowledge, 
that  he  hath  not  dealt  with  us  after  oiir  sins, 
nor  according  to  the  full  desert  of  our  iniqui- 
ties, Psal.  ciii.  10.  If  we  are  in  pain,  we  do 
not  feel  every  kind  of  pain  at  once,  yet  we 
can  give  no  sufficient  reason  why  we  should 
not.  If  we  are  exercised  with  poverty  and 
losses,  yet  something  worth  the  keeping,  and 
more  than  we  can  justly  claim,  is  still  lefl  to 
us,  at  least  our  lives  are  spared,  though  for- 
feited by  sin.  If  we  are  in  distress  of  soul, 
tossed  with  tempest  and  not  comforted,  we 
are  not  quite  out  of  the  reach  of  hope.  Even 
if  sickness,  pain,  loss,  and  despair,  should  all 
overtake  us  in  the  same  moment,  all  is  still 
less  than  we  deserve.  Our  proper  desert  is 
hell,  an  exclusion  from  God,  and  confinement 
with  Satan  and  his  angels,  where  the  worm 
dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.  Every 
thing  short  of  this  is  a  mercy.  But  Jesu.s, 
though  he  had  no  sin  of  his  own,  bore  the  sins 
of  many.  His  sufferings  were  indeed  tem- 
porary, limited  in  their  duration,  but  other- 
wise extreme.  Witness  the  effects :  his  hea- 
viness unto  death,  his  consternation,  his 
bloody  sweat,  his  eclipse  upon  the  cross,  when 
deprived  of  that  presence,  which  was  his  only, 
and  his  exceeding  joy.  On  these  accounts, 
no  sorrow  was  like  unto  his  sorrow  ! 

The  unknown  sorrows  of  the  Redeemer 
are  a  continual  source  of  support  and  consol- 
ation to  his  believing  people.  In  his  suffer- 
ings tliey  contemplate  liis  atonement,  his 


love,  and  his  example,  and  they  are  animated 
by  the  bright  and  glorious  issue.  For  he 
passed  from  death  to  life,  from  suffermg  to 
glory. 

(1.)  His  atonement,  apprehended  by  faith, 
delivers  them  from  guilt  and  condemnation, 
gives  them  peace  with  God,  and  access  to 
him  with  liberty  as  children,  Rom.  v.  1,  2. 
Being  thus  delivered  from  their  heavy  bur- 
den, and  from  the  power  of  Satan,  and  having 
a  way  open  for  receiving  supplies  of  strength, 
according  to  their  day,  they  are  prepared  to 
take  up  their  cross,  and  to  follow  him. 

(2.)  His  love,  in  submitting  to  such  sor- 
rows for  their  sakes,  attaches  their  hearts  to 
him.  Great  is  the  power  of  love  !  It  makes 
hard  things  easy,  and  bitter  sweet.  Some  of 
us  can  tell,  or  rather  we  cannot  easily  tell, 
how  much  we  would  cheerfully  do,  or  bear, 
or  forbear,  for  the  sake  of  the  person  whom 
we  dearly  love.  But  this  noblest  principle  of 
the  soul  never  can  exert  itself  with  its  full 
strength,  till  it  is  supremely  fixed  upon  its 
proper  object.  The  love  of  Christ  has  a  con- 
straining force  indeed  !  2  Cor.  v.  14.  It  is 
stronger  than  death.  It  overcomes  the  world. 
And  we  thus  love  him  because  he  first  loved 
us ;  because  he  loved  us  and  gave  himself  for 
us,  1  John  iv.  19 ;  Gal.  ii.  20. 

(3.)  His  example.  The  thought  that  he 
suffered  for  them,  arms  them  with  the  like 
mind.  They  look  to  him  and  are  enlightened. 
By  his  cross  they  are  crucified  to  the  world, 
and  the  world  to  them.  They  no  longer 
court  its  favour,  nor  are  afraid  of  its  frown. 
They  know  what  th^y  must  expect,  if  they 
will  be  his  servants,  by  the  treatment  he  met 
with ;  and  they  are  content.  He  who  en- 
dured the  contradiction  of  sinners  against 
himself  for  them,  is  worthy  that  they  should 
suffer  likewise  for  him.  It  is  their  desire, 
neither  to  provoke  the  opposition  of  men  nor 
to  dread  it.  They  commit  themselves  to  him, 
and  are  sure  that  he  will  not  expose  them  to 
such  sufferings  as  he  endured  for  them.  So, 
likewise,  under  all  the  trials  and  afflictions 
which  they  endure  more  immediately  from 
the  hand  of  the  Lord,  a  lively  thought  of  his 
sorrows  reconciles  them  to  their  own.  Thus 
by  his  stripes  they  are  healed,  and  are  com- 
forted by  having  fellowship  with  him  in  his 
sufferings. 

(4.)  Lastly,  if  more  were  necessary,  (and, 
sometimes,  through  remaining  infirmity  and 
surrounding  temptation,  every  consideration 
is  no  more  than  necessary,)  they  know  that 
their  Lord  passed  through  sufferings  to  glory. 
And  they  know  (for  they  have  his  own  gra- 
cious promise)  that  if  they  suffer  with  him, 
they  shall  also  reign  with  him,  John  xii.  26 ; 
Rom.  viii.  IS.  They  are  sure  that  the  suf- 
ferings of  the  present  life  are  not  worthy  to 
be  compared  with  the  joy  which  will  then  be 
revealed  ;  and  that  when  Christ,  who  is  tneir 
life,  shall  appear,  they  also  shall  aopear  with 


SEU.  XXIV.] 


MESSIAH'S  INNOCENCE  VINDICATED. 


295 


.him  in  glory;  (Col.  iii.  4 ;)  and  therefore  they 
are  coinforteil  in  all  their  tribulation,  and  can 
sav,  '•  None  of  those  tilings  move  me,  neither 
count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I 
aiay  finish  my  course  with  joy,"  Acts  xx.  24. 


SERMON  XXIY. 

Messiah's  innocence  vindicated. 

He  teas  taken  from  prison  and  from  judg- 
ment; and  who  shall  declare  his  genera- 
tion I  For  he  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land 
of  the  living :  for  the  transgression  of 
my  people  was  he  stricken. — Isaiah  liii.  8. 

Let  not  plain  christians  be  stumbled,  be- 
cause there  are  difficulties  in  the  prophetical 
parts  of  the  scripture,  and  because  transla- 
tors and  expositors  sometimes  explain  them 
with  some  difference  as  to  the  sense.  What- 
ever directly  relates  to  our  faith,  practice, 
and  comfort,  may  be  plainly  collected  from 
innumerable  passages,  in  which  all  the  ver- 
sions, and  all  sober  expositors,  are  agreed. 
That  there  are  some  differences,  will  not  ap- 
pear strange,  if  we  consider  the  antiquity  of 
the  Hebrew  language,  and  that  the  Old  Tes- 
tament is  the  only  book  extant  that  was 
written  during  the  time  that  it  was  the  com- 
mon language  of  the  people.  For  this  reason 
we  meet  with  many  words  which  occur  but 
once ;  and  others,  which  do  not  occur  fre- 
quently, are  evidently  used  in  more  than  one 
sense.  If  we  suppose  that  a  time  should 
come  when  the  English  language  should  be 
no  longer  spoken,  and  no  more  than  a  single 
volume  in  it  be  preserved,  we  may  well  con- 
ceive that  posterity  might  differ  as  to  the 
sense  of  many  expressions,  notwithstanding 
the  assistances  they  might  obtain  by  com- 
paring the  English  with  the  French,  Dutch, 
and  other  languages,  which  were  in  use  at 
the  same  period.  Such  assistance  we  derive 
from  the  Chaldee,  Syriac,  Greek,  and  other 
ancient  versions  of  the  Old  Testament,  suf- 
ficient to  confirm  us  in  the  true  sense  of  the 
whole,  and  to  throw  light  upon  many  pas- 
sages otherwise  dark  and  dubious;  and  yet 
there  will  remain  a  number  of  places,  the 
sense  of  which  the  best  critics  have  not  been 
able  to  fix  witli  certainty.  Farther,  the  pro- 
phecies are  usually  expressed  in  the  style  of 
poetry,  which,  in  all  languages,  is  remote 
from  the  common  forms  of  speaking.  The 
grand  evidence,  to  a  humble  mind,  that  the 
holy  scripture  was  originally  given  by  inspi- 
ration of  God,  and  that  the  version  of  it  which 
by  his  good  providence  we  are  favoured  with 
is  authentic,  is  the  effect  it  has  upon  the 
heart  and  conscience  when  enlightened  by 
the  Holy  Spirit.  And  without  this  internal, 
experimental  evidence,  the  learned  are  no 
less  at  a  loss  than  the  vulgar. 

All  acquaintance  with  the  Hebrew  will 


perhaps  suggest  a  meaning  in  this  verse  (the 
latter  part  only  of  which  is  taken  into  the 
Messiah)  which  may  not  readily  occur  to  an 
English  reader.  But  the  purport  of  it  is 
plainly  expressed  m  many  other  passages. 
The  text" is  not  merely  a  repetition  of  what 
was  spoken  before  concerning  the  Redeemer's 
sufferings;  rather  the  declaration  of  wliat  was 
to  follow  them  begins  here.  It  is  the  open- 
ing of  a  bright  and  glorious  subject.  He  was 
taken,  he  was  taken  up,  like  Enoch  and  Eli- 
jah, from  prison,  and  from  judgment,  and  who 
can  declare  his  generation  !  or  (as  the  word 
properly  signifies)  his  age  !  Who  can  declare 
his  state,  the  establishment  and  duration  of 
his  dignity,  influence,  and  government  !  For 
though  he  was  cut  off,  made  an  excision  and 
a  curse,  from  amongst  men,  it  was  not  upon 
his  own  account,  but  for  the  transgression  of 
my  people,  that  he  was  smitten. 

God  was  manifested  in  the  flesh,  (1  Tim. 
iii.  16,)  and  in  the  flesh  he  sufl%red  as  a  ma- 
lefactor. Undoubtedly  the  divine  nature  is  in- 
capable of  suffering;  but  the  human  nature, 
which  did  suffer,  was  assumed  by  him  who  is 
over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever,  Rom.  ix.  5. 
But  he  was  justified  in  the  Spirit,  and  suffi- 
cient care  was  taken,  that  in  his  lowest  hu- 
miliation, though  he  was  condemned  and  re- 
viled, his  character  should  be  vindicated.  I 
shall  therefore  consider  at  present  the  testi- 
monies given  to  his  innocence.  Though  he 
was  cut  off  from  the  land  of  the  living,  it 
was  only  as  a  substitute  for  others.  He  was 
stricken  for  the  transgressions  of  his  people. 

1.  The  first  attention,  and  which  of  itself 
is  fully  sufficient  to  establish  this  point,  is 
that  of  Judas.  He  was  one  of  the  twelve 
apostles  who  attended  our  Lord's  person,  and 
who  were  admitted  to  a  nearer  and  more  fre- 
quent intercourse  with  him  than  the  rest  of 
his  disciples.  Though  our  Lord  knew  that 
his  heart  was  corrupt,  and  that  he  would  prove 
a  traitor,  he  does  not  appear  to  have  treated 
him  with  peculiar  reserve,  or  to  have  kept 
him  more  at  a  distance  than  the  other  apos- 
tles; for  when  he  told  them,  "One  of  you 
shall  betray  me,"  they  had  no  particular  sus- 
picion of  Judas.  He  therefore  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  more  retired  hours  of  his 
Master's  life.  He  had  been  often  with  him 
in  Gethsemane  before  he  went  thither  to  be- 
tray him  to  his  enemies.  When  he  had  acted 
this  treacherous  part,  if  he,  who  had  been  fre- 
quently present  when  Jesus  conversed  most 
freely  in  private  with  his  select  followers,  had 
'  known  any  thing  amiss  in  his  conduct,  we 
may  be  sure  he  would  gladly  have  disclosed 
it,  for  his  own  justification.  Christian  socie- 
ties have  usually  been  reviled  and  slandered 
by  those  who  have  apostatized  from  them; 
their  mistakes,  if  they  were  justly  chargeable 
with  any,  have  been  eagerly  published  and 
aggravated,  and  many  things  often  laid  to 
their  charge  which  they  knew  not.    But  Ju- 


296 


MESSIAH'S  INNOCENCE  VINDICATED. 


[SER.  XXIV. 


das,  on  the  contrary,  was  compelled  by  lijs 
coriiscience,  to  return  his  ill-gotten  gain  to 
tlie  chief  priests  and  elders,  and  to  confess, 
"  I  have  sinned,  in  that  I  have  betrayed  the 
innocent  blood,"  Malt,  xxvii.  4.  Consider- 
ing the  time  of  making  this  declaration,  when 
he  saw  that  he  was  already  condemned,  and 
the  persons  to  whom  he  made  it,  even  to 
those  who  had  condemned  him,  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  he  was  an  unsuspected  and  com- 
petent witness  to  bis  innocence.  And  tlie  an- 
swer of  the  chief  priests  implied,  that,  though 
their  malice  could  be  satisfied  with  nothing 
less  than  the  death  of  this  innocent  person, 
they  were  unable  to  contradict  the  traitor's 
testimony. 

2.  Though  Pilate  likewise  condemned  Mes- 
siah to  death,  to  gratify  the  importunity  of 
the  Jews,  he  repeatedly  declared  his  firm  per- 
suasion of  his  innocence;  and  he  did  it  with 
great  solemnity.  "  He  took  water  and  wash- 
ed his  hands  (publicly)  before  the  multitude, 
saying,  I  am  innocent  of  the  blood  of  this  just 
person,"  Matt,  xxvii.  24.  He  laboured  for 
his  release,  though  the  fear  of  man  prevailed 
upon  him  at  last,  as  it  has  upon  many,  to  act 
in  defiance  of  the  light  and  conviction  of  his 
conscience.  And  from  him  we  learn,  that 
Herod,  (Luke  xxiii.  15,)  notwithstanding  he 
mocked  him  and  set  him  at  nought,  consider- 
ed the  accusationsof  his  enemies  to  be  entire- 
ly groundless.  And  farther,  when  tlie  Jews 
proposed  such  an  alteration  of  the  title  af- 
fixed to  his  cross,  as  might  imply  that  the 
claimsour  Lord  had  made  were  unjust  and  cri- 
minal, Pilate  utterly  refused  to  comply  with 
their  demand. 

3.  The  thief  upon  the  cross,  with  his  dying 
breath,  said,  "This  man  hath  done  nothing 
amiss."  If  iiis  competency  as  a  witness  should 
be  disputed,  because  it  is  probable  he  had 
known  but  little  of  him,  I  admit  the  objection. 
Be  it  so,  that  this  malefactor  had  little  per- 
sonal knowledge  of  our  Lord.  Then  his  opi- 
nion of  his  innocence  must  have  been  found- 
ed upon  public  report;  and,  therefore,  itseems, 
he  spoke  not  for  himself  only ;  but  his  words 
may  be  taken  as  a  proof,  that  the  people  at 
large,  though  they  suffered  themselves  to  be 
influenced  by  the  chief  priests,  to  demand  his 
death,  and  to  prefer  Barabbas,  a  robber  and  a 
murderer,  to  him,  were  generally  conscious 
that  he  had  done  nothing  amiss.  Many  of 
those  who  now  said,  "  Crucify  him.  Crucify 
him,"  had,  not  long  before,  welcomed  him 
with  acclamations  of  praise,  saying,  "Hosan- 
nah  to  the  son  of  David."  This  inconsistence 
and  inconstancy  is  not  altogether  surprising 
to  those  who  are  well  acquainted  with  the 
weakness  and  wickedness  of  human  nature 
in  its  present  state;  and  who  consider  the 
effects  which  tlie  misrepresentations  and  ar- 
tifice of  persons  of  great  name,  and  in  high 
office,  have  often  produced  in  the  minds  of  the 
ignorant  and  superstitious.   Thus,  at  Lystra, 


through  the  persuasion  of  the  Jews,  the  apos- 
tle Paul  was  stoned  and  left  for  dead,  (Acts 
xiv.  12, 19.)  by  the  very  people,  who,  a  little 
before,  could  with  difficulty  be  restrained  from 
paying  him  divine  honours. 

4.  Though  the  salvation  of  men,  and  tlie 
honour  of  the  law  of  God  required,  that  when 
IMcssiah  undertook  to  make  an  atonement  for 
our  sins,  he  should  be  thus  given  up  to  the 
rage  and  cruelty  of  his  enemies,  suffer  all  the 
infamy  due  to  the  worst  and  vilest  transgres- 
sors, and  be  deserted  by  God  and  man ;  yet 
his  heavenly  Father  bore  a  signal  and  solemn 
testimony  to  his  character.  The  frame  of 
nature  sympathized  witli  her  suffering  Lord. 
The  heavens  were  clothed  with  sackcloth ;  the 
sun  withdrew  his  shining;  the  sanctuary  was 
laid  open  by  the  rending  of  the  vail  of  the 
temple  from  the  top  to  the  bottom;  the  earth 
trembled  greatly ;  the  rocks  were  rent ;  the 
graves  opened,  and  the  dead  arose.  These 
events,  in  connexion  with  what  had  passed 
before,  extorted  an  acknowledgment  of  his  in- 
nocence from  the  Roman  centurion  who  was 
appointed  to  attend  iiis  execution. 

Thus,  it  appears,  that  Judas,  who  betrayed 
him;  the  Jewish  council,  which  could  not 
find  sufficient  ground,  even  though  they  em- 
ployed false  and  suborned  witnesses  to  pass 
sentence  upon  him ;  Herod,  wlio  derided  liim ; 
Pilate,  who  condcnmed  him;  the  malefactoi", 
who  suffered  with  him ;  and  the  conmiander 
of  the  soldiers  who  crucified  him,  all  com- 
bined in  a  declaration  of  his  innocence:  God 
himself  confirming  their  word,  by  signs  aud 
wonders  in  heaven  and  upon  earth. 

It  may  seem  quite  uimecessary  to  prove 
the  innocency  of  him,  who,  in  his  human  na- 
ture, was  absolutely  perfect,  and  in  whom  the 
presence  and  fulness  of  God  dwelt;  and  it  is 
indeed  unnecessary  to  those  who  believe  in 
his  nami?.  It  is,  however,  a  pleasing  contem- 
plation to  tiiem,  and  has  an  important  influ- 
ence upon  their  faith  and  hope.  In  this  they 
triumph,  that  he  who  knew  no  sin  himself, 
was  made  sin,  was  treated  as  a  sinner  for 
them,  that  they  might  be  made  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  in  him.  The  High  Priest  of  our 
profession  needed  not,  as  those  who  t3'pified 
his  office  of  old,  to  offer  up  sacrifice,  first  for 
his  own  sins,  and  then  for  the  sins  of  the  peo- 
ple; for  he  was  perfectly  holy,  harmless,  and 
undefiled.  And  had  he  not  been  a  lamb  with- 
out spot  or  blemish,  he  could  not  have  been 
accepted  on  our  behalf  It  was  the  perfection 
of  his  voluntary  obedience  to  the  law  of  our 
nature,  under  which  he  submitted  to  be  made, 
which,  conjoined  with  the  excellency  of  his 
character  as  the  Son  of  God,  made  him  meet, 
able,  and  worthy,  to  expiate  our  transgres- 
sions. By  the  one  offering  of  himself,  once 
offered,  he  lias  made  an  end  of  sin,  brought 
in  an  everlasting  righteousness,  and  having 
appeared  with  his  own  blood  within  the  vail, 
in  the  presence  of  God  for  us,  and  ever  livhig 


SER.  XXIV.] 


MESSIAH'S  INNOCENCE  VINDICATED. 


297 


to  make  intercession  for  all  who  come  unto 
God  by  him,  ho  is  proposed  in  the  pospel  as 
the  author  of  eternal  salvation  to  all  who  obey 
him.  In  him,  all  the  seed  of  Lsrael  shall  be 
justified,  and  shall  glory,  Is.  xli.  17,  25.  In 
him  tiie  true  Israel,  tlie  p:irtakers  of  tiie  faith 
of  Abraham,  shall  be  saved,  saved  to  the  ut- 
termost, saved  with  an  everlasting  salvation; 
they  sliall  not  be  ashamed,  nor  confounded, 
world  without  end. 

But  who  that  knows  these  things  can  suf- 
ficiently commiserate  the  fital  effects  of  that 
unbelief  which  blinds  and  hardens  the  hearts 
of  multitudes  !  especially  that  more  learned 
and  informed,  and  therefore  more  inexcusable 
unbelief,  which  characterizes  the  modern 
patrons  of  scepticism.  They  read  and  admire 
ancient  history.  There  is  no  old  story  so 
frivolous  or  improbable,  but  it  is  sufficient  to 
engage  their  attention,  and  to  exercise  their 
acumen,  if  it  be  found  in  Herodotus  or  Livy. 
They  spare  no  pains,  they  perplex  them- 
selves, and  weary  their  readers  with  their 
attempts  to  decypher  an  ancient  inscription, 
or  to  fix  the  date,  or  reconcile  the  circum- 
stances of  a  supposed  event,  which,  after  all, 
perhaps  never  had  place  but  in  the  imagina- 
tion of  the  writer.  Their  implicit  deference 
to  such  uncertain  authorities  as  these,  often 
verges  upon  the  border  of  extreme  credulity. 
The  Bible  is  an  ancient  history  likewise ;  and 
if  it  was  only  received  upon  the  footing  of 
the  rest,  as  merely  a  human  composition,  the 
facts  which  it  relates,  and  the  manner  in 
which  they  are  related,  the  admirable  sim- 
plicity of  narration  in  some  parts,  the  un- 
rivalled sublimity  of  description  in  others; 
the  justness  and  discrimination  of  charac- 
ters; the  views  it  unfolds  of  the  workings  of 
the  hiuTian  heart,  and  the  springs  of  action,  so 
exactly  conformable  to  experience  anil  ob- 
servation, mi2'ht  surely  recommend  it  to  their 
notice.  And  possibly,  if  it  did  claim  no 
higher  authority  than  a  human  composition, 
men  who  have  any  just  pretensions  to  taste. 


ten  by  plain  and  unlearned  men,  as  we  have 
for  any  fact  recorded  in  history.  How  could 
such  men  invent  such  a  book  ?  and  how 
should  they  without  seeming  directly  to  de- 
sign it,  but  incidently  as  it  were,  represent, 
that  persons  of  such  various  characters,  who 
concurred  in  putting  Jesus  to  death,  should 
all  equally  concur  in  establishing  the  tes- 
timony of  his  innocence. 

True  christians,  when  they  suffer  unjustly, 
may  learn,  from  the  example  of  their  Lord, 
to  suffer  patiently.  The  apostle  presses  this 
argument  upon  servants,  (1  Pet.  ii.  18,  20,) 
who  in  those  days  were  chiefly  bond  ser- 
vants, or  slaves.  He,  therefore,  evidently 
stipposes,  that  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel 
was  sufficient  to  qualify  people  in  the  lowest 
situations  of  human  life,  with  a  fortitude  and 
magnanimity  of  spirit  of  which  philosophy 
could  scarcely  reach  the  conception.  In  ef- 
fect, to  be  much  taken  up  with  the  interests 
of  self,  to  live  upon  the  breath  of  others,  to 
be  full  of  resentment  for  every  injury,  and 
watchful  to  retaliate  it ;  these  are  the  proper- 
ties and  tokens  of  a  little  and  narrow  mind. 
It  requires  no  energy,  no  sacrifice,  no  resolu- 
tion, to  acquire  such  a  disposition;  for  it  is 
natural  to  us,  and  powerful  and  habitual  in  the 
weakest  and  least  respectable  characters.  But 
to  act  uniformly  as  the  servants  of  God,  satis- 
fied with  his  approbation,  under  the  regulation 
of  his  will,  and  for  his  sake  cheerfully  to  bear 
whatever  hardships  a  compliance  with  duty 
may  expose  us  to,  enduring  grief,  suffering' 
wrongfully,  and  acting  in  the  spirit  of  benevo- 
lence and  meekness,  not  only  to  the  good,  but 
also  to  the  froward ;  this  indicates  a  true  noble- 
ness of  soul.  And  to  this  we  are  called  by  our 
profession:  for  thus  Christ  suffered.  He  did 
no  sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth; 
yet  he  was  reviled,  but  he  reviled  not  again. 
He  suffered,  though  innocent;  but  he  threat- 
ened not.  He  was  crucified  by  wicked  men  : 
but  he  prayed  for  them  while  they  were 
nailing  him  to  the  cros.s.    This  was  an  emi- 


would  admire  it  no  less  than  they  now  un- !  nent  branch  of  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ; 


dervalue  it.  But  because  it  does  not  flatter 
their  pride,  nor  give  indulgence  to  their  cor- 
rupt propensities,  they  are  afraid  to  study  it, 
lest  the  internal  marks  of  its  divine  original 
should  force  unwelcome  convictions  upon 
their  minds.  Therefore  they  remain  wil- 
lingly ignorant  of  its  contents,  or  the  know- 
ledge they  discover  of  it  is  so  very  super- 
ficial, that  a  well  instructed  child  of  ten 
years  of  ago  may  smile  at  the  mistakes  of 
critics  and  philosophers.  That  such  a  book 
is  extant,  is  undeniable.  How  can  they  ac- 
count for  its  production  ?  A  view  of  what 
they  actually  have  done,  will  warrant  ns  to 
assert,  that  the  wisest  men  of  antiquity,  nei- 
ther would  have  written  such  a  book  if  they 
could,  nor  were  they  able,  had  they  been 
ever  so  willing.  And  yet  we  have  as  good 
evidence,  that  the  New  Testament  was  writ- 1 
Vol.  II.  2  P 


and  it  ought  to  be  a  distinguishing  feature  in 
the  character  of  his  people.  For,  is  the  dis- 
ciple above  his  Lord  !  or  should  the  conduct 
of  the  disciple  contradict  that  of  his  Lord! 
Undoubtedly,  so  far  as  we  are  partakers  in  the 
doctrine  of  his  sufferings,  and  have  real  fel- 
lowship with  him  in  his  death,  we  shall  re- 
semble him.  If  we  say  we  abide  in  him,  we 
ought  to  walk,  even  as  he  walked,  1  John  ii. 
6.  But  they,  who,  calling  themselves  Chris- 
tians, are  full  of  the  spirit  of  self- just  iff  ca- 
tion, contention,  and  complaint,  while  they 
profess  to  believe  in  him,  deny  him  by  their 
works.  The  apostles  Peter  and  John,  deeply 
affected  by  their  obligations  to  him,  and  by  the 
exquisite  pattern  of  meekness  and  tenderness 
which  he  had  set  before  them,  departed  from 
the  presence  of  the  cotmcil,  not  swelling  with 
anger,  nor  hantring  down  their  heads  with 


203 


MESSIAH  RISING  FROM  THE  DEAD. 


[see.  XXV. 


grief,  but  rejoicing  tlmt  they  were  counted 
worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  his  sake,  Acts  v. 
41.  And  he  deserves  no  less  from  us  than 
he  did  from  them.  It  was  for  us,  no  less 
than  for  tiiem,  tiiat  he  endured  reproach,  and 
was  content  to  die  as  a  malefactor,  though 
he  was  innocent 


SERMON  XXV. 

MESSIAH  RISING  FROM  THE  DEAD. 

For  thoii  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell ; 
neither  wilt  thou  svjfer  thy  Holy  One  to 
see  corruption. — Psalm  -xvi.  10. 

That  the  gospel  is  a  divine  revelation, 
maybe  summarily  proved  from  the  character 
of  its  Author.  If  an  infidel  was  so  far  divest- 
ed of  prejudice  and  prepossession,  as  to  read 
the  hii^tory  of  Jesus  Christ  recorded  by  the 
evangelists,  with  attention,  and  in  order  to 
form  his  judgment  of  it,  simply  and  candidly, 
as  evidence  should  appear,  I  think  he  must 
observe  many  particulars  in  his  spirit  and 
conduct,  so  very  different  from  the  prevailing 
sentiments  of  mankind,  as  to  convince  him, 
that  man,  in  his  present  state,  could  not  pos- 
sibly have  conceived  tlie  idea  of  such  a  cha- 
racter. Poets  and  historians  have  ol'ten  em- 
ployed their  powers  in  delineating  what  ap- 
peared to  thein  the  great  and  the  excellent 
in  human  conduct.  But  how  different  are  the 
pictures  of  their  admired  heroes,  sages,  and 
legislators,  from  the  portrait  of  the  Saviour, 
as  it  is  drawn  with  the  utmost  simplicity  by 
plain  unlettered  men,  who,  without  art  or  af- 
fectation, only  describe  wiiat  they  profess  to 
have  seen  and  heard.  I  fix  at  present  upon 
a  single  consideration,  which  perhaps  cannot 
be  expressed  more  properly  or  forcibly,  than 
in  the  words  of  an  ingenious  writer*  now 
living.  "  He  is  the  only  founder  of  a  religion, 
in  tlie  history  of  mankind,  which  is  totally 
unconnected  with  all  human  policy  and  go- 
vernment, and  therefore  totally  unconducive 
to  any  worldly  purpose  whatever.  All  others, 
Mahomet,  Numa,  and  even  Moses  himself, 
blended  their  religious  institutions  with  their 
civil,  and  by  them  obtained  dominion  over 
their  respective  people.  But  Christ  neither 
aimed  at,  nor  would  accept  of,  any  such 
power.  He  rejected  (.lohn  xviii.  36)  every 
object  which  all  other  men  pursue,  and  made 
choice  of  those  wl  ich  others  fly  from  and  are 
afraid  of  He  refused  power,  riches,  honours, 
and  pleasure;  and  courted  poverty,  ignominy, 
tortures,  and  death.  Many  have  been  the 
enthusiasts  and  impostors,  who  have  endea- 
voured to  impose  on  the  world  pretended 


*  Jpnvn's  Internal  Evidence  of  the  Christian  Re- 
ligion, p.  33,  34.  edit.  3. 


revelations;  and  some  of  them,  from  pride, 
obstinacy,  or  principle,  have  gone  so  far  as  to 
lay  down  their  lives  rather  than  retract :  but 
I  defy  history  to  show  one,  who  ever  tnade 
his  own  sufferings  and  death  (John  xii.  24, 
3'2,  33)  a  necessary  part  of  his  original  plan, 
and  essential  to  his  mission.  This  Christ 
actually  did  ;  he  foresaw,  foretold,  declared 
their  necessity,  and  voluntarily  endured  them. 

The  death  of  our  Lord  was  indeed  essen- 
tial to  his  plan;  as  such,  it  was  constantly  in 
his  view,  and  he  often  spoke  of  it.  Probably 
it  was  the  whole  of  his  enemies'  plan;  and 
when  they  saw  him  dead,  buried,  and  the  se- 
pulchre sealed,  they  triumphed  in  their  suc- 
cess, and  expected  to  hear  of  him  no  more. 
But  the  scriptures,  which  were  read  in  their 
synagogues  every  sabbath-day,  foretold  his 
resurrection  from  the  dead.  The  text  before 
us,  if  there  were  no  other,  is  a  sufficient 
proof  of  this,  to  those  who  acknowledge  the 
authority  of  the  New  Testament,  since  it  is 
expressly  applied  to  him  by  the  apostles  Pe- 
ter and  Paul. 

The  word  in  the  Hebrew  text  rendered, 
in  our  version,  soul,  is  used  in  different 
senses.  According  to  the  connexion  in 
which  it  stands,  it  signifies  breath,  life,  soul, 
or  spirit,  and  sometimes  the  dead  body.  The 
corresponding  Greek  word,  where  the  apos- 
tle quotes  this  verse,  (Acts  ii.  27,)  has  like- 
wise various  significations.  And  the  original 
words  answering  to  hell,  signify  both  the  in- 
visible world,  or  the  state  of  the  dead,  and 
sometimes  the  grave.  Notwithstanding  this 
seeming  diversity,  we  are  at  no  loss  here  for 
the  precise  sense.  Scri[)ture  is  the  best  in- 
terpreter of  itself  It  is  evidently  the  apos- 
tle's design  to  prove  that  the  psalmist  (ore- 
saw,  and  foretold,  the  resurrection  of  that 
body  which  was  taken  down  dead  from  the 
cross,  and  laid  in  Joseph's  tomb.  With  this 
body  our  Lord  arose  on  the  third  day,  ac- 
cording to  the  scriptures. 

Though  Messiah  was,  for  our  sakes,  treated 
as  a  malefactor,  all  who  were  immediately 
concerned  in  his  death  were  constrained  (as 
we  have  seen)  to  declare  his  innocence.  But 
he  was  worthy  of  a  more  solemn  and  autho- 
ritative justification.  Accordingly,  "  He  was 
declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  with  power, 
by  his  resurrection  from  the  dead,"  Rom.  i.  4. 

The  apostle  expounds  "thine  Holy  One" 
by  the  word  flesh,  Acts  ii.  29.  The  human 
nature,  the  body  formed  by  the  immediate 
power  of  God,  and  born  of  a  virtrin,  was 
holy. — It  was  a  "  holy  thing;"  (Luke  i.  3.5  ;) 
perfect  and  pure,  and  therefore  naturally  not 
mortal,  though  subject  to  death  for  us.  In 
this  nature  the  son  of  God  was  charged  with 
sins  not  his  own ;  he  became  willingly  re- 
sponsible for  many,  Matt.  xx.  28.  What- 
ever was  necessary  on  the  behalf  of  sinners, 
to  render  their  forfriveness  consistent  with 
the  honour  of  the  law,  justice,  truth,  and  go- 


SER.  XXV.] 


MESSIAH  RISING 


FROM  THE  DEAD. 


299 


verntnerit  of  God,  was  exacted  of  him,  and  he 
performed,  and  paid  to  tlie  utmost.  He  made 
a  full  atonement  for  sin;  and  thoug'h  he  liad 
power  over  his  life,  he  huno-  hour  after  houi 
ill  a<ronios  upon  the  cross,  till  he  said,  "  It  is 
finished."  Then  he  resig-ned  his  spirit  into 
the  hands  of  his  heavenly  Father.  He  was 
afterwards  buried.  But  havina;  finished  his 
whole  undertaking-,  destroyed  death,  and  him 
that  had  the  power  of  it,  and  opened  the  way 
to  the  kiriflfdom  of  heaven,  in  favour  of  all 
who  should  believe  in  him,  it  was  not  possi- 
ble tliat  he  should  be  detained  in  the  grave. 
Acts  ii.  24.  He  had  power  likewise  to  re- 
sume the  life  he  had  laid  down  for  his  sheep ; 
and  he  arose  the  third  day,  to  exercise  all 
power  and  authority  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 

His  resurrection,  therefore,  is  the  grand 
principal  fact  upon  which  the  truth  and  im- 
portance of  Christianity  rests.  For  though 
Christ  died,  if  he  had  not  risen  again,  your 
faith  and  our  preaching  would  be  in  vain. 
We  sliould  be  yet  in  our  sins,  1  Cor.  xv.  17. 
And  though  it  was  not  necessary  that  his 
resurrection  should  have  been  so  publicly 
known,  at  the  time,  as  his  crucifixion,  tiie 
evidence  for  it  is  strong  and  decisive.  No 
one  point  of  ancient  history  is  capable  of  such 
clear  accumulated  proof  The  apostles  fre- 
quently saw  him,  conversed  with  him,  ate 
and  drank  with  him,  and  were  assured  that  it 
was  he  by  many  infallible  proofs.  Tiiey  could 
not  be  deceived  themselves,  nor  could  they 
have  any  temptation  to  deceive  others.  They 
declared  his  resurrection  to  the  very  people 
who  put  him  to  death  ;  and  they  confirmed  it 
by  many  indisputable  miracles,  which  they 
performed  in  his  name.  They  persevered  in 
this  te.-!timony,  in  defiance  of  the  malice  of 
the  Jews  and  the  scorn  of  the  Heathens. 
And  by  this  doctrine  of  a  crucified  risen  Sa- 
viour, though  unsupported  by  the  patronage 
of  human  power,  yea,  though  opposed  by  it  in 
every  place,  they  effected  that  change  in  the 
moral  world,  wherever  they  went,  which  the 
philosophers  had  not  been  able  to  produce,  by 
all  their  instructions,  in  a  single  instance  ; 
turning  men,  whom  they  found  under  the 
strongest  prejudices  of  education  and  habit, 
from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  worship 
of  dumb  idols,  to  serve  the  living  and  the 
true  God,  1  Thes.  i.  9. 

But  there  are  proofs  of  this  point  which 
depend  not  upon  arguments  or  history  ;  which 
require  neither  learning,  genius,  nor  study  to 
comprehend  ;  but  are  equally  adapted  to  per- 
sons of  all  capacities,  and  in  all  circumstances. 
These  are  the  effects  which  this  doctrine  pro- 
duces on  the  hearts  of  those  who  truly  re- 
ceive it  upon  the  authority  of  scripture,  un- 
der the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  whose 
office  it  is  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  mind,  to 
take  of  the  thingsof  Jesus,  (what  the  scripture 
reveals  of  his  person,  offices,  and  glory,)  and 
to  present  them,  with  infallible  li^dit  and 


evidence,  to  those  who  humbly  yield  them- 
selves to  his  teaching.  These  are  made 
partakers  of  the  power  of  his  resurrection, 
Phil.  iii.  10.  It  delivers  them  from  guilt  and 
fear,  animates  tiiem  with  confidence  towards 
God,  weans  them  from  the  love  and  spirit  of 
this  evil  world,  inspires  them  with  great  and 
glorious  hopes,  and  delivers  them  from  the 
fear  of  death.  They  are  risen  with  Christ, 
by  faith,  and  seek  the  things  which  are  above, 
(Col.  iii.  1,)  where  they  know  their  Lord  and 
Saviour  is  seated  in  glory. 

I  do  but  touch  u|)on  these  particulars  at 
present,  because  the  subject  will  come  under 
our  consideration  again,  from  a  subsequent 
passage  in  the  Oratorio.  Yet  I  would  not 
wholly  omit  leading  your  reflections  to  them, 
though  what  I  briefly  offer  now,  may  make 
what  I  shall  then  offer  (if  my  life  is  prolong- 
ed to  proceed  so  far)  appear  under  tiie  disad- 
vantage of  a  repetition  of  the  same  thoughts. 
Indeed,  I  know  not  how  to  place  the  proof  of 
this  capital  doctrine  in  a  light  entirely  new. 
The  most  satisfactory  proofs  are  the  most  ob- 
vious ;  and  it  would  be  folly  to  substitute 
weaker  in  their  place  for  the  sake  of  novelty. 
But  if  I  should  live  to  resume  the  subject, 
some  of  you  who  are  now  present  may  not 
live  to  hear  me.  So  far  as  concerns  tlie  fact, 
I  may  hope  that  the  most,  or  all  of  you,  are 
believers,  and  that  you  are  already  persuaded 
in  your  minds  that  the  Lord  is  risen  indeed  ! 
Luke  xxiv.  34.  I  am  not  preaching  to  Jews 
or  Mahometans,  but  to  professed  christians. 
But  permit  me  to  ask.  What  influence  this 
truth  has  upon  your  hopes,  your  tempers,  and 
your  conduct !  The  powers  of  darkness  know 
that  Christ  is  risen.  They  believe,  they  feel, 
they  tremble.  I  hope  none  of  you  will  be 
content  with  such  a  faith  as  may  be  foiind  in 
the  fallen  angels.  As  surely  as  he  is  risen, 
he  will  at  length  return  to  judge  the  world. 
"  Behold  he  cometh  in  the  clouds,  and  every 
eye  shall  see  him  !"  They  who  are  prepared 
to  meet  him,  who  are  waiting  for  him,  and 
who  long  for  his  appearance,  have  reason  to 
rejoice  that  he  once  died,  and  rose  again. 

Many  are  the  advantages  which  true  chris- 
tians derive  from  a  spiritual  and  enligiitened 
knowledge  of  this  doctrine.  I  will  mention 
a  few. 

1.  As  Messiah  was  delivered,  that  is  de- 
livered up,  as  a  hostage  to  the  demands  of 
justice  for  our  ofitnces ;  so  they  know  that 
he  was  raised  again  for  our  justification, 
Rom.  V.  25.  By  virtue  of  that  union  which 
subsists  between  Messiah,  as  the  head  of  his 
body  the  church,  and  all  his  members;  tiiat 
is,  all  in  the  successive  ages  of  the  world, 
who  believe  in  him  by  a  faith  of  divine  ope- 
ration;  he  is  their  legal  representative;  he 
and  they  are  considered  as  one.  His  sulfer- 
ings,  his  whole  humiliation  and  obedience 
unto  death,  is  so  imputed  to  them,  that  tliey 
thereby  are  exempted  from  condemnation ; 


300 


MESSIAH  RISING 


FROM  THE  DEAD. 


[SLTI.  XX\ 


anil  though  not  from  all  sufferings,  yet  from 
all  that  ij-  properly  penal,  or  strictly  a  punish- 
ment. What  they  suii'er  is  only  in  a  way  of 
discipline  or  chastisement;  and  to  tliem  a 
token,  not  of  wrath,  but  of  love.  On  tlie 
other  hand,  as  he  by  his  resurrection  was 
vindicated,  justified  from  the  reproaches  of 
his  enemies,  declared  to  be  tiie  Son  of  God, 
with  power,  and  raised  to  glory  ;  tliey  liave 
fellowship  with  him  herein.  God  exalted 
Jiiui  to  glory,  and  gave  him  a  name  above 
every  name,  that  tlieir  faith  and  hope  migiit 
be  in  God,  1  Pet.  i.  21.  They  are  not  only 
pardoned,  but  accepted  in  the  Beloved.  And 
after  this  state  of  discipline  is  ended,  they 
shall  be  treated  as  if  they  had  never  sinned. 
For  if  their  sins  are  souglit  for  in  that  day, 
they  shall  not  be  found.  If  any  charge  should 
be  brought  against  them,  it  shall  be  over- 
ruled— by  this  comprehensive  unanswerable 
plea — Christ  that  died,  yea,  rather  that 
is  risen  again,  appears  in  the  presence  of 
God,  acknowledges  them  as  his  own,  and 
makes  intercession  for  them,  Rom.  viii.  33, 
34.  Among  men,  a  criminal  may  obtain  a 
pardon,  may  escape  the  sentence  he  has  de- 
served, and  yet  be  left  in  a  destitute  and 
miserable  condition.  But  justification  is 
God's  manner  of  pardoning  sinners,  accord- 
ing to  the  sovereignty  and  richesof  his  grace, 
in  the  Son  of  his  love.  Those  whom  he  par- 
dons, he  also  justifies ;  and  whom  he  justifies, 
he  also  glorifies.  And  even  now  in  this  life, 
though  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  they  shall 
be,  though  their  present  privileges  are  far 
short  of  what  they  hope  for,  and  though  eye 
hatli  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  hath  it  en- 
tered into  tiie  heart  of  man  to  conceive  what 
God  hath  prepared  for  them,  (1  Cor.  ii.  9,) 
yet  even  now  are  they  the  children  of  God, 
1  John  iii.  2.  And  in  the  midst  of  their  trials 
and  infirmities,  though  conscious  of  much 
defect,  and  many  defilements,  in  their  best 
hours  and  services ;  and  though  they  have 
not  forgotten  tiieir  iniquities  and  provoca- 
tions, when  they  lived  without  God  in  the 
world  ;  yet,  according  to  the  measure  of  their 
faith,  exercised  upon  their  Saviour,  who  was 
raised  for  their  justification,  tliey  can  rejoice 
in  the  knowledge  of  their  acceptance,  and 
rely  upon  him  for  their  perseverance;  and 
they  dare  approach  the  great,  holy,  and  heart- 
searching  God,  as  to  a  Father,  and  pour  out 
their  hearts  before  him,  with  greater  freedom 
than  tliey  can  use  to  their  dearest  earthly 
friends.  And  while  they  feel  and  confess 
themselves  unworthy  of  the  smallest  of  his 
mercies,  they  are  not  afraid  to  ask  for  the 
greatest  blessings  his  bounty  can  bestow, 
even  to  be  set  as  a  seal  upon  his  heart,  and 
upon  his  arm,  to  be  filled  with  all  his  com- 
municable fulness,  and  to  claim  him  as  their 
everlasting  portion. 

2.  The  resurrection  of  Christ  from  the 
dead  is  a  pledge  and  specimen  of  that  almigh- 


ty power  which  is  engaged  on  their  bfehalf,  to 
overcome  all  the  obstacles,  diificullies,  and 
enemies  they  are  liable  to  meet  with  in  tiieir 
pilgrimage,  wliich  tiireaten  to  disappoint  their 
hopes,  and  to  prevent  them  from  obtaining 
their  heavenly  iniieritance.  The  first  com- 
munication of  a  principle  of  faith  and  spiri- 
tual life  to  their  hearts,  whereby  they  are 
delivered  from  tiie  dominion  of  sin,  and  from 
the  spirit  and  love  of  the  world,  is  attributed 
to  the  e.xceeding  greatness  of  that  mighty 
power  (Eph.  i.  19 — 21)  which  raised  tiie 
dead  body  of  the  Lord  from  the  grave,  and 
set  him  at  his  own  right  hand,  far  above  all 
principality  and  might,  and  every  name  that  is 
named.  And  often  the  church,  collectively,  in 
its  militant  state,  and  the  individuals  which 
compose  it,  in  their  personal  concerns,  have 
been  brought,  to  outward  appearance,  exceed- 
ing low.  Their  enemies  have  seemed  upon 
the  point  of  triumphing,  and  saying,  Down 
with  them,  even  to  the  ground.  Such  was  the 
boast  of  the  Jewish  rulers,  when  they  had 
slain  the  Shepherd  and  dispersed  his  flock. 
But  it  was  a  short-lived  boast.  He  arose,  he 
ascended,  he  took  possession  of  his  kingdom 
for  himself  and  for  them.  He  poured  out 
his  Holy  Spirit  upon  them,  and  tliey  went 
forth  preaching  his  word,  which  spread  like 
the  light  of  advancing  day,  from  Judea  to 
Samaria,  and  to  the  distant  parts  of  the  earth. 
The  united  force  of  the  powers  of  hell  and 
earth  endeavoured  to  suppress  it,  but  in  vain. 
Many  nations  and  kingdoms  laboured  to  ex- 
tirpate the  very  name  of  Christianity  from 
among  men,  but  they  successively  perished 
in  the  attempt ;  and  the  cause  against  which 
they  raged  is  still  preserved.  It  is  founded 
upon  a  rock,  and  the  gates  of  hell  cannot 
prevail  against  it.  Matt.  xvi.  18.  Nor  can 
any  weapon  prosper  that  is  formed  against 
the  weakest  and  meanest  of  those  who  sin- 
cerely espouse  this  cause.  He  to  whom  they 
have  devoted  and  entrusted  themselves,  has 
promised  that  none  shall  pluck  them  out  of 
his  hands,  John  x.  28.  And  while  he  re- 
mains faitliful  to  his  word,  and  able  to  fulfil 
it,  they  shall  be  safe.  Yet  they  are  often 
pressed  above  measure,  beyond  strength,  in- 
somuch that  they  perhaps  despair  even  of  life. 
But  when  they  are  at  the  lowest,  the  Lord  is 
their  helper ;  and  they  are  taught  by  the  exi- 
gencies they  pass  through,  to  trust,  not  in 
themselves,  but  in  God  who  raisetli  the  dead, 
2  Cor.  i.  9.  It  is  indeed,  the  Lord's  u.«ual 
method  of  training  up  his  people  to  an  habi- 
tual dependence  upon  himself  When  he  has 
raised  their  expectations  by  his  promises,  he 
permits,  as  it  were,  a  temporary  death  to 
overcloud  their  prospect;  and  that  which  he 
has  said  he  will  surely  do  for  them,  appears 
for  a  season,  to  the  judgment  of  sense,  im- 
practicable and  hopeless.  We  might  illu.s- 
trate  this  point  at  large  from  the  history  of 
Abraham,  of  Israel  in  Egypt,  of  David,  and 


8ER.  XXVI.] 


THE  ASCENSION  OF 


MESSIAH  TO  GLORY. 


301 


of  the  rebuilding  of  the  second  temple;  and  I 
doubt  not  but  it  might  be  illustrated  from  the 
history  of  many  in  this  assembly.  If  you  have 
been  walking  with  God  for  any  considerable 
time,  you  have  met  with  turns  and  changes 
which  have  almost  put  you  to  a  stand.  You 
have  been,  and  perhaps  now  are,  in  such  cir- 
cumstances, that  you  feel  you  have  no  re- 
source in  yourself,  and  you  are  sure  that  the 
help  of  man  cannot  relieve  you;  but  while 
your  help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  who 
made  heaven  and  earth,  (Psal.  cxxiv.  8,)  and 
While  you  are  warranted  to  trust  in  him  who 
taiseth  the  dead,  you  have  no  just  reason  to 
despond.  It  was  a  dark  season  with  the  dis- 
ciples, when  their  Lord,  whom  they  loved, 
And  in  whom  they  trusted,  that  it  had  been 
he  who  should  have  redeemed  Israel,  (Luke 
Xxiv.  20,  21,)  was  condemned,  and  put  to 
death.  But  the  appointed  third  day  relieved 
their  fears,  and  turned  their  mourning  into 
joy. 

3.  His  resurrection  is  the  pledge  and  pat- 
tern of  ours.  As  certainly  as  Christ,  the  first- 
fruits  is  risen,  so  certainly  shall  they  that  arc 
Christ's  arise  at  iiis  coming.  And  each  of 
his  people  shall  arise  aliusque  et  idem.*  Their 
bodies,  though  properly  their  own,  shall  bo 
I  changed,  and  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious 
I  body,  Phil.  iii.  2L  This  corruptible  must 
'  put  on  incorruption  ;  and  the  body,  which  is 
Bown  in  dishonour  and  weakness,  be  raised 
in  power  and  glory.  Flesh  and  blood,  in  its 
present  state,  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God.  The  body,  in  this  life,  is  a  clog  and 
a  burden  to  those  who  place  their  chief  hap- 
piness in  the  service  of  God,  and  in  commu- 
nion with  him.  It  is  a  vile  body,  defiled  by 
sin,  and  it  defiles  their  best  desires  and  no- 
blest efforts.  Even  the  grace  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  by  which  they  live,  though  perfectly 
pure  in  itself,  is  debased,  when  communi- 
cated to  them,  and  exercised  under  the  disad- 
vantages of  a  sinful  nature,  as  the  best  wine 
will  receive  a  taint  if  poured  into  a  foul 
vessel.  The  body,  in  another  view,  is  a 
prison,  in  which  the  soul,  confined  and  pent 
up,  is  limited  in  its  operations,  and  impeded 
in  its  perceptions  of  divine  things.  Though 
we  are  probably  surrounded  by  the  glorious 
realities  of  the  spiritual  world,  only  short  and 
transient  glances  of  them  are  discoverable  by 
us ;  we  see  but  by  reflection,  and  darkly  ; 
(1  Cor.  xiii.  12 ;)  we  know  but  in  part,  and 
should  know  nothing  of  them,  but  for  the 
good  report  of  the  word  of  God.  Farther, 
the  body,  as  it  is  the  seat  of  innumerable  in- 
firmities, and  the  medium  which  connects  us 
with  the  calamities  incident  to  this  mortal 
state,  is  often  a  great  hindrance  to  our  most 
desirable  enjoyments.  Pain  and  sickness  call 
off  the  attention,  and  indispose  our  faculties, 
when  we  wish  to  be  most  engaged  in  prayer, 

*  Another  and  yet  tlie  same. 


detain  us  from  the  ordinances,  or  prevent  the 
pleasure  we  hope  for  in  waiting  upon  the 
Lord  in  them.  But  our  new,  spiritual,  and 
glorified  bodies  will  be  free  from  all  defile- 
ment or  defect.  They  will  be  comj)lctely 
qualified  to  answer  the  best  wishes,  and  most 
enlarged  activity  of  the  soul.  Then,  but  not 
till  then,  we  hope  to  be  all  eye,  all  ear,  al- 
ways upon  the  wing  in  his  service,  and  per- 
fectly conformed  to  his  image,  in  light,  holi- 
ness, and  love;  for  then  we  shall  see  him  as 
he  is,  without  any  interposing  veil  or  cloud, 
1  John  iii.  2. 


SERMON  XXVL 

THE  ASCENSION  OF  MESSIAH  TO  GLORY. 

Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates,  and  be  ye 
lift  up,  ye  everlasting  doors,  and  the  King 
of  glory  shall  come  in.  Who  is  this  King 
of  glory  ?  The  Lord  strong  and  mighty, 
the  Lord  mighty  in  buttle.  Lift  vp  your 
heads,  O  ye  gates,  even  lift  up,  ye  ever- 
lasting doors,  and  the  King  of  glory  shall 
come  in.  Who  is  this  King  of  glory? 
The  Lord  of  Hosts,  he  is  the  King  of 
glory. — Psalm  xxiv.  7 — 10. 

The  institutions  of  the  Levitical  law  were 
a  shadow  or  sketch  of  good  things  to  come. 
They  exhibited  a  faint  and  general  outline 
of  the  mediation  and  glory  of  Messiah.  They 
may  be  compared  to  the  delicate  engravings 
on  a  seal,  the  beauty  and  proportions  of  which 
cannot  be  plainly  discerned  without  the  as- 
sistance of  a  glass.  The  gospel  answers  to 
such  a  glass.  Beheld  through  this  medium, 
the  miniature  delineations  of  the  law,  which 
to  the  eye  of  unassisted,  unhumbled  reason, 
appear  confused  and  insignificant,  display  a 
precision  of  arrangement  in  the  parts,  and  an 
importance  of  design  in  the  whole,  worthy  of 
the  wisdom  of  their  great  Author. 

From  the  similarity  of  the  subject  of  thig 
psalm  and  the  sixty-eighth,  it  is  at  least  pro- 
bable that  they  were  both  composed  upon  the 
same  occasion,  the  removal  of  the  ark  of  the 
Lord  from  its  last  stationary  residence  to  its 
fixed  abode  in  Zion,  when  the  king,  the 
priests,  the  singers,  and  the  harpers,  all  as- 
sisted in  the  procession,  attended  by  a  great 
concourse  of  the  people.  The  language  of 
the  latter  part  of  the  psalm  is  evidently  alter- 
nate. And  we  may  conceive,  that  when  the 
ark  approached  the  tabernacle,  the  priests 
and  Levites  who  accompanied  it,  demanded 
admittance  for  it  m  these  words,  "Litl  up 
your  heads.  O  ye  gates,"  &c.  and  were  an- 
swered by  those  who  were  waiting  within  to 
receive  it,  "  Who  is  the  King  of  glory  V 
To  which  question  the  proper  reply  is  made, 
"The  Lord  of  Hosts,  he  is  the  King  of  glory." 

This,  if  taken  according  to  the  letter  of 
the  history,  was  a  grand  and  solemn  transac- 


il 


302 


THE  ASCENSION  OF  MESSIAH  TO  GLORY. 


[SER.  XXVI. 


tion.  But  it  was  at  the  same  time  a  type  of 
an  ovent  uiispi-akably  more  g-loi-ious.  Thoy 
who  know  that  the  scriptures  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament testify  of  Christ,Hhat  it  is  he  of  whom 
Moses  in  the  Law,  David  in  tlie  Psalms,  and 
all  the  succeedinjr  prophets,  did  write,  will,  I 
think,  agree  in  considering^  this  passage  as 
referring  to  his  ascension,  in  the  nature  in 
which  he  suffered,  into  the  true  holy  place  in 
the  heavens,  as  the  representative  and  high- 
priest  of  his  people;  when,  after  having  by 
his  own  self  purged  our  sins,  he  sat  down  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high.  Then 
having  spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  he 
triumphed  over  them  openly,  though  not  in 
the  view  of  mortal  eyes.  He  lifted  up  his 
hands,  and  blessed  his  apostles,  and  while  in 
this  attitude  ho  was  parted  from  them,  Luke 
xxiv.  ^1.  He  ascended  gently  and  gradually, 
and  they,  admiring  and  adoring,  beheld  him 
with  fixed  attention,  till  a  cloud  concealed 
him  from  their  sight,  Acts  i.  9.  The  pomp 
and  triumph  of  his  ascension  were  displayed 
in  the  invisible  world.  But  this  description, 
accommodated  to  our  apprehensions,  is  given 
to  assist  the  faith  of  his  people,  that  their 
hearts  may  be  comforted,  their  meditations 
enlarged,  and  that  in  the  exercise  of  grateful 
love,  they  may  follow  him  in  their  thoughts, 
ascend  with  him  into  the  heavenly  places, 
and  rejoice  in  his  glory. 

We  conceive  of  him,  therefore,  from  this 
sublime  passage,  as  ascending  to  his  Father 
and  our  Father,  to  his  God  and  onr  God,  ac- 
companied with  a  train  of  worshipping  an- 
gels, who  demand  admittance  for  Messiah, 
the  Saviour  and  friend  of  sinners,  as  the  King 
of  glory.  The  question  is  asked.  Who  is  he 
that  claims  this  honour?  An  answer  is  given, 
asserting  his  character,  his  victories,  and  the 
justice  of  his  claims — "The  Lord  of  Hosts, 
the  Lord  strong  in  battle,  he  is  the  King  of 
glory." 

The  principal  points  which  offer  to  our 
consideration  are, 

I.  His  title, — The  Lord  of  hosts. 

II.  His  victories,  implied  in  the  expression, 
— The  Lord  strong  and  mighty  in  battle. 

III.  His  mediatorial  title, — The  King  of 
glory. 

IV.  His  authoritative  entrance  into  the 
holy  place. 

I.  Messiah,  who  humbled  himself  to  the 
death  of  the  cross,  is  the  Lord  of  hosts.  He 
ts  so,  if  the  scripture  be  true  ;  I  attempt  no 
other  proof  This  is  a  point  not  referred  to 
the  discussion  of  our  fallen  reason,  but  pro- 
posed by  the  authority  of  God  in  his  word, 
as  the  foundation  of  our  faith  and  hope.  He 
is  the  husband  of  the  church,  and  the  husband 
of  the  church  is  the  Lord  of  hosts,  Isa.  liv.  .5. 

It  was  the  Lord  of  hosts,  whom  Isaiah  saw, 
seated  upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and 
his  train  filling  the  temple,  Isa.  vi.  1.  The 
vision  filled  him  with  astonishment,  and  he 


cried  out,  "Woe  is  me,  T  am  undone; — tor 
mine  eyes  have  seen  the  King,  the  Lord  of 
hosts."'  But  the  apostle  John  assures  us, 
that  when  Isaiah  said  these  things,  he  saw 
his  glory,  and  spake  of  him,  John  xii.  41.  This 
is  the  title  of  God  in  the  Old  Testament;  or, 
as  some  choose  to  speak,  of  the  Supreme 
Being.  And  it  is  ascribed  to  Messiah  in 
many  places.  Therefore,  if  he  were  not  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  the  scripture  would  be  charge- 
able with  authorizing,  yea  with  enjoining 
idolatry  But  he  is  the  true  God,  and  eternal 
life;  (1  John  v.  20;)  and  they  who  give  him 
the  honour  due  to  his  name,  have  every  thing 
to  hope  and  nothing  to  fear. 

II.  He  is  the  Lord  strong  and  mighty  in 
battle.  It  was  in  his  human  nature  he  en- 
gaged in  battle  with  his  enemies  and  ours. 
But  the  battle  was  the  Lord's.  Therefore, 
though  he  trod  the  wine-press  alone,  and  of 
the  people  there  was  none  with  him,  (Isaiah 
Ixiii.  3,)  his  own  arm  brought  him  salvation. 
He  is  conqueror  of  sin,  Satan,  and  death. 
We  were  under  the  power  of  these  ;  there- 
fore, for  our  sakes,  he  engaged  in  conflict 
with  their  united  force.  He  fought,  he  bled, 
he  died  ;  but  in  dying,  he  conquered.  The 
strength  of  sin  is  the  law ;  this  strength,  he 
subdued,  by  obeying  the  precepts  of  the  law, 
and  sustaining  the  penalty  due  to  our  trans- 
gressions. He  destroyed  death,  and  disarmed 
it  of  its  sting.  He  destroyed  him  that  hath 
the  power  of  death,  Satan.  He  shook,  he 
overturned  the  foundations  of  his  kingdom, 
broke  open  his  prison-doors,  released  his  pri- 
soners, delivered  the  prey  out  of  the  hand  of 
the  mighty,  and  having  spoiled  principalities 
and  powers,  ho  made  a  show  of  them  openly, 
triumphing  over  them  in  it,  that  is,  in  his 
cross,  Col.  ii.  l.'i.  The  apostle  alludes  to  the 
manner  of  a  Roman  triumph,  in  which  the 
conqueror  was  drawn  in  a  chariot  of  state, 
attended  by  his  officers  and  soldiers ;  the 
principal  prisoners  followed  in  chains,  and 
all  the  treasures  and  trophies  gained  from 
the  vanquished  enemy  were  displayed  to 
adorn  the  procession.  Thus  Messiah  subdued 
the  strength  and  policy  of  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness, in  the  hour  of  his  lowest  humiliation, 
when  he  hung  and  expired  upon  the  cross, 
and  triumphed  over  them,  gloriously  leading 
captivity  captive,  when  he  ascended  on  high, 
Ps.  Ixviii.  18.  Satan,  though  still  an  enemy 
to  his  church  and  cause,  is  despoiled  of  his  do- 
minion ;  his  power  is  only  permissive,  and  in 
his  fiercest  assaults  he  is  limited  by  bounds 
which  he  cannot  pass,  by  a  chain  which  he 
cannot  break;  and  all  his  attempts  are  con- 
trolled and  over-ruled,  to  the  furtherance  of 
the  cause  which  he  would  suppress,  and  to 
the  good  of  the  persons  whom  he  would 
worry  and  destroy.  They  are  made  ac- 
quainted with  his  devices,  furnished  with  ar- 
mour sufficient  to  repel  him,  and  tliey  fight 
under  encouragement  of  a  sure  promise,  that 


SEU.  XXVI.] 


THE  ASCENSION  OF  MESSIAH  TO  GLORY. 


303 


the  God  of  peace  will  shortly  and  finally 
bruise  Satan  under  their  feet.  As  Messiah, 
tlieir  King,  has  conquered  for  thenri,  so  they, 
in  due  time,  shall  be  made  more  than  con- 
querors, by  faitli  in  his  blood,  and  in  the  word 
ol'  his  testimony. 

III.  The  title  of  King  of  glory,  I  under- 
stand as  peculiarly  applicable  to  him  in  the  i 
character  of  Mediator.  The  glory  of  his  di- 
vine nature  is  essential  to  him.  But  in  con- 
secjuence  of  his  obe'l.ence  unto  death,  he  ob- 
tained, in  the  huir.^.n  nature,  a  name  that  is 
above  every  name,  Phil.  ii.  9.  lie  suffered 
as  a  man,  yea,  as  a  malefactor;  there  was  no 
appearance  of  glory  in  that  form  of  a  servant 
which  he  assumed  for  our  sakes.  Though 
without  sin,  lie  was  made  in  the  likeness  of 
sinful  rtesh,  subject  to  poverty,  disgrace,  and 
death;  but  the  same  man  who  was  crucified, 
dead,  and  buried,  received  glory  and  autho- 
rity at  his  resurrection,  and  was  highly  ex- 
alted to  the  administration  of  all  dominion 
and  government.  Perhaps  the  word  glory  is 
not  easily  defined.  Wo  conceive  it  as  ex- 
pressing brightness  and  splendour.  The 
glory  of  Solomon  was  the  combined  effect  of 
bis  wisdom,  power,  and  riches;  which  dis- 
tinguished him  in  his  character,  conduct,  and 
appearance,  from  other  men.  The  glory  of 
tlio  sun  is  kis  effulgence  and  influence.  The 
word  glory,  when  applied  to  the  blessed  God, 
seems  to  denote  that  manifestation  of  him- 
self, by  which  his  intelligent  creatures  are 
capable  of  knowing  him  ;  for  in  himself  he  is 
infinite,  inaccessible,  and  incomprehensible, 
and  dwelleth  in  that  light  which  no  man, 
which  no  creature,  can  approach  unto,  1  Tim. 
vi.  16.  Of  this  manifestation  there  are  va- 
rious degrees.  His  glory  shines  in  the  crea- 
tion. Not  only  do  the  heavens  declare  it  by 
their  immensity,  (Ps.  xix.  1,)  and  furnish  us 
with  an  idea  of  his  unspeakable  greatness, 
who  has  sent  forth  ten  thousand  worlds,  to 
tell  us  that  he  resides  above  tliem  all;  but 
the  smallest  of  his  works,  the  grass  and 
flowers  of  the  field,  and  the  insects  which 
creep  upon  the  ground,  (Ps.  civ.  24,  25,)  bear 
an  impression  of  his  wisdom  and  goodness, 
an  inimitable  criterion  of  his  wonder-working 
hand,  which  so  far  displays  his  glory.  To  an 
attentive  and  discerning  mind,  his  glory 
shines  in  his  providence ;  in  his  preserving 
the  world  which  he  has  made;  in  supplying 
the  various  wants  of  his  creatures,  and  par- 
ticularly in  his  moral  government  of  man- 
kind. Here,  besides  his  wisdom,  power,  and 
general  goodness,  we  discover  some  traces 
of  his  character  as  the  righteous  Judge  of  the 
earth.  But  to  our  limited  capacities  and 
views  this  glory  is  obscured  by  many  difficul- 
ties. Though  righteousness  and  judgment 
are  the  habitation  of  his  throne,  yet  clouds 
and  darkness  are  round  about  him.  Psalm 
xcvii.  2.  By  his  holy  word,  his  revealed  will, 
we  are  favoured  with  a  still  brighter  display 


of  his  glory,  in  the  perfections  of  holiness, 
justice,  truth,  and  mercy,  which  fallen  man 
is  unable  clearly  to  discover  in  his  works  of 
creation  and  providence.  But  chiefly  hig 
Son  is  the  brightness  of  his  glory,  and  the 
express  image  of  his  person,  Heb.  i.  3.  No 
one  hath  seen  God  at  any  time,  hut  the  only- 
begotten  Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Fa- 
ther, (John  i.  18,)  intimately  acquainted  with 
his  counsels,  he  hath  declared  him.  This 
was  the  great  design  of  his  advent,  to  make 
God  known  to  man  :  fijr  as  it  is  lite  eternal 
to  know  the  only  true  God,  so  he  is  only  to 
be  known  in  and  by  Jesus  Christ,  whom  he 
hath  sent,  (John  xvii.  3,)  and  who  is  the  way 
and  the  door;  and  there  is  no  entrance  to  the 
knowledge  of  God  but  by  him.  In  the  person 
and  work  of  Messiah,  the  light  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  glory  of  God,  the  brightness  and 
harmony  of  all  his  attributes,  istranfcendently 
revealed.  In  this  sense  he  is  the  Lord,  the 
King  of  glory.  When  we  are  enlightened  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  to  conceive  of  him  according 
to  the  testimony  given  of  him  in  the  scrip- 
ture, we  see  the  glory  of  God.  Other  dis- 
coveries of  it  are  but  scattered  rays  and  ema- 
nations of  light ;  but  in  Jesus  the  glory  of 
God  resides  in  its  source  and  fulness,  as  light 
in  the  sun.  He  is  therefore  the  King  of 
glory. 

IV.  As  the  acknowledged  King  of  glory, 
in  the  nature  of  man,  he  ascended  :  the  ever- 
lasting gates  unfolded  wide,  and  he  entered 
into  the  holy  place,  not  made  with  liand.s, 
there  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  his 
people : 

1.  As  their  representative.  The  glory  is 
properly  his  own,  the  benefit  redounds  to  his 
people.  Sin  had  excluded  them  from  the 
kmgdom  ;  but  he  claimed  and  took  possession 
in  their  name,  Heb.  vi.  20.  Hence  he  is 
styled  their  forerunner,  because  by  virtue  of 
their  relation  to  him,  and  their  interest  in 
him,  they  shall  surely  follow  him.  This  is 
the  encouragement  of  believers.  He  is  the 
head  of  his  body  the  churcli :  and  though  the 
church,  while  in  this  world,  is  in  a  suffering 
perilous  state ;  yet  as  the  hotly  of  a  man  is 
not  in  danger  of  drowning  while  his  head  is 
out  of  the  water,  so  our  forerunner  and  head 
being  in  heaven  on  their  behalf,  he  will  as- 
suredly draw  all  his  living  members  to  him- 
self lie  has  said,  "  Because  I  live,  ye  shall 
shall  live  also,"  John  xiv.  19.  And  he  has 
stipulated  for  them,  that  they  shall,  each  in 
his  appointed  time,  be  with  him  where  he  is, 
to  behold  his  glory,  John  xvii.  24. 

2.  As  their  High-priest  and  Intercessor. 
He  presents  their  persons  and  their  prayers 
acceptable  to  God.  He  bears  the  iniquity  of 
their  holy  things.  With  this  encouragement, 
weak  and  unworthy  as  they  are  in  them- 
selves, and  though  their  best  services  are 
polluted,  they  find  a  liberty  of  access;  and 
because  he  ever  liveth,  thus  to  make  inter- 


304 


MESSIAH  THE 


SON  OF  GOD. 


[SER.  XXVTI. 


cession  for  all  who  come  unto  God  by  him, 
(Heb.  vii.  2"),)  they  know  that  lie  is  able  to 
save  them  to  the  uttermost. 

13.  Thoug-h  the  heavens  must  receive  and 
contain  his  holy  human  nature  till  the  resti- 
tution of  all  things,  ho  is  not  unmindful  of 
them  in  their  present  circumstances.  He  is 
seated  upon  tlie  throne  of  universal  dominion, 
and  he  e.xercises  his  authority  and  rule  with 
an  especial  view  to  their  welfare.  While  he 
pleads  for  them  on  hiT;h,  by  the  power  of  his 
Spirit,  he  is  present  with  them  below.  He 
comforts  their  hearts,  enlivens  their  assem- 
blies, and  manages  their  concerns.  He  is 
their  Shepherd,  who  gives  thein  food,  con- 
trols their  enemies,  revives  their  fainting 
spirits,  and  restores  their  wanderings.  Psalm 
x.xiii.  His  ear  is  open  to  their  prayers,  his 
eye  is  upon  them  in  every  situation,  and  his 
arm  stretched  forth  for  their  relief  There- 
fore, though  persecuted,  they  are  not  for- 
saken ;  though  cast  down,  they  are  not  de- 
stroyed. And  he  has  promised  that  he  will 
not  leave  them,  until  he  has  done  all  that  for 
them  wliich  his  word  has  taught  them  to  hope 
for;  until  he  has  made  them  victorious  over 
all  their  enemies,  and  put  the  conqueror's 
sonu  in  their  mouths,  and  a  crown  of  life 
upon  their  heads. 

This  High  and  Holy  One,  this  King  of 
glory,  who  is  seated  on  the  throne  of  heaven, 
dwelleth  also  in  the  humble  and  lowly  spirit. 
He  thus  solemnly  claims  the  throne  of  the 
heart  of  each  of  his  people,  which,  in  a  state 
of  nature,  is  usurped  by  self  and  Satan  ;  and 
he  is  thus  willingly  acknowledged  and  ad- 
mitted in  the  day  of  his  power.  Behold!  he 
stands  at  the  door,  and  knocks ;  (Rev.  iii.  20  ;) 
and  because  he  is  as  yet  unknown,  he  is  for 
a  while  rejected.  The  bolts  and  bars  of  pre- 
judice and  unbelief  withstand  his  entrance. 
But  when  he  comes  on  a  purpose  of  grace,  he 
will  take  no  denial.  For  a  season  he  waits  to 
be  gracious.  But  he  has  an  appointed  hour, 
when  he  reveals  his  great  name,  and  makes 
the  soul  sensible  who  he  is !  Then  the  gates 
of  brass  and  bars  of  iron  are  broken  before 
him.  His  greatness  and  his  goodness,  what 
he  is  in  himself,  and  what  he  has  done  and 
suffered  for  sinners,  are  motives  which  can- 
not be  resisted  when  they  are  truly  under- 
stood. Satan,  who,  as  the  strong  one  armed, 
long  laboured  to  hinder  him  from  his  riirht- 
ful  possession,  is  himself  dispossessed.  The 
soul  laments  its  former  obstinacy,  throws 
down  its  arms,  throws  wide  open  its  doors, 
and  bids  the  King  of  glory  welcome.  Then 
Old  things  pass  away,  and  all  things  become 
new  Such  was  the  change  the  poor  man 
experienced,  out  of  whom  Jesus  cast  a  legion 
of  evil  spirits.  At  first,  if  he  could,  he  would 
have  prevented  his  kind  purpose ;  he  was 
afraid  of  his  deliverer,  and  said,  "  I  beseech 
thee  torment  me  not."  Mark  v.  7.  How 
wretched  was  his  state  then,  miserable  in 


himself,  and  a  terror  to  others!  But  what  a 
wonderful  and  happy  alteration,  when  liT  sat 
quietly  at  his  Saviour's  feet,  clothed  and  in 
his  right  mind ! 

I  close  the  subject  with  the  apostie's  in- 
ference, "Seeing  then  that  we  liave so  ofreat 
a  high-priest,  who  is  passed  into  the  heavens, 
Jesus  the  Son  of  God,  let  us  hold  liist  our 
profession."  Heb.  iv.  14.  Let  not  those  who 
know  him,  be  a.shamed  of  their  attachment  to 
him.  You  will  not  repent  in  a  dying  hour, 
that  you  once  thought  too  highly  of  him,  or 
expected  too  much  from  him,  or  devoted 
yourselves  with  too  much  earnestness  to  his 
service.  Nor  yield  to  unbelief  and  fear. 
Though  your  enemies  are  many  and  might)', 
and  your  trials  great,  greater  is  he  that  is 
with  you.  If  the  Lord,  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the 
Lord  strong  and  mighty  in  battle,  bo  for  you, 
who  can  be  against  you,  so  as  effectually  to 
harm  you  !  Continue  instant  in  prayer,  per- 
severe in  well-doing.  Our  ascended  Lord 
will  one  day  return;  and  then  they  who  have 
loved  and  served,  and  trusted  him  here,  shall 
appear  with  him  in  glory,  Col.  iii.  l. 

Others,  if  they  can,  must  prepare  to  meet 
him.  But  alas  I  how  shall  they  stand  before 
him  ]  Or  whither  shall  they  flee  from  him 
whose  presence  filleth  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  ?  Jer.  xxiii.  24.  Have  they  an  arm  like 
God !  or  can  they  thunder  with  a  voice  like 
ills?  As  yet  he  is  proclaimed  by  the  gospef, 
a  Saviour,  seated  upon  a  throne  of  grace, 
stretching  forth  the  golden  sceptre  of  his  love, 
and  inviting  sinners  to  be  reconciled.  Now 
is  the  accepted  time.  Hereafter  he  will  be 
seen  upon  a  throne  of  judgment,  to  take  ven- 
geance of  his  enemies. 


SERMON  XXVII. 

MESSI.\H  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 

For  unto  which  of  the  angels  said  he  at  any 
time.  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  1 
begotten  thee  ? — Hebrews,  i.  5. 

Thovgh  every  part  of  a  revelation  from 
God  must  of  course  be  equally  true,  there 
may  be  a  considerable  difference  even  among 
truths  proposed  by  the  same  autnority,  with 
respect  to  their  immediate  importance.  There 
are  fundamental  truths,  the  knowledge  of 
which  is  essentially  necessary  to  our  peace 
and  holiness;  and  there  are  others  of  a  se- 
condary nature,  which,  though  very  useful  in 
their  proper  connexion,  and  though  the  right 
apprehension  of  them  is  greatly  conducive  to 
the  comfort  and  establishment  of  a  believer, 
are  not  so  necessary,  but  that  he  may  be  a 
true  believer  before  he  clearfy  understands 
them.  Thus  our  Lord  pronounced  Peter 
blessed,  (Matt,  xvi.  17,)  for  his  acknowledg- 


8ER.  XXVII.] 


MESSIAH  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 


306 


ment  of  a  truth,  which  had  been  revealed  to 
him,  not  by  flesh  and  blood,  but  from  above, 
thoug'h  he  was  at  tiiat  time  very  deficient  in 
doctrinal  knowledge.  It  is  not  easy  to  draw 
the  line  here,  and  precisely  to  distinguish  be- 
tween fundamental  and  secondary  truths;  yet 
some  attention  to  this  distinction  isexpedient; 
and  the  want  of  such  attention  has  greatly 
contributed  to  foment  and  embitter  contro- 
versies in  the  Church  of  Christ ;  while  fal- 
lible men,  from  a  mistaken  zoa!  for  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints,  have  laboured  to 
enforce  all  their  religious  sentiments  with  an 
equal  and  indiscriminate  vehemence.  It  is 
evident,  that  tiie  truths  essential  to  the  very 
being  of  a  Christian  must  be  known  and  ex- 
perienced by  all,  of  every  nation,  people,  and 
language,  who  are  taughtof  God ;  (Is.  liv.  18;) 
for  they,  and  they  only,  are  Ciiristians  in- 
deed, who  are  thus  taught.  And  tlierefore  it 
seems  to  follow,  that  no  doctrine,  however 
true  in  itself,  which  humble  and  spiritual  per- 
sons, who  study  the  scriptures  with  prayer, 
and  really  depend  upon  divine  teaching,  are 
not  agreed  in,  can  be  strictly  fundamental. 
And  perhaps  the  chief  part  of  the  apparent 
diversity  of  their  sentiments  does  not  so 
often  resjject  the  truth  itself,  as  the  different 
acceptation  they  put  upon  the  words  and 
phrases  by  which  they  endeavour  to  e.xpress 
their  meaning  to  each  other. 

However,  if  there  be  any  doctrine  funda- 
mental, and  necessary  to  be  rightly  under- 
stood, what  the  scriptures  teach  concerning 
the  person  of  Messiah  the  Redeemer,  must 
be  eminently  so.  Mistakes- upon  this  point 
must  necessarily  be  dangerous.  It  cannot  be 
a  question  of  mere  speculation,  whether  tiie 
Saviour  be  God  or  a  creature ;  he  must 
either  be  the  one  or  the  other  ;  and  the  wliole 
frame  of  our  religion  is  unavoidably  depend- 
ent upon  the  judgment  we  form  of  him.  If 
he  be  a  man  only,  or  if  he  be  an  angel,  though 
of  the  highest  order,  and  possessed  of  excel- 
lencies peculiar  to  himself;  still,  upon  the 
supposition  that  he  is  but  a  creature,  he  must 
be  infinitely  inferior  to  his  Maker,  in  com- 
parison of  whose  immensity  tiie  difference 
between  an  angel  and  a  worm  is  anni- 
hilated. Then  all  they  who  pay  divine  wor- 
ship to  Jesus,  who  love  him  above  all,  trust 
him  with  all  their  concerns  for  time  and 
eternity,  and  address  him  in  the  language  of 
Thomas,  "  My  Lord,  and  my  God,"  (John 
XX.  28,)  are  involved  in  the  gro.ssand  heinous 
crime  of  idolatry,  by  a.scribing  to  him  that 
glory  which  the  great  God  has  declared  he 
will  not  give  to  another,  Is.  xlii.  8.  On  the 
contrary,  if  he  be  God  over  all  blessed  for 
ever,  Jehovah,  the  Lord  of  hosts,  then  they 
who  refuse  him  the  honour  due  unto  his 
name,  worship  they  know  not  what,  John  iv. 
22.  For  there  is  but  one  God ;  and,  accord- 
ing to  this  plan,  they  who  know  him  not  in 

Vol.  II.  2  Q, 


Christ,  know  him  not  at  all,  but  are  without 
God  in  the  world,  Ephes.  ii.  12.  The  judg- 
ment we  form  of  the  Saviour  demonstrates 
likewise  how  far  we  know  ourselves.  For 
it  may  be  fairly  presumed,  that  they  who 
think  a  creature  capable  of  making  atone- 
ment for  their  sins,  or  of  sustaining  the  office 
of  Shepherd  and  bishop  of  their  souls,  have 
too  slight  thoughts,  both  of  the  evil  of  sin, 
and  of  the  weakness  and  wickedness  of  the 
human  heart. 

We  ascribe  it  therefore  to  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  God,  that  a  doctrine  so  impor- 
tant, the  very  pillar  and  ground  of  truth,  is 
not  asserted  once,  or  in  a  few  places  of  scrif>- 
ture  only.  It  does  not  depend  upon  texts 
which  require  a  nice  skill  in  criticism,  or  a 
collation  of  ancient  manuscripts,  to  settle 
their  sense;  but,  like  the  blood  in  the  animal 
economy,  it  pervades  and  enlivens  the  whole 
system  of  revelation.  The  books  of  Moses, 
the  Psalms,  and  the  Prophets,  all  testify  of 
Him,  who  was  styled  the  Son  of  God  in  so 
peculiar  a  sense,  that  the  apostle,  in  this 
passage,  considers  it  as  a  sufficient  proof 
that  he  is  by  nature  superior  to  all  crea- 
tures. The  form  of  the  question  implies  the 
strongest  assertion  of  this  superiority ;  as  if 
he  had  said.  Conceive  of  the  highest  and 
most  exalted  of  the  angels,  it  would  be  ab- 
surd to  suppose  that  Goil  would  say  to  him, 
"  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begot- 
ten tliee." 

The  verse  contains  three  terms  which  re- 
quire explanation.  My  Soil — Begotten — This 
flay.  But  who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  ?- 
If  I  attempt  to  explain  them,  I  wish  to  speak 
with  a  caution  and  modesty  becoming  the 
sense  I  ought  to  have  of  my  own  weakness, 
and  to  keep  upon  safe  ground;  lest,  instead 
of  elucidating  so  sublime  a  subject,  I  should 
darken  counsel  by  words  without  knowledge. 
And  I  know  of  no  safe  ground  to  go  upon  in 
these  inquiries,  but  the  sure  testimony  of 
scripture.  It  would  be  to  the  last  degree 
improper  to  indulge  flights  of  imagination,  or 
a  spirit  of  curiosity  or  conjecture  upon  this 
occasion.  These  are  the  deep  things  of  God, 
in  which,  if  we  have  not  the  guidance  of  his 
word  and  Spirit,  we  shall  certainly  bewilder 
ourselves.  Nor  would  I  speak  in  a  positive 
dogmatizing  strain  ;  at  the  same  time  I  trust 
the  scripture  will  afffjrd  light  sufficient  to  pre- 
serve us  from  a  cold  and  comfortless  uncer- 
tainty. 

The  gracious  design  of  God  in  affording  us 
his  holy  scripture,  is  to  make  us  wise  unto 
salvation,  2  Tim.  iii.  1.5.  His  manner  of 
leaching  is  therefore  accommodated  to  our 
circumstances.  He  instructs  us  in  heavenly 
things  by  earthly.  And  to  ensrage  our  confi- 
dence, to  excite  our  ffrs-.-ruoe,  to  animate  us 
to  our  duty  bv  ^..e  most  afiecting  motives; 
and  tha':  tae  reverence  we  owe  to  his  great 


306 


MESSIAH  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 


[SER.  XXVII. 


and  glorious  Majesty,  as  our  Creator  and  Le- 
gislator, may  be  combined  with  love  and 
cheerful  dependence,  he  is  pleased  to  reveal 
himself  by  those  names  which  express  the 
nearest  relation  and  endearment  amongst 
ourselves.    Thus  he  condescends  to  style 
liimself  the  Father,  the  Husband,  and  the 
Friend  of  hia  people.    But  though  in  tliis 
way  we  are  assisted  in  forming  our  concep- 
tions of  his  love,  compassion,  and  faithfulness, 
it  is  obvious  that  these  names,  when  applied 
to  him,  must  be  understood  in  a  sense  agreea- 
ble to  the  perfections  of  his  nature,  and  in 
many  respects  different  from  the  meaning 
they  bear  amongst  men.    And  thus,  when  we 
are  informed  that  God  has  a  Son,  an  only 
Son,  an  only  begotten  Son,  it  is  our  part  to 
receive  his  testimony,  to  admire  and  adore; 
and  for  an  explanation  adapted  to  our  profit 
and  comfort,  we  are  to  consult,  not  our  own 
preconceived  ideas,  but  the  further  declara- 
tions of  his  word,  comparing  spiritual  things 
with  spiritual,  attending  with  the  simplicity 
of  children  to  his  instructions,  and  avoiding, 
as  much  as  possible,  those  vain  reasonings, 
upon  points  above  our  comprehension,  which, 
though  flattering  to  the  pride  of  our  hearts, 
are  sure  to  indispose  us  for  the  reception  of 
divine  truth.    A  distinction  in  the  divine  na- 
ture, inconceivable  by  us,  but  plainly  revealed 
in  terms,  must  be  admitted,  upon  the  testi- 
mony and  authority  of  him,  who  alone  can 
instruct  us  in  what  we  are  concerned  to  know 
of  his  adorable  essence.    "  There  are  three 
tiiat  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the 
Word,  and  the  Holy  Gliost,  and  these  three 
are  one,"  1  John  v.  7.    To  each  of  these  three 
the  perfections  of  Deity  are  attributed  and 
ascribed  in  various  parts  of  scripture.  Each 
of  them  therefore  is  God ;  and  yet  we  are 
sure,  both  from  scripture  and  reason,  there 
is,  there  can  be,  but  one  God.    Thus  far  we 
can  go  safely;  and  that  we  can  go  no  farther, 
that  our  thoughts  are  lost  and  overwhelmed, 
if  we  attempt  to  represent  to  ourselves  how 
or  in  what  manner  three  are  one,  and  one  are 
three,  may  be  easily  accounted  for,  if  any 
just  reason  can  be  given,  why  a  worm  cannot 
comprehend  infinity.    Let  us  first,  if  we  can, 
account  for  the  nature,  essence,  and  proper- 
tics  of  the  things  with  which,  as  to  their 
effects,  we  are  familiarly  acquainted.  Let 
us  explain  the  growth  of  a  blade  of  grass,  or 
the  virtues  of  the  loadstone.    Till  we  are 
able  to  do  this,  it  becomes  us  to  lay  our  hands 
upon  our  mouths,  and  our  mouths  in  the  dust. 
Far  from  attempting  to  explain  the  doctrine 
of  the  Trinity  to  my  hearers,  I  rather  wish  to 
leave  an  impression  upon  your  minds,  that  it 
is  to  us  (and  perhaps  to  the  highest  created  ■ 
intelligence)  incomprehensible.    But  if  it  be 
contained  in  the  scripture  (which  I  must 
leave  to  your  own  consciences  to  determine  . 
in  the  sight  of  God,)  it  is  thereby  sufficiently 


proved,  and  humble  faith  requires  no  other 
proof 

Allow  me  to  confirm  my  own  sentiments, 
by  an  observation  of  a  celebrated  French 
writer,*  to  the  following  purport: — "The 
whole  diflerence,  with  respect  to  this  subject, 
between  the  common  people  and  the  learned 
doctors,  is — that  while  they  are  both  equally 
ignorant,  the  ignorance  of  the  people  is  mo- 
dest and  ingenuous,  and  they  do  not  blush  for 
being  unable  to  see  what  God  has  thought  fit 
to  conceal.  Whereas  tlie  ignorance  of  tlieir 
teachers  is  proud  and  afl'eeted :  they  liave  re- 
course to  scholastic  distinctions,  and  abstract 
reasonings,  that  they  may  not  be  thouglit 
upon  a  level  with  the  vulgar." 

The  form  of  baptism  prescribed  by  our 
Lord  tor  the  use  of  his  church,  is  thus  ex- 
pressed, "  Baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  tlie  Holy 
Ghost,"  Matt,  xxviii.  19.  It  is  evident,  by 
comparing  this  sentence  with  that  which  I 
before  recited  from  the  Epistle  of  John,  that 
the  Word  and  the  Son  are  synonymous  terms, 
expressive  of  the  same  character.  They  are 
both  the  titles  of  Messiah.  Of  him  John 
spoke,  when  he  said,  "  The  Word  was  made 
flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us ;"  and  of  him  God 
the  Father  said,  "  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day 
have  I  begotten  thee."  Had  God  spoken 
thus  to  an  angel,  it  would  have  been  in  effect 
saying.  Thou  art  the  Word,  which  in  the 
beginning  was  with  God,  and  was  God,  by 
whom  all  things  were  made.  But  to  which 
of  all  the  angels  would  the  great  God  use 
language  like  this  ! 

Our  Lord,  in  his  conference  with  Nicode- 
mus,  was  pleased  to  say,  "God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son," 
&c.  John  iii.  16.  It  was  undoubtedly  his  de- 
sign, by  this  expression,  to  give  to  Nicode- 
mus,  and  to  us,  the  highest  idea  possible  of 
the  love  of  God  to  sinners.  He  so  loved  the 
world,  beyond  description  or  comparison,  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son.  Surely  then 
the  gifl  spoken  of  must  not  be  limited  to  sig- 
nify the  human  nature  only.  This  was  not 
all  tliat  he  gave.  The  human  nature  was 
the  medium  of  the  acts  and  sufferings  of  Mes-- 
siah :  but  he  who  assumed  it  was  the  Word, 
who  was  before  all,  and  by  whom  all  things 
were  made.  It  is  true  the  human  nature 
was  given,  supernaturally  formed  by  divine 
power,  and  born  of  a  virgin.  But  he  who 
was  in  the  beginning.  Gal  with  God,  was 
given  to  appear,  obey,  and  suffer,  in  the  na- 
ture of  man,  for  us,  and  for  our  salvation. 
And  to  him  are  ascribed  the  perfections  and 
attributes  of  Deity;  for  which  the  highest 
angels  are  no  more  capable  than  the  worms 
which  creep  upon  the  earth. 

I  cannot,  therefore,  suppose,  that  the  title 


*  Abbadie. 


SER.  XXVII.] 


MESSIAH  THE  SON  OF  GOD, 


307 


of  Son  of  God  is  merely  a  title  of  office,  or 
belong'ing  only  to  the  nature  which  he  as- 
Bunied;  but  that  Messiah  is  the  Son  of  God, 
as  he  is  God  and  man  in  one  person.  If  the 
forming  a  perfect  and  spotless  man,  like 
Adam  when  he  was  first  created,  could  have 
affected  our  salvation,  it  would  have  been  a 
great  and  undeserved  mercy  to  have  vouch- 
safed the  g'ift ;  but  I  think  it  v^ould  not  have 
required  such  very  strong'  language  as  the 
scripture  uses  in  describing  the  gift  of  the 
Son  of  God.  The  God-man  the  whole  per- 
son of  Ciirist,  was  sent,  came  forth  from  the 
Father.  The  manhood  was  the  offering; 
but  the  Word  of  God,  possessed  of  the  per- 
fections of  Deity,  was  tlie  altar  necessary  to 
sanctify  the  gift,  and  to  give  a  value  and 
efficacy  to  the  atonement. 

The  term  begotten,  expresses,  with  us,  the 
ground  of  relation  between  father  and  son, 
and  upon  which  an  only  son  is  the  heir  of  a 
father.  I  feel  and  confess  myself  at  a  loss 
here.  I  might  take  up  your  time,  and  per- 
haps conceal  my  own  ignorance,  by  borrow- 
ing from  the  writings  of  wiser  and  better 
men  than  myself,  a  detail  of  what  have  been 
generally  reputed  tiie  more  prevailing  ortho- 
dox sentnnents  on  tiiis  subject.  But  I  dare 
not  go  beyond  my  own  ideas.  I  shall  not, 
therefore,  attempt  to  explain  the  phrase,  e/er- 
nal  generation,  because  I  must  acknowledge 
that  I  do  not  clearly  understand  it  myself 
Long  before  time  began,  the  purpose  of  con- 
stituting the  Mediator  between  God  and  sin- 
ners was  established  in  the  divine  counsels. 
VVith  reference  to  this,  he  himself  speaks,  in 
the  character  of  the  Wisdom  of  God  ;  "  The 
Lord  possessed  me  in  the  beginning  of  his 
way,  before  his  works  of  old.  I  was  set  up 
from  everlasting,  from  the  beginning,  or  ever 
the  earth  was.  Then  I  was  by  him,  as  one 
brought  up  with  him,  rejoicing  always  before 
liirn  ;  rejoicing  in  the  habitable  parts  of  the 
earth,  and  my  delights  were  with  the  sons  of 
men,"  Prov.  viii.  22,  ;U.  If  the  Word  of 
God  liad  not  engaged,  according  to  an  ever- 
lasting and  sure  covenant,  to  assume  our  na- 
ture, and  to  accomplish  our  salvation,  before 
the  earth  was  formed,  he  would  not  have  ap- 
peared afterwards  ;  for  we  cannot,  with  rea- 
son, conceive  of  any  new  determinations 
arising  in  the  mind  of  the  infinite  God,  to 
whom  what  we  call  the  past  and  tiie  future 
arc  equally  present.  In  this  sense  (if  tiie 
expression  be  proper  to  convey  such  a  sense,) 
I  can  conceive  that  he  was  the  begotten  Son 
of  God  from  eternity ;  that  is,  set  up  and  ap- 
pointed from  eternity  for  the  office,  nature, 
and  work,  by  which,  in  the  fulness  of  time, 
he  was  manifested  to  men.  But  if  the  terms, 
begotten  or  eternal  generntwn,he  used  to  de- 
note the  manner  of  his  eternal  existence  in 
Deity,  I  must  be  silent.  I  believe  him  to  be 
the  eternal  Son;  I  believe  him  to  be  the  eter- 
nal God ;  and  I  wish  not  to  exercise  my 


thoughts  and  inquiries  more  than  is  needful, 
in  things  which  are  too  high  for  me. 

The  scripture,  in  ditterent  places,  evi- 
dently applies  the  purport  of  this  phrase,  "  I 
have  begotten  thee,"  to  transactions  which 
took  place  in  time.  This  day,  and  particular- 
ly to  two  principal  events. 

1.  His  incarnation. — Thus  the  angel  to 
Mary,  "The  Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon 
tliee,  and  the  power  of  the  Highest  shall  over- 
shadow thee ;  therefore  also  the  holy  thing 
which  shall  be  born  of  thee,  shall  be  called 
the  Son  of  God,"  Luke  i.  3.5.  So  the  apostle, 
"  In  the  fulness  of  time  God  sent  forth  his 
Son  made  of  a  woman,"  Gal.  iv.  4.  And  in 
the  passage  we  are  next  to  consider,  "  When 
he  bringeth  his  first  begotten  into  the  world, 
he  saith.  And  let  all  tiie  angels  of  God  wor- 
ship him." 

2.  His  resurrection. — To  this  purpose  our 
text  is  quoted  from  the  second  Psalm.  "  The 
promise  which  was  made  unto  the  fathers, 
God  hath  fulfilled  the  same  to  the  children, 
in  that  he  hatli  raised  up  Jesus  again  ;  as  it  is 
also  written  in  the  second  Psalm,  Thou  art 
my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee,"  Acts 
xiii.  ii'2,  33.  And  in  another  place  he  teaches 
us,  tliat  he  who  was  of  the  seed  of  David,  ac- 
cording to  the  flesh,  was  declared  to  be  the 
Son  of  God  with  power,  according  to  the 
Spirit  of  holiness,  by  the  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  Rom.  i.  4. 

After  all,  I  would  remind  you,  that  the 
best  knowledge  of  the  doctrine  of  the  person 
of  Christ,  that  which  affords  life  and  comfort 
to  the  soul,  is  to  be  obtained,  not  so  much  by 
inquiry  and  study  on  our  part,  as  by  a  gra- 
cious manifestation  on  his  part.  Prayer,  at- 
tention to  the  great  Teacher,  a  humble  pe- 
rusal of  the  scripture,  and  a  course  of  simple 
obedience  to  his  known  will,  are  the  me- 
thods whicii  he  has  prescribed  for  our  growth 
in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  himself 
Thus  even  babes  are  made  wise  ;  while  they 
who  arc  wise  and  prudent  in  their  own  sight 
the  more  tliey  endeavour  to  investigate  and 
ascertain  tlie  sense  of  scripture,  are  frequent- 
ly involved  more  and  more  in  perplexity. 
He  has  given  a  promise  and  direction,  tor 
the  encouragement  of  those  who  sincerely 
seek  him.  "He  that  hath  my  command- 
ments and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  tliat  loveth 
me  ;  and  he  that  loveth  me  shall  be  loved  of 
my  Father,  and  I  will  love  him,  and  will 
manifest  myself  unto  him."  John  xiv.  21. 

This  is  he  with  whom  we  have  to  do.  In 
and  by  this  Son  of  his  love,  we  have  access  by 
faith  unto  (Jod.  Unworthy  and  helpless  in 
ourselves,  from  hence  we  derive  our  plea; 
here  we  find  a  refuge ;  and  on  this  we  rest, 
and  build  our  hope,  that  God  hath  given  us 
eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son  ;  who 
is  so  much  better  than  the  anjrels,  as  he  hath 
by  inheritance  obtained  a  more  excellent 
name  than  they,  Heb.  i.  4. 


808 


MESSIAH  WORSHIPPED  BY  ANGELS. 


[SER.  xxviir. 


SERMON  XXVIII. 

MESSIAH  WORSHIPPED  BY  ANGELS. 

 Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him. 

Hebrews,  i.  6. 

Many  of  the  Lord's  true  servants  have 
been  in  a  situation  so  nearly  similar  to  that 
of  Elijah,  (1  Kings  xix.  10,)  that  like  him  they 
have  been  tempted  to  think  they  were  left  to 
serve  him  alone.  But  God  had  then  a  faith- 
ful people,  and  he  has  so  in  every  age.  The 
preaching  of  the  gospel  may  be  compared  to 
a  standard  erected,  to  which  they  repair,  and 
thereby  become  known  to  each  other,  and 
more  exposed  to  the  notice  and  observation 
of  the  world.  But  we  hope  there  are  always 
many,  who  are  enlightened  by  his  word  and 
Holy  Spirit,  and  training  up  in  the  life  of 
faith  and  holiness,  known  and  dear  to  God, 
though  they  have  little  advantage  from  pub- 
lic ordinances,  and  perhaps  no  opportunity  of 
conversing  with  those  who  are  like-minded 
with  themselves.  But  even  though  the  num- 
ber of  those  who  visibly  profess  the  gospel  of 
the  grace  of  God  were  much  smaller  than  it 
is,  we  need  not  be  disheartened.  If  our  sight 
could  pierce  into  the  invisible  world,  we 
should  be  satisfied  that  there  are  more  with 
US  than  against  us,  2  Kings  vi.  16.  And  such 
a  power  is  attributed  to  faith.  It  is  the  evi- 
dence of  things  not  seen,  (Heb.  xi.  1,)  because 
it  receives  the  testimony  of  scripture,  and 
rests  upon  it,  as  a  certainty,  and  a  demonstra- 
tion ;  requiring  no  other  proof,  either  of  doc- 
trines or  facts,  than  that  they  are  contained 
in  the  sure  word  of  God.  True  christians 
therefore  are  comforted  by  the  assurance 
they  have  that  their  Saviour,  the  Lord  of 
their  hearts,  is  not  so  neglected  and  despised, 
nor  his  character  so  misunderstood  and  mis- 
represented in  yonder  land  of  light,  as  in  this 
dark  and  degenerate  world.  Though  too 
many  here,  like  Festus,  treat  it  as  a  mat- 
ter of  great  indifference,  whether  Jesus  be 
dead  or  alive  ;  (Acts  xxv.  19 ;)  and  ask  them 
with  a  taunt.  What  is  your  Beloved  more 
than  another  beloved?  they  are  not  ashamed, 
for  they  know  whom  they  have  believed ; 
and  if  men  will  not  join  with  them  in  ad- 
miring and  praising  him,  they  are  sure  that 
they  have  the  concurrence  of  far  superior 
beings.  By  faith  they  behold  him  seated 
upon  a  throne  of  glory,  adored  by  all  holy  and 
happy  intelligent  creatures,  whether  angels, 
principalities,  powers  or  dominions.  And 
when  he  was  upon  earth,  in  a  state  of  humili- 
ation, though  despised  and  rejected  of  men, 
he  was  seen  and  acknowledged  by  angels. 
Their  warrant  and  ours  is  the  same.  He  is 
proposed  to  us  as  the  object  of  our  supreme 
love  and  dependence  ;  and  as  we  are  enjoined 
to  kiss  the  Son  and  to  pay  him  homage,  so 
when  God  brought  him  into  the  world,  he 


said,  "  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship 
him." 

Though  the  bringing  Messiah,  the  first  or 
only  begotten,  into  the  world,  may,  as  I  have 
observed  already,  be  applied  to  his  incarna- 
tion, or  to  his  resurrection.  I  apprehend  it 
rather  designs  the  whole  of  his  exhibition  in 
the  flesh.  At  his  ascension,  having  finished 
the  work  appointed  for  him  to  do,  he  was 
solemnly  invested  with  authority  and  glory, 
and  sat  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty 
on  high.  But  in  his  lowest,  no  less  than 
in  his  exalted  state,  the  dignity  of  his  divine 
person  is  the  same,  yesterday,  to-day,  and 
for  ever.  He  was  always  the  proper  object 
of  worship.  It  was  agreeable  to  right,  and 
to  the  nature  of  things,  and  a  command  wor- 
thy of  God,  that  all  the  angels  of  God  should 
worship  him. 

The  holy  angels  that  e.xcel  in  strength, 
(Psalm  ciii.  20,)  always  do  his  command- 
ments, hearkening  to  the  voice  of  his  word. 
We  might  be  certain,  therefore,  that  this 
highest  and  most  comprehensive  command  a 
creature  is  capable  of  receiving  from  his 
Creator,  is  fulfilled  by  them,  even  if  we  had 
no  express  information  of  the  fact.  But  we 
have  repeated  assurances  to  this  purpose. 
Thus  Isaiah,  when  he  saw  his  glory  and 
spake  of  him,  saw  the  seraphim  standing ; 
each  one  had  six  wings  ;  with  twain  he  co- 
vered his  face,  and  with  twain  he  covered 
his  feet,  and  with  twain  he  did  fly.  And  one 
cried  unto  another,  saying,  Holy,  holy,  holy, 
is  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  whole  earth  is  full  of 
his  glory,"  Isa.  vi.  I  see  not  how  the  force  of 
the  argument  arising  from  this  passage,  to 
prove  tliat  Messiah  is  the  proper  object  of  the 
most  solemn  adoration  which  creatures  can 
offer  to  the  Most  High,  can  be  evaded ;  un- 
less any  were  hardy  enough  to  assert,  cither 
that  the  prophet  was  himself  imposed  upon, 
or  has  imposed  upon  us,  by  a  false  vision ;  or 
else  that  the  apostle  John,  (chap.  xii.  41,)  was 
mistaken  when  he  applied  this  representation 
to  Jesus  Christ.  But  the  apostle  likewise  had 
a  vision  to  the  same  effect,  in  which,  while 
his  people  redeemed  from  the  earth  by  his 
blood  cast  their  crowns  at  his  feet,  the  angels 
were  also  represented  as  joining  in  the  cho- 
rus of  their  praises,  saying  with  a  loud  voice, 
"  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to  re- 
ceive power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and 
strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  bless- 
ing," Rev.  v.  12.  In  brief,  he  is  the  Lord  of 
angels.  The  heavenly  host  waited  upon  him, 
and  sung  his  praises  at  his  birth.  Angels 
ministered  unto  him  in  the  wilderness,  Luke 
ii.  13,  14.  And  they  are  so  entirely  his  ser- 
vants, that,  at  his  command,  they  are  sent 
forth  to  minister  unto,  and  to  attend  upon  his 
believing  people.  Are  they  not  all  minister- 
ing ().MT3U55..)t«,  worshipping)  spirits,  adoring 
the  divine  Majesty,  yet  sent  forth  to  minister 
(e.s  J.cxov.ttf,  for  service)  to  the  heirs  of  salva- 


SER.  XXVIII.] 


MESSIAH  WORSHIPPED  BY  ANGELS. 


309 


tion  ]  Heb.  i.  14.  lie  is  likewise  the  iiead 
of  ang'els,  thoug-h  they  are  not  in  the  same 
near  relation  to  liim  as  the  sinners  whom  he 
has  redeemed  with  his  blood;  for  he  took  not 
on  him  their  nature.  There  was  no  redemp- 
tion appointed  for  the  angels  who  kept  not 
their  first  habitation.  But  the  confirmation 
of  those  who  continue  in  holiness  and  happi- 
ness, is  in  and  through  him,  "  For  all  things 
both  which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on 
earth,  are  gathered  together  in  one  («v«Kj<f«- 
>.«iig<r«o-;xi,  reduced  under  one  liead  into  one 
body)  in  him,"  Ephes.  i.  10.  And  they  are 
therefore  styled,  in  contradistinction  from  the 
others,  the  elect  angels,  1  Tim.  v.  21.  He  is 
their  life,  and  strength,  and  joy,  as  he  is  ours, 
though  they  cannot  sing  the  whole  song  of 
his  peo])le.  It  is  appropriate  to  the  saved 
from  amongst  men  to  say.  This  God  shines 
glorious  in  our  nature !  he  loved  us,  and  gave 
himself  for  us ! 

Here,  then,  as  I  have  intimated,  is  a  pat- 
tern and  encouragement  for  us.  The  angels, 
the  whole  host  of  heaven,  worship  him.  He 
is  Lord  of  all.  We  in  this  distant  world  have 
heard  tlie  report  of  his  glory,  have  felt  our 
need  of  such  a  Saviour,  and  are,  in  some  de- 
gree, witnesses  and  proofs  of  his  ability  and 
willingness  to  save.  He  lived,  he  died,  he 
rose,  he  reigns  for  us.  Therefore,  humbly 
depending  upon  his  promised  grace,  without 
which  wo  can  do  nothing,  we  are  resolved, 
that  whatever  others  do,  we  must,  we  will 
worship  him,  with  the  utmost  power  of  our 
souls.  It  is  our  determination  and  our  choice, 
not  only  to  praise  and  honour  him  with  our 
lips,  but  to  devote  ourselves  to  his  service,  to 
yield  ourselves  to  his  disposal,  to  entrust  our 
all  to  his  care,  and  to  place  our  whole  hap- 
piness in  his  favour.  I  hope,  in  speaking 
thus,  I  speak  the  language  of  many  of  your 
hearts. 

Some  reflections  easily  offer  from  this  sub- 
ject, with  which  I  shall  close  it. 

1.  They  who  love  him,  may  rejoice  in  the 
thoughts  of  his  glory.  They  have  deeply 
sympathized  with  him,  when  reading  the  his- 
tory of  his  humiliation  and  passion.  It  has 
not  been  a  light  concern  to  them  that  he  en- 
dured agonies,  that  he  was  rejected,  reviled, 
scourged,  and  slain.  He  who  suffered  these 
things  wa-s  their  best  friend,  their  beloved 
Lord,  and  he  suffered  for  their  sakes.  In  the 
glass  of  his  word  and  by  the  light  of  his  Holy 
Spirit,  he  has  been  set  forth  as  crucified  be- 
fore their  eyes,  and  they  have  been  crucified 
with  him,  and  have  had  fellowship  with  him 
in  his  death.  From  hence  they  derive  their 
indignation  against  sin,  and  their  indifference 
to  the  world  which  treated  him  thus.  But 
now  he  is  no  more  a  man  of  sorrows ;  his 
head,  which  was  once  crowned  with  thorns, 
is  now  crowned  with  glory  ;  his  face,  which 
was  defiled  with  spittle,  shines  like  the  sun  ; 
his  hands,  which  were  manacled,  wield  the 


sceptre  of  universal  government;  and,  insteai 
of  being  surrounded  by  insulting  men,  he  is 
now  encircled  by  adoring  angels.  Therefore 
they  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable,  expecting 
soon  to  see  him  as  he  is,  and  to  be  with  him 
for  ever,  according  to  the  gracious  promise 
he  has  made  them,  and  the  tenor  of  his  pre- 
vailing intercession  for  them. 

2.  What  an  honour  does  his  exaltation 
and  glory  reflect  upon  his  faithful  followers? 
The  world  that  rejected  him  pays  little  re- 
gard to  them :  they  are  slighted,  or  scorned, 
or  pitied,  and,  in  proportion  as  they  manifest 
his  spirit,  experience  a  degree  of  the  treat- 
ment which  he  met  with  ;  they  are  accounted 
visionaries  and  hypocrites ;  many  of  them  are 
great  sufferers,  and  few  of  them,  compara- 
tively, are  distinguished  among  men  by  abi- 
lities, influence,  or  wealth;  they  are  pilgrims 
and  strangers  upon  earth ;  yet  this  God  is 
their  God.  He  who  is  worshipped  by  angels 
is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  brethren,  Heb.  ii. 
11.  They  are  nearly  related  to  him  who  sit- 
teth  upon  the  throne ;  and  he  is  pleased  to 
account  them  his  portion  and  his  jewels.  It 
doth  not  yet  appear  what  they  sliall  be;  but 
the  day  is  coming  when  their  mourning  shall 
be  ended,  their  characters  vindicated,  and 
they  shall  shine  like  the  sun  in  the  king- 
dom of  their  Lord.  They  shall  stand  before 
him  with  confidence,  and  not  be  ashamed 
when  he  appears.  Then  shall  the  difference 
between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  be 
clearly  discerned.  In  that  day  the  righteous 
shall  say,  "  Lo,  this  is  our  God,  we  have 
waited  for  him,  and  he  will  save  us:  this  is 
the  Lord,  we  have  waited  for  him,  we  will 
be  glad  and  rejoice  in  his  salvation,"  (Isa. 
XXV.  9  :)  while  the  others,  however  once  ad- 
mired or  feared  by  mortals,  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  and  the  great  men,  and  the  rich  men, 
and  the  chief  captains,  and  the  mighty  men, 
no  less  than  those  of  inferior  rank,  shall 
tremble,  shall  wish  in  vain  to  conceal  them- 
selves, and  shall  say  to  the  mountains  and 
rocks,  "  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face 
of  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  for  the 
great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come,"  Rev.  xvi. 
15,  16.  In  that  hour,  the  striking  descrip- 
tion in  the  book  of  Wisdom  (which,  though 
apocryphal,  is  in  this  passage  quite  consonant 
with  the  declarations  of  authentic  scripture) 
will  assuredly  be  realized.  "  Then  shall  the 
righteous  man  stand  in  great  boldness  before 
the  face  of  such  as  have  afflicted  him,  and 
made  no  account  of  liis  labours.  When  they 
see  it,  they  shall  be  troubled  with  terrible 
fear,  and  shall  be  amazed  at  the  strangeness 
of  his  salvation,  so  far  beyond  all  that  they 
looked  for ;  and  they,  repenting,  and  groan- 
ing for  anguish  of  spirit,  shall  say  within 
themselves.  This  was  he  whom  we  had  some- 
times in  derision,  and  a  proverb  of  reproach. 
We  fools  counted  his  life  madness,  and  his 
end  to  be  without  honour.    How  is  he  num- 


810 


MESSIAH  WORSHIPPED  BY  ANGELS, 


fsER.  xxvnr. 


bcred  among'  the  children  of  God,  and  his  lot 
is  among  the  saints !"  Wisdom,  v.  1 — 5. 

3.  We  may  well  admire  the  condescension 
of  this  great  King-,  who  liumbleth  himself 
even  to  notice  the  worship  of  heaven,  that 
he  should  look  upon  the  worship  of  sinful 
iTien  with  acceptance,  and  permit  such  worms 
as  we  are  to  take  his  holy  name  upon  our  pol- 
luted lips.  If  we  know  ourselves,  we  must 
be  conscious  of  such  defects  and  defilement 
attending  our  best  services,  as  are  sufficient 
to  affect  us  with  shame  and  humiliation. 
What  wanderings  of  imagination,  what 
risings  of  evil  thoughts,  what  unavoidable 
though  unhallowed  workings  of  self-compla- 
cence, mingle  with  our  prayers  and  praises, 
and  disturb  us  in  our  secret  retirements,  in 
the  public  assembly,  and  even  at  the  table  of 
the  Lord  !  I  hope  we  know  enough  of  this,  to 
be  sensible  that  we  need  forgiveness,  not  only 
for  our  positive  transgressions  of  his  will,  but 
for  our  sincerest,  warmest,  and  most  enlarged 
attempts  to  render  hirn  the  glory  due  to  his 
name !  Yet  we  are  incompetent  and  partial 
judges  of  ourselves ;  we  know  but  little  of  the 
evil  of  our  own  hearts,  and  have  but  a  slight 
sense  of  the  malignity  of  that  evil  which  is 
within  our  observation.  But  the  Lord  searches 
the  heart  and  the  reins  ;  to  him  all  things  are 
naked,  without  covering,  open,  without  con- 
cealment, Heb.  iv.  13.  He  understandeth 
our  thoughts  afar  of,  and  beholdeth  us  exactly 
as  we  are.  Our  dislike  of  sin  is  proportion- 
able to  our  attainments  in  holiness,  which  are 
exceedingly  short  of  the  standard.  But  he  is 
infinitely  holy,  and  therefore  evil  is  unspeak- 
ably hateful  to  him.  How  vile  and  abominable 
therefore  must  our  sins  appear  in  his  view  ! 
Indeed,  if  he  were  strict  to  mark  what  is 
amiss,  we  could  not  stand  a  moment  before 
him,  nor  would  it  be  agreeable  to  his  majesty 
and  purity  to  accept  any  services  or  prayers 
at  our  hands,  if  we  presumed  to  offer  them  in 
our  own  name.  But  now  there  is  an  atone- 
ment provided,  and  a  way  of  access  to  a 
tlirone  of  grace,  sprinkled  with  the  blood 
which  speaketh  better  things  than  the  blood 
of  Abel.  Now  that  we  have  an  Advocate, 
Intercessor,  and  High-Priest  to  bear  the  ini- 
quity of  our  holy  tilings,  we  are  accepted  in 
the  Beloved.  Now  the  great  and  holy  God 
vouchsafes  to  admit  such  sinners  into  com- 
munion with  himself  He  invites  us  to  draw 
near  with  boldness;  and  because  of  ourselves 
we  know  not  how  to  pray  as  we  ought,  (Rom. 
viii.  2fi,)  he  favours  us  with  the  influence  of 
his  Holy  Spirit.  It  is  a  great  instance  of  the 
power  of  faith,  that,  remembering  what  we 
have  been,  and  feeling  what  we  are,  and 
having  some  right  apprehension  of  him  with 
whom  we  have  to  do,  we  are  enabled  to  ap- 
proach him  with  confidence,  and  to  open  our 
hearts  to  him  with  greater  liberty  than  we 
can  use  to  our  dearest  earthly  friends.  His 
people  know,  by  many  infallible  proofs,  that 


his  presence  is  with  them  in  their  secret  re- 
tirements, and  in  their  public  assemblies,  ac- 
cording to  his  promise.  He  hears  and  an- 
swers their  prayers,  he  revives  their  spirits, 
lie  renews  their  strength ;  he  gives  them 
reason  to  say,  that  a  day  in  his  courts  is  bet- 
ter than  a  thousand  of  the  world's  days.  Such 
are  their  expectations,  and  such,  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  faith,  is  their  experience.  They 
worship  him  whom  the  angels  worship;  and 
they  know,  that,  unworthy  and  defective  as 
they  are,  their  worship  is  no  less  acceptable 
to  him,  than  that  of  the  angels  in  glory,  by 
virtue  of  their  relation  to  him,  who  is  Lord 
both  of  angels  and  men. 

4.  Hence  we  may  infer  the  necessity  of 
that  change  of  heart,  which  the  scripture  e.x- 
presses  by  a  new  birth,  a  new  life,  a  new 
creation,  and  other  representations,  which 
denote  it  can  be  effected  only  by  divine 
power.  Till  we  are  the  subjects  of  this  ope- 
ration, we  are  incapable  of  enjoying,  or  even 
of  seeing  the  kingdom  of  God,  John  iii.  3. 
Though  to  outward  appearance  the  congre- 
gation befi)re  me  seem  all  to  be  serious  and 
attentive,  as  if  engaged  in  the  same  design, 
and  animated  with  the  same  desire  and  hope, 
he  to  whom  our  hearts  are  known,  doui)tless 
observes  a  great  difference.  Some  of  you, 
though  custom,  or  a  regard  to  your  connec- 
tions, brings  you  hither,  yet  must  be  sensible 
that  this  is  not  your  chosen  ground,  and  that 
these  are  not  the  subjects  which  give  you 
pleasure.  We  preach  Christ  Jesus  and  him 
crucified — Christ  Jesus  the  Lord.  The  Lord 
sees,  thougli  I  cannot,  the  indisposition 
of  your  hearts  towards  him.  You  are  soon 
weary  and  uneasy  ;  and  you  wish  to  throw 
the  blame  of  your  uneasiness  upon  the 
preacher.  You  regard  his  method,  his  man- 
ner, his  expressions,  with  no  friendly  inten- 
tion, in  hopes  of  notirinff  something  that  may 
seem  to  justify  your  dislike ;  and  a  sermon,  not 
very  long  in  itself,  is  to  you  very  tedious. 
We  wish  well  to  your  soid.s,  we  study  to  find 
out  acceptable  words ;  for  though  we  dare  not 
trifle  with  or  flatter  you,  we  are  unwilling  to 
give  you  just  oflence.  But  if  you  will  be 
faithful  to  yourselves,  you  may  perceive  that 
it  is  not  so  much  the  length  or  the  manner, 
as  the  subject  of  our  sermons,  that  disgusts 
you.  You  would,  perhaps,  hear  with  more 
attention  and  patience,  did  we  speak  less  of 
him  whom  the  angels  worship.  There  are 
assemblies  more  suited  to  your  taste,  and 
there  are  public  speakers  to  whom  you  can 
probably  afford  a  willing  ear,  for  a  much 
longer  time  than  we  detain  you ;  because 
there  you  are  at  home.  You  are  of  the 
world,  and  you  love  the  world.  The  amuse- 
ments, the  business,  the  converse,  and  the 
customs  of  the  world,  suit  your  inclination. 
But  here  you  are  not,  if  I  may  so  speak,  in 
your  proper  element:  and  yet  it  may  be, 
there  are  persons  in  the  same  scat  with  you. 


SER.  XXIX.]        GIFTS  RECEIVED  FOR  THE  REBELLIOUS. 


311 


who  think  themselves  happy  to  hear  what 
you  hear  with  indifference  or  disgust.  If  you 
knew  your  state  as  a  sinner,  your  need  of  a 
Saviour,  and  the  excellency  and  glory  of  the 
Saviour  whom  we  preacli  to  you,  you  like- 
wise would  be  pleased  ;  and  a  preacher  of 
very  moderate  powers  would  fix  your  atten- 
tion, and  gain  your  esteem,  if  he  preached 
this  gospel.  But  wliat  ideas  do  you  form  of  a 
future  state  1  Surely  you  cannot  suppose, 
that  in  the  eternal  world  you  will  meet  with 
any  of  the  poor  expedients  you  have  recourse 
to  now,  for  tilling  up  your  time,  which  other- 
wise would  hang  heavy  upon  your  hands. 
To  attempt  a  detail  of  the  round  of  vanities 
which  constitute  a  worldly  life,  would  be  un- 
suitable to  the  dignity  of  the  pulpit.  Let  it 
suffice,  that  death  will  remove  you  from  them 
all.  If  they  are  now  necessary  to  what  you 
account  your  happiness,  must  you  not  of 
course  be  miserable  without  themi  If  you 
believe  you  shall  exist  hereafter,  do  you  not 
desire  heaven  !  But  such  a  heaven  as  the 
word  of  God  describes  could  not  afford  you 
happiness,  unless  your  mind  be  previously 
changed  and  disposed  to  relish  it.  Neither 
the  employment  nor  the  company  of  heaven 
would  be  pleasing  to  you.  It  is  a  state  where 
all  the  inbabitants  unite  in  admiring  and 
adoring  him  who  died  upon  the  cross.  If 
this  subject  is  displeasing  to  you  here,  it 
would  be  much  more  so  there.  Heaven  itself 
would  be  a  hell  to  an  unliumbled,  an  unholy 
soul.  Consider  this  seriously,  while  there  is 
time  to  seek  his  face ;  and  tremble  at  the 
thoughts  of  being  cut  off  by  death  in  your 
present  state,  insensible  as  you  are  of  who  he 
is,  and  what  he  has  done  for  sinners.  May 
he  enlighten  your  understanding,  and  enable 
you  to  see  the  things  pertaining  to  your  true 
peace,  before  they  are  for  ever  hidden  from 
your  eyes ! 


SERMON  XXIX. 

GIFTS  RECEIVED  FOR  THE  REBELLIOUS. 

Thoii  hast  ascended  on  high,  thou  hast  led 
cfiptivUij  captive:  thou  hast  received  gifts 
for  men ;  yea,  for  the  rehellious  also,  that 
the  Lord  God  might  dwell  among  them. 
— Psalm  Ixviii.  18. 

When  Joseph  exchanged  a  prison  for  the 
chief  honour  and  government  of  Egypt,  (Gen. 
xlv.  4,  '),)  the  advantage  of  his  exaltation  ivus 
felt  by  those  who  little  deserved  it.  His 
brethren  hated,  and  had  conspired  to  kill  him. 
And  though  he  was  preserved  from  death, 
they  were  permitted  to  sell  him  for  a  bond- 
servant. He  owed  his  servitude,  imprison- 
ment, and  sufferings  to  them  ;  and  they  were 
afterwards  indebted  to  him  for  their  lives, 


subsistence,  honour,  and  comfort ;  God  in  a 
wonderful  manner  over-ruling  their  evil  con- 
duct for  future  good  to  themselves.  Thus 
Jesus  was  despised,  rejected,  and  sold;  and  he 
was  actually  slain.  But  he  arose  and  as- 
cended. The  man  of  sorrows  took  possessioi; 
of  the  throne  of  glory;  and  not  for  himself 
only.  His  honour  is  the  source  of  happiness 
to  those  who  were  once  his  enemies,  and  re- 
bellious against  him.  For  the  sake  of  such 
he  lived  and  died.  For  their  sakes  he  lives 
and  reigns.  He  fought,  conquered,  and  tri- 
umphed over  their  enemies.  As  their  repre- 
sentative, he  received  gifts  to  bestow  upon 
them :  such  gifts  as  their  necessities  re- 
quired, derived  from  tiie  relation  he  was 
pleased  to  stand  in  to  them,  and  from  the 
value  and  dignity  of  his  engagements  on 
their  behalf:  such  gifts  as  he  alone  could 
communicate,  and  which  alone  could  restore 
tliem  to  the  favour  of  God,  and  revive  his 
image  in  their  hearts  ;  so  as  to  make  it  suit- 
able to  his  holiness  and  truth,  for  the  Lord 
God  to  return  to  his  polluted  temples,  and  to 
dwell  in  them  and  among  them. 

I  observed,  in  a  former  discourse,  that  this 
psalm  and  the  twenty-fourth  were  probably 
composed  and  first  published  on  the  memora- 
ble occasion,  when  David,  having  obtained 
the  victory  over  his  numerous  enemies,  and 
settled  his  kingdom  in  peace,  removed  the 
ark,  which  till  then  had  no  fixed  residence, 
into  Zion.  The  apostle's  application  of  this 
passage,  (Eph.  iv.  8,)  authorises  us  to  con- 
sider that  transaction  as  typical  of  our  Lord's 
ascension.  Jesus  is  the  true  ark.  The  holy 
law  of  God  was  in  his  heart ;  his  obedience 
unto  death  was  fully  commensurate  to  the 
demands  of  the  law,  (Rom.  iii.  2."),)  as  the 
mercy-seat,  or  propitiation,  which  covered 
the  ark,  was  exactly  equal  to  its  dimensions. 
He  who  had  thus  obeyed  on  earth,  ascended 
on  high,  the  everlasting  gates  unfolded,  and 
he  entered  into  the  holy  place  not  made  with 
hands,  there  to  appear  in  the  presence  of 
God  for  us,  Heb.  ix.  "24.  In  this  state  he  is 
highly  exalted  upon  the  throne  of  glory,  and 
administers  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
From  lience  is  the  honour,  safety,  and  hap- 
piness of  tliose  who  believe  in  him.  They 
have  nothing  to  plead  for  themselves.  But 
unworthy  as  they  are,  he  is  not  ashamed 
to  own  them  ;  and  he  assures  them,  that  all 
he  did,  and  that  all  he  has  received,  so  far  as 
they  are  capable  of  sharing  in  it,  is  for  them. 
The  clauses,  as  they  lie  in  the  text,  suggest 
a  convenient  method  for  our  meditations,  and 
will  lead  me  briefly  to  consider  four  points — • 

His  ascension — his  victories — the  gifts  he 
received  for  men — and  the  great  oid  for 
whicTi  he  bestows  them. 

I.  His  ascension — "Thou  hast  ascended 
on  high." — God  formed  man  originally  for 
iiimself,  and  gave  him  an  answerable  capa- 
city, so  that  no  inferior  good  can  satisfy  and 


312 


GIFTS  RECEIVED  FOR 


THE  REBELUOUS.  [ser.  xxtx. 


fill  his  mind.  Man  was  likewise,  by  the  con- 
stitution and  will  of  his  Maker,  immortal, 
provided  he  persevered  in  obedience.  But 
sin  deg'raded  and  ruined  him,  shut  the  gates 
of  paradise  and  the  gutes  of  heaven  against 
him.  Man  destroyed  himself ;  but  wisdom 
and  mercy  interposed  for  his  recovery.  A 
promise  was  given  of  the  seed  of  the  woman, 
■who  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head,  defeat 
his  policy,  destroy  his  power,  and  repair  the 
mischiefs  he  had  introduced  by  sin.  Mes- 
siah fulfilled  this  promise.  And  when  he  had 
finished  all  that  was  appointed  for  him  on 
earth,  as  the  second  Adam,  the  head  and  re- 
presentative of  his  people,  he  ascended  on 
higli,  and  opened  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to 
all  believers.  As  an  illustrious  proof  to  the 
universe,  that  God  is  reconciled  ;  that  there 
is  forgiveness  with  him  for  sinners  who  im- 
plore his  mercy;  one  in  our  nature,  and  on 
our  behalf,  has  taken  possession  of  the  king- 
dom. The  series  of  texts  in  this  part  of  the 
Oratorio  recalls  this  subject  frequently  to  our 
thoughts ;  nor  can  we  think  of  it  too  often. 
It  is  the  foundation  of  our  hopes,  the  source 
of  our  siiblimest  joys,  and  the  sufficient  the 
only  sufficient  answer  to  all  the  eiggestions 
by  which  guilt,  fear,  viiil>eiief,  and  Satan, 
fight  against  our  peace.  Surrounded  as  we 
are  with  enemies  and  difficulties,  we  plead 
against  every  accusation  and  threatening, 
that  our  Head  is  in  heaven;  we  have  an  ad- 
vocate with  the  Father,  a  High-Priest  upon 
the  throne,  who,  because  he  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession,  is  able  to  save  to  the  ut- 
termost. This  is  all  our  plea,  nor  do  we  de- 
sire any  other.  His  ascension  on  high,  is  a 
sure  pledge  that  his  servants  shall  follow 
him,  John  xii.  26.  And  even  at  present,  by 
faith  they  ascend  and  are  seated  with  him  in 
the  heavenly  places,  Eph.  ii.  6.  They  behold 
invisibles  with  the  eye  of  their  mind ;  they 
realize  the  glorious  scene,  from  which  they 
are  separated  by  the  vail  of  flesh  and  blood. 
They  know  that,  even  now,  day  and  night, 
day  without  night,  myriads  of  golden  harps 
and  happy  voices  resound  his  praise.  The 
Babe  of  Bethlehem,  the  Man  who  once  hung 
dead  and  forsaken  upon  the  cross,  is  now  the 
Lord  of  glory.  In  the  thought  of  his  glory 
they  greatly  rejoice,  because  they  love  him, 
and  because  they  expect  shortly  to  be  with 
him. 

n.  His  victories — "Thou  hast  led  cap- 
tivity captive."  The  expression  is  emphati- 
cal.  He  has  conquered  and  triumphed  over 
all  the  powers  which  held  us  in  captivity,  so 
that  captivity  itself  is  taken  captive.  The 
spirit  and  force  of  it  is  destroyed ;  and  his 
people,  when  released  by  him,  and  walking 
in  his  ways,  have  no  more  to  apprehend  from 
those  whose  captives  they  were,  than  a  con- 
queror has  to  fear  from  a  prisoner  in  chains. 
The  energy  of  the  phrase  is  not  unlike  that 
of  the  apostle,  which  we  are  hereafter  to 


consider,  "  death  is  swallowed  up  in  vic- 
tory." Man  by  nature  is  a  captive,  in  a  state 
of  confinement  and  bondage,  from  which  he 
cannot  escape  by  any  address  or  effort  of  his 
own. 

He  is  a  captive  to  sin :  a  sinful  state  is  a 
state  of  bondage;  and  this,  notwithstanding 
the  sinner  is  a  willing  captive,  speaks  swell- 
ing words  of  vanity,  and  boasts  of  liberty, 
while  he  is  the  servant,  the  slave  of  corrup- 
tion.   He  is  not  always,  and  in  every  sense, 
a  willing  captive.    Conscience  sometimes 
remonstrates,  fills  him  with  fears  and  fore- 
bodings, which  make  him  struggle  to  be  free. 
And  there  are  many  sins,  which,  besides  be- 
ing offences  against  the  law  of  God,  are  di- 
rectly contrary  to  the  sinner's  present  in- 
terest and  welfare;  and  would  be  so  upon 
his  own  plan,  and  if  he  was  wholly  his  own 
master,  and  had  no  account  to  render  of  hia 
conduct.  Persons  enslaved  to  habits  of  lewd- 
ness, or  drunkenness,  need  not  be  told  from 
the  pulpit,  that  the  conrses  they  pursue  are 
injurious  to  their  health,  their  business,  or 
substance,  their  reputation,  and  their  peace. 
They  know  it  and  feel  it,  without  a  monitor. 
There  are  seasons,  when  the  ill  consequences 
they  bring  upon  themselves,  make  them  sick 
of  the  drudgery,  and  excite  some  efforts  to- 
wards a  reform.   But  in  vain.    The  next  re- 
turn of  temptation  bears  down  all  their  re- 
solutions like  a  torrent,  and,  after  every  at- 
tempt to  amend,  they  usually  become  worse 
than  before.    For  none  can  escape,  unles3 
the  Son  makes  them  free.    His  grace  can 
overcome  the  most  obstinate  habits  of  licen- 
tiousness, and  implant  the  contrary  habits 
of  purity  and  temperance.  But  they  who  aro 
not  delivered  by  him  must  die  in  their  chains, 
III.  The  gifts  he  received  for  men — 
"  Thou  hast  received  gifts,  even  for  the  re- 
bellious."   To  bestow  gifts  upon  the  miser- 
able is  bounty ;  but  to  bestow  them  upon 
rebels,  is  grace.    The  greatness  of  the  gifta 
contrasted  with  the  characters  of  those  who 
receive  them,  displays  the  exceeding  richea 
of  the  Redeemer's  grace.    He  came  to  save, 
not  the  unhappy  only,  but  the  ungodly.  He 
gives  pardon,  peace,  and  eternal  life,  to 
his  enemies;  whose  minds  are  so  entirely 
alienated  from  him,  that  until  he  makea 
them  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power,  their 
minds  are  determined  against  accepting  any 
favour  from  him.    They  live  long  in  con- 
tempt of  the  law  and  authority  of  God ;  and 
though  justly  obnoxious  to  his  displeasure, 
while  left  to  themselves,  they  despise  and 
reject  the  projxysals  of  his  mercy.    If  they 
sometimes  acknowledge  themselves  to  be 
sinners,  they  still  presume  that  they  are  able 
to  procure  his  favour  by  their  own  perform- 
ances.   They  strangely  imagine  they  have  a 
sufficient  ground  of  hope,  so  long  as  it  ap- 
pears to  themselves  that  they  are  not  alto- 
gether so  bad  as  others.    And  when,  by  the 


SER.  XXIX.] 


GIFTS  RECEIVED  FOR  THE  REBELLIOUS. 


313 


gospel,  the  Lord  treats  them  as  sinners  al- 
ready justly  condemned  by  the  tenor  of  his 
holy  laws,  and  informs  them  of  the  exigency 
of  their  case;  that  nothing  less  than  the  re- 
sources of  his  infinite  wisdom,  and  the  most 
expensive  exertion  of  his  unspeakable  love, 
can  possibly  save  them  from  destruction  ;  the 
pride  of  their  hearts  rises  against  his  decla- 
rations. Ilis  wisdom,  in  their  view,  is  folly ; 
and  his  love  provokes  their  enmity  and  scorn. 
He  says  of  Messiah,  "  This  is  my  beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased,  hear  ye 
him ;"  but  the  language  of  their  heart  is, 
"  We  will  not  have  him  to  reign  over  us," 
Luke  xix.  14.  They  revile  and  oppose  the 
messengers  of  his  grace,  account  them  ene- 
mies, charge  them  as  troublers  of  their  peace, 
and  as  those  who  turn  tiie  world  upside 
down  :  and,  when  not  restrained  by  the  pro- 
vidence of  God,  inflict  upon  them,  besides, 
reproaches,  stripes,  imprisonment,  tortures, 
and  death.  If  their  dearest  friends,  and  those 
who  are  connected  with  them  by  the  nearest 
ties  of  relation,  submit  to  the  testimony  of 
God,  and  yield  themselves  to  the  appointed 
Saviour,  they  are  treated  as  apostates  from 
tlie  general  opinion.  This  defection  from 
the  common  cause,  is  often  sufficient  to  can- 
cel the  strongest  obligations,  to  dis.solve  the 
closest  intimacy,  to  raise  a  person  foes  in  his 
own  liouseiiold,  and  to  excite  envy,  hatred 
and  malice,  in  those  who  once  professed  es- 
teem and  love.  Can  the  spirit  of  rebellion 
rise  higher,  than  when  they  who  have  in- 
sulted the  authority,  defied  the  power,  and 
resisted  the  government  and  will  of  the 
great  God,  proceed  at  length  to  trample 
upon  tiis  tenders  of  reconciliation,  and  to  af- 
froirt  him  in  that  concern  which,  of  all  others, 
is  dearest  to  him,  the  glory  of  his  grace  in  the 
person  of  his  Son  !  Yet  this  is  no  exag- 
gerated representation.  Such  is  the  disposi- 
tion of  the  heart  of  man  towards  God  ;  such 
were  some  of  us;  and  such,  I  fear,  some  of 
us  are  to  this  hour.  I  do  not  say,  that  this 
enmity  of  the  carnal  mind  acts,  in  every 
person  who  is  not  subject  to  the  grace  of 
God,  with  equal  rage  and  violence.  In  a  land 
of  light,  liberty,  and  civilization,  like  ours,  a 
variety  of  circumstances  may  concur  to  set 
bounds  to  its  exercise;  education,  a  natural 
gentleness  of  temper,  and  even  interest,  may 
keep  it  within  limits  of  decorum,  especially 
towards  some  individuals;  but  I  affirm,  or 
rather  the  scriptures  declare,  that  enmity 
against  God,  a  disafl^ection  to  his  gospel,  no 
less  than  to  his  law,  and  a  dislike  to  those 
who  profess  and  obey  the  truth,  are  principles 
deeply  rooted  in  our  nature,  as  fallen ;  and, 
however  they  may  seem  dormant  in  some 
persons  for  a  season,  would  operate  vigor- 
ously, if  circumstances  were  so  to  alter  as  to 
afford  a  fair  occasion.  For,  as  of  old,  he  that 
was  born  after  the  flesh  persecuted  him  that 
was  born  afler  the  Spirit,  (Gal.  iv.  29,)  even 
Vol.  IL         2  R 


so  it  is  now.  And  it  is  still  as  true  as  in  the 
apostle's  days,  that  all  who  will  live  godly  in 
Christ  Jesus,  (2  Tim.  iii.  12,)  shall,  in  one 
degree  or  form  or  other,  suffer  persecution 
from  those  who  will  not. 

Thus  men  are  characterized  in  the  word  of 
God — Rebels  and  enemies,  having  a  neck  of 
iron,  to  denote  their  obstinacy ;  a  brow  of 
brass,  (Isa.  xlviii.  4,)  to  express  their  in- 
solence and  presumption ;  and  a  heart  of 
stone,  (Ezekiel  xxxvi.  26,)  insensible  to  the 
softest  methods  of  persuasion,  incapable  of 
receiving  tender,  kind,  and  generous  impres- 
sions, though  they  are  wooed  and  besought 
by  the  consideration  of  the  mercies  of  God, 
of  the  dying  agonies  of  Messiah,  unless  that 
mighty  power  be  displayed  in  their  favour, 
which  brought  forth  streams  of  water  from 
the  rock  in  the  wilderness. 

Messiah  died,  arose,  and  ascended  on  high, 
that  he  might  receive  gifts  for  rebels  of  this 
spirit  and  disposition.  The  one  grand  gift  I 
shall  specify,  is,  indeed,  comprehensive  of 
every  other  good, — the  gifl  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
He  said  to  his  sorrowing  disciples,  "It  is  ex- 
pedient for  you  that  I  go  away ;  for  if  I  go 
not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto 
you ;  but  if  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  unto 
you,"  John  xvi.  7.  Soon  after  his  ascension, 
this  promise  was  fulfilled.  The  disciples 
were  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit  (Acts  ii.  4- 
37,)  and  the  people  who  had  slain  the  Lord 
were  pricked  to  the  heart,  repented  of  their 
sin,  received  faith  in  him  whom  they  had 
pierced,  and  experienced  joy  and  peace  in 
believing. 

That  the  gospel  is  preached  upon  earth  by 
a  succession  of  ministers  called  and  furnished 
for  that  service,  and  that  the  gospel,  when 
preached,  is  not  rejected  by  all,  as  it  is  by 
many,  is  wholly  to  be  ascribed  to  the  agency 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  whose  office  and  covenant- 
engagement  it  is,  to  convince  the  world  of 
sin,  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment  (John 
xvi.  9,  li,)  and  to  glorify  Messiah.  He  opens 
the  eyes  of  the  understanding,  subdues  the 
stubborn  will,  softens,  or  rather  removes  the 
heart  of  stone,  and  gives  a  feeling,  tender 
heart,  a  heart  of  flesh.  Then  the  rebels  re- 
lent and  sue  for  mercy ;  then  they  obtain 
faith,  repentance,  remission,  a  full  and  free 
salvation,  and  all  the  gifts  which  Messiah  has 
received  for  them. 

IV.  His  ultimate  design  in  favour  of  re- 
bellious men,  the  great  final  cause  of  his  me- 
diation, and  particularly  of  his  bestowing  on 
them  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  "  that  the 
Lord  God  may  dwell  among  them."  Man 
was  created  in  the  image  of  God,  who  formed 
him  for  himself  But  he  sinned  and  was  for- 
saken. God  withdrew  his  light  and  love  from 
him,  and  man  sunk  into  darkness  and  misery. 
Sin  and  Satan  took  possession  of  the  heart, 
which  was  originally  designed  to  be  the  tem- 
ple of  the  living  God.    But  the  Lord  had  a 


314 


THE  PUBLICATION 


OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


[SER.  XXS. 


merciful  purpose,  to  return  in  a  way  worthy 
of  his  perfections.  Witliout  him,  the  souls 
of  men,  and  the  whole  human  race,  as  to 
their  proper  happiness,  are  like  what  the 
earth  would  be  without  the  sun,  dark,  cold, 
fruitless,  and  comfortless.  But  the  know- 
ledjje  of  Messiah,  like  the  sun,  enlightens  the 
world  and  the  heart. 

When  in  the  day  of  his  pwwer,  by  the  re- 
velation of  his  light  and  love,  he  destroys  the 
dominion  of  sin,  and  dispossesses  Satan,  he 
reclaims  his  own,  and  takes  possession  for 
himself.  The  heart,  sprinkled  with  the  blood 
of  Jesus,  and  anointed  with  the  holy  unction, 
becomes  a  consecrated  temple  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  This  persuasion,  tliough  now  by  many, 
who  have  not  renounced  the  name  of  chris- 
tian, deemed  the  essence  of  enthusiasm,  was 
once  thought  essential  to  Christianity  ;  so  that 
the  apostle  speaks  of  it  as  an  obvious  incon- 
trovertible fact,  with  which  no  true  Christian 
could  be  unacquainted.  "  Know  ye  not  that 
your  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost  !" 
2  Cor.  vi.  19.  Again,  he  speaks  of  Christ 
dwelling  in  the  heart,  Eph.  iii.  17.  "  Christ 
in  you  the  hope  of  glory,"  Colos.  i.  27.  And 
in  another  place,  "  Ye  are  the  temple  of  the 
living  God,  as  God  hath  said,  I  will  dwell  in 
them,  and  walk  in  them,"  (2  Cor.  vi.  16,) 
agreeably  to  his  promise  by  the  prophets.  He 
liveth  in  them,  as  the  principle  of  their  life, 
wisdom,  and  power ;  therefore  the  apostle 
says,  "  I  live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in 
me,"  Gal.  ii.  20.  There  is  a  mutual  indwel- 
ling between  the  Lord  and  his  people  ;  they 
in  him  as  the  branch  in  the  vine,  and  he  in 
them  as  the  sap  in  the  branch  ;  he  in  them  as 
in  his  temples,  they  in  him  as  in  their  strong 
tower  of  defence.  And  from  hence  we  infer 
the  duration  of  their  life  of  grace,  that  it  shall 
continue  and  spring  up  into  everlasting  life, 
since  it  is  properly  not  their  own,  but  his ;  and 
since  he  has  said,  "  Because  I  live,  ye  shall 
live  also." 

He  dwells  likewise  among  his  people  in 
their  collective  capacity.  His  whole  church, 
comprising  all  the  members  of  his  mystical 
body,  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apos- 
tles and  prophets,  form  a  building  fitly  framed 
together,  a  palace,  a  holy  temple  for  the  Lord, 
the  great  King.  He  dwelleth  likewise  in 
every  particular  society  who  walk  by  his 
rule,  and  adorn  the  profession  of  his  truth  by 
a  conversation  becoming  the  gospel.  He  is 
a  wall  of  tire  round  about  them,  and  a  glory 
in  the  midst  of  them,  Zech.  ii.  5,  10.  When 
they  meet  together  in  his  name,  he  is  there. 
He  walks  in  the  midst  of  the  golden  candle- 
sticks. It  is  his  presence  that  gives  life  and 
efficacy  to  all  his  ordinances,  and  communi- 
cates a  power  to  his  word,  by  which  the 
minds  of  his  worshipping  people  are  en- 
ightened,  strengthened,  healed,  and  com- 
forted. Here  he  manifests  himself  to  them, 
as  he  does  not  unto  the  world,  and  they  can 


adopt  the  words  of  the  psalmist,  "  A  day  in 
thy  courts  is  better  than  a  thousand."  To 
his  presence  they  owe  their  peace  and  in- 
crease, their  union  and  protection.  And  if 
he  withdraws,  Ichabod  may  be  written  upon 
their  solemn  assemblies ;  (1  Sam.  iv.  21 :)  for 
even  his  own  appointments  can  afibrd  them 
neither  profit  nor  pleasure,  unless  tiiey  are 
animated  by  his  glory.  Their  graces  lan- 
guish, their  harmony  is  interrupted,  strifes 
and  dissensions  take  place,  evil  roots  of  bit- 
terness spring  up  to  trouble  and  defile  them ; 
(Hebrews  xii.  15;)  men  arise  from  among 
themselves,  speaking  perverse  things,  and 
fierce  wolves  break  in,  not  sparing  the  flock 
(Acts  XX.  29,  30,)  if  the  good  Shepherd  sus- 
pends his  influence  and  presence. 

I  trust  he  dwells  and  walks  in  the  midst 
of  us.  He  is  here  as  an  observer,  and  as  a 
gracious  benefactor.  He  sees  who  draw  near 
him  with  their  lips,  while  their  hearts  are 
far  from  him  ;  and  he  likewise  takes  notice 
of  them  that  fear  and  love  him,  and  who  es- 
teem the  light  of  his  countenance  to  be  bet- 
ter than  life.  The  high  and  lofty  One  who 
inhabiteth  eternity,  who  dwelleth  in  the 
high  and  holy  place,  dwelleth  likewise  with 
those  that  are  of  a  contrite  and  humble 
spirit,  to  revive  and  bless  them,  Isa.  Ivii.  15. 


SERMON  XXX. 

THE  PUBLICATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

The  Lord  gave  the  word,  great  was  the 
company  of  those  that  published  it,  (or  oj 
the  preachers.)    Psalm  Ixviii.  11. 

Perhaps  no  one  psalm  has  given  greater 
exercise  to  the  skill  and  the  patience  of  com- 
mentators and  critics  than  the  sixty-eighth. 
I  suppose  the  difficulties  do  not  properly  be- 
long to  the  psalm,  but  arise  from  our  igno- 
rance of  various  circumstances  to  which  the 
psalmist  alludes,  which  probably  were  at 
that  time  generally  known  and  understood. 
The  first  verse  is  the  same  with  the  stated 
form  of  benediction  which  was  used  when- 
evei  the  ark  of  tlie  Lord  set  forward  while 
Israel  sojourned  in  the  wilderness,  (Numb.  x. 
35,)  which  confirms  the  prevailing  opinion, 
that  the  psalm  was  primarily  designed  as  an 
act  of  thanksgiving,  to  accompany  the  re- 
moval of  the  ark  to  Zion,  by  David.  The 
seventh  and  eighth  verses  are  repeated,  with 
little  variation,  from  the  song  of  Deborah, 
Judges  V.  4,  5.  The  leading  scope  of  the 
whole  appears  to  be,  first  a  recapitulation  of 
God's  gracious  dealing  with  Israel,  and  of  the 
great  things  he  had  done  for  them,  from  the 
time  he  delivered  them  from  their  bondage 
in  Egypt,  and  then  a  transition,  in  the  spirit 
of  prophecy,  to  the  far  greater  things  lie 


SER.  XXX.] 


THE  PUBLICATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


315 


would  do  for  liis  people,  under  and  by  the 
pospel  dispensation,  in  consequence  of  Mes- 
siah's exaltation  to  receive  g^ifts  for  rebel- 
lious men.  This  verse,  though  the  particular 
occasion  is  not  specified,  probably  refers  to 
some  season  of  deliverance  or  victory,  when 
the  women,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
nation,  assembled  to  praise  the  Lord,  with 
timbrels,  songs,  and  dances,  Exod.  xv.  The 
songs  and  responses  of  Miriam  and  her  com- 
panions, and  of  the  women  who  welcomed 
Saul  and  David  after  the  defeat  of  the  Philis- 
tine, (1  Sam.  xviii.  6,  7,)  I  have  formerly 
mentioned  as  instances.  The  word  which  is 
rendered.  Those  who  published  oy  preached, 
being  expressed  with  a  feminine  termina- 
tion, leads  the  mind  to  this  sense.  But  we 
are  not  necessarily  confined  to  it ;  for  the 
word  rendered  preacher  in  the  book  of  Ec- 
clesiastes,  is  likewise  in  the  feminine  form, 
though  we  are  sure  the  person  intended  by 
it  was  Solomon. 

However,  this  passage  is  properly  intro- 
duced in  the  Messiah,  and  in  its  proper  place, 
immediately  after  the  view  given  of  our  Sa- 
viour's triumphant  ascension,  as  it  leads  us 
to  consider  the  first  visible  effect  of  that  great 
event;  for  soon  afterwards,  when  the  day  of 
Pentecost  was  fully  come,  the  Lord  gave  the 
word.  Acts  ii.  1 — 4.  The  Holy  Spirit,  the 
precious  gift,  which  Jesus  had  received  for 
rebellious  men,  descended  with  visible  em- 
blems, and  a  powerful  energy,  and  inspired 
and  qualified  his  disciples  for  the  great  work 
of  establisliing  and  spreading  his  spiritual 
kingdom.  From  that  hour,  great  was  the 
number  of  the  preachers,  and  great  was  the 
success  and  efficacy  of  their  mission.  So  that 
in  a  few  years  the  gospel  spread  like  the 
light,  from  Jerusalem,  through  all  Judea  and 
Samaria,  and  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth.  And  he  who  said,  "  Lo,  I  am  with 
you  always,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world," 
(Matt,  xxviii.  20,)  has,  by  the  same  Spirit, 
perpetuated  his  word,  and  a  succession  of 
preachers,  to  our  time,  and  has  promised  to 
perpetuate  and  work  by  the  same  means,  till 
time  shall  be  no  more. 

My  text,  therefore,  if  not  a  direct  prophecy 
of  the  publication  of  the  gospel,  is  at  least  a 
fit  motto  to  a  discourse  on  this  very  important 
subject.  We  may  consider  it  in  two  senses, 
which,  though  something  different,  are  equal- 
ly agreeable  to  the  words  before  us,  and  to 
the  general  tenor  of  the  scripture. 

I.  That  the  message  is  the  Lord's. — He 
gave  tlie  word,  and  prescribed  to  his  servants 
the  subject  matter  of  their  preaching. 

II.  That  the  messengers  employed  are 
called  and  sent  forth  by  him. — The  Lord 
gave  the  word  or  command ;  in  consequence 
of  which  word,  tlie  number  of  preachers  was 
great,  as  when  in  the  begimiing  he  said, 
"  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light." 

I.  The  Lord  gave  the  word  which  the  mul- 


titude of  preachers  went  forth  to  publish. 
His  merciful  design  was  great, — to  deliver 
sinners  from  bondage,  misery  and  death :  and 
to  bless  them  with  liberty,  life,  and  peace. 
But  they  are  by  nature  rebellious  and  obsti- 
nate, and  must  be  made  willing.    lie  only 
can  subdue  their  prejudices,  and  soften  their 
spirits;  and  he  has  promised  to  disphiy  his 
power  in  their  favour  by  a  certain  mean  of 
his  own  appointment,  and  we  cannot  expect 
that  he  will  do  it  in  any  otiier  way.  This  mean 
is  the  gospel,  which,  for  its  admirable  suitable- 
ness and  efficacy,  is  commended  to  us  as  his 
wisdom  and  his  power,  1  Cor.  i.  23,  2^1.  He 
has  given  it  for  this  purpose,  and  his  blessing 
makes  it  successful.  He  has  said  concerning 
it,  "As  the  rain  cometli  down  and  the  snow 
from  heaven,  and  watereth  the  earth,  and 
maketh  it  bring  forth  and  bud,  that  it  may 
give  seed  to  the  sower,  and  bread  to  the 
eater ;  so  shall  my  word  be,  that  goetli  forth 
out  of  my  mouth;  it  shall  not  return  unto 
me  void,  but  it  shall  accomplish  that  which  I 
please  ;  it  shall  prosper  in  the  thing  whereto 
I  sent  it,"  Is.  Iv.  10,11.    It  has  been  con- 
firmed by  tlie  experience  of  ages,  that  no 
mean  but  this  can  produce  the  desirable  ef- 
fect.   It  is  confirmed  by  observation  in  tlie 
present  day.    If  the  wisdom  of  man,  if  learn- 
ing, if  oratory,  if  animated  descriptions  of  the 
beauty  of  virtue,  and  pathetic  persuasions  to 
the  practice  of  it,  could  reform,  we  should  be 
a  reformed  people.    But  alas  !  this  is  onl3'to 
oppose  a  mound  of  sand  to  the  violence  of  a 
flood.   Notwithstanding  many  ingenious  ser- 
mons and  treatises  upon  this  plan  are  admired 
and  praised,  wickedness  prevails  and  tri- 
umphs. They  have  little  influence  upon  the 
conduct  of  civil  life;  and  I  may  boldly  say, 
no  influence  to  inspire  the  heart  with  the 
love  and  peace  of  God,  and  to  bring  it  into  a 
habit  of  subjection  to  his  will  and  command. 
Nothing  will  do  this  but  the  gospel,  the  word 
which  the  Lord  has  given.  This  alone  shows 
the  evil  of  sin  in  its  true  light,  affords  a  solid 
ground  for  the  hope  of  mercy,  and  furnishes 
those  motives  which  alone  are  sufficient  to 
break  the  force  of  the  temptations  and  dif- 
ficulties with  which  we  have  to  conflict. 
When  this  word  is  simply  and  cordially  re- 
ceived, an  immediate  and  wonderful  change 
takes  place.    The  sinner  abandons  his  false 
hopes  and  vain  pursuits,  is  freed  from  his 
former  slavery  to  the  love  of  the  world  and 
the  fear  of  man,  and  becomes  the  willing 
servant  of  him  who  redeemed  him  with  his 
own  blood. 

But  we  are  sometimes  asked,  what  we  un- 
derstand by  the  gospel  1  The  use  of  the  term 
in  a  restrained  sense,  so  as  to  imply  there  are 
but  few  comparatively  who  preach  it,  is 
deemed  invidious  and  assuming;  and  it  is 
supposed  by  many,  that  a  sermon,  if  delivered 
from  a  pulpit,  and  if  the  text  be  taken  from 
the  Bible,  must  of  course  be  the  gospel.  It  is 


316 


THE  PUBLICATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


[SER.  XXX. 


undeniable,  however,  that  there  area  variety 
of  different  and  opposite  sentiments  delivered 
from  pulpits ;  and  surely  the  gospel  cannot 
be  opposite,  contrary,  yea  contradictory  to  it- 
self! It  is  a  mournful  consideration,  tliat  mul- 
titudes of  people  are  not  qualified  to  judge  of 
this  point.  Not  properly  for  want  of  ability, 
for  many  of  them  are  persons  of  good  sense 
and  discernment,  and  can  judge  and  talk  well 
upon  other  subjects ;  but  for  want  of  attention. 
Their  application  is  engrossed  by  the  de- 
mands of  business  or  pleasure,  and  they  have 
neither  leisure  nor  taste  for  a  careful  perusal 
of  the  scriptures,  nor  for  the  examination  of 
religious  sentiments.  If  the  language  and 
elocution  of  the  preaclier  be  good,  and  if 
there  be  no  close  and  painful  address  to  the 
conscience,  they  are  satisfied.  The  apostle 
Paul  undoubtedly  preached  the  gospel ;  and 
he  tells  us  himself  that  he  preached  Christ 
crucified ;  he  preached  Christ,  as  appointed 
of  God,  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification 
and  redemption,  1  Cor.  i.  30.  He  preached 
the  cross  of  Christ,  (Gal.  vi.  14,)  he  gloried 
in  it,  and  he  determined  to  glory  in  nothing 
else.  The  gospel  treats  all  mankind  as  al- 
ready in  a  state  of  condemnation ;  it  declares 
their  utter  inability  to  save  or  help  them- 
selves ;  and  it  gives  assurance  of  pardon  and 
salvation  to  all  who  believe  in  the  Son  of 
God.  That  they  may  bo  encouraged  and 
enabled  to  believe,  it  describes  the  dignity  of 
his  person,  the  necessity  and  greatness  of  his 
sufferings,  the  completeness  of  his  atonement, 
the  prevalence  of  his  intercession — his  love, 
authority,  power,  and  faitiifulness.  These 
truths,  revealed  and  applied  to  a  guilty  con- 
science, by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
produce  faith.  The  sinner  perceives  the 
sufficiency  and  excellency  of  such  a  Saviour, 
commits  himself  to  his  compassion  and  care, 
and  renounces  every  other  hope  and  service. 
He  looks  to  the  Saviour  by  the  eye  of  his 
mind,  with  desire  and  admiration,  and  derives 
life  from  his  death,  healing  from  his  wounds, 
as  the  Israelites,  when  wounded,  were  healed 
by  looking  upon  the  brazen  serpent.  And  not 
only  is  the  conscience  relieved  by  this  know- 
ledge of  Christ  crucified — the  understanding 
is  likewise  enlightened,  the  judgment  is 
formed,  the  affections  regulated  and  directed 
by  it.  Then  old  things  pass  away,  all  be- 
comes new.  The  love  of  sin  departs,  and  the 
future  life  is  devoted  to  him,  who  therefore 
died  and  revived,  that  he  might  be  Lord  both 
of  the  dead  and  the  living,  Rom.  xiv.  9. 

There  is  likewise  a  certain  energy  or 
power  which  accompanies  the  gospel  when  it 
is  truly  preached,  which  sufficiently  charac- 
terizes and  distinguishes  it  from  all  other  re- 
ligious schemes  and  systems.  Our  Lord, 
during  his  personal  ministry,  frequentlygave 
proofs  that  he  knew  the  heart  of  man.  When 
Zaccheus  thought  himself  unknown  and  un- 
seen, he  called  him  by  his  name,  Luke  xix.  5. 


He  rerninded  Nathanael  of  what  had  passed 
in  secret  under  the  fig-tree;  (John  i.  48  ;)  and 
by  a  few  words,  brought  to  the  remembrance 
of  the  woman  of  Samaria,  all  that  she  had 
done  in  her  life,  John  iv.  29.  A  similar  effect 
accompanies  the  preaching  of  his  gospel  to 
this  day.  The  gospel  is  preached,  when 
they  who  are  present  find  the  secrets  of  their 
hearts  are  made  manifest;  when  the  preacher, 
who  perhaps  never  saw  them  before,  reminds 
them  of  what  they  have  done,  or  said,  or 
thought,  possibly  of  things  transacted  long 
ago,  and  almost  forgotten  by  themselves;  and 
likewise  describes  the  very  feelings  of  their 
hearts  while  he  is  speaking  to  them.  It  is 
usually  in  this  way  that  conviction  of  sin  first 
takes  place ;  and  in  this  way,  that  a  con- 
vinced burdened  sinner  meets  with  season- 
able support  and  direction,  so  exactly  suited 
to  his  case,  that  he  almost  thinks  the  preacher 
is  speaking  to  none  but  himself  No  preachers 
but  those  who  speak  in  conformity  to  the  word 
which  the  Lord  gave,  have  this  power  over 
the  heart  and  conscience. 

II.  It  isowingto  the  word,  the  appointment, 
and  power  of  God,  that  any  persons  are  induced 
or  enabled  to  preach  this  gospel.  Men  may, 
indeed,  assume  the  office  of  a  preacher  upon 
other  grounds ;  there  are  too  many  who  do. 
But  though  they  speak  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  and  as  his  ministers,  if  he  has  not  sent 
them,  they  cannot  declare  his  message  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  make  full  proof  of  their 
ministry,  2  Tim.  iv.  5.  They  may  profit 
themselves,  according  to  their  low  views, 
and  may  obtain  such  honours  and  emolu- 
ments as  the  world  can  give ;  but  they  have 
not  the  honour  which  cometh  from  God  only. 
They  are  not  wise  to  win  souls,  Prov.  xi.  .30. 
They  have  no  testimony  in  the  consciences 
of  their  hearers.  They  may  deliver  truths 
occasionally,  which  are  valuable  and  useful 
in  their  proper  places ;  but  for  want  of  know- 
ing how  to  connect  them  with  what  the  apos- 
tle styles,  The  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  (Eph. 
iv.  21,)  they  are  unable  either  to  break  the 
hard  heart,  or  to  heal  the  wounded  spirit. 
The  thoughtless  are  not  alarmed,  nor  the  ig- 
norant instructed.  The  wicked  go  on  in  their 
evil  ways— 

Tlie  hungry  sheep  look  up,  but  are  not  fed. 

Nay,  we  see,  in  fact,  though  a  few  persons 
may  still  be  found,  who  place  their  religion 
in  a  dull,  unmeaning  attendance  upon  the 
form  of  public  worship,  upon  any  form  in 
which  it  was  their  lot  to  be  educated,  yet,  ia 
many  places,  the  bulk  of  the  people,  by  their 
contempt  of  the  Lord's  day,  and  by  their  cus- 
tomary manner  of  absenting  themselves  from 
their  appointed  teachers,  give  sufficient  proof 
that  they  have  neither  found,  nor  expect  to 
find,  so  much  benefit  or  pleasure,  as  to  make 
them  think  it  worth  their  while  to  attend 
them. 


8ER.  XXX.]  THE  PUBLICATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  317 


It  will  appear  to  competent  judges,  that 
faithful  preachers  are  called  and  prepared  for 
their  office  by  the  Lord,  the  head  of  the 
church,  and  not  by  human  institutions,  from 
the  following  considerations : — 

1.  That  the  gospel  cannot  be  rightly  un- 
derstood but  by  divine  teaching.  The  natural 
man,  however  distinguished  by  abilities  or 
literature,  cannot  receive  the  things  of  the 
Spirit  of  God ;  (1  Cor.  ii.  14 ;)  nay,  he  cannot 
even  discern  them.  He  may,  indeed,  know 
something  of  the  gospel  system,  considered 
as  a  matter  of  science;  he  may  know  how  to 
defend  the  outworks  of  Christianity,  and  be 
master  of  the  external  evidences  for  its  truth ; 
and  he  may  espouse  orthodox  opinions,  and 
be  a  successful  champion  in  the  field  of  con- 
troversy. But  the  inward  power  and  life, 
that  which  constitutes  the  essential  difference 
of  true  religion,  is  no  less  remote  from  his 
apprehension,  than  the  idea  of  light  is  from  a 
person  born  blind.  This  he  can  only  learn 
by  experience.  The  first  lesson  received  and 
learnt  by  those  who  are  taught  of  God,  is  a 
conviction  of  guilt,  ignorance,  and  misery — 
and  then  they  begin  to  learn  the  importance, 
necessity,  and  design  of  the  gospel.  The  man 
who  is  thus  instructed,  if  the  Lord  be  pleased 
to  call  him  to  the  office  of  teaching  others, 
will  in  due  time  proceed  to  deliver  to  the 
people  what  he  has  himself  learnt ;  not  with 
hesitation,  uncertainty,  or  indifl'erence,  not 
wliat  he  has  acquired  by  hearsay  or  from 
books,  but  he  has  the  witness  in  himself, 
1  John  V.  10.  His  heart  teacheth  his  mouth, 
Prov.  xvi.  23.  He  believes,  therefore  he 
speaks.  He  simply  and  freely  declares  that 
which  he  himself  has  known,  and  seen,  and 
tasted  of  the  word  of  life.  And  speaking 
from  the  fulness  of  his  heart,  with  an  earnest- 
ness inspired  by  the  greatness  and  importance 
of  his  subject,  he  speaks  to  the  heart  and 
feelings  of  his  hearers,  and  impresses  a  mani- 
festation of  the  truth  upon  their  minds. 

2.  That  the  desire  of  preaching  this  gos- 
pel, when  known,  if  it  be  a  right  desire,  must 
likewise  be  given.  If  a  man  should  attempt 
the  service,  without  counting  the  cost,  or  con- 
sidering the  consequences,  he  will  most  pro- 
bably be  disgusted  and  wearied.  And  if  he 
seriously  and  properly  considers  before-hand 
what  he  is  about  to  engage  in,  and  has  a  due 
sense  of  his  own  weakness,  he  will  tremble 
at  the  prospect,  and  direct  his  thoughts  to 
some  other  employment,  unless  his  call  and 
support  be  from  on  high.  What  courage, 
wisdom,  meekness,  and  zeal,  appear  requisite, 
in  the  view  of  such  an  inquirer,  to  qualify  a 
man  for  preaching,  and  continuing  to  preach, 
a  doctrine  so  unpleasing  to  the  world,  as  the 
doctrine  of  the  cross  has  in  all  ages  proved  ! 
What  opposition,  and  snares,  and  difficulties, 
what  fightings  from  witiiout,  what  fears  with- 
in, may  be  expected  !  Surely  he  will  be  ready 
to  shrink  back,  and  to  say,  Who  is  sufficient 


for  these  things'!  But  the  Lord,  by  the  con- 
straining sense  of  his  love,  and  by  giving  a 
deep  impression  of  the  worth  of  souls,  and  by 
exciting  in  the  mind  a  dependence  upon  his 
all-sufficiency,  can  and  does  encourage  those 
whom  he  calls  and  chooses,  to  serve  him  in 
the  gospel.  In  themselves  they  are  quite 
unequal  to  what  is  before  them,  but  they  obey 
his  voice;  they  trust  in  his  promises  for 
guidance  and  protection,  and  are  not  disap- 
pointed. We  are  therefore  directed  to  pray, 
that  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  would  send,  or 
rather  (according  to  the  force  of  the  Greek 
word)  thrust  forth  labourers  into  his  harvest, 
Matt.  ix.  38. 

3.  That  only  he  who  sends  forth  his  minis- 
ters can  enable  them  to  persevere.  It  is  a 
service  of  continual  exertion  and  expense, 
and  requires  a  continual  supply.  The  oppo- 
sition of  the  world,  and  the  power  of  tempta- 
tion, acting  upon  the  weakness  and  depravity 
of  the  heart,  would  quickly  prevail  against 
the  best  ministers,  if  they  were  left  to  carry 
on  the  warfare  at  their  own  charges.  They 
are  at  times,  yea,  frequently,  in  situations  and 
circumstances  which  teach  them  feelingly 
the  meaning  of  the  apostle's  words,  "  We 
were  pressed  out  of  measure,  above  strength, 
insomuch  that  we  despaired  even  of  life," 
2  Cor  i.  8.  Besides  the  trials  incidental  to  the 
christian  profession,  which  they  are  exposed 
to  in  common  with  others,  they  have  many 
which  are  peculiar  to  their  calling  as  preach- 
ers of  the  gospel.  Their  chief  pre-eminence 
over  christians  in  private  life  is  a  painful 
one;  they  have  the  honour  of  bearing  a  dou- 
ble share  of  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day, 
and  of  standing  in  the  foremost  ranks  of  the 
battle,  to  provoke  and  receive  the  fiercest 
assaults  of  the  enemy.  Their  only  resource 
and  hope  is  in  the  faithfulness  and  compas- 
sion of  their  Lord,  under  whose  banner  and 
eye  they  fight,  and  who  has  said,  "  Lo !  I 
am  with  you  always,  oven  to  the  end  of  the 
world." 

4.  That  the  Lord  only  can  give  success  to 
their  endeavours.  Paul  may  plant,  and  Apol- 
los  may  water,  but  there  is  no  increase  unless 
he  affords  a  blessing,  1  Cor.  iii.  6.  It  is  at 
least  a  presumptive  proof,  that  he  has  called 
a  man  to  preach,  if  he  owns  his  labours,  since 
he  has  not  promised  to  own  any  but  those 
whom  he  sends. 

We  must  however  allow,  and  observe,  that 
to  preach  salvation  to  others,  and  even  to  be 
instrumental  in  saving  souls,  will  not  abso- 
lutely prove  that  the  preacher  is  in  a  state  of 
salvation  himself;  we  hope  it  is  generally  so ; 
but  there  are  exceptions  and  instances  which 
should  awaken  our  circumspection,  and  keep 
us  constantly  looking  to  the  Lord  in  a  spirit 
of  humility  and  dependence.  There  was  a 
Judas  among  the  apostles ;  and  we  are  assured 
that  at  the  last  day,  some,  yea,  many,  will 
plead  having  done  great  things  in  the  name 


II 


318 


THE  GOSPEL-MESSAGE,  GLAD  TIDINGS. 


[see.  XXXI, 


of  Christ,  whom  he  will  notwitlistanding 
disown,  as  workers  of  iniquity.  Matt.  vii. 
22,  23.  Even  the  apostle  Paul  was  impress- 
ed by  this  thouofht,  and  he  has  recorded  the 
improvement  he  made  of  it  for  our  instruc- 
tion :  "  I  keep  under  my  body,  and  brinoj  it 
into  subjection,  lest  that  by  any  means,  after 
I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself  should  be 
a  cast-away,  1  Cor.  ix.  27. 


SERMON  XXXI. 

THE  GOSPEL-MESSAGE,  GLAD  TIDINGS. 

(As  it  is  written,)  How  beautiful  are  the  feet 
of  them  that  preach  the  gospel  of  peace, 
and  bring  glad  tidings  of  good  things  I 
Romans,  x.  15. 

The  account  which  the  apostle  Paul  gfives 
of  his  first  reception  among  the  Galatians, 
(Gal.  iv.  15,)  exemplifies  the  truth  of  this 
passage.  He  found  them  in  a  state  of  ignorance 
and  misery ;  alienated  from  God,  and  enslaved 
to  the  blind  and  comfortless  superstitions  of 
idolatry.  His  preaching,  accompanied  with 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  had  a  great  and 
marvellous  effect.  His  principal  subject  was 
the  death  of  Jesus,  who  had  lately  suffered 
as  a  malefactor  at  Jerusalem.  Though  the 
transaction  was  past,  and  the  scene  at  a  con- 
siderable distance,  yet  by  the  manner  of  his 
representation,  the  fact  was  realized  to  their 
minds ;  and  they  could  have  been  no  more 
affected,  had  they  been  actually  upon  tiie 
spot  at  the  time.  Jesus  Christ  was  exhibited 
to  them  as  crucified  before  their  eyes.  Gal. 
iii.  1.  By  the  same  divine  energy  they  were 
instructed  in  the  knowledge  of  his  character, 
who  he  was,  and  why  he  suffered  ;  and  like- 
wise understood  their  own  need  of  such  a 
Saviour.  Thus  they  hearkened  to  him,  not 
with  the  indifference  of  the  Athenians,  but 
with  application  of  all  that  he  said  to  them- 
selves. They  heard,  they  believed,  and  they 
rejoiced.  The  apostle  reminds  them,  that 
they  had  not  received  a  cold  speculative  doc- 
trine, but  such  a  one  as  imparted  a  blessed- 
ness to  them.  This,  indeed,  many  of  them 
afterwards  lost,  when  they  were  unhappily 
seduced  by  false  teachers.  But,  for  a  time, 
the  knowledge  of  a  Saviour  so  exactly  suited 
to  their  circumstances,  made  them  happy ; 
and  while  they  were  so,  they  felt  very  strong 
emotions  of  gratitude  and  esteem  for  the 
messenger  who  brought  them  these  glad  ti- 
dings ;  though  he  was  by  many  accounted  and 
treated  as  the  off'-scouring  and  filth  of  all 
things,  the  Galatians  received  him  as  an  an- 
gel of  God,  and  attended  to  him,  as  if  the 
Lord,  who  sent  him,  had  spoken  to  them  in 
person.  And  although  he  had  till  then 
been  an  entire  stranger  to  them,  his  message 


opened  a  way  to  their  hearts,  and  they  gave 
him  every  testimony  of  the  most  cordial 
friendship ;  insomuch  that,  had  it  been  pos- 
sible, they  would  have  plucked  out  their  own 
eyes,  and  have  given  them  to  him. 

Thus,  likewise,  when  Philip  preached  the 
gospel  in  Samaria,  the  consequence  was  great 
joy  in  that  city.  Acts  viii.  8.  But  when  the 
gospel  is  thus  gladly  received,  there  must  be 
a  suitable  disposition  of  mind.  It  is  sent  to 
the  poor.  It  is  designed  to  heal  the  broken- 
hearted, to  deliver  the  captives,  and  to  give 
sight  to  tlie  blind,  Luke  iv.  18.  And  there- 
fore they  who  are  well  satisfied  with  them- 
selves, who  say,  we  see,  and  who  boast  of 
their  freedom,  cannot  possibly  judge  either 
of  tiie  truth  or  of  the  importance  of  the  gos- 
pel doctrine.  As  the  Lord  waters  the  earth 
with  a  profusion  worthy  of  his  magnificence 
and  bounty,  and  docs  not  confine  his  rain  to 
cultivated  soils  ;  so  tiie  good  seed  of  his  word 
often  falls  upon  the  highway,  upon  the  rocks, 
and  among  thorns;  (Luke  viii.  13 — 15;)  but 
it  is  only  productive  upon  the  good  ground  of 
an  honest  and  good  heart.  Not  that  any  hu- 
man heart  is  truly  good  by  nature,  but  some 
are  prepared  for  the  reception  of  the  truth. 
And  this  preparation  is  the  first  effect  of  the 
word,  when  it  brings  forth  fruit  unto  life 
eternal.  It  undeceives  those  who  were  for  a 
time  deluded  with  vain  hopes,  and  convinces 
them  that  they  are  poor,  and  blind,  and 
wretched,  and  helpless.  Then  tliey  gladly 
accept  the  gospel  of  peace,  and  the  message 
is  to  them  as  life  from  the  dead. 

The  passage  in  the  prophet  Isaiah,  from 
which  my  text  is  quoted,  is  very  animated 
and  descriptive.  "  How  beautiful  upon  the 
mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that  bringeth 
good  tidings!"  Isa.  lii.  7.  Imagine  a  dis- 
tressed people,  at  the  will  and  disposal  of  a 
conqueror,  who  was  justly  ofl^ended  with  them, 
and  under  an  anxious  trembling  uncertainty 
how  he  would  treat  them  : — if  an  authorized 
messenger  should  inform  them,  that,  instead 
of  the  punishment  they  deserved,  the  king 
vouchsafed  them  a  free  pardon,  was  ready  to 
receive  them  with  favour,  and  to  bestow 
honours  and  possessions  upon  all  who  applied 
to  him,  without  excepting  the  most  guilty, 
even  the  ring-leaders  in  rebellion :  how  wel- 
come would  this  messenger  be  to  them  ! 
This,  indeed,  is  beyond  the  manner  of  men. 
No  earthly  monarch  has  either  magnanimity 
to  make,  or  power  to  make  good,  so  gracious 
and  unlimited  a  proclamation  to  a  whole  na- 
tion of  rebels.  But  this  is  the  manner  of  the 
great  God.  Such  an  act  of  grace  is  the  gos- 
pel. An  act  of  grace  to  sinners,  yet  founded 
in  righteousness,  and  displaying tlie glory  of 
his  justice  equally  with  the  riches  of  mercy. 
For  it  is  founded  on  the  mediation  of  the 
Son  of  his  love,  and  procured  by  his  blood. 
The  messengers  of  this  grace  are  thus  wel- 
comed and  honoured  by  those  who  believe 


SER.  xxxi.J  THE  GOSPEL-MESSAGE,  GLAD  TIDINGS. 


319 


their  report,  and  are  esteemed  very  highly 
in  love  ibr  their  work's  sake,  1  Thess.  v.  13. 
We  may  observe, 

I.  The  message  of  the  gospel  is  glad  ti- 
dings of  peace  and  good  things. 

II.  The  messengers,  or  preachers,  find 
ample  reward  in  their  success  and  accept- 
ance. 

I.  According  to  the  Hebrew  idiom  (which 
frequently  obtains  in  the  New  Testament,) 
all  good  things  are  comprised  in  the  term 
pence.  They  are  eminently  comprised  in  the 
peace  of  the  gospel ;  for  it  is  the  peace  of 
God  which  passeth  understanding.  It  brings 
a  blessed  assurance,  that  Messiah  has  made 
peace  by  the  blood  of  his  cross.  They  who 
believe  this  good  report,  derive  from  it  peace 
of  conscience ;  and  are  enabled  to  say. 
Though  thou  wert  justly  angry,  thine  anger 
is  turned  away,  Isa.  xii.  1.  It  dispels  their 
fears  and  forebodings,  and  inspires  them  with 
liberty  to  come  to  God  as  children;  conse- 
quently, on  their  parts,  alienation  and  en- 
mity cease.  They  no  longer  conceive  of  him 
as  an  avenging  judge  or  a  hard  master.  They 
no  longer  dispute  his  authority,  nor  repine 
at  his  appointments.  They  become  a  willing 
people.  They  yield  themselves  to  him. 
They  cultivate  peace  in  all  their  connec- 
tions. The  forgiveness  and  bounty  they  have 
received,  teaches  them  likewise  to  forgive, 
and  be  kind  as  they  have  opportunity.  They 
possess  such  good  things  as  the  world  can 
neither  give  nor  take  away :  communion 
with  God  ;  grace,  wisdom,  and  power.  They 
serve  him  with  their  all,  and  are  supported 
by  his  good  Spirit  in  every  trying  circum- 
stance ;  and  they  have  a  good  hope,  which 
enables  them  to  rejoice  in  tribulation,  and  to 
smile  in  death. 

If  the  wickedness  and  obstinacy  of  man- 
kind were  not  so  strongly  described  and  ex- 
emplified in  the  Bible,  and  if  we  could  forget 
that  this  obstinate  perverseness  was  once  our 
own  character,  we  should  find  it  difficult  to 
conceive,  after  we  understand  the  nature  and 
design  of  the  gospel,  upon  what  grounds  a 
scheme  so  wisely  and  completely  adapted  to 
relieve  men  from  misery,  to  promote  their 
present  comfort,  and  to  secure  their  future 
happiness,  should,  instead  of  being  received 
with  thankfulness,  generally  excite  contempt 
and  opposition.  Can  the  world  aflwrd  a  peace 
which  shall  abide  and  cheer  the  heart  under 

the  changing  circumstances  incident  to  us 
in  this  mortal  state'!  Can  it  propose  any  good, 
any  honours,  profit,  or  pleasures,  worthy  of 
being  compared  with  the  honour  which 
Cometh  from  God  only,  the  light  of  his  coun- 
tenance, and  the  riches  of  glory?  Can  the 
influence  of  the  world  preserve  us  from  trou- 
ble, or  support  us  imder  it,  or  deliver  us  out 
of  it  ]  Has  it  any  charms  capable  of  soothing 
the  anguish  of  a  wounded  conscience?  Can 
It  obviate  the  stroke,  or  overcome  the  fear  of 


death  ]  Or  can  it  inspire  the  soul  with  con- 
fidence and  joy,  in  the  contemplation  of  that 
approaching  day,  when  we  must  all  appear 
before  the  tribunal  of  the  supreme  Judge? 
That  the  world,  if  we  possessed  the  whole  of 
it,  cannot  do  these  things  for  us,  is  acknow- 
ledged by  many,  and  felt  by  all.  The  gos- 
pel proposes  a  cordial  for  every  care,  a  balm 
for  every  wound ;  and  none  who  make  the 
experiment  of  its  efficacy  are  disappointed. 
In  other  cases,  they  who  have  received  great 
obligations  may  speak  highly  of  their  bene- 
factor ;  and  they  who,  beyond  hope,  have  been 
recovered  from  a  dangerous  malady,  may 
commend  the  skill  and  care  of  their  physi- 
cian, to  those  who  are  labouring  under  the 
same  disease,  without  giving  oft'ence.  But 
if  they  who  have  obtained  life  and  peace  by 
believing  in  Jesus,  proclaim  his  goodness, 
and  point  him  out  to  their  fellow-sinners  as 
the  only  Physician  and  Saviour  of  souls,  their 
testimony  is  charged  with  folly,  and  their 
endeavours  rejected  with  scorn,  as  officious 
and  impertinent.  Men,  while  left  to  them- 
selves, will  not  come  to  him  that  they  may 
have  life.  The  god  of  this  world  so  works 
upon  their  prejudices,  pride,  and  passions, 
that  though  the  light  of  truth  shines  around 
them  like  the  light  of  the  sun,  the  eyes  of 
their  mind  are  blinded,  and  they  are  pleased 
with  their  darkness,  and  unwilling  to  see, 
2  Cor.  iv.  4.  Hence,  of  the  few,  compara- 
tively, who  are  favoured  with  a  clear  and 
faithful  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  the  greater 
part,  it  is  to  be  feared,  reject  the  counsel  of 
God  against  themselves ;  and  his  ministers  in 
all  ages,  have  had  cause  to  adopt  the  prophet's 
complaint,  "  Lord,  who  hath  believed  our  re- 
port !"  Is.  liii.  1.  It  would  be  thus  univer- 
sally, if  the  Lord,  who  gave  the  word,  and 
who  sends  forth  the  preachers,  had  not  en- 
gaged his  promise,  tiiat  they  shall  not  labour 
wholly  in  vain,  nor  spend  their  strength  for 
nought.  He  prepares  a  people  to  serve  him, 
and  to  show  forth  his  praise.  And  while 
some  mock,  others  refuse  to  hear,  (Acts  xvii. 
32,)  and  others,  with  an  indolent  indifference, 
are  content  to  hear  again  and  again  ;  there 
are  others  whose  hearts  are  opened  to  re- 
ceive the  truth  in  the  love  of  it.  They  hear 
and  believe  to  everlasting  life. 

II.  The  instruments  of  this  happy  change 
find  their  reward  in  their  work.  It  being 
owned  to  the  salvation  of  a  few,  they  are 
compensated  for  all  the  opposition  they  meet 
with  from  the  many ;  and  this  on  a  twofold 
account: — 

First,  and  principally,  for  the  love  they 
bear  to  their  Lord,  and  to  souls  for  his  sake. 

To  see  his  name  made  precious  to  the 
hearts  of  sinners;  to  see  those  vviio  were  blind 
admiring  his  excellency ;  to  see  those  who 
were  so  far  off  from  God  brought  so  nigh ; 
to  see  those  who  were  wretched  rejoicing  in 
his  goodness;  to  hear  those  whose  lips  were 


THE  GOSPEL-MESSAGE,  GLAD  TIDINGS.  [ser.  xxxi 


320 

filled  with  folly,  falsehood,  or  blasphemy, 
proclaiming  his  praise  ;  such  salutary  effects 
of  their  ministry  fill  them  likewise  with 
praise  and  joy :  and  when  their  hearers  ex- 
press the  power  and  spirit  of  the  gospel  in 
their  tempers  and  conduct,  they  can  say, 
"  Now  we  live,  if  you  stand  fast  in  the  Lord," 
1  Thess.  iii.  8. 

A  secondary  satisfaction,  which  of  itself  is 
sufficient  to  make  them  full  amends  for  all 
the  scorn  of  an  unkind  world,  is  the  share 
they  have  in  the  affections  of  the  people  who 
are  thus  benefited  by  their  ministry.  This 
is  the  popularity  which  alone  is  desirable. 
It  would  be  a  small  thing  to  be  able  merely  to 
hold  a  multitude  by  the  ears :  but  to  be  ap- 
proved and  loved  by  those  to  whom  the  Lord 
has  made  them  useful,  is  a  high  honour,  and 
a  source  of  sublime  pleasure.  When  Peter 
and  John  (Acts  iii.  11)  had  healed  the  lame 
man,  I  doubt  not  but  they  were  more  affected 
by  the  simple  honest  testimony  of  his  grati- 
tude, than  by  the  unmeaning  wonder  of  all 
the  surrounding  multitude.  If  a  true  servant 
of  the  Lord,  by  any  advantage  of  abilities  or 
elocution,  should  attach  a  large  congregation 
to  a  personal  regard  for  himself,  should  be 
admired  and  beloved  by  them,  and  yet  disco- 
ver no  attachment  in  them  to  the  Saviour 
whom  he  preaches,  their  partiality  to  him 
would  give  him  but  little  pleasure.  He 
would  be  more  ready  to  weep  over  them, 
than  to  rejoice  in  the  preference  they  gave 
him.  For  he  seeks  not  their  applause,  but 
their  edification ;  and  he  aims  not  to  promote 
his  own  glory,  but  the  glory  of  him  who  sent 
him,  John  vi.  18.  He  is,  indeed,  glad  to  see 
them  attending  upon  the  means  which  God 
has  promised  to  bless.  But  the  faithfulness 
and  closeness  of  his  addresses  to  their  con- 
sciences, by  which  many  are  sooner  or  later 
disgusted  and  driven  away,  is  a  proof  that 
he  does  not  want  them  merely  to  make  up 
a  number  about  him.  They  who  make  the 
office  of  a  preacher  an  occasion  whereby  to 
promote  their  own  interest  or  reputation, 
may,  perhaps,  obtain  the  reward  they  seek; 
but  it  is  such  a  reward  as  can  only  satisfy  a 
weak  and  mercenary  mind  ;  and  from  him, 
whose  name  they  prostitute,  they  can  only 
expect  the  reward  assigned  to  hypocrites  and 
unbelievers. 

But  true  christians  will,  and  do,  set  a  high 
value  upon  the  ministers  who,  with  simplicity 
and  godly  sincerity,  preach  the  gospel  of 
peace,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  evidence  that 
they  are  influenced  by  a  regard  to  the  glory 
of  God,  and  to  the  good  of  souls ;  and  they 
give  proof  of  their  affection  in  more  ways 
than  by  speaking  well  of  them. 

1.  By  the  satisfaction  with  which  they 
accept  a  faithful  ministry,  as  a  balance  to  the 
trials  they  meet  with  in  common  life.  There 
are  many  poor  and  many  afllicted  people, 
who  have  little  comfort  in  the  tilings  of  this 


life,  and  in  their  own  houses.  Some  are 
pinched  by  penury,  and  some  who  live  in 
opulence,  yet  dwell,  as  the  psalmist  expresses 
it,  (Psalm  Ivii.  4,)  in  the  fire  and  among  lions. 
They  suffer  not  less  than  the  others,  though 
in  a  different  way,  from  the  unkindness  and 
opposition  of  their  nearest  connection.s.  But 
in  the  house  of  God,  they  are  satisfied  and 
comforted.  And,  according  to  the  words  of 
the  prophet,  though  the  Lord  is  pleased  to  give 
them  the  bread  of  adversity,  and  the  water  of 
affliction,  (Is.  xxx.  20,)  yet  since  their  teachers 
are  not  moved  into  corners,  but  they  have 
free  access  to  the  preaching  of  his  word,  and 
can  attend  upon  a  minister  who  careth  for 
their  souls,  and  meets  them,  when  they  are 
weary,  with  a  word  in  season,  they  bear  their 
appointed  cross  with  cheerfulness.  Though 
they  have  much  bitterness  of  heart  at  home, 
known  only  to  themselves,  they  have  a  plea- 
sure which  a  stranger  intermeddleth  not 
with,  when  they  go  up  to  the  house  of  the 
Lord.  But  if  the  instrument  who  is  the 
messenger  of  God  to  them  for  good,  be  re- 
moved, and  they  are  deprived  of  these  oppor- 
tunities, the  regard  they  bore  him  is  mani- 
fested by  their  sorrow  for  losing  him  ;  which 
often  affects  them  more  sensibly  than  all  their 
other  griefs. 

2.  By  taking  kindly  and  in  good  part  his 
most  searching  discourses  in  public,  or  even 
his  reproofs  and  admonitions  in  private,  if 
needful.  For  they  know  that  he  watches 
over  tlieir  souls,  as  one  who  must  give  an 
account,  Heb.  xiii.  17.  And  because  they 
love  him,  they  do  all  in  their  power  to  make 
the  service  a  pleasure  and  not  a  grief  to  him. 
They  do  not  wish  him  to  speak  smooth  things 
to  them,  or  to  entertain  them  with  the  dis- 
cussion of  points  in  which  they  have  little 
concern,  but  to  hear  that  which  is  suitable  to 
their  own  case  and  circumstances.  And  if 
the  preacher  discovers  to  them,  that  through 
inadvertence,  they  have  allowed  themselves 
in  any  wrong  practice,  or  have  lived  in  the 
omission  of  any  duty,  instead  of  being  offend- 
ed with  his  plain  dealing,  they  love  him  the 
better  for  it. 

3.  By  their  tenderness  and  sympathy  with 
him  in  all  his  exercises ;  and  by  their  care, 
according  to  their  ability,  to  make  his  situa- 
tion comfortable,  and  to  avoid  every  thing 
that  might  give  him  just  occasion  for  com- 
plaint or  grief  The  trials  of  a  faithful  min- 
ister are  neitiier  few  nor  small.  His  work  is 
great ;  he  is  sure  to  meet  with  enemies  and 
discouragements.  He  travails  in  birth  for 
souls  ;  (Gal.  iv.  19 ;)  he  is  pained  by  the  op- 
position of  the  wicked,  the  inconstancy  of 
the  wavering,  and  the  inconsistency  of  many 
who  make  profession  of  the  truth.  He  feels 
many  anxieties  for  those  who  are  inquiring 
the  way  to  the  kingdom,  lest  they  should  be 
turned  aside  and  hindered  ;  and  too  oflen  the 
hopes  he  had  indulged,  of  some  who  disco- 


snsR.  XXXII.] 


THE  PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


321 


vered  a  concern  for  religion,  are  disappoint- 
ed. His  inward  conflicts  are  many.  He  often 
walks  in  much  weakness,  fear,  and  trem- 
blintr,  1  Cor.  ii.  'S.  When  he  considers  what 
he  is,  what  he  ought  to  be,  and  what  he  has 
to  do,  he  is  often  distressed,  afraid,  and 
ashamed,  and  unable  to  speak.  His  path  is 
spread  with  snares,  his  heart  wounded  with 
temptations.  But  his  judicious  hearers  have 
Bome  knowledge  of  what  he  endures  for  their 
sakes  and  in  their  service ;  they  love  him, 
pity  him,  and  pray  for  him,  and  their  kind 
attention  comforts  him  under  all  his  tribula- 
tions. 

Sometimes  their  regard  is  rather  impro- 
perly expressed  ;  as  when  they  not  only  value 
his  ministry,  but  hold  him  so  higlily  a  favour- 
ite, that  they  can  hardly  hear  another.  A 
preference  is  certainly  due  to  the  person  who 
is  made  especially  usel'ul ;  but  no  faithful 
preacher  should  be  slighted.  Though  gifts 
and  abilities  are  not  equal  in  all,  yet  they 
are  all  the  Lord's  messengers,  and  entitled 
to  regard. 

Again,  it  is  an  improper  regard,  if  they 
yield  themselves  implicitly  to  him,  to  be 
governed  by  his  will.  So  far  as  we  speak 
j«,greeably  to  the  scripture,  which  is  the  rule 
and  standard  of  faith  and  practice  both  to  you 
and  to  us,  vje  are  authorised  to  require  your 
attention  and  obedience;  but  you  are  not 
bound  to  receive  what  we  propose,  merely 
upon  our  own  authority.  There  are  those 
who  account  ignorance  tlie  mother  of  devo- 
tion, and  expect  an  implicit  compliance  with 
their  injunctions,  by  virtue  of  their  office  and 
personal  influence.  But  a  true  minister  will 
account  it  his  honour  and  pleasure  to  preach 
to  an  enlightened  people  who  love  and  study 
the  Bible,  and,  like  the  Bereans,  search  the 
scriptures,  (Acts  xvii.  11,)  to  see  if  things  are 
BO  as  represented.  We  have  no  dominion 
over  your  faith,  but  wish  to  be  helpers  of  your 
joy,  2  Cor.  i.  24.  Nor  do  we  pretend  to  do- 
minion over  your  purses,  though  we  are  to 
remind  you  of  the  apostle's  charge,  "  To  do 
good,  and  to  communicate,  forget  not,"  He- 
brews xiii.  1.5. 

How  much  are  they  to  be  pitied,  who  ac- 
count that  word  of  grace  a  burden,  which  to 
those  who  receive  it  with  thankfulness, 
proves  the  balm  and  cordial  of  life  !  Take 
iieed  how  you  hear.  Tf  the  gospel  is  not 
made  to  you  a  savour  of  life,  it  will  be  a  sa- 
vour of  death.  It  will  aggravate  your  guilt  and 
condemnation,  and  leave  you  utterly  hope- 
less and  inexcusable.  If  you  continue  im- 
penitent and  obstinate,  the  hour  is  coming 
when  you  will  wish  you  had  never  heard  or 
the  name  of  Jesus.  It  had  been  better  for  you 
never  to  have  been  born,  or  to  have  lived  and 
died  among  the  savage  Indians,  or  to  have 
been  an  idiot  or  a  lunatic  to  the  end  of  your 
days,  than  to  have  lived  where  the  doctrine 
of  salvation  was  published  in  your  hearing, 

Vol.  H.  2  S 


if  you  finally  reject  the  counsel  of  God  against 
yourselves ! 


SERMON  XXXn. 

THE  PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEI. 

 Their  sound  went  into  all  the  earth, 

and  their  words  unto  the  ends  of  the  world. 
Romans,  x.  18. 

The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God, 
Psalm  xix.  1.  The  grandeur  of  the  arch  over 
our  heads,  the  number  and  lustre  of  the  stars, 
the  beauty  of  the  light,  the  splendour  of  the 
sun,  the  regular  succession  of  day  and  night, 
and  of  the  seasons  of  the  year,  are  such  proofe 
of  infinite  wisdom  and  power,  that  the  scrip- 
ture attributes  to  them  a  voice,  a  universal 
language,  intelligible  to  all  mankind,  accom- 
modated to  every  capacity.  There  is  no 
speech  nor  language  where  their  voice  is 
not  heard.  The  combined  effect  of  the  visi- 
ble works  of  the  great  Architect,  presses  a 
declaration  upon  the  ear  of  reason — "The 
hand  that  made  us  is  divine."  We  must, 
however,  understand  it  of  the  ear  of  right 
reason.  The  loudest  voice  is  unnoticed  by 
the  deaf  Thus  it  ought  to  be,  and  thus  it 
would  be,  if  man  were  indeed  a  rational 
creature,  as  he  proudly  boasts  himself. 
That  the  fact  in  general  is  otherwise  ;  that 
the  bulk  of  mankind  are  no  more  affected  by 
the  works  of  God  than  the  beasts  of  the  field; 
that  the  philosophers  who  profess  to  study 
them,  so  faintly  discern,  so  frequently  deny 
the  great  First  Cause  of  all,  is  a  proof  that 
sin  has  darkened  and  depraved  the  noblest 
powers  of  the  soul,  and  degraded  man  into 
the  state  of  an  inattentive  idiot.  However, 
the  evidence,  if  it  does  not  excite  his  admi- 
ration and  praise,  is  abundantly  sufficient  to 
convict  him  of  stupidity  and  ingratitude,  and 
to  leave  him  without  excuse,  Rom.  i.  20. 

This  passage,  taken  from  that  sublime  ode 
of  David,  the  nineteenth  psalm,  is  applied  by 
the  apostle  to  illustrate  the  character  and  the 
progress  of  the  still  more  wonderful  display 
of  the  divine  perfections,  which  God  has  made 
known  by  the  glorious  gospel.  A  variety  of 
truths  shine  (like  stars  in  the  firmament)  in 
the  system  of  revelation.  But  principally 
Jesus,  the  Sun  of  truth  and  righteousness,  the 
source  of  spiritual  light  and  life,  answers  to 
the  description  there  given  of  the  material 
sun.  "His  going  forth  is  from  the  end  of 
heaven,  and  his  circuit  unto  the  ends  of  it, 
and  there  is  nothing  hid  from  his  heat," 
Psalm  xix.  6. 

But  the  fiilfilment  of  the  promises  respect- 
ing Messiah's  kingdom  is  progressive.  So 
far  as  this  prophecy  has  been  accomplished, 
the  arm  of  the  Lord  has  been  revealed.  It 


THE  PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


[SER.  XXXll. 


is  his  doing  and  may  justly  be  marvellous  in 
our  eyes.  The  truth  of  the  prophecy  will  be 
proved  by  its  final  completion,  which,  though 
not  likely  to  take  place  in  our  time,  we  may 
be  assured  that  it  cannot  fail,  for  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  it.  And  besides,  we  have  a  suf- 
ficient pledge  and  security  for  the  whole,  in 
what  he  has  already  done.  It  was  not  neces- 
sary for  the  fulfilling  of  this  prophecy,  nor 
consistent  with  the  tenor  of  many  othei-  pro- 
phecies, tliat  the  spread  of  the  gospel  should 
be  instantaneous  and  universal  on  its  first 
publication.  Messiah  is  to  rule  in  the  midst 
of  his  enemies  till  the  appointed  season, 
when  all  enemies  shall  be  subdued  under  his 
feet.  The  gospel,  the  rod  of  his  power,  is  so 
admirably  adapted  to  the  necessities  of  man- 
kind, that  the  obstructions  it  has  met  with 
must  be  ascribed  to  their  wickedness  and  ob- 
stinacy. Not  that  they  could  resist  the  will 
of  God.  Had  he  intended  to  give  it  univer- 
sal success  from  the  beginning,  the  event 
would  have  been  answerable.  But  it  was  his 
pleasure  to  conduct  the  dispensation  of  it,  so 
as,  on  the  one  hand,  to  display  his  sovereignty, 
wisdom,  and  power,  and  on  the  other,  to  afford 
a  full  proof  of  the  depravity  and  alienation  of 
the  heart  of  man.  This  point  is  so  much  mis- 
understood and  misrepresented,  that  though 
it  is  attended  with  great  difficulties,  especially 
if  we  give  way  to  vain  reasonings  upon  it,  I 
shall  venture,  in  the  present  discourse,  to  of- 
fer a  few  thoughts  towards  clearing  the  sub- 
ject, and  vindicating  (if  the  very  attempt  be 
not  presumptuous)  the  ways  of  God  to  man. 

When  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  after  a 
long  night  of  darkness,  arose  upon  the  world, 
there  appeared  a  strong  probability  that  the 
prophecies  concerning  the  extent  of  his  vital 
influence,  from  east  to  west,  from  pole  to  pole, 
would  soon  be  completely  realized.  In  a  very 
short  space  he  was  known  and  adored  by 
multitudes,  through  the  greatest  part  of  the 
Roman  empire,  and  beyond  its  limits.  But, 
perhaps,  for  about  seventeen  hundred  years 
since  that  period,  the  boundaries  of  his  king- 
dom, though  they  have  been  altered,  have  not 
been  much  enlarged.  If  he  has  since  in  some 
measure  enlighted  the  more  western  parts  of 
the  globe,  the  eastern  regions,  which  once 
rejoiced  in  his  light,  are  now  overwhelmed 
with  gross  Mahommedan  darkness.  And  if 
we  were  capable  of  investigating  the  state  of 
the  world  at  this  day,  we  should  probably  find, 
that  five  out  of  six  of  the  human  race  now 
living,  never  so  much  as  heard  of  the  name 
of  Jesus  as  a  Saviour.  There  is  reason  to 
fear  likewise,  that  in  the  nations  who  profess- 
edly call  him  Lord,  and  are  not  unwilling  to 
be  themselves  called  Christians,  a  greater 
proportion  than  five  out  of  six,  are  no  less 
strangers  to  his  power  and  grace,  than  the 
Mahommedans  who  reject  him,  or  the 
Heathens  who  never  heard  of  him. 

There  is  not,  perhaps,  a  darker  chapter  in 


the  book  of  divine  providence,  nor  a  medita- 
tion which  calls  for  a  more  absolute  subjec- 
tion and  submission  to  the  holy  will  and  un- 
searchable wisdom  of  God,  than  this.  The 
first  spread  of  the  gospel  proved  it  to  be  a  di- 
vine expedient,  fully  capable  of  producing  all 
the  great  purposes  which  the  prophets  had 
foretold,  and  which  the  state  of  the  world  re- 
quired. It  reconciled  men  to  God,  to  them- 
selves, and  to  each  other.  It  subdued  their 
passions,  regulated  their  affections,  freed 
them  from  the  guilt  and  bondage  of  sin, 
from  the  love  of  the  world,  and  from  the  fear 
of  death.  Wherever  the  doctrine  of  the 
cross  was  preached,  it  produced  that  salu- 
tary change  of  conduct  which  philosophy  had 
long  attempted  in  vain ;  and  raised  men  to 
that  life  of  communion  with  God,  of  which 
philosophers  had  no  conception.  Such  was 
the  bright  morning  of  the  gospel-day.  But 
in  time,  yea,  in  a  little  time,  dark  clouds  ob- 
scured its  light;  its  progress  was  impeded, 
and  in  a  manner  stopped.  On  one  hand,  the 
profession  and  name  of  the  gospel  gave  oc- 
casion to  mischiefs  and  abominations  which 
had  been  unknown  among  the  Heathens ;  so 
that  the  part  of  the  world  which  received  the 
name  of  Christendom,  was  little  distinguished 
from  the  rest,  in  a  religious  view,  but  by  a 
fierce  and  rancorous  superstition,  which  ty- 
rannized over  the  consciences,  liberties,  and 
the  lives  of  men.  On  the  other  hand,  as  I 
have  observed,  the  very  name  of  Christianity 
was  restrained  to  a  small  portion  of  the  earth ; 
many  nations  have  not  heard  of  it  to  this  day ; 
and  many  who  once  professed  it,  have  re- 
nounced it  long  ago. 

Thus  the  fact  stands.  We  cannot  deny  it. 
But  how  shall  we  account  for  if!  Infidels  and 
petty  reasoners  think  they  here  find  an  in- 
vincible objection  against  the  truth.  They 
say,  "  If  the  gospel  you  speak  of  be  so  salu- 
tary and  necessary,  if  it  be  indeed  the  great- 
est effect  of  the  divine  goodness,  why  has 
not  God,  who  is  the  common  Father  of  man- 
kind, afforded  it  to  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  ?  and  why  is  it  restrained  to  so  few  V 
But  I  think  we  may  retort  the  question,  and 
let  them  who  propose  it  give  such  an  answer 
(if  they  can)  as  shall  not  amount  to  a  con- 
fession of  the  obstinacy  and  ungrateful  folly 
of  mankind.  When  the  world  saw  the  happy 
tendency  and  effects  of  this  gospel  in  the  age 
of'the  apostles,  why  did  they  not  universally 
receive  it!  We  know  that  when  the  use  of 
the  mariner's  compass,  the  art  of  printing, 
and  many  other  inventions  that  might  be 
named,  were  discovered  in  one  country,  they 
were  presently  adopted  by  the  surrounding 
civilized  nations.  Even  the  recent  attempts 
to  venture  through  the  air  with  a  balloon, 
hazardous  as  they  certainly  are,  and  insig- 
nificant with  respect  to  real  usefulness,  are 
likely  in  a  little  time  not  only  to  engage  the 
notice,  but  to  excite  the  imitation  of  Europe. 


stR.  xxxn.] 


THE  PROGRESS 


OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


323 


VVhy  then  was  the  gospel,  the  most  bene- 
ficial and  important  discovery  the  world  has 
been  favoured  with,  the  only  one  that  has 
been  treated  with  g-eneral  contempt  1  Cer- 
tainly our  Lord  has  assigned  the  true  reason, 
"  Light  is  come  into  the  world,  but  men 
love  darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their 
deeds  are  evil,"  Jolm  iii.  19.  They  hate  the 
light,  they  will  not  come  to  it,  nor  will  they 
permit  it  to  come  to  them  if  they  can  possibly 
prevent  it.  This  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed 
God  has  been  and  still  is  shunned  and  dread- 
ed, and  every  human  precaution  and  e.xertion 
has  been  employed  to  withstand  and  suppress 
it,  as  though,  like  the  pestilence,  it  was  bane- 
ful to  the  welfare  of  society.  May  we  not 
say,  speaking  after  the  manner  of  men,  that 
the  Lord  has  done  enough  to  confirm  his  own 
express  and  solemn  declaration,  that  he  has 
no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  tlie  wicked,  but 
that  the  wicked  may  turn  from  his  way  and 
live?  Ezek.  .\xxiii.  11.  He  has  raised  up  a 
succession  of  faithful  servants,  from  age  to 
age,  to  publish  these  glad  tidings.  The  re- 
ception they  have  met  with,  not  only  from  the 
Heathens,  but  from  nominal  christians,  is  well 
known  to  those  who  are  acquainted  with  ec- 
clesiastical history,  which  contains  little  more 
than  a  detail  of  the  arts  and  cruelties  by  which 
the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  powers  of  almost 
every  kingdom,  where  the  gospel  has  been 
known,  have  endeavoured  to  suppress  it. 

The  nation  of  Great  Britain,  in  particular, 
has  but  little  right  to  ask.  Why  the  gospel  of 
Christ  has  been  spread  no  farther  among  the 
Heathen  !  The  providence  of  God  has  fa- 
voured us  with  peculiar  advantages  for  this 
service.  Our  arms  and  commerce  have  open- 
ed us  a  way  to  the  most  di.stant  parts  of  the 
globe  ;  and  of  late  years,  the  enterprising 
spirit  of  our  navigators  has  added  almost  a 
new  world  to  the  discoveries  of  former  times. 
How  far  have  our  plans  been  formed  with  a 
subserviency  to  the  great  design  of  evan- 
gelizing the  Heathen  !  How  much  have  we 
done  to  promote  it  in  Asia,  where  our  in- 
fluence and  opportunities  have  been  the 
greatest]  What  impression  of  tlie  name  and 
spirit  of  Christianity  has  our  conduct  given 
to  the  inhabitants  of  India!  But  I  forbear — 
Facts  are  too  well  known  to  need  recital;  too 
glaring  to  need  a  comment.  It  is  true,  we 
have  an  incorporated  society  for  propagating 
the  gospel  in  foreign  parts  and  we  hear  of 
missionaries;  but  of  the  good  efiects  of  their 
missions,  as  at  present  conducted,  we  neither 
hear,  nor  expect  to  hear.  While  America 
was  ours,  the  efforts  of  a  few  individuals  from 
the  northern  provinces  in  the  last  and  present 
century,  were  not  without  success.  But  I 
fear  tliis  is  all  the  honour  we  can  claim.  Some 
good  has  been  done  by  the  Danish  mission  to 
Tranquebar;  but  I  believe  our  influence  in  it 
ha.s  been  rather  nominal  than  effective.  The 
extent  and  effects  of  the  labours  of  the  Uni- 


tas  Fratnmi,*  compared  with  their  circum- 
stances and  resources,  must  not  be  omitted 
on  this  occasion.  They  doubtless  excite  ad- 
miration, and  thankfulness  to  God,  in  every 
serious  mind  acquainted  with  the  subject. 
But  excepting  in  these  instances,  I  believe 
the  Heathens  have  derived  but  little  know- 
ledge of  the  Gospel  from  their  connexions 
with  Christendom  for  some  ages  past.  And 
I  think  none  of  the  commercial  nations  ia 
Europe  have  had  the  propagation  of  Chris- 
tianity less  at  heart  than  the  English.  What 
obligations  the  natives  of  Africa  are  under  to 
us,  for  instruction  or  example,  may  be  es- 
timated, in  part,  by  a  cursory  survey  of  the 
state  of  our  West-India  Islands! 

That  the  gospel  is  so  little  known  in  the 
world,  and  so  little  received  where  it  is 
known,  cannot  be  so  properly  ascribed  to  the 
will  of  God,  as  to  the  wickedness  and  wilful- 
ness of  men.  Undoubtedly,  he  to  whom  all 
things  are  possible,  who  has  absolute  power 
over  the  hearts  of  his  creatures,  could  make 
a  way  for  the  universal  reception  of  it.  And 
we  trust  that  in  his  own  time  he  will  do  so. 
But  power  is  not  his  only  attribute.  It  would 
be  rash  and  absurd  to  suppose  that  the  great 
God  will  do  every  thing  that  he  can  do.  We 
are  sure  that  he  will  do  what  is  worthy  of 
himself;  but  of  this  his  own  infinite  wisdom 
is  the  only  competent  judge.  What  is  be- 
coming of  his  perfections  and  holy  govern- 
ment, we  can  know  no  farther  than  he  is 
pleased  to  inform  us.  But  it  certainly  be- 
comes us  to  lay  our  hands  upon  our  mouths, 
and  our  mouths  in  the  dust,  when  we  con- 
template his  conduct;  or,  if  we  do  speak,  to 
adopt  the  apostle's  language,  "  Oh  the  depths 
of  the  riches,  both  of  the  wisdom  and  know- 
ledge of  God  !  How  unsearchable  are  his  judg- 
ments, and  his  ways  past  finding  out!  For  of 
him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him  are  all  things. 
To  whom  be  glory  for  ever,"  Rom.  ix.  ;-ifi. 

However,  my  text  is  fulfilling,  and  shall  be 
fulfilled.  This  joyful  sound  has  already  been 
spread  far  abroad,  in  defiance  of  all  attempts 
to  restrain  it.  Multitudes  from  age  to  age 
have  heard  it,  and  found  it  to  be  the  power  of 
Gt)d  unto  salvation.  And  it  would  be  easy 
to  prove,  if  it  belonged  to  my  subject,  that 
the  superior  advantages  of  civilization  which 
Christendom  enjoys,  are  remotely  owing  to 
the  knowledge  of  revelation.  To  this  must 
be  chiefly  ascribed  the  different  state  of  this 
island  from  what  it  was  when  visited  by  Ju- 
lius Ca>snr.  Yea,  our  modern  philosophers 
would  make  but  a  poor  figure,  were  they  de- 
spoiled of  all  the  plumes  they  have  borrowed 
form  the  book  they  affect  to  despise.  Farther, 
the  purpose  of  God  to  save  sinners  by  faith  in 
his  beloved  Son,  is  the  primary  g-round  of  that 
patience  and  long-sufl^ering  which  he  still  ex- 


♦  More  (renerally  known  amongst  us  by  tlic  name  of 
the  Brethren,  or  Aloravians. 


11 


324 


OPPOSITION  TO  MESSIAH  UlNREASONABLE.      [seh.  xxxui. 


crcises  toward  such  a  world  as  this.  And 
some  imperfect  traces  of  this  design,  trans- 
mitted by  tradition,  are  probably  to  be  found, 
though  wofully  disfigured,  amon^  every  na- 
tion and  people  under  heaven  which  have  at 
least  preserved,  in  a  degree,  the  notices  of 
right  and  wrong,  and  some  faint  warnings  of 
conscience,  in  the  most  savage  state  of  human 
nature.  But,  were  it  not  for  reasons  con- 
nected with  the  designs  of  his  mercy,  we  can 
scarcely  conceive  that  the  Holy  God  would 
have  perpetuated  the  race  of  mankind  in  a 
state  of  rebellion  and  enmity  against  his  go- 
vernment. Or  if  he  had  permitted  them  to 
multiply,  and  left  them  wholly  and  absolutely 
to  themselves,  without  interposing  some  re- 
straints upon  their  depravity,  I  believe  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth  would  have  been  no 
better  than  incarnate  fiends. 

The  prophecies,  both  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament,  encourage  us  to  hope  for  a  time, 
when  the  light  of  gospel-truth  will  break 
forth  with  meridian  brightness,  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  see 
his  salvation.  As  a  pledge  of  this,  and  of 
the  truth  of  the  whole  scripture,  we  have 
what  may  be  called  a  standing  miracle  con- 
tinually before  our  eyes ;  I  mean  the  state  of 
the  Jews,  who,  though  dispersed  far-  and 
wide  among  many  nations,  are  every  where 
preserved  a  distinct  and  separate  people. 
The  history  of  the  world  affords  no  other  in- 
stance of  the  like  kind.  The  great  monarchs, 
by  which  they  were  successively  conquered 
and  scattered,  have  successively  perished. 
Only  the  names  of  them  remain.  But  the 
people  whom  they  despised,  and  endeavoured 
to  exterminate,  subsist  to  this  day ;  and 
though  sifted  like  corn  over  the  earth,  and 
apparently  forsaken  of  God,  are  still  pre- 
served by  his  wonderful  providence,  unaf- 
fected by  the  changes  and  customs  around 
them ;  still  tenacious  of  the  law  of  Moses, 
though  the  observance  of  it  is  rendered  im- 
practicable. Many  days,  many  ages  they  have 
lived,  as  the  prophets  foretold  they  should, 
without  a  temple,  without  sacrifice  or  priest, 
Hos.  iii.  4,  5.  As  yet,  many  heathen  nations 
are  permitted  to  walk  in  their  own  ways. 
But  at  length  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles 
shall  come  in,  and  all  Israel  shall  be  saved, 
Rom.  xi.  25,  26.  The  revolutions  and  com- 
motions in  kingdoms  and  nations,  which 
astonish  and  perplex  politicians,  are  all  bring- 
ing forward  this  great  event.  The  plan  of 
the  human  drama,  to  us,  who  only  see  a  sin- 
gle scene,  is  dark  and  intricate  ;  but  the  ca- 
tastrophe is  approaching  ;  and  in  the  close  of 
the  whole,  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God  will 
be  admired  and  adored,  and  all  holy  and 
happy  intelligences  will  acknowledge  with 
transport.  He  has  done  all  things  well. 

But  the  point  I  am  chiefly  to  press  upon 
my  hearers,  is,  that  this  word  of  salvation  is 
•ent  to  you,  Acts  xiii.  26.   How  the  great 


Judge  will  deal  with  the  Heathens,  who  were 
never  favoured  with  it,  he  has  not  seen  fit 
distinctly  to  inform  us.  But  thus  far  he  has 
assured  us,  that  it  will  be  more  tolerable  for 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  yea,  for  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
rah, than  for  those  who  have  the  privilege  of 
knowing  the  gospel,  if  they  reject  it,  Matt, 
xi.  20 — 24.  To  them  much  is  given,  and  of 
them  much  will  be  required.  Do  not  think 
ministers  assuming  if  they  magnify  their  office. 
We  have  no  reason  to  think  highly  of  our- 
selves. Nor  would  you  be  blameable  for  dis- 
regarding us  if  we  spoke  in  our  own  names. 
But  if  we  preach  the  truth  of  the  gospel  in 
simplicity  and  sincerity,  then  we  speak  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  demand  your  at- 
tention. Do  you  ask  for  our  authority  and  com- 
mission ]  Ask  your  own  consciences.  If,  like 
Felix,  when  you  mean  only  to  indulge  your 
curiosity  by  hearing  us,  you  are  constrained 
to  tremble  (Acts  xxiv.  25  ;)  if  we  force  upon 
your  mind  the  remembrance  of  what  you  have 
said  or  done ;  if  our  message  makes  you  un- 
easy and  dissatisfied  with  yourselves  ;  if  you 
cannot  avoid  feeling  at  some  times  the  truth 
of  our  principles,  and  the  necessity  of  the 
change  we  would  press  upon  you  ;  if,  though 
you  have  been  repeatedly  displeased  and  of- 
fended with  what  you  hear,  and,  perhaps, 
have  gone  away  purposing  or  threatening 
that  you  would  hear  it  no  more,  you  still  ap- 
pear amongst  us — then  you  have  a  sufficient 
proof,  that  the  ministers  are  sent  and  author- 
ized to  speak  to  you,  and  we  take  your  con- 
sciences to  witness  that  we  preach  the  truth. 


SERMON  XXXni. 

OPPOSITION  TO  MESSIAH  UNREASONABLE. 

Why  do  the  Heathen  rage,  and  the  people 
imagine  a  vain  thing  1  The  kings  of  the 
earth  set  themselves,  and  rulers  take  coun- 
sel together,  against  the  Lord,  and  against 
his  Anointed ;  saying,  let  us  break  their 
bands  asunder,  and  cast  away  their  cords 
from  us.    Psalm,  ii.  1 — 3. 

It  is  generally  admitted,  that  the  institutes 
of  Christianity,  as  contained  in  the  New 
Testament,  do  at  least  exhibit  a  beautiful  and 
salutary  system  of  morals;  and  that  a  sin- 
cere compliance  with  the  precepts  of  our  Lord 
and  his  apostles  would  have  a  good  effect 
upon  society.  Few  infidels  have  ventured  to 
contradict  the  common  sense  of  mankind  so 
far  as  to  deny  this.  Nor  can  it  be  denied, 
that  the  author  of  this  institution,  if  we 
judge  by  the  history  and  character  given  of 
him  by  the  evangelists,  exemplified,  in  the 
highest  perfection,  by  his  own  conduct,  the 
precepts  which  he  enjoined  to  his  followers. 
While  he  lived  as  a  man  amongst  men,  the 
tenor  of  his  behaviour  was  such  as  became 


SER.  xxxiii.]     OPPOSITION  TO  MESSIAH  UNREASONABLE. 


325 


the  friend  of  mankind.  Though  he  submitted 
to  a  low  estate,  and  often  suti'ercd  hunger, 
thirst,  and  weariness,  we  do  not  read  of  his 
having  wrought  a  single  miracle  merely  for 
his  own  relief  But  the  wants  and  calami- 
ties of  others  continually  excited  his  compas- 
sion and  engaged  his  assistance.  He  gave 
sight  to  the  blind,  health  to  tiie  sick,  and 
sometimes  wiped  away  the  tears  of  mourners, 
by  restoring  their  dead  to  life.  He  endured 
hunger  himself,  but  once  and  again  provided 
food  for  multitudes,  lest  they,  having  nothing 
to  eat,  should  have  fainted  by  the  way.  Nor 
did  he  confine  his  acts  of  benevolence  to  his 
followers,  but  was  easy  of  access,  and  granted 
the  request  of  all,  indiscriminately,  who  ap- 
plied to  him.  He  went  about  doing  good, 
(Acts  X.  3S,)  and  often  put  himself  in  the 
way  of  those  who  would  not  otherwise  have 
known  him.  And  though  he  was  opposed, 
calumniated,  and  laughed  to  scorn,  he  con- 
tinued unwearied  and  determined  in  the  same 
cause,  bestowing  benefits  on  all  around  him, 
as  occasions  offered,  and  returning  good  for 
evil.  May  we  not  with  reason  ask.  Why 
then  did  Jews  and  Heathens,  priests  and  peo- 
ple, scribes  and  Sadducees,  rage  so  furiously 
atrainst  him,  who  did  notiiing  amiss,  who  did 
all  things  well!  Why  did  persons  of  the  most 
opposite  interests,  parties,  and  sentiments, 
who  could  agree  in  nothing  else,  so  cordially 
agree  in  opposing  Messiah  ! 

The  gospel  breathes  the  spirit  of  its  great 
Author,  and  has  a  direct  tendency  to  make 
men  happy  and  useful.  Wherever  it  was  pub- 
lished, in  the  first  age,  among  the  Heathens, 
many  of  them  turned  from  the  worship  of 
dumb  idols  to  serve  the  living  and  true  God. 
It  taught  and  enabled  them  to  renounce  un- 
godliness and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  sober- 
ly, righteously,  and  godly; (Titus  ii.  12;)  and 
it  still  produces  the  same  efTects.  The  world 
now  bears  the  name  of  Christian  ;  but  under 
this  new  and  honourable  name  it  retains  the 
same  spirit  as  formerly.  Many  who  are  called 
Christians,  are  no  less  under  the  power  of  evil 
tempers  and  evil  habits,  than  the  Heathens  to 
whom  the  apostles  preached.  But  where  the 
gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  reaches  the  heart, 
a  real  and  observable  change  is  produced. 
The  profane  person  learns  to  fear  an  oath, 
the  libertine  is  reclaimed,  the  drunkard  be- 
comes sober,  and  the  miser  kind.  Wherever 
the  truth  of  the  gospel  is  known  and  received, 
instances  may  be  found  of  persons  who  were 
a  terror  and  a  burden  to  their  families,  being 
delivered  from  the  stings  of  a  guilty  con- 
science, from  the  dominion  of  headstrong  pas- 
sions, from  the  slavery  of  habitual  wickedness, 
and  made  peaceful,  useful,  and  exemplary 
members  of  society,  by  what  the  apostle  calls 
the  preaching  of  the  cross.  And  we  challenge 
history  to  show  that  an  abiding,  consistent 
refbrraatioa  was  ever  effected  by  any  other 


doctrine,  in  a  single  province,  or  city,  or  vil- 
lage, or  even  in  a  single  family. 

What  then  shall  we  say  of  that  zeal  which 
kindled  the  fire  of  persecution  against  our 
Lord  and  his  apostles,  and  his  followers, 
through  a  succession  of  ages  1  What  is  the 
common  principle,  the  bond  of  union,  which 
at  this  day  connects  people  who  differ  so 
widely  in  other  respects,  and  points  their  dis- 
pleasure from  all  sides  against  this  one  objecf? 
In  a  former  discourse,*  I  briefly  mentioned 
the  principal  grounds  of  that  dislike  which 
the  Jews  manifested  to  Messiah's  personal 
ministry,  and  I  observed,  that  they  are  deep- 
ly rooted  in  the  nature  of  fallen  man,  and 
therefore  not  peculiar  to  any  one  age  or  na- 
tion. The  gospel  always  did,  and  always 
will  produce  the  same  happy  change  in  those 
who  receive  it,  and  provoke  the  same  oppo- 
sition and  resentment  in  those  who  do  not. 
The  actings  will  be  differentas  circumstances 
vary,  but  the  principle  is  universally  the 
same.  In  this  island,  which  the  good  pro- 
vidence of  God  has  distinguished  by  many 
signal  and  peculiar  favours,  the  spirit  of  our 
constitution  and  government  is  friendly  to 
liberty  of  conscience  and  the  rights  of  pri- 
vate judgment ;  so  that  our  religious  profes- 
sion does  not  expose  us  to  the  penalties  of 
fire  and  sword,  stripes  or  tortures,  imprison- 
ment or  banishment.  Such  trials  have  been 
the  lot  of  our  forefathers,  when  the  servants 
of  God,  under  the  names  of  Gospellers  or  Puri- 
tans, were  treated  as  heretics  of  the  worst  sort 
We  are  bound  to  acknowledge  with  thankful- 
ness the  blessingsof  religious  and  civil  liberty 
which  we  enjoy.  But  the  world  at  large 
around  us  is  not  more  favourably  disposed  to 
the  grace  and  rule  of  Messiah's  kingdom,  than 
it  was  in  the  days  of  Heathen  and  Popish 
darkness.  The  tongue  at  least  is  unrestrain- 
ed, and  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the 
mouth  will  speak.  The  gospel  offends  the 
pride  of  men,  by  considermg  them  all  on  a 
level,  as  sinners  in  the  sight  of  God;  and  by 
proposing  only  one  method  of  salvation,  with- 
out admitting  any  difference  of  plea  or  cha- 
racter. It  offends  them  likewise  by  its  strict- 
ness. Like  Herod,  they  might  perhaps  con- 
sent to  do  many  things,  (Mark  vi.  20,)  if  they 
were  left  at  liberty  to  please  themselves  in 
others,  in  which,  though  expressly  contrary 
to  the  will  of  God,  they  will  not  submit  to  be 
controlled  ;  and  therefore  they  are  much  dis- 
pleased with  the  gospel,  which,  by  affording 
no  allowance  or  connivance  to  the  least  known 
sin,  but  prescribing  a  rule  of  universal  holi- 
ness, crosses  their  inclinations  and  favourite 
interests.  When  Paul  preached  at  Ephesus, 
Demetrius  and  his  companions  perceived  that 
their  craft  was  in  danger.  This  was  the  real 
cause  of  their  anger,  but  they  were  ashamed 


*  Sermon.  Jtvii. 


OPPOSITION  TO  MESSIAH  UNREASONABLE.     [ser.  xxxui. 


to  avow  it;  and  therefore  their  ostensible 
reason  for  opposinsr  him  was  of  a  religious 
kind,  (Acts  xix.  2S,)  and  they  professed  a 
great  concern  for  the  honour  of  Diana.  Few 
perhaps  would  have  given  themselves  much 
trouble  to  promote  or  preserve  the  gain  of 
the  craftsmen ;  but  a  pretended  regard  for 
the  worship  which  had  been  long  established, 
was  a  popular  topic,  which  wrought  power- 
fully upon  the  superstition  of  the  ignorant 
multitude,  and  thousands  were  presently  in- 
duced to  join  with  them  in  the  cry,  "Great  is 
Diana  of  the  Ephesians." 

The  like  arts  are  still  practised  with  the 
like  success.  The  same  secret  motives  are 
disguised  by  the  same  plausible  pretences. 
The  deceitfulness  and  wickedness  of  the  heart 
appears  in  no  one  instance  more  plainly  than 
in  the  cavils  which  are  repeated  and  multi- 
plied against  the  grace  of  the  gospel.  When 
we  preach  a  free  salvation  by  faith  in  Jesus, 
and  propose  his  obedience  unto  death  as  the 
sure  and  only  ground  of  acceptance  with  God ; 
when  we  say,  in  the  words  of  the  apostle,  to 
the  vilest  of  sinners  who  feel  the  burden,  and 
fear  the  consequences  of  their  sins,  "  Believe 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be 
saved,"  (Acts  xvi.  31,)  an  alarm  is  raised, 
and  a  concern  pretended  for  the  interests  of 
morality.  The  doctrine  of  salvation  by  faith 
only,  is  charged  with  opening  a  door,  a  flood- 
gate for  licentiousness,  and  it  is  supposed, 
that  if  this  doctrine  be  true,  people  may  live 
as  they  please,  and  still  comfort  themselves 
with  the  expectation  of  heaven  at  last.  Con- 
sidering our  natural  propensity  to  trust  in 
ourselves  that  we  are  righteous,  1  do  not  won- 
der that  persons  who  are  comparatively  sober 
and  decent  should  speak  thus,  while  they  are 
ignorant  of  the  strictness  of  the  holy  law  of 
God,  and  the  depravity  of  their  own  hearts. 
But  I  sometimes  wonder  that  they  are  not  a 
little  disconcerted  by  the  characters  of  many 
(so  different  from  what  they  suppose  their 
own  to  be)  who  join  with  them  in  the  objec- 
tions they  make.  For  in  this  point,  with  the 
sober  and  decent,  the  licentious  and  proflig-ate 
readily  concur;  and  whoremongers,  adulte- 
rers, drunkards,  and  profane  swearers,  almost 
equal  them  in  gravely  expressing  their  ap- 
prehensions that  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by 
grace  will  prove  very  unfavourable  to  the 
practice  of  good  works.  How  very  remark- 
able is  this,  that  the  virtuous  and  the  vile,  the 
most  respectable  and  the  most  infamous  peo- 
ple, should  so  frequently  agree  in  sentiment, 
and  unite  in  opposing  the  gospel,  professedly 
from  the  same  motive.  But  thus  it  was  at 
the  commencement  of  Messiah's  kingdom : 
kings,  rulers,  priests,  and  people,  all  conspired 
ind  raged  against  him.  Ilerod  and  Pilate, 
the  Jewish  elders  and  the  Roman  soldiers, 
the  Pharisees  and  the  Sadducees  thus  differed, 
and  thus  agreed.  They  hated  each  other  till 


he  appeared :  but  their  greater  common  hatred 
to  him  maJe  them  act  in  concert,  and  they 
suspended  their  mutual  animosity,  that  they 
might  combine  to  destroy  him. 

I  may  seem  to  have  digressed  from  the  im- 
mediate scope  of  my  text,  but  I  judge  it  pro- 
per to  bring  the  suliject  home  to  yourselves. 
If  I  confined  myself  to  prove  that  the  enemies 
of  our  Lord,  when  he  was  upon  earth,  were 
very  unreasonable  and  unjust  in  treating  him 
as  they  did,  I  should  have  an  easy  task,  and  I 
suppose,  the  ready  assent  of  all  my  hearers. 
But  there  may  be  persons  present,  who,  though 
they  little  suspect  themselves,  are  equally 
misled  by  prejudices ;  and  under  a  semblance 
of  zeal  for  a  form  of  godliness,  oppose  the  truth 
and  power  of  it,  upon  the  same  principles  and 
in  the  same  spirit  as  the  Jews  and  Heathens 
did  of  old.  The  Jews  who  condemned  Mes- 
siah to  death,  blamed  their  forefathers  for 
persecuting  the  prophets  who  foretold  his  aj>- 
pearance,  (Matt,  xxiii.  30, 31 ;)  but  their  own 
conduct  towards  liim  was  a  proof,  that  had 
they  lived  in  the  days  of  the  prophets,  they 
would  have  acted  as  their  fathers  had  done. 
So  the  resentment  that  many,  who  bear  the 
Christian  name  in  this  day,  discover  against 
the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and  against  the 
people  who  profess  them,  is  a  proof  that  they 
would  have  concurred  with  those  who  cruci- 
fied the  Lord  of  glory,  had  they  lived  in  Je- 
rusalem at  that  time. 

In  this  prophecy,  David,  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit,  speaks  of  the  future 
as  actually  present.  He  saw  the  resistance 
that  would  be  made  to  the  person  and  king- 
dom of  Messiah  by  the  powers  of  the  world ; 
that  they  would  employ  their  force  and  policy 
to  withstand  and  suppress  the  decree  and  ap- 
pointment of  God.  The  question.  Why  1  im- 
plies that  their  opposition  would  be  both 
groundless  and  ineffectual. 

1.  It  was  entirely  groundless  and  unrea- 
sonable. Messiah  was  indeed  a  King,  and  he 
came  to  set  up  a  kingdom  that  sliould  endure 
for  ever.  But  his  kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world  ;  and,  if  rigiitly  understood,  would  give 
no  umbrage  to  human  governments.  It  does 
not  interfere  with  the  rights  of  princes.  His 
subjects  are  indeed  primarily  bound  by  the 
laws  of  their  immediate  King,  and  they  must 
obey  God  rather  than  man,  (Acts.  v.  39,)  if 
man  will  presume  to  enjoin  such  laws  as  con- 
tradict his  known  will.  But  with  this  excep- 
tion, it  is  a  part  of  the  duty  they  owe  to  their 
Lord,  to  obey  those  whom  he  has  placed,  by 
his  providence,  in  authority  over  them.  The 
kingdom  of  Messiah  has  little  to  do  with  what 
we  call  politics.  His  people  are  taught  to 
render  to  Cfesar  the  things  that  are  Csesar's, 
(Matt.  xxii.  21,)  and  to  yield  a  peaceful  sub- 
jection to  the  powers  that  be,  under  whatever 
form  of  government  tlieir  lot  may  be  cast. 
They  are  strangers  and  pilgrims  upon  earth, 


8ER.  xxxiii.]      OPPOSITION  TO  MESSIAH  UNREASONABLE. 


327 


(1  Pet.  ii.  11,)  their  citizenship,  treasures,  and 
conversation,  are  in  heaven ;  and  they  have 
no  more  direct  concern  with  the  intrigues  and 
parties  of  politicians,  than  a  traveller  has  in 
the  feuds  and  disturbances  which  may  hap- 
pen in  a  foreign  country  through  which  he 
is  passing.  They  are  to  obey  God,  they  are  to 
obey  kings  and  governors  in  subordination  to 
God ;  they  are  to  render  to  all  their  dues;  tri- 
bute to  whom  tribute,  custom  to  whom  cus- 
tom, honour  to  whom  honour,  Rom.  xiii.  1 — 7. 
But  where  they  cannot  comply  with  the  laws 
of  government  without  breaking  the  laws  of 
God,  then  they  are  not  to  obey,  but  to  suffer 
patiently,  committing  their  cause  to  him 
whom  they  serve  ;  well  knowing  that  he  is 
able  to  protect  or  relieve  them,  so  far  as  his 
wisdom  judges  it  fit,  and  to  make  them  abun- 
dant amends  for  all  they  can  suffer  for  his 
eake.  I  am  not  a  direct  advocate  for  the  doc- 
trines of  passive  obedience  and  non-resistance 
in  the  largest  sense.  I  set  a  great  value  upon 
the  blessings  of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  I 
reverence  the  constitutional  rights  of  nations, 
particularly  of  our  own.    But  they  are  all 
dependant  upon  the  will  of  our  Lord ;  and  I 
know  not  by  what  means  they  can  be  pre- 
served to  a  people,  when  their  sins  have  made 
them  ripe  for  judgment.    But  let  the  dead 
bury  their  dead.  Matt.  viii.  22.    God  will 
never  want  instruments,  wlien  it  is  his  plea- 
sfire  to  relieve  the  oppressed,  or  to  abase  the 
proud.  For  these  purposes,  he  over-rules  the 
Councils  and  affairs  of  men,  pours  contempt 
upon  the  designs  of  princes,  and  takes  the 
wise  in  their  own  craftiness.  The  subjects  of 
his  spiritual  kingdom  have  only  to  commit 
their  cause  to  him,  to  wait  upon  him,  to  ob- 
serve and  to  admire  his  management.  Their 
best  interest  is  always  safe.    And  even  the 
troubles  they  meet  with,  are  appointed  for 
their  good.    But  if  they  so  far  conform  to 
the  world,  as  to  take  an  active  and  decided 
part  in  the  disputes  and  contentions  around 
them,  they  usually  dishonour  their  christian 
character,  and  obstruct  their  own  peace  and 
comfort.  There  may  be  possibly  some  e.xcep- 
tions.  God  may  sometimes  place  a  servant  of 
his,  by  tlie  leading  of  his  providence,  in  a  post 
of  high  political  importance,  as  he  did  Joseph 
and  Daniel,  but  I  believe  such  instances  are 
few  ;  and  if  any  venture  of  their  own  accord 
beyond  tfie  proper  line  of  their  calling  as 
christians,  the  event  is  usually  grief  and 
los^s  to  them.    They  are  described  in  his 
■word,  as  those  who  are  quiet  in  the  land, 
(P.salm  XXXV.  20,)  and  such  should  be  their 
deportment. 

We  are  sure  it  was  thus,  in  the  first  and 
golden  days  of  Christianity.  The  Roman  go- 
vernment was  then  absolute,  arbitrary,  and 
oppressive.  Tiberius,  Caligula,  Nero,  and 
ethers  who  presided  over  it,  and  bore  the  name 
of  Roman  emperors,  were  beyond  measure 
vile  and  abominable :  one  of  them  was,  by  a 


i  decree  of  the  Roman  senate,  sentenced  to 
death  as  a  public  enemy  to  mankind  ;  but  the 
Christians  neither  disputed  their  right,  nor 
disobeyed  their  authority.  Kings  and  rulers, 
therefore,  have  nothing  to  fear  from  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ.  The  maxims  of  sound  policy 
would  engage  all  their  influence  in  facilita- 
ting its  progress  ;  for  true  christians  will  as- 
suredly be  good  subjects.  Impatience  of  sub- 
ordination, contempt  of  lawful  authority,  tu- 
mults, riots,  and  conspiracies,  are  evils  which 
would  have  no  place  if  the  gospel  was  gene- 
rally received.  But  princes  have  been  usually 
exposed  to  the  flattery  of  designing  men,  who, 
by  their  arts  and  misrepresentations,  have 
seduced  them  to  act  contrary  to  their  true 
interests.  Their  mistaken  efforts  to  suppress 
that  cause,  which,  if  maintained,  would  have 
been  the  best  security  of  their  thrones,  have 
often  stained  the  annals  of  their  reign  with 
innocent  blood,  and  filled  their  dominions 
with  misery.  History  furnishes  many  in- 
stances of  kings,  who  might  otherwise  have 
lived  beloved,  and  died  lamented,  that  have 
involved  themselves  and  their  families  in  the 
calamities  with  which  they  unjustly  punished 
those  who  deserved  their  protection.  For, 

2.  Opposition  to  Messiah  and  his  kingdom 
is  no  less  vain  and  ineffectual,  than  unreason- 
able and  groundless.  Nor  is  it  vain  only,  but 
ruinous  to  those  who  engage  in  it.  What  did 
the  Jews  build  when  they  rejected  the  founda- 
tion-stone which  God  had  laid  in  Zion  1  They 
acted,  as  they  thought,  with  precaution  and 
foresight.  They  said,  "  If  we  let  him  thus 
alone,  all  men  will  believe  on  him;  and  the 
Romans  shall  come  and  take  away  both  our 
place  and  our  nation,"  John  xi.  4S.  Foolish 
politicians  !  Did  they  preserve  their  city  by 
crucifying  the  Son  of  God  !  The  very  evil 
they  feared  came  upon  them.  Or  rather, 
being  abandoned  of  God  to  their  own  counsels, 
they  brought  it  upon  themselves.  In  a  few 
years  the  Romans,  with  whom  they  appeared 
so  desirous  to  keep  upon  good  terms,  destroy- 
ed their  city  with  an  unheard-of  destruction, 
and  exterminated  them  from  the  land.  This 
was  an  emblem  of  the  inevitable,  total,  irre- 
parable ruin,  which  awaits  all  those  who  per- 
sist in  rejecting  the  rule  of  Messiah.  The 
nation,  the  individual,  that  willnotserve  him, 
must  surely  perish. 

Ah!  if  sinners  did  but  know  what  the 
bonds  and  cords  are,  which  they  arc  so  deter- 
mined to  break ;  if  they  knew  that  his  service 
is  perfect  freedom  ;  if  they  were  aware  what 
more  dreadful  bonds  and  chains  they  are  ri- 
votting  upon  themselves,  by  refusing  his  easy 
yoke,  they  would  throw  down  their  arms  and 
submit.  They  think,  if  they  yield  to  the 
gospel,  they  must  bid  adieu  to  pleasure.  But 
what  will  become  of  their  pleasure,  when, 
the  day  of  his  forbearance  being  expired,  ho 
will  speak  to  them  in  his  wrath,  and  fill  them 
with  hopeless  horror  and  dismay] 


828 


OPPOSITION  TO  MESSIAH  IN  VAIN. 


[8EH.  XXXIV. 


Bless  the  Lord,  ye  favoured  few,  whose 
eyes  are  opened,  wliose  hearts  are  softened, 
and  who  are  become  the  willing  people  of 
this  Saviour.  Yet  a  little  while,  and  he  will 
ap[)ear  acrain,  and  then  you  also  shall  appear 
with  him  in  glory ! 


SERMON  XXXIV. 

OPPOSITION  TO  MESSIAH  IN  VAIN. 

He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh ; 
the  Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision. 
Psalm  ii.  4.  • 

The  extent  and  efficacy  of  the  depravity 
of  mankind,  cannot  be  fully  estimated  by  the 
conduct  of  Heathens  destitute  of  divine  reve- 
lation. We  may  say  of  the  gospel,  in  one 
sense,  what  the  apostle  says  of  the  law,  "  It 
entered  that  sin  might  abound,"  Rom.  v.  20. 
It  afforded  occasion  for  displaying  the  aliena- 
tion of  the  heart  of  man  from  the  blessed  God 
in  the  strongest  light.  The  sensuality,  op- 
pression, and  idolatry  which  have  prevailed 
in  all  ages,  sufficiently  prove  the  wickedness 
of  men  to  be  very  great.  But  the  opposition 
which  they  who  have  rebelled  against  the 
government  of  their  Creator,  make  to  the 
proposals  of  his  grace,  is  a  proof  still  more 
striking.  If  sin  has  so  hardened  their  hearts, 
and  blinded  their  eyes,  that  of  themselves 
they  neither  can  nor  will  implore  his  mercy; 
yet  it  might  be  thought  that  if  the  great  God, 
whom  they  have  so  heinously  offended,  should 
be  pleased,  of  his  own  goodness,  to  make  the 
first  overtures  of  reconciliation,  and  to  invite 
them  to  receive  pardon,  they  would  gladly 
attend  to  his  gracious  declaration ;  especially 
when  they  are  informed,  that  to  preserve 
them  from  perishing,  he  gave  up  his  only 
Son  to  sufferings  and  death.  But  when  they 
not  only  defy  his  power,  but  insult  his  good- 
ness; when  they  reject  and  blaspheme  the 
Saviour  whom  he  commends  to  them  ;  when 
they  are  but  the  more  exasperated  by  his 
tenders  of  mercy ;  when  they  scorn  his  mes- 
sage, and  persecute  his  messengers  by  whom 
he  intreats  them  to  be  reconciled ;  this  mad 
and  ungrateful  carriage  shows  such  a  rooted 
enmity  against  God  in  fallen  men,  as  even 
the  fallen  angels  are  not  capable  of  dis- 
covering. For  iMessiah  took  not  on  him  the 
nature  of  angels,  nor  did  he  make  proposals 
of  mercy  to  them.  But  he  did  take  upon  him 
our  nature.  He  visited  us  in  person,  for  us 
he  lived  a  sufferer,  and  died  that  we  might 
live.  The  prophets  foresaw  and  foretold  the 
reception  he  would  meet  with,  and  their  pre- 
dictions were  fulfilled.  The  Jews  who  pro- 
fessed to  expect  him,  and  the  Heathens  who 
had  not  heard  of  him,  united  their  utmost  ef- 
forts to  withstand  and  defeat  the  purposes  of 


his  unexampled  love.  What  must  the  holy 
angels  tliink  of  the  baseness,  presumption, 
and  obstinacy  of  such  creatures ! 

But  rebellion  against  God  is  not  only  wick- 
edness, but  folly  and  infatuation  in  the  ex- 
treme. "  Who  ever  hardened  himself  against 
the  Lord  and  prospered  !"  Job  x.  4.  He 
whom  they  opposed,  and  against  whom  they 
thought  they  had  prevailed  when  they  saw  him 
dead  upon  the  cross,  soon  resumed  his  glory 
and  his  throne.  The  text  therefore  princi- 
pally respects  the  opposition  made  to  his  gos- 
pel and  to  his  kingdom  afler  his  ascension, 
which  is  still  carrying  on,  but  which  always 
was,  and  always  will  be  in  vain.  The  words 
I  have  read  offer  two  points  for  the  consola- 
tion of  those  who  love  him,  and  for  the  timely 
consideration  of  those  who  have  hitherto  dis- 
regarded him. 

I.  That  he  sitteth  in  the  heavens. 

II.  The  notice  he  taketh  of  his  enemies ; 
he  smiles  at  their  rage,  and  treats  both  their 
power  and  their  policy  with  contempt. 

I.  He  whom  God  has  anointed,  (therefore 
called  Messiah,)  he  against  whom  kings  and 
rulers,  nations  and  the  people  rage,  sitteth  in 
the  heavens.  He  has  finished  his  great  work, 
and  entered  into  his  rest ;  having  by  himself 
purged  our  sins,  he  is  immovably  seated  oa 
his  throne,  at  the  right  hand  of  the  majesty  on 
high,  Heb.  i.  3.  He  is  the  Head,  King,  and 
Lord  of  principalities,  dominions,  and  powers, 
possessed  of^all  authority,  unchangeably  fixed 
over  all,  God  blessed  for  evermore,  Rom.  ix. 
5.  In  this  character  he  is  the  Representative, 
High-Priest,  Advocate,  and  Shepherd  of  all 
who  put  their  trust  in  him.  He  is  ever  mind- 
ful of  them.  While  he  is  preparing  a  place 
for  them  near  himself,  by  the  power  of  his 
Spirit,  he  maintains  an  intercourse  with  them, 
and  manifests  himself  to  them  as  he  does  not 
to  the  world.  By  his  providence,  which  ruleth 
over  all,  he  manages  their  concerns  upou 
earth,  supplies  their  wants,  and  gives  th.em 
present  and  effectual  help  and  support  in  tlieij 
time  of  trouble.  To  him  their  eyes  and  hearta 
are  directed,  they  look  to  him  and  are  en- 
lightened, (Psal.  xxxiv.  5,)  strengthened,  and 
comforted.  And  under  his  protection  they  are 
safe.  He  having  taken  charge  of  them,  and 
engaged  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost,  no 
weapon  formed  against  them  can  prosper. 
Now  they  may  draw  nigh  to  God  with  bold- 
ness, for  they  have  one  who  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  them.  Now  they  may 
lay  aside  all  anxious,  uneasy  cares,  for  they 
have  a  mighty  Friend  who  careth  for  them. 
Now  they  may  say,  each  one  for  himself,  "I 
will  trust  and  not  be  afraid,  for  the  Lord  Je« 
hovah  is  my  strength,  and  my  song,  and  my 
salvation,"  Is.  xii.  2.  Whether  you  have  in 
deed  fled  to  him  for  refuge  as  the  hope  set  be- 
fore you,  committed  your  soul  to  him,  and  ac 
cepted  him  in  all  his  offices,  asyourProphe*^, 
Priest,  and  King,  is  a  point  of  experience ;  if 


SER.  XXXIV.] 


OPPOSITION  TO  MESSIAH  IN  VAIN. 


329 


you  have,  he  knows  it,  for  he  enabled  you  to 
do  it;  and  he  will  not  disappoint  the  hope  and 
expectation  which  he  himself  has  wroufrht  in 
you.  If  you  have,  tnethinks  you  must  know 
it  likewise.  Have  you  not  done  it  more  than 
once  !  Do  you  not  daily  repeat  this  surrender 
of  yourself  to  him  i  It  is  certainly  possible  to 
assent  to  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  considered 
merely  as  doctrines  or  propositions,  yea,  to 
plead  and  dispute  for  them  with  much  seem- 
ing earnestness,  and  yet  to  be  entirely  a 
stranger  to  their  power.  But  I  trust  that  they 
to  whom  I  now  speak  will  understand  me. 
Our  Lord  reminded  Nathanael  of  what  had 
passed  under  the  fig-tree,  (John  i.  48,)  when 
he  tliought  himself  alone.  Do  not  I  remind 
you  of  seasons,  wlien  no  eye  but  the  eye  of 
Him  who  seeth  in  secret  was  upon  you  !  Did 
not  you  then  and  there,  once  and  again,  ac- 
cept him  as  your  Saviour  upon  the  warrant 
of  his  own  word,  devote  yourselves  to  his  ser- 
vice, resign  yourselves  to  his  disposal,  and 
entrust  yourselves  to  his  care  !  Then  fear 
not.  He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  is  on 
your  side.  If  the  premises  be  well  grounded, 
the  inference  is  sure.  And  though  many  may 
rise  up  against  you,  they  shall  not  prevail ;  for 
he  will  tench  your  hands  to  war,  and  your 
fingers  to  fight,  will  cover  your  head  in  the 
day  of  battle,  and  in  the  end  make  you  more 
than  conquerors.  For  the  battle  is  not  yours, 
but  the  Lord's.  Your  enemies  are  his,  and  his 
cause  is  yours.  They  who  associate  against 
him  shall  be  dashed  in  pieces,  as  the  billows 
break  and  die  upon  a  rocky  shore. 

II.  The  feebleness  and  insignificance  of 
their  rage  against  Messiah,  is  intimated  by 
the  manner  in  which  he  notices  their  pro- 
ceedings; he  holds  them  in  derision,  he 
laughs  them  to  scorn.  He  has  them  per- 
fectly under  his  control,  holds  them  in  a 
chaiii  when  they  think  themselves  most  at 
liberty,  appoints  the  bounds  beyond  which 
they  cannot  pass,  and  can  in  a  moment  check 
them,  and  make  them  feel  his  hook  and  bridle, 
when  in  the  hoijjht  of  their  career. 

It  is  the  Lord's  pleasure  not  only  to  favour 
and  to  support  his  people,  but  to  do  it  in  such 
a  way  that  it  may  appear  to  be  wholly  his 
own  work,  and  that  the  praise  belongs  to  him 
alone.  And  therefore  he  permits  their  ene- 
mies for  a  season  to  try  if  they  can  prevent 
his  designs.  For  a  season,  things  take  such 
a  course  that  their  i-fttempts  seem  to  prosper; 
they  threaten,  they  boast,  and  confidently  ex- 
pect to  carry  their  point.  But  the  contest 
always  issues  in  their  shame  and  confusion. 
Ho  not  only  disconcerts  their  schemes,  but 
makes  them  instrumental  to  the  promoting 
of  his  own  designs.  Thus  when  he  sent 
Moses  to  deliver  Israel  from  Egypt,  Pharaoh, 
instead  of  complying  with  his  command,  in- 
creasea  their  burdens,  added  to  the  rigour  of 
tneir  bondage,  and  though  rebuked  by  a  suc- 
cession of  severe  judgments,  he  hardened 

Vol.  II.  2  T 


himself  the  more,  and  was  determined  to  de- 
tain them  if  he  could.  But  he  could  not  de- 
tain them  a  day  or  an  hour  beyond  tiie  ap- 
pointed time  which  God  had  long  before 
made  known  to  Abraham,  Exod.  xii.  41,  42. 
Then  they  were  delivered,  and  Pharaoh  and 
his  host  overthrown  in  the  Red  Sea.  Hereby 
the  name  of  the  God  of  Israel  was  more 
known,  noticed,  and  magnified,  than  it  would 
have  been,  if  Pharaoh  had  dismissed  the  peo- 
ple without  reluctance  or  delay. 

In  like  manner,  when  Messiah  left  the 
earth,  his  followers  were  considered  as  sheep 
without  a  shepherd.  The  world  conspired  to 
suppress  his  cause,  and  to  root  out  the  re- 
membrance of  his  people.  But  the  methods 
they  employed  counteracted  their  own  de- 
signs. They  who  were  dispersed  by  the  per 
secution  that  followed  the  death  of  Stephen, 
preached  the  word  wherever  they  went;  the 
gospel  spread  from  place  to  place,  and  the 
number  of  disciples  daily  increased.  So  that 
the  Jewish  rulers  soon  found  themselves  un- 
equal to  the  task,  and  foreboded  their  own 
disappointment,  doubting  whereunto  these 
things  would  grow,  Acts  v.  24.  In  some 
cases  the  Lord  signally  interposed,  and  show- 
ed how  entirely  the  lives  and  the  hearts  of 
his  adversaries  were  in  his  hand.s.  The 
haughty  Herod  was  suddenly  .smitten  by  an 
invisible  hand,  with  a  loathsome  and  mortal 
disease,  Acts  xii.  23.  He  fell,  devoured  by 
worms;  but  the  success  of  the  gospel,  which 
he  had  presumed  to  withstand,  greatly  in- 
creased and  spread.  The  furious  zeal  of  Saul 
of  Tarsus,  (Acts  ix.)  against  the  truth,  was 
silenced  in  a  different  manner.  Jesus,  whom 
he  ignorantly  persecuted,  appeared  to  him  in 
the  way  to  Damascus,  when  he  was  breath- 
ing out  threatenings  and  slaughter  against 
the  disciples,  disarmed  his  rage,  made  him  a 
monument  of  his  mercy,  and  an  earnest  and 
successful  preacher  of  the  faith  which  he  had 
laboured  to  destroy. 

From  the  Jews,  the  business  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Heathens,  whose  opposition  was 
no  less  unavailing.  Though  they  sometimes 
affected  to  boast  that  they  had  suppressed  the 
Christian  name,  the  gospel  was  propagated 
in  defiance  of  their  attempts  to  prevent  it. 
The  worst  and  the  best  of  the  Roman  em- 
perors were  alike  industrious,  and  alike  un- 
successful, in  their  endeavours  to  stifle  the 
work  of  God.  At  length,  in  the  reign  of 
Constantine,  the  Christian  religion  obtained 
the  sanction  and  protection  of  imperial  au- 
thority. 

But  it  soon  appeared  that  the  religion  of 
the  New  Testament  gained  little  advantage 
by  this  revolution.  Thoufh  the  worship  of 
heathen  idols  gradually  declined,  and  sunk 
into  disrepute,  the  bulk  of  the_  people  of  all 
ranks  were  only  changed  in  name.  The 
world  still  lay  in  wickedness,  (1  John  v.  19,) 
and  true  Christianity  was  .still  exposed  to 


OPPOSITION  TO  MESSIAH  IN  VAIN. 


[sER.  xxxrv. 


persecution.  When  the  name  of  Christian 
ceased  to  be  invidious  and  despicable,  new 
names  were  soon  invented  to  stijrmatize  the 
real  servants  of  God ;  and  ecclesiastical  power 
gradually  increased,  till  the  mystery  of  ini- 
quity reigned  for  &ges  in  the  temple  of  God. 
The  persecutions  of  Popery  equalled  and  ex- 
ceeded those  of  Paganism.  And  they  who 
aspired  to  be  Christians  indeed,  were  con- 
strained, like  the  worthies  of  old,  to  wander 
on  mountains  and  in  deserts,  to  hide  them- 
selves in  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth,  Heb. 
xi.  3S.  Yet,  under  all  disadvantages,  there 
was  still  a  remnant,  according  to  the  elec- 
tion of  grace,  who  could  not  be  compelled  to 
wear  the  mark  of  the  beast.  And  while  per- 
secutors, who  could  only  kill  the  body,  seem- 
ed to  weaken  the  church  militant,  they  in- 
creased the  number  and  the  songs  of  the 
church  triumphant. 

To  appearance  the  church  of  Christ  was 
often  brought  low.  It  was  very  low  at  the 
time  of  the  Reformation.  But  then  it  sud- 
denly was  revived,  and  broke  forth  like  the 
sun  from  behind  a  dark  cloud  ;  and  the  light 
of  the  gospel  was  ditfused  far  and  wide,  al- 
most as  at  the  beginning,  in  the  apostles' 
days.  But  Protestants  were  quickly  actuated 
by  the  same  spirit  as  their  Popish  and  Pagan 
predecessors  had  been.  The  form  of  Chris- 
tianity was  professed  and  protected,  and  the 
power  of  it  denied  and  opposed.  And  to  this 
day  it  remains  a  truth  verified  by  experience, 
that  all  who  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus, 
must,  m  one  way  or  other,  suffer  persecution, 
1  Tim.  iii.  12. 

Of  late  years  the  sanguinary  spirit,  which, 
under  pretence  of  doing  God  service,  de- 
stroyed his  people  by  fire  and  tortures,  is 
much  subsided.  We  live  in  a  time  when 
great  pretences  are  made  to  candour  and 
moderation.  We  have  reason  to  be  thankful 
for  our  religious  liberty,  to  the  good  pro- 
vidence of  God.  But  so  far  as  men  are  con- 
cerned, we  are  not  indebted  for  it,  to  a  just 
sense  and  acknowledgment  of  the  right  of 
private  judgment,  but  to  the  prevalence  of 
sceptical  indifference  and  infidelity.  The  re- 
ligion of  the  gospel  was,  perhaps,  never  more 
despised  and  hated  than  at  present.  We 
seem  to  be  returning  apace  to  the  state  of 
the  primitive  ages,  wlien  there  were  but  two 
sorts  of  persons.  Christians  and  infidels.  But 
notwithstanding  all  the  arts  and  assaults  of 
men,  whether  open  enemies  or  pretended 
friends  the  Bible  is  still  extant,  the  gospel  is 
still  preached,  yea,  is  still  spreading.  The 
Lord  has  always  had  a  people,  though  they 
have  been  often  hidden  from  the  general  no- 
tice and  observation  of  men.  He  that  sitteth 
in  the  heavens  laughs  his  opposers  to  scorn, 
and  maintains  his  own  cause  in  defiance  of 
them  all. 

Surely  if  this  work  was  not  of  God,  the 
united  efforts  of  kings,  councils,  popes,  philo- 


sophers, the  great,  the  wise,  the  decent,  and 
the  profligate,  must  have  overthrown  it  long 
ago.  If  a  miracle  be  demanded  in  proof  of 
Christianity,  behold  one !  Though  the  world 
has  been  raging  and  plotting  against  it,  from 
its  first  appearance ;  though  it  has  been 
fiercely  assaulted  by  those  without,  and 
shamefully  betrayed  by  many  within,  it  still 
subsists,  it  still  flourishes.  And  subsist  it 
shall,  for  it  is  maintained  by  him  who  has 
the  hearts  of  all  men  in  his  hands,  and  can 
control  or  change  tliem  as  he  pleases.  He 
can,  and  he  will,  support  and  strengthen  his 
people  under  all  their  sufferings.  He  can 
disappoint  his  adversaries  by  unexpected 
events,  divide  them  among  themselves,  and 
so  manage  them  by  his  providence,  as  to 
make  them  protect  and  promote  the  very 
cause  which  they  hate.  And  whenever  he 
pleases,  he  can,  as  it  were,  from  the  stones, 
(Matth.  iii.  9,)  raise  up  instruments  to  carry 
on  his  work,  and  to  show  forth  his  praise. 
Therefore, 

1.  Let  not  his  people  tremble  for  the  ark. 
Our  eyes  indeed  should  affect  our  hearts.  It 
becomes  us  to  be  jealous  for  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  to  be  concerned  for  the  contempt  and 
dishonour  that  is  cast  upon  his  government 
and  grace,  to  be  grieved  for  the  abounding 
abominations  of  the  day,  and  to  pity  and  pray 
for  obstinate  sinners  who  know  not  what 
they  do.  But  we  need  not  fear  the  failure 
of  his  promise.  His  truth  and  honour  are 
engaged  for  the  success  of  his  gospel,  and 
they  must  stand  or  fall  together.  It  is  a  cause 
dearer  to  him  than  it  can  be  to  us.  The 
manifestation  of  his  glory  in  the  salvation  of 
sinners,  by  the  doctrine  of  the  cross,  is  the 
one  great  concern,  for  which  the  succession 
of  day  and  night,  and  of  the  seasons  of  the 
year,  is  continued,  and  the  visible  frame  of 
nature  is  preserved.  He  will  work,  and  none 
shall  let  it.  The  kingdoms  of  the  earth  shall 
become  the  kingdoms  of  the  Lord  and  of  his 
Christ.  The  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  shall 
come  in,  and  the  dispersed  of  Israel  shall  re- 
turn to  the  Lord  their  God,  and  be  saved. 
These  great  events,  to  those  who  judge  by 
an  eye  of  sense,  and  according  to  the  present 
state  of  things,  may  appear  improbable  or  im- 
possible. But  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  purposed, 
and  who  shall  disannul  it  1  His  hand  is  stretch- 
ed out,  and  who  shall  turn  it  back  !  Is.  xiv.  27. 

2.  Think  it  neither  strange  nor  hard,  if 
any  of  you  are  called  to  suffer  for  the  sake  of 
the  truth.  Think  it  not  strange ;  for  thus  it 
has  been  from  the  beginning.  Think  it  not 
hard ;  for  our  sufferings  are  small,  if  com- 
pared with  the  lot  of  many  who  have  lived 
before  us.  We  are  not  called  to  resist  unto 
blood.  Many  prophets  and  righteous  men 
have  desired  to  see  such  days  of  liberty  ag 
we  are  favoured  with,  but  have  not  seen 
them. 

3.  Consider  seriously,  Who  is  on  the  Lord's 


SER.  XXXV.] 


OPPOSITION  TO  MESSIAH  RUINOUS. 


331 


side  1  His  is  the  strongest  side,  and  must 
prevail.  If  you  have  yielded  yourselves  to 
him,  and  taken  upon  you  his  yoke,  your  best 
interests  are  safe,  your  final  happiness  is  se- 
cured. Nothing  can  separate  you  from  his 
love.  You  shall  be  kept  by  his  power  through 
faith,  and  no  weapon  formed  against  you  shall 
prosper.  But  if  you  are  against  him,  trem- 
ble, for  the  day  of  his  wratii  will  come ;  "  it 
will  burn  like  an  oven,  and  all  the  proud,  and 
all  that  do  wickedly,  shall  be  as  stubble,  and 
the  day  that  Cometh  shall  burn  them  up,  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  and  shall  leave  them  nei- 
tiier  root  nor  branch,"  Mai.  iv.  1.  Turn 
therefore  in  time  from  your  evil  ways,  sub- 
mit yourselves  unto  him,  and  implore  his 
mercy  while  he  waiteth  to  be  gracious,  that 
iniquity  may  not  be  your  ruin. 


SERMON  XXXV. 

OPPOSITION  TO  MESSIAH  RUINOUS. 

Thou  shall  break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron, 
thou  shall  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  pot- 
ter's vessel.    Psalm  ii.  9. 

There  is  a  species  of  the  sublime  in 
writing,  which  seems  peculiar  to  the  scrip- 
ture, and  of  which,  properly,  no  subjects  but 
those  of  divine  revelation  are  capable.  With 
us,  things  inconsiderable  in  themselves  are 
elevated  by  splendid  images,  which  give 
t.'iem  an  apparent  importance  beyond  what 
they  can  justly  claim.  Thus  the  poet,  when 
describing  a  battle  among  bees,  by  a  judicious 
selection  of  epithets  and  tigures,  excites  in  the 
minds  of  his  readers  the  idea  of  two  mighty 
armies  contending  for  empire.  But  the  works 
and  ways  of  God  are  too  great  in  themselves 
to  admit  of  any  heightening  representation. 
We  conceive  more  forcibly  of  small  things 
by  illustrations  borrowed  from  those  which 
are  greater;  but  the  scripture  frequently  il- 
lustrates great  things,  by  contrasting  them 
with  those  which  in  our  estimation  are  trivial 
and  feeble.  One  instance,  out  of  many  which 
might  be  mentioned,  is  that  truly  sublime 
passage  of  the  prophet :  "  And  all  the  host  of 
heaven  shall  be  dissolved,  and  the  heavens 
shall  be  rolled  together  as  a  scroll ;  and  all 
their  host  shall  fall  down  as  the  leaf  falleth 
off  from  the  vine,  and  as  a  falling  fig  from 
the  fig-tree,"  Isa.  xxxiv.  4.  The  apostle,  when 
favoured  with  a  heavenly  vision,  introduces 
the  same  thought,  almost  in  the  same  words: 
"  And  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth, 
even  as  a  fig-tree  casteth  her  untimely  figs, 
when  she  is  sliaken  of  a  mighty  wind :  and 
the  heavens  departed  as  a  scroll  when  it  is 
rolled  together,"  Rev.  vi.  13, 14.  Such  forms 
of  expression  are  becoming  the  Majesty  of 
the  great  God,  before  whom  the  difference 


between  the  great  and  the  small  in  our  judg- 
ment, is  annihilated.  In  his  view,  the  earth, 
with  all  its  inhabitants,  are  but  as  a  drop 
which  falls  unnoticed  from  the  bucket,  or  as 
the  dust  which  cleaves  to  the  balance,  (Is. 
xl.  15,)  without  affecting  its  equilibrium.  At 
the  same  time,  the  simplicity  of  these  illus- 
trations, so  well  suited  to  confound  the  pride 
of  the  wise,  is  striking  and  obvious  to  the 
lowest  capacities.  If  Homer  or  Virgil  had 
been  to  describe  the  exertion  and  effect  of 
the  power  of  God,  in  subduing  and  punishing 
his  enemies,  they  would  probably  have  la- 
bouied  for  a  simile  sufficiently  grand.  But  I 
much  question  if  they  would  have  thought  of 
the  image  in  my  text,  though  none  can  be 
more  expressive  of  utter  irreparable  ruin,  or 
of  the  ease  with  which  it  is  accomplished: 
He  shall  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's 
vessel. 

The  series  of  the  passages  we  have  lately 
considered  is  very  regular  and  beautiful. 
Messiah  ascended  on  high,  and  received  gifts 
for  men.  The  first  and  innnediate  conse- 
quence of  his  exaltation  in  our  nature,  is  the 
publication  of  the  gospel.  Then  follows  the 
happy  and  beneficial  influence  of  the  gospel 
on  those  who  thankfully  receive  it.  How 
beautiful  are  the  feet  of  them  that  preach 
these  glad  tidings !  The  next  passage  secures 
and  describes  its  extensive  progress — the 
sound  went  forth  into  all  the  earth.  The 
opposition  awakened  by  it  is  then  described, 
First,  as  unreasonable — Why  do  the  Heathen 
rage?  Secondly,  as  ineffectual — the  Lord 
laughs  at  his  opposers  ;  he  sits  upon  his  im- 
movable throne,  and  derides  their  attempts. 
Thirdly,  the  final  issue  of  their  mad  resist- 
ance, their  confusion  and  ruin,  is  the  subject 
of  the  verse  I  have  read,  which  prepares  for 
the  close  of  the  second  part  of  the  Oratorio. 
His  enemies  shall  perish,  his  kingdom  shall 
be  established  and  consummated.  And  then 
all  holy  intelligent  beings  shall  join  m  a  song 
of  triumph,  "  Hallelujah,  for  the  Lord  God 
Omnipotent  reigneth." 

The  two  expressions,  of  breaking  with  a 
rod  of  iron,  and  dashing  in  pieces,  suggest 
nearly  the  same  idea.  But  as  elsewhere  he  is 
said  to  rule  his  enemies  with  a  rod  of  iron, 
(Rev.  xix.  15,)  I  shall  avail  myself  of  this  va- 
riation, in  order  to  give  you  a  more  complete 
view  of  the  dreadful  state  of  those  who  oppose 
Messiah  and  his  kingdom.  He  rules  them  at 
present  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  hereafter  he 
will  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  ves- 
sel.   Let  us  therefore  consider, 

I.  How  the  Lord  Messiah  rules  over  im- 
penitent and  obstinate  sinners  in  the  present 
life.  They  attempt  (in  vain)  to  withdraw 
from  his  subjection;  they  oppo.se  his  holy 
will;  they  refuse  to  submit  to  his  golden 
sceptre:  he  will  therefore  rule  them  with  a 
rod  of  iron.  For  though  they  boast  of  their 
liberty,  and  presume  to  say,  Who  is  Lord 


II 


332 


OPPOSITION  TO  MESSIAH  RUINOUS. 


[SER.  XXXV. 


over  us?  (Psalm  xii.  4,)  yet  in  the  thing 
wherein  they  speak  proudly,  he  is  above  them, 
(Exod.  xviii.  11.)  They  cannot  hide  them- 
selves from  his  notice,  nor  avoid  the  intima- 
tions of  his  displeasure. 

1.  One  branch  of  his  iron  rule  over  them, 
consists  in  that  certain  and  inseparable  con- 
nexion which  he  has  established  between  sin 
and  misery.  The  fruit  of  righteousness  is 
peace,  James  iii.  18.  They  who  live  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  and  yield  a  willing  obe- 
dience to  his  word,  not  only  possess  peace  of 
conscience,  and  a  hope  which  can  look  with 
comfort  beyond  the  grave,  but  are  thereby 
preserved  froin  innumerable  evils,  into  which 
they  who  attempt  to  cast  off  his  yoke  una- 
voidably plunge  themselves.  On  the  con- 
trary, the  way  of  transgressors  is  hard,  Prov. 
xiii.  1.5.  It  is  hard  in  itself,  if  we  set  aside 
for  a  moment  the  consideration  of  the  dread- 
ful end  to  which  it  leads.  Could  you  see 
what  passes  within  the  breast  of  a  man  who 
disdains  to  be  governed  by  the  rule  of  God's 
word,  you  would  see  his  heart  torn  to  pieces 
by  the  clamorous,  insatiable  demands  of  the 
various,  violent,  inconsistent  appetites  and 
passions,  which,  like  so  many  wild  beasts,  are 
continually  preying  upon  him.  Not  one  of 
them  can  be  fully  gratified,  much  less  all,  for 
many  of  them  are  diametrically  opposite  to 
each  other.  The  boilings  of  anger,  the  gnaw- 
ings  of  envy,  the  thirst  of  covetousness,  the 
anxieties  attendant  on  pride  and  ambition, 
must  make  the  mind  that  is  subject  to  them 
miserable.  Tliere  is  no  peace  to  the  wicked; 
there  can  be  none.  Farther,  their  evil  tem- 
pers and  irregular  desires  produce  outward 
and  visible  effects,  which  publicly  and  mani- 
festly prove,  that  the  service  of  sin  is  a  hard 
drudgery,  and  that  whatever  pleasure  it  may 
seem  to  promise,  its  pay  is  misery  and  pain. 
"  Who  hath  woe,  contentions,  and  wounds 
without  cause!"  (Prov.  xxiii.  29.)  The 
drunkard.  Lewdness  and  drunkenness  are 
high  roads,  if  I  may  so  speak,  leading  to  in- 
famy, disease,  penury,  and  death.  Such  per- 
sons do  not  live  out  half  the  days  which  their 
constitutions  might  have  afforded,  if  they  had 
not  sold  themselves  to  do  wickedly.  Again, 
look  into  their  houses.  Where  the  Lord  does 
not  dwell,  peace  will  not  inhabit.  How  fre- 
quently may  we  observe,  in  their  family-con- 
nexions, discord  and  enmity  between  man 
and  wife,  unkind  parents,  disobedient  chil- 
dren, tyrannical  masters,  and  treacherous 
servants  ]  Thus  they  live,  hateful  in  them- 
selves, and  hating  one  another.  Tit.  iii.  2.  If 
they  have  what  the  world  accounts  pros- 
perity, their  hard  master  Satan,  so  works 
upon  their  evil  dispositions,  that  they  can 
derive  no  real  comfort  from  it.  Every  day, 
almost  every  hour,  puts  some  new  bitterness 
into  their  cup.  And  in  trouble  they  have  no 
resource :  having  no  access  to  God,  no  pro- 
mise to  support  them,  no  relief  from  him 


against  their  anxieties  and  fears,  they  either 
sink  down  in  sullen,  comfortless  despondency, 
or  in  a  spirit  of  wild  rebellion,  blaspheme  him 
because  of  their  plagues.  Rev.  xvi.  21.  In 
society  they  are  dreaded  and  avoided  by  the 
sober  and  serious,  and  can  only  associate  with 
such  as  themselves.  There  indeed,  they  will 
pretend  to  be  happy ;  they  carouse,  and  make 
a  noise,  and  assist  each  other  to  banish  re- 
flection; yet  frequently  the  drink,  or  the 
devil,  breaks  their  intimacies,  and  stirs  them 
up  to  quarrels,  broils,  and  mischief  Such  is  a 
life  of  sin.  The  Lord  rules  them  with  a  rod 
of  iron.  They  renounce  his  fear,  and  he  re- 
fuses them  his  blessing.  Nothing  more  is 
necessary  to  render  them  miserable  than  to 
leave  them  to  themselves. 

2.  He  rules  them  with  a  rod  of  iron,  by 
his  power  over  conscience.  They  may  boast 
and  laugh,  but  we  know  the  gall  and  bitter- 
ness of  their  state ;  for  we,  likewise,  were  in 
it,  until  the  Lord  delivered  us.  Let  them  say 
what  they  will,  we  are  sure  that  there  are  sea- 
sons, when,  like  him  whom  they  serve,  they 
believe  and  tremble,  James  ii.  19.  They  can- 
not always  be  in  company,  they  cannot  al- 
ways be  intoxicated  ;  though  this  is  the  very 
reason  why  many  intoxicate  themselves  so 
often,  because  they  cannot  bear  their  own 
thoughts  when  sober.  They  are  then  a  bur- 
den and  a  terror  to  themselves.  They  feel 
the  iron  rod.  How  awful  are  the  thoughts 
which  sometimes  awaken  them,  or  keep  them 
awake,  in  the  silent  hours  of  the  night !  What 
terrors  seize  them  in  sickness,  or  when  they 
are  compelled  to  think  of  death!  What  a 
death-warrant  do  they  often  receive  in  their 
souls,  under  the  preaching  of  that  word  of 
God  which  fills  his  people  with  joy  and  peace ! 
Many  will  not  hear  it.  But  why  not  ]  They 
will  not,  because  they  dare  not.  I  am  per- 
suaded there  are  more  than  a  few  of  the  brave 
spirits  of  the  present  day,  who  would  wil- 
lingly change  conditions  with  a  dog,  and  be 
glad  to  part  with  their  reason,  if  they  could  at 
the  same  time  get  rid  of  the  horrors  which 
hunt  their  consciences.  Is  there  one  such 
person  here?  Let  me  entreat  you  to  stop  and 
consider,  before  it  be  too  late.  There  is  yet 
forgiveness  with  God.  Your  case,  though 
dangerous,  is  not  desperate,  if  you  do  not 
make  it  so  yourself  I  would  direct  your 
thoughts  to  Jesus.  Look  to  him,  and  im- 
plore his  mercy  His  blood  can  cleanse 
from  all  sin.  He  is  able  to  save  to  the  ut- 
termost. 

It  is  possible  some  may  affect  to  contradict 
the  representation  I  have  made,  and  be  ready 
to  say,  "  I  find  nothing  of  all  tliis.  I  take  a 
pleasure  in  my  way.  I  have  a  healthy  body, 
money  at  my  command,  and  I  can  sleep 
soundly.  I  feel  none  of  the  qualms  of  con- 
science you  speak  of ;  and  though  the  saints 
and  good  folks  care  as  little  for  me  as  I  do 
for  them,  yet  I  am  very  well  and  happy  with 


SER.  XXXV.]  OPPOSITION  TO 


]VIESSIAH  RUINOUS. 


333 


such  acquaintance  as  I  like  best.  As  to  an 
hereafter,  I  do  not  think  of  it ;  but  I  am  de- 
termined to  live  now."  In  answer  to  sen- 
timents of  tlii.s  kind,  which  I  am  afraid  are 
too  common,  I  observe, 

3.  That  the  amazing  hardness  and  blind- 
ness of  heart  to  which  some  sinners  are  given 
up,  is  another,  and  the  most  terrible  effect  of 
that  iron  rod  with  which  the  Lord  rules  his 
enemies.  Pharaoh  could  say  as  positively  as 
you,  "  Who  is  the  Lord,  that  I  should  obey 
him  !"  Exod.  v.  2.  But  because,  being  often 
rebuked,  he  persisted  in  his  obstinacy,  the 
contest  terminated  in  his  destruction.  If 
you  are  obstinate  like  him  now,  I  believe  you 
were  not  always  so.  You  must  have  laboured 
hard,  you  must  have  resisted  the  light  of  truth, 
and  have  stifled  many  a  conviction,  before 
you  could  arrive  to  this  pitch  of  obduracy. 
You  have  fought  against  the  Holy  Spirit; 
and  woe  unto  you,  if  he  be  gone,  gone  for 
ever,  and  will  strive  with  you  no  more.. 
To  be  thus  given  up  of  God  to  a  reprobate 
;  mind,  is  the  heaviest  judgment  that  a  sinner 
can  be  visited  with  on  this  side  of  hell.  I  am 
at  a  loss  what  to  say  to  a  person  thus  dis- 
posed, and  I  hope  there  are  none  such  present. 
But  I  would  warn  those,  who,  though  they 
have  sinned  with  a  high  hand,  are  not  yet  al- 
together past  feeling,  lest  you  fall  into  such  a 
state  of  confirmed  disobedience  and  unbelief. 
Take  heed  lest  you  be  hardened  through  the 
deceitfulness  of  sin,  Heb.  iii.  13.  If  under 
the  light  of  the  gospel  you  can  go  on  in  a 
course  of  wilful,  wanton,  deliberate  wicked- 
ness, you  are  upon  the  very  edge  of  the  un- 
pardonable sin,  of  that  state  from  which  it  is 
impossible  to  renew  you  to  repentance.  If 
the  Bible  be,  as  you  vainly  wish  it  may  prove, 
a  cunningly-devised  fable,  you  may  trample 
upon  it  with  impunity,  and  laugh  on  securely 
to  the  end  of  life.  But  if  it  be  true,  remem- 
ber you  have  been  this  day  warned  of  the 
consequences  of  despising  it.  If  you  will 
perish,  I  am  clear  of  your  blood. 

II.  I  proceed  to  consider  the  final  issue  of 
this  unequal  contest  between  the  v;orms  of 
the  earth  and  their  Maker.  He  will  dash 
them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel.  Such  a 
vessel  may  be  curiously  wrought,  and  appear 
beautiful  to  the  eye,  but  it  is  frail,  easily 
broken,  and,  when  once  broken  to  pieces,  it 
I  is  irreparable.  It  is  therefore  a  fit  emblem 
I  of  mortal  man  in  his  best  estate.  We  are 
fearfully  and  wonderfully  made,  Psal.  cxxxix. 
14.  The  texture  of  the  human  frame  is  ad- 
mirable. The  natural  capacities  of  the  mind 
of  man,  the  powers  of  his  understanding,  will, 
and  affections,  the  rapidity  of  imagination,  the 
comprehension  of  memory,  especially  in  some 
instances,  are  so  many  proofs,  that,  considered 
as  a  creature  of  God,  he  is  a  noble  creature ; 
and  though  he  is  debased  and  degraded  by 
sin,  there  are  traces  of  his  original  excellence 
remaining,  sufficient  to  denominate  him  in 


the  words  of  the  poet,  "  majestic  though  in 
ruins."  But  if  you  suppose  him  rich,  power- 
ful, wise,  in  the  common  sense  of  the  words, 
he  is  brittle  as  a  potter's  vessel,  and  while 
possessed  of  every  possible  advantage,  he  is 
but  like  the  grass  or  the  flower  of  the  field, 
which,  in  its  most  flourishing  state,  falls  in  a 
moment  at  the  stroke  of  the  scythe,  and 
withers,  and  dies.  A  fever,  a  fall,  a  tile,  a 
grain  of  sand,  or  the  air  that  finds  its  way 
through  a  crevice,  may  be  an  overmatch  for 
the  strongest  man,  and  bring  him  down 
hastily  to  the  grave.  By  a  small  change  in 
the  brain,  or  some  part  of  the  nervous  system, 
he  who  now  prides  himself  in  his  intellectual 
abilities  may  soon  become  a  lunatic  or  an 
idiot.  Disease  may  quickly  render  the  beauty 
loathsome,  and  the  robust  weak  as  infancy. 
There  are  earthen  or  china  vessels,  which 
might  possibly  endure  for  many  ages,  if  care- 
fully preserved  from  violence.  But  the  seeds 
of  decay  and  death  are  sown  in  our  very 
frame.  We  are  crushed  before  the  moth, 
and  moulder  away  untouched  under  the 
weight  of  time.  How  surely  and  inevitably, 
then,  must  they  whom  the  Lord  strikes  with 
his  iron  rod,  be  shattered  with  the  blow  ! 

Communities  and  collective  bodies  of  men, 
are,  in  his  hand,  no  less  frail  than  individuals. 
The  first-born  throughout  Egypt,  and  the  vast 
army  of  Sennacherib,  perished  in  a  night.  The 
Romans  were  the  iron  rod  in  his  hand,  where- 
with he  dashed  the  Jewish  nation  to  pieces. 
Their  fragments  are  scattered  far  and  wide  to 
this  day,  and  who  can  gather  them  upl  The 
Roman  empire  was  likewise  dashed  to  pieces 
in  its  turn;  and  such  has  been  the  end,  suc- 
cessively, of  many  powers,  and  of  many  per- 
sons who  have  presumed  to  oppose  his  de- 
signs. For  a  while  they  were  permitted  to 
rage,  and  plot,  and  strive ;  but  at  length  they 
stumbled  and  fell,  and  their  memory  is  pe- 
rished. 

But  it  is  proper  to  bring  the  consideration 
nearer  home.  I  have  been  informed,  that  the 
music  to  which  this  passage  is  set,  is  .so  well 
adapted  to  the  idea  that  it  expresses,  as  in  a 
manner  to  startle  those  who  hear  it.  They 
who  live  in  sinful  habits,  regardless  of  the 
gospel,  would  be  startled,  indeed,  if  they  were 
duly  sensible  how  directly  the  words  apply  to 
their  own  situation,  and  that  the  psalmist  de- 
scribes the  manner  m  which  God  will  treat 
them,  if  they  continue  impenitent.  If  we 
could  see  all  that  passes  upon  dying  beds,  we 
should  often  see  the  false  peace  and  vain  hopes 
of  sinners  dashed  to  pieces  when  eternity  is 
opening  upon  their  view.  We  shall  certainly 
see  the  solemnity  of  the  great  day :  "For  we 
must  all  appear"  not  only  as  spectators,  but 
as  parties  nearly  interested  in  the  proceed- 
ings, "before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ." 
"  Behold,  he  cometh  in  the  clouds,  and  every 
eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also  who  pierced 
him !"  He  will  descend  with  a  shout,  with 


ii 


334 


THE  LORD  REIGNETH. 


[SER.  XKXVU 


the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the 
trump  of  God,  and  before  him  shall  be  gather- 
ed all  nations.  Where  then  shall  the  sinner 
and  the  ungodly  appear !  What  will  then  be- 
come of  those  who  despise,  and  those  who 
abuse  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  ]  The 
libertine,  the  infidel,  the  apostate,  the  hypo- 
crite, the  profane  scoffer,  and  the  false  pro- 
fessor, how  will  they  stand,  or  whither  will 
they  flee,  when  the  great  Judge  shall  sit  up- 
on his  awful  throne,  and  the  books  shall  be 
opened,  and  every  secret  thing  shall  be  dis- 
closed I  Alas  for  them  that  are  full,  and  that 
laugh  now,  for  then  they  shall  pine  and 
mourn,  Luke  vi.  25.  Then  their  cavils  will 
be  silenced,  their  guilt,  with  all  its  aggrava- 
tions, be  charged  home  upon  them,  and  no 
plea,  no  advocate  be  found.  Can  their  hearts 
endure,  or  their  hands  be  strong,  when  he 
shall  speak  to  them  in  his  wrath,  and  say, 
"Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlast- 
ing fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  an- 
gels?" 

But  let  them  who  love  his  name  rejoice. 
You  have  fled  for  refuge  to  the  hope  set  be- 
fore you.  To  you  his  appearance  will  be 
delightful,  and  his  voice  welcome.  You 
shall  not  be  ashamed.  This  awful  God  is 
yours.  He  will  then  own  and  accept  you  be- 
fore assembled  worlds,  and  will  say,  "  Come, 
ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  king- 
dom prepared  for  you."  Then  the  days  of 
your  mourning  shall  be  ended,  and  your  sun 
shall  go  down  no  more,  Matt.  xxv.  34.  Is. 
Ix.  20. 


SERMON  XXXVl. 


THE  LORD  REIGNETH. 


Hallelujah,  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent 
reigneth!  Rev.  xix.  6. 

The  book  of  the  Revelation,  being  chiefly 
prophetical,  will  not  perhaps  be  fully  under- 
stood, till  the  final  accomplishment  of  the 
events  shall  draw  near,  and  throw  a  stronger 
light  upon  the  whole  series.  But  while  the 
learned  commentators  have  been  hitherto  di- 
vided and  perplexed  in  their  attempts  to  illus- 
trate many  parts  of  it,  there  are  other  parts 
well  adapted  for  the  instruction  and  refresh- 
ment of  plain  christians  ;  particularly  those 
passages  in  which  the  scenery  and  images 
seemed  designed  to  give  us  some  representa- 
tion of  the  happiness  and  worship  of  the  hea- 
venly state.  Thus  a  plain  unlettered  believer, 
when  reading  with  attention  the  fourth  and 
fifth  chapters,  though  he  cannot  give  a  reason 
why  the  elders  are  four-and-twenty,  the  living 
creatures  four,  and  the  number  of  their  wings 
neither  more  nor  less  than  six ;  yet,  from  the 
whole  description  of  the  Lamb  upon  the 


throne,  the  songs  of  the  redeemed,  and  the 
chorus  of  the  angels,  he  receives  such  an  im- 
pression of  glory,  as  awakens  his  gratitude, 
desire,  and  joy,  and  excites  him  likewise  to 
take  up  the  same  song  of  praise,  to  him  who 
has  loved  him,  and  washed  him  from  his  sins 
in  his  own  blood.  He  is  content  to  leave  the 
discussion  of  hard  questions  to  learned  men, 
while  he  feeds  by  faith  upon  those  simple 
truths  which  can  only  be  relished  by  a 
spiritual  taste ;  and  which,  where  there  is 
such  a  taste,  make  their  way  to  the  heart, 
without  the  assistance  of  critical  disquisition. 

The  subject  of  the  preceding  chapter,  is 
the  destruction  of  mystical  Babylon,  the  head 
of  the  opposition  against  the  kingdom  of  the 
Lord  Christ.  But  Babylon  sinks  like  a  mill- 
stone in  the  mighty  ocean,  and  is  no  more 
found.  So  nnist  all  his  enemies  perish.  The 
catastrophe  of  Babylon,  like  that  of  Pharaoh 
at  the  Red  Sea,  is  beheld  by  the  saints  and 
servants  of  the  Lord  with  admiration,  and  fur- 
nishes them  with  a  theme  for  a  song  of  tri- 
umph to  his  praise.  This  may  be  properly 
styled  sacred  music  indeed.  It  is  command- 
ed, inspired,  and  regulated,  by  the  Lord  him- 
self The  performers  are  all  interested  in 
the  subject,  they  who  fear  God,  and  are  de- 
voted to  his  service  and  glory.  And  though 
persons  of  this  character  are  comparatively 
few  upon  earth,  hidden,  and  in  a  manner  lost, 
among  the  crowd  of  mankind,  they  will  be, 
when  brought  together  at  last,  a  very  large 
company.  Their  united  voices  are  here 
compared  to  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and 
of  mighty  thunders,  and  this  is  the  solemn 
close,  the  chorus  of  their  *ing,  "  Hallelujah, 
for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth." 

The  impression  which  the  performance  of 
this  passage  in  the  Oratorio  usually  makes 
upon  the  audience  is  well  known.  But  how 
ever  great  the  power  of  music  may  be,  should 
we  even  allow  the  flights  of  poetry  to  be  truth, 
that  it  can  soften  rocks,  and  bend  the  knotty 
oak,  one  thing  we  are  sure  it  cannot  do ;  it 
cannot  soften  and  change  the  hard  heart,  it 
cannot  bend  the  obdurate  will  of  man.  If 
all  the  people  who  successively  hear  the  Mes- 
siah, who  are  struck  and  astonished,  for  the 
moment,  by  this  chorus  in  particular,  were  to 
bring  away  with  them  an  abiding  sense  of  the 
importance  of  the  sentiment  it  contains,  the 
nation  would  soon  wear  a  new  face.  But  do 
the  professed  lovers  of  sacred  music,  in  this 
enlightened  age,  generally  live,  as  if  they 
really  believed  that  the  Lord  God  omnipotent 
reigneth  ?  Rather  do  not  the  greater  part  of 
them  live,  as  they  might  do  if  they  were  sure 
of  the  contrary  1  as  if  they  were  satisfied  to  a 
demonstration,  that  either  there  is  no  God,  or 
that  his  providence  is  not  concerned  in  human 
affairs  ]  I  appeal  to  conscience ;  I  appeal  to 
fact. 

I  apprehend  that  this  passage,  taken  in  the 
strictest  sense,  refers  to  a  period  not  yet  ar- 


8ER.  XXXVI.! 


THE  LORD  REIGNETH. 


rived.  Babylon  is  not  yet  fallen.  The  ser- 
vants of  God  in  the  present  day,  will  most 
probably  I'ulfil  their  appointed  time  upon 
earth,  like  those  who  have  lived  before  them, 
in  a  state  of  conflict.  They  must  endure  the 
cross,  and  sustain  opposition  for  his  sake.  Thp 
people  wiio  shall  live  wiien  the  kingdoms  of 
the  world  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord 
and  his  Christ,  when  the  nations  sliall  learn 
war  no  more,  are  yet  unborn.  But  even  now 
we  may  rejoice  that  the  Lord  God  omnipotent 
reigneth,  and  that  Jesus  is  King  of  kings,  and 
Lord  of  lords.  I  must  consider  my  text  as 
referring  to  him.  Many  of  the  Heathens  be- 
lieved that  God  reigned.  The  christian  doc- 
trine is,  that  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  exer- 
ciseth  his  dominion  and  goverr.ment  in  the 
person  of  Christ.  "  The  Fatlier  loveth  the 
Son,  and  hath  committed  all  things  into  his 
hands,"  John  iii.  35.  And  thus  our  Lord, 
after  his  resurrection,  assured  his  disciples, 
"  All  power  is  committed  unto  me  in  heaven 
and  in  earth,"  Matt,  xxviii.  18.  He  has  al- 
ready taken  to  himself  his  great  power  and 
reigneth.  His  right  of  reigning  over  all  is 
I  essential  to  his  divine  nature ;  but  the  admi- 
I  nistration  of  government  in  the  nature  of  man, 
i  is  the  eifect  and  reward  of  his  obedience  unto 
death.  But  in  the  union  of  both  natures,  he 
I  is  one  person,  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord.  All 
the  riches  and  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  all  the 
peculiar  honours  of  the  Mediator,  centre  in 
him.  Tliey  may  be  distinguished,  but  they 
are  inseparable. 

Happy  are  they  who  can,  upon  solid  and 
scriptural  grounds,  exult  in  the  thought  that 
the  Lord  reigneth,  and  can  make  his  govern- 
ment the  subject  of  their  hallelujahs  and 
praises  !  Happy  they,  who  see,  acknowledge, 
and  admire,  his  management  in  the  kingdom 
of  providence,  and  are  the  willing  subjects  of 
his  kingdom  of  grace.  Let  us  take  a  brief 
survey  of  his  reigning  glory  in  these  king- 
doms. 

L  Great  and  marvellous  is  this  Lord  God 
omnipotent  in  his  kingdom  of  universal  pro- 
vidence !  His  mighty  arm  sustains  the  vast 
fabric  of  the  universe.  He  upholds  the  stars 
in  their  courses.  If  we  attentively  consider 
their  multitude,  their  magnitudes,  their  dis- 
tances from  us  and  from  each  other,  and  the 
amazing  swiftness,  variety,  and  regularity 
of  their  motions,  our  minds  are  overwhelmed, 
our  thoughts  confounded,  by  the  vastness  and 
the  wonders  of  the  scene.  But  he  spoke  them 
into  being,  and  they  are  preserved  in  their 
stations  and  revolutions  by  his  power  and 
■  agency.  If  we  hx  our  thoughts  upon  the  earth, 
though  in  comparison  of  the  immensity  of  his 
creation  it  is  but  as  a  point  or  a  grain  of  sand, 
it  is  the  object  of  his  incessant  care.  All  its 
various  inliabilants  derive  their  existence  and 
their  support  from  him.  He  provides  for  the 
young  ravens  when  unable  to  fly,  and  for  the 
young  lions  that  traverse  the  woods.  Tlie 


instinct  of  animals,  whereby  they  are  uner- 
ringly instructed  in  whatever  concerns  the 
welfare  and  preservation  of  their  species,  so 
vastly  exceeding  the  boasted  wisdom  of  man, 
that  he  can  neither  imitate  nor  comprehend 
it,  is  communicated  by  him.  He  teaches  the 
birds  to  build  their  nests,  the  spider  to  weave 
his  web,  and  instructs  the  communities  of 
bees,  and  insignificant  emmets,  to  form  their 
admirable  policies  and  government  among 
themselves.  If  we  speak  of  intelligent  be- 
ings, he  does  what  he  pleases  in  the  armies 
of  heaven,  and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth.  He  directs  and  overrules  the  coun- 
sels and  purposes  of  men,  so  that  thougii  they 
act  freely,  the  event  of  all  their  different  in- 
terfering schemes,  is  only  the  accomplish- 
ment of  his  purposes.  When  they  are  em- 
ployed as  his  instruments,  from  small  begin- 
nings, and  in  defiance  of  difficulties  apparently 
insuperable,  they  succeed  beyond  their  own 
expectations.  When  unhappily  engaged 
against  his  designs,  in  vain  they  rage  and 
plot.  He  takes  the  wise  in  their  own  crafti- 
ness, pours  contempt  upon  their  power  and 
policy,  and  all  their  great  preparations  melt 
like  a  mist,  or  like  snow  before  the  sun,  and 
leave  no  trace  behind.  Still  more  wonder- 
ful, to  the  eye  of  faith,  is  his  control  over 
Satan  and  the  powers  of  darkness.  What- 
ever, for  wise  reasons,  though  unknown  to 
us,  he  may  permit  them  to  do,  they  cannot 
with  all  their  subtlety  or  strength,  detain  one 
soul  in  their  bondage  longer  than  tiil  his  ap- 
pointed time  of  release;  nor  recover  one  soul 
back  to  their  dominion,  of  which  he  is  pleased 
to  undertake  the  care.  On  the  contrary,  he 
breaks  the  heads  of  these  leviathans  in  pieces, 
turns  their  counsels  against  themselves,  and 
makes  them  instrumental  in  purifying  his 
people,  and  extending  his  church,  by  the 
means  they  employ  for  the  destruction  of 
both.  Thus  they  who  dwell  under  his  sha- 
dow are  safe ;  for  all  things  are  in  his  pow- 
er, and  he  always  careth  for  them,  and  keep- 
eth  them,  as  the  pupil  of  his  eye;  and  there- 
fore, though  they  are  exercised  with  trials, 
and  suffer  many  things  for  their  good,  his  eye 
being  always  upon  them,  and  his  ear  open  to 
their  prayer,  they  are  supported,  supplied,  re- 
lieved, delivered,  and  at  last  made  more  than 
conquerors. 

II.  He  has  a  peculiar  kingdom,  which  he 
has  established  distinct  from  the  kingdoms  of 
this  world,  though  difl^ised  and  extended 
among  them,  and  which,  in  due  time,  like 
leaven,  will  pervade  and  assimilate  them  all 
to  himself  This  is  the  kingdom  of  the  gos- 
pel, his  church.  It  is  founded  upon  a  rock, 
and  though  the  gates  of  hell  continually  war 
against  it,  they  cannot  prevail.  For  he  is  a 
wall  of  fire  round  about  it,  and  the  glory  in 
the  midst  of  it,  Zech.  ii.  5. 

Here  he  reigns  upon  a  throne  of  grace.  He 
possesses  and  exercises  unlimited  authority 


336 


THE  LORD  REIGNETH. 


[SER.  XXXVl. 


as  a  sovereign,  to  save  whom  he  pleases,  to 
pardon  all  manner  of  sins  and  offences,  and 
to  admit  rebels  and  enemies,  when  they  sub- 
mit themselves  and  bow  to  his  jjolden  scep- 
tre, into  the  number  of  his  children  and  his 
friends.  Seldom  do  the  kings  of  the  earth 
publish  an  act  of  grace  in  favour  of  those  who 
have  been  guilty  of  rebellion,  without  clog- 
ging it  with  exceptions.  Either  they  feel  a 
resentment  against  some  of  the  delinquents,  ( 
wliich  tliey  have  not  magnanimity  sufficient 
to  conquer,  or  they  dare  not  trust  them.  But 
his  mercy  is  infinite;  and  he  knows  how  to 
change  their  hearts  when  he  pardons  their 
sins. 

Perhaps  it  may  not  be  a  digression  wholly 
unuseful  and  impertinent,  if  I  take  this  oc- 
casion to  point  out  the  several  senses  in  which 
the  word  Church  may  be  understood,  agree- 
able to  the  scripture. 

1.  It  denotes  in  the  aggregate,  the  mystical 
church,  the  whole  body  of  that  spiritual  king- 
dom, of  which  the  Redeemer  is  the  living  and 
life-giving  head.  Col.  i.  18.  A  succession  of 
these  has  appeared  upon  earth  in  every  age, 
from  the  days  of  righteous  Abel,  whom  Cain 
slew ;  and  we  have  reason  to  believe,  that  the 
far  greater  partof  them  are  yet  unborn.  They 
will  all  be  assembled  together  before  the 
throne,  in  the  great  day  of  his  final  appear- 
ance, and  inherit  the  kingdom  of  glory  pre- 
pared for  them.  This  is  the  church  which 
God  hath  bought  with  his  own  blood.  Acts  xx. 
2S.  Happy  are  they  who  belong  to  this  so- 
ciety of  the  redeemed,  whose  names  are  writ- 
ten in  heaven. 

2.  The  visible  church  contains  all  those 
who  bear  and  acknowledge  the  name  of 
Christians,  and  who  admit  and  enjoy  the  gos- 
pel-revelation. The  church,  in  this  sense, 
includes  many  nations.  But  it  is  a  small 
thing  to  belong  only  to  the  visible  church,  for 
it  is  compared  to  a  corn-floor,  (Matt.  iii.  12,) 
on  which  chaff"  is  mingled  with  the  wheat; 
to  a  field  in  which  tares  grow  promiscuously 
with  tlie  good  seed  ;  to  a  fisher's  net  inclosing 
a  great  multitude  of  fishes  both  good  and  bad. 
Matt.  xiii.  24,  47.  But  a  time  of  discrimi- 
nation will  come.  The  chatf  and  the  tares, 
and  whatever  is  evil,  will  be  consumed.  Alas  I 
what  will  it  avail  at  last  to  say,  "  Lord,  we 
have  eaten  and  drank  in  thy  presence,"  at  thy 
table  with  thy  true  disciples,  and  "  thou  hast 
taught  in  our  streets,"  (Luke  xiii.  26,  27,) 
and  we  have  heard  in  our  own  language  of 
thy  wonderful  works,  if  you  can  say  no  more  1 
My  heart  is  pained  with  the  apprehension, 
lest  some  of  you  have  joined  in  the  same 
public  worship  with  true  believers,  have  sat 
in  the  same  seat,  and  lived  in  the  same  fami- 
lies, should  at  last  see  them,  with  whom  you 
have  been  very  nearly  connected  in  this 
world,  received  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
and  you  yourselves  be  shut  out. 

3.  The  catholic  church  in  any  one  period, 


is  that  part  of  the  visible  church  which  is 
united  to  the  Lord  by  a  living  faith  It  com- 
prises all  who  agree  in  the  profession  of  the 
fundamental  truths  of  tiie  gospel,  and.  whose 
conversation  is  regulated  by  its  precepts;  or 
in  the  apostle's  words,  "  All  who  love  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,"  Eph.  vi.  24. 
This  catholic  church,  through  the  policy  of 
Satan,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  the  heart,  is 
too  much  divided  against  itself  Prejudice, 
bigotry,  and  remaining  ignorance,  greatly 
prevent  that  desirable  union  amongst  true 
christians,  which  would  promote  their  peacC; 
comfort,  and  increase,  and  would  contri 
bute  more  than  a  thousand  arguments  to  put 
their  adversaries  to  shame  and  to  silence. 
That  shameful  contention  for  denominations, 
parties,  and  favourite  preacliers,  for  which 
the  apostle  reproved  the  Corinthians,  (1  Cor. 
iii.  4,)  is  still  greatly  to  be  lamented.  But 
though  they  are  too  backward  in  acknow- 
ledging and  assisting  each  other,  the  Lord  is 
merciful  to  their  weakness,  and  bears  with 
them  all.  And  as  they  grow  in  grace,  and 
drink  more  into  his  Spirit,  their  hearts  are 
enlarged,  and  they  approach  nearer  to  his 
pattern  of  long-suffering,  patience,  and  ten- 
derness. 

4.  The  word  church  is  applied  to  particular 
societies  of  christians,  who  are  connected  by  a 
participation  in  the  same  ordinances  of  the 
gospel,  and  who  maintain  a  scriptural  separa- 
tion ftotn  the  sinful  spirit  and  customs  of  the 
world.  And  though  there  may  be  pretendera 
among  them,  as  there  were  among  the  apos- 
tolic churches,  they  are  denominated  by  the 
better  part.  They  belong  to  the  catholic 
church  by  their  profession  of  the  truth ;  of 
course  they  are  a  part  of  the  visible  church; 
and  those  of  them  who  are  in  deed  and  truth 
what  they  profess  to  be,  are  living  members 
of  the  mystical  church,  to  which  all  the 
promises  are  made.  By  whatever  name  they 
are  known  or  distinguished  among  men,  they 
are  branches  of  the  true  vine,  they  have  their 
fruit  unto  holiness,  and  their  end,  everlasting 
life.    But  to  return. 

In  this  his  church,  or  spiritual  kingdom, 
he  rules  by  wise  and  gracious  laws  and  ordi- 
nances. He  releases  his  subjects  from  all  au- 
thority, in  pointof  conscience,  but  his  own,  and 
enjoins  them  to  call  no  one  master  but  him- 
self. Matt,  xxiii.  8—10.  If  they  stand  fast 
in  the  liberty  wherewith  he  has  made  them 
free,  (Gal.  v.  1,)  they  will  not  give  themselves 
up  implicitly  to  the  dictates  of  any  man,  nor 
follow  him  farther  than  he  follows  their  Lord. 
And  consequently,  if  they  are  influenced  by 
his  royal  law  of  doing  to  others  as  they  would 
that  others  should  do  unto  them,  they  will  not 
attempt  to  exert  an  undue  authority,  or  wish 
to  be  called  masters  themselves,  so  as  to  as- 
sume a  dogmatical  carriage,  or  to  expect  a 
universal  and  absolute  submission.  But  it 
must  be  owned  that  in  our  present  state  of 


«ER.  xicxvii.]     EXTENT  OF  MESSIAH'S  SPIRITUAL  KINGDOM. 


337 


infirmity,  this  privilege  is  not  sufficiently 
prized,  nor  this  comniand  duly  complied  with, 
there  being  scarcely  a  man  who  does  not 
either  arrogate  too  much  to  himself,  or  allow 
too  much  to  others.  A  fault  in  the  one  or  the 
other  of  these  respects,  may  be  assigned  as  a 
principal  cause  of  most  of  the  evils  which 
deform  the  appearance,  or  injure  the  peace 
of  the  church.  But  the  design  of  his  gospel 
is  to  set  his  people  at  liberty  from  the  yoke 
of  men,  from  the  fetters  of  custom  and  tra- 
dition, of  superstition  and  will-worship;  that 
they  may  enjoy  in  his  service,  a  state  of  per- 
fect freedom. 

For  it  is  the  principal  glory  of  his  kingdom, 
that  he  reigns  in  the  hearts  of  his  people. 
There  he  writes  his  precepts,  impresses  his 
image,  and  erects  his  throne;  ruling  them, 
not  merely  by  an  outward  law,  but  by  an  in- 
ward secret  influence,  breathing  his  own  life 
and  Spirit  into  them,  so  that  their  obedience 
becomes,  as  it  were,  natural,  pleasurable,  and 
its  own  reward.  By  the  discoveries  he  affords 
them  of  his  love,  he  wins  their  affections, 
captivates  their  wills,  and  enlightens  their 
understandings.  They  derive  from  him  the 
spirit  of  power,  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind, 
("J  Tim.  i.  7,)  and  run  with  alacrity  in  the  way 
of  his  commandments. 

It  is  impossible  therefore  to  make  this  song 
our  own,  and  cordially  to  rejoice  that  the  ' 
Lord  God  omnipotent  roigneth,  unless  we  are 
the  willing  subjects  of  his  government;  un- 
less we  are  really  pleased  with  his  appointed 
way  of  salvation,  approve  of  his  precepts,  and, 
from  a  view  of  his  wisdom  and  goodness,  can 
cheerfully  submit  and  resign  ourselves  to  the 
disposal  of  his  providence.  In  all  these  re- 
spects we  are  by  nature  at  variance  with 
him.  We  are  too  proud  to  be  indebted  to  his 
grace,  too  wise  in  our  own  conceits  to  desire 
his  instruction,  too  obstinately  attached  to  the 
love  and  practice  of  sin,  to  be  capable  of  re- 
lishing tlie  beauty  and  spirituality  of  his  com- 
mandments. And  our  love  of  the  world,  and 
the  things  of  it,  is  too  strong  and  grasping, 
to  permit  us  to  be  satisfied  with  the  lot,  and 
with  the  dispensations  he  appoints  fur  u.s. 
We  wish,  if  possible,  and  as  far  as  possible 
we  attempt,  to  be  our  own  carvers.  We  are 
unthankful  when  lie  bestows,  impatient  if  he 
witliholds,  and  if  he  sees  fit  to  resume  the 
gifts  of  which  we  are  unworthy,  we  repine 
and  rebel  against  his  will.  This  enmity  must 
be  subdued,  before  we  can  be  pleased  with 
his  government.  In  other  words,  we  must  be 
changed,  we  must  be  made  new  creatures. 
To  produce  this  change,  this  new  creation, 
the  gospel  is  the  only  expedient;  and  when 
revealed  and  applied  to  the  heart  by  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  miracle  is  wrought. 
The  sinner  who  is  first  convinced  of  his  guilt 
and  misery,  and  then  reconciled  to  God  by 
faith  in  the  great  atonement,  willingly  yields 
to  his  administration.  He  owns  and  feels  the 

Vol.  IL  2  U 


propriety  of  his  proceedings,  is  ready  to  ac- 
knowledge, in  his  sharpest  afflictions,  that  the 
Lord  is  gracious,  and  has  not  dealt  with  him 
according  to  the  desert  of  his  iniquities.  He 
considers  himself  as  no  longer  his  own,  but 
bought  with  a  price,  and  brought  under  the 
strongest  obligations  to  live  no  longer  to  him- 
self, but  to  him  who  loved  him,  and  gave  him- 
self for  him.  And  what  was  before  his  dread 
and  dislike,  becomes  now  the  joy  of  his  heart, 
the  thought,  that  the  Lord  reigneth,  and  that 
all  his  concerns  are  in  the  hands  of  him  who 
doeth  all  tilings  well. 

Are  there  any  among  us,  wlio  say  in  their 
hearts.  We  will  not  have  this  Saviour  to  rule 
over  us  !  The  thought  is  no  less  vain  than 
wicked.  He  must,  he  will  reign,  till  he  has 
subdued  all  enemies  under  his  feet.  You 
must  either  bend  or  break  before  him. 


SERMON  XXXVIL 

THE  EXTENT  OF  MESSIAH's  SPIRITUAL 
EtNGDOM. 

The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the 
kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ, 
and  he  shall  reign  fur  ever  and  ever. 
Rev.  xi.  15. 

The  kingdom  of  our  Lord  in  the  heart, 
and  in  the  world,  is  frequently  compared  to  a 
building  or  house,  of  which  he  himself  is  both 
the  foundation  and  the  architect,  Isa.  xxviii. 
16;  liv.  11,  12.  A  building  advances  by  de- 
grees, (1  Corinth,  iii.  9.  Ephes.  ii.  20 — 22,) 
and  wliile  it  is  in  an  unfinished  state,  a 
stranger  cannot,  by  viewing  its  present  ap- 
pearance, form  an  accurate  judgment  of  the 
design,  and  what  the  whole  will  be  when 
completed.  For  a  time,  the  walls  are  of 
unequal  height,  it  is  disfigured  by  rubbish, 
which  at  the  proper  season  will  be  taken 
away;  and  by  scaftblding,  which,  though  use- 
ful for  carrying  on  the  building,  does  not 
properly  belong  to  it,  but  will  likewise  be  re- 
moved when  the  present  temporary  service 
is  answered.  But  the  architect  himself  pro- 
ceeds according  to  a  determinate  plan,  and 
his  idea  of  the  whole  work  is  perfect  f  rom  the 
beginning.  It  is  thus  the  Lord  views  his 
people  in  the  present  life.  He  has  begun  a 
good  work  in  them,  but  as  yet  every  part  of 
it  is  imperfect  and  unfinished;  and  there  are 
not  only  defects  to  be  supplied,  but  deformi- 
ties and  incumbrances  that  must  be  removed. 
Many  of  the  dispensations  and  exercises 
which  contribute  to  form  their  religious 
character,  do  not  properly  belong  to  that 
work  which  is  to  abide,  though  they  have  a 
subserviency  to  promote  it.  When  that  which 
is  perfect  is  come,  the  rest  shall  be  don 
away. 


338 


THE  EXTENT 


OF  MESSIAH'S 


[SER.  XXXTII. 


And  thn?.  althoug^h  the  j^rowth  and  extent 
of  his  kinErdom  is  the  great  scope  and  object 
of  his  providence,  to  which  all  the  revolu- 
tions that  take  place  in  the  kingdoms  of  this 
world  shall  be  finally  subservient;  yet  the 
steps  by  which  he  is  carrying  forward  his  de- 
sign, are,  for  the  most  part,  remote  from  the 
common  apprehensions  of  mankind,  and  there- 
fore seldom  engage  their  attention.  His 
kingdom,  founded  upon  the  Rock  of  ages,  is 
building,  advancing,  and  the  gates  of  hell 
shall  not  be  able  to  withstand  its  progress. 
Only  detached  and  inconsiderable  parts  of  the 
plan  are  as  yet  visible,  and  the  beauties  are 
everywhere  obscured  by  attendant  blemishes; 
but  his  counsel  shall  stand,  and  he  will  do  all 
his  pleasure.  Princes  and  statesmen  seldom 
think  of  him,  are  seldom  aware,  that  in  prose- 
cuting their  own  schemes,  they  are  even- 
tually fulfilling  his  purposes,  and  preparing 
the  way  to  promote  the  cause  which  they 
despise,  and  often  endeavour  to  suppress.  But 
thus  it  is.  Sometimes  he  employs  them,  more 
directly,  as  his  instruments;  and  when  they 
are  thus  engaged  in  his  work,  their  success 
is  secured.  So  Cyrus,  whom  Isaiah  men- 
tioned by  name  (Is.  xlv.  1 — 5,)  long  before 
his  birth,  as  the  appointed  deliverer  of  Israel 
from  their  captivity,  prosp>ered  in  his  enter- 
prises, being  guided  and  girded  by  him  whom 
he  knew  not,  and  established  his  own  power 
upon  the  ruins  of  the  Assyrian  monarchy. 
The  Roman  empire  likewise  increased  and 
prospered  from  small  beginnings,  that  a  way 
might  be  opened,  in  the  proper  season,  for  the 
destruction  of  the  Jewish  economy,  and  for 
facilitating  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  And 
posterity  will  see,  that  the  principal  events 
of  the  present  age,  in  Asia  and  America, 
have  all  a  tendency  to  bring  forward  the  ac- 
complishment of  my  text ;  and  are  leading  to 
one  grand  point,  the  spreading  and  establish- 
ment of  the  church  and  kingdom  of  our  Lord. 
His  plan  is  unalterably  fixed.  He  has  said 
it,  and  it  shall  be  done.  Things  will  not  al- 
ways remain  in  their  present  disordered  state; 
and  though  this  desirable  period  may  be  yet 
at  a  distance,  and  appearances  very  dark  and 
unpromising,  the  word  of  the  Lord  shall  pre- 
vail over  all  discouragements  and  opposition. 

Prophecies  which  are  not  yet  fulfilled  will 
necessarily  be  obscure.  Many  learned  men 
have  laboured  to  explain  the  prophecies  in 
this  book,  to  ascertain  the  facts  which  are 
foretold,  and  to  fix  the  dates  when  they  may 
be  expected  to  take  place.  But  they  are  so 
divided  in  their  judgments,  and  with  regard 
to  several  of  the  most  eminent  who  thus  dif- 
fer, the  support  their  opinions  derive  from 
the  character  and  abilities  of  the  proposers  is 
so  nearly  equal,  that  those  who  consult  them 
are  more  likely  to  be  embarrassed  than  satis- 
fied. For  myself,  I  think  it  becomes  me  to 
confess  my  ignorance,  and  my  inability,  either 
to  reconcile  the  conjectures  of  others,  or  to 


determine  which  is  the  more  probable,  or  to 
propose  better  of  my  own.  I  do  not,  there- 
fore, undertake  to  give  the  precise  sense  of 
this  passage,  as  it  stands  connected  with  the 
rest  of  the  chapter.  Nor  should  I,  perhaps, 
have  attempted  to  preach  from  it,  but  upon 
this  occasion.  It  is  introduced,  with  great 
propriety,  in  the  Messiah,  as  a  close  to  the 
second  part,  which  begins  with  a  view  of  the 
Lamb  of  God  taking  away  the  sins  of  the 
world,  by  the  power  of  his  priestly  office ;  and 
concludes  with  an  account  of  his  glorious 
success  as  the  King  of  kmgs  and  Lord  of 
lords. 

My  business  is  only  to  lead  you  to  some 
pleasing  and  profitable  reflections  upon  tiiis 
subject,  now  it  comes  in  my  way.  There  are 
many  prophecies  in  the  Old  Testament,  that 
speak  in  magnificent  strains  of  a  kingdom, 
which  God  would,  in  his  appointed  time,  es- 
tablish upon  the  earth ;  the  sense  of  which 
is  greatly  weakened  and  narrowed,  if  re- 
strained, as  some  commentators  would  re- 
strain it,  to  tlie  restoration  of  Israel  to  their 
own  land,  from  their  captivity  in  Babylon. 
Yet  it  must  be  allowed,  that  the  highly  figu- 
rative language  in  which  many  of  these  pro- 
phecies are  expressed,  a  great  part  of  which 
cannot  be  understood  literally,  renders  the 
interpretation  diflicult. 

What  we  read  in  the  twentieth  chapter  of 
this  book,  of  a  period  in  which  the  saints  shall 
reign  with  Christ  during  a  thousand  years, 
has  given  occasion  to  almost  a  thousand  con- 
jectures, concerning  a  mUlennian  state.  Some 
persons  suppose,  that  the  present  frame  of  na- 
ture shall  be  dissolved  and  changed,  and  ex- 
pect a  proper  resurrection  of  the  dead  ;  after 
which,  the  Lord  will  personally  reign  with 
his  people  upon  the  earth,  when  purified  by 
fire,  and  restored  to  its  primitive  perfection 
and  beauty.  If  so,  earth  will  be  heaven  ;  for 
the  state  of  happiness  believers  are  taught  to 
hope  for,  depends  not  upon  local  circum- 
stances, but  chiefly  consists  in  the  enjoyment 
of  his  unveiled  immediate  presence,  and  in 
beholding  his  glory.  Others  seem  to  con- 
ceive of  the  millennium,  nearly  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  Jews  formed  their  expecta- 
tions of  Messiah's  kingdom.  They  think  that 
temporal  honours,  dominion,  prosperity,  and 
wealth,  will  then  be  the  portion  of  believers; 
the  very  portion  which  they  are  now  called 
upon  to  renounce  and  despise.  But,  as  I  have 
hinted,  large  allowances  must  be  made  for 
the  metaphorical  language  of  prophecy.  We 
read,  that  the  streets  of  the  New  Jerusalem 
are  paved  with  gold,  and  that  the  twelve  gates 
are  twelve  pearls ;  (Rev.  xxi.  15,  21 ;)  but  no 
person  of  sound  judgment  can  suppose,  that 
this  description  is  to  be  understood  strictly, 
according  to  the  letter.  The  personal  pre- 
sence of  Messiah  with  his  people,  is  not  ne- 
cessary to  such  degrees  of  happiness  as  are 
compatible  with  the  present  state  of  aiortality 


SES.  XXXVII.] 


SPIRITUAL  KINGDOM. 


339 


and  imperfection.  It  is  sufficient,  if  he  vouch- 
safes to  dwell  with  them  by  his  Spirit.  Rliich 
less  are  temporal  dominion  and  wealth  ne- 
cessary to  the  prosperity  and  honour  of  his 
spiritual  kinsfdom.  But  what  then  are  we 
encouraged  to  expect,  beyond  what  has  been 
hitherto  known,  with  reg-ard  to  this  point? 
Let  us  consult  the  scriptures,  which  alone 
can  ffuide  and  deteniiine  our  inquiry.  I  will 
select  some  express  passag'es,  a  few  out  of 
many  which  migfht  be  adduced,  but  sufficient, 
I  hope,  by  the  rules  of  sober  interpretation,  to 
lead  us  to  a  satisfactory  answer. 

The  glory  and  happiness  of  Messiah's  king- 
dom, is  described  by  the  prophets  in  terms 
whiclj  cannot  be  justly  applied  to  any  period 
of  the  church  already  past.  Tliey  sometimes 
represent  it  by  a  variety  of  beautiful  pastoral 
images,  and  sometimes  in  plainer  language. 
Thus  Isaiah  :  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in 
the  last  days,  that  the  mountains  of  the  Lord's 
house  shall  be  established  on  the  top  of  the 
mountains,  and  shall  be  exalted  above  the 
hills;  and  all  nations  shall  flow  unto  it.  And 
many  people  shall  go  and  say.  Come  ye,  and 
let  us  go  up  to  the  mountain  of  the  Lord, to 
the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  he  will 
teach  us  of  his  ways,  and  we  will  walk  in  his 
paths;  for  out  of  Zion  shall  go  forth  the  law, 
and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem. 
And  he  shall  judge  among  the  nations,  and 
shall  rebuke  many  people;  and  they  shall 
beat  their  swords  into  ploughshares,  and  their 
spears  into  pruning  hooks:  Nation  shall  not 
lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neither  shall 
they  learn  war  any  more,"  Isa.  ii.  2 — 4. 
Again,  "The  wolf  also  shall  dwell  with  the 
Lamb,  and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the 
kid  ;  and  the  calf,  and  the  young  lion,  and  the 
fatling  together,  and  a  little  child  shall  lead 
them.  And  the  cow  and  the  bear  shall  feed, 
their  young  ones  shall  lie  down  together; 
and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox.  And 
the  sucking  child  shall  play  on  the  hole  of 
the  asp,  and  the  weaned  child  shall  put  his 
hand  in  the  cockatrice  den.  They  shall  not 
hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  my  holy  mountain ;  for 
the  earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea^"  Isaiah, 
xi.  G--— 9.  I  might  likewise  transcribe  the 
whole  of  the  sixtieth  chapter,  but  shall  only 
offer  you  the  latter  part  of  it.  "  Violence 
shall  no  more  be  heard  in  thy  land,  wasting 
nor  destruction  within  thy  borders ;  but  thou 
shalt  call  thy  walls  Salvation,  and  thy  gates 
Praise.  The  sun  shall  be  no  more^thy  light 
by  day,  neither  for  brightness  shall  the  moon 
give  light  unto  thee :  but  the  Lord  shall  be 
unto  thee  an  everlasting  light,  and  thy  God 
thy  glory.  The  sun  shall  no  more  go  down, 
neither  shall  thy  moon  withdraw  itself ;  for 
the  Lord  shall  be  thine  everlasting  light,  and 
the  days  of  thy  mourning  shall  be  ended. 
Thy  people  also  shall  be  all  righteous,  they 
shall  inherit  the  land  for  ever,  the  branch  of 


my  planting,  the  work  of  my  liands,  that  I 
may  be  glorified.  A  little  one  sliall  become 
a  thousand,  and  a  small  one  a  strong  nation : 
I  the  Lord  will  hasten  it  in  his  time,"  Isaiah, 
Ix.  18 — 22.  To  the  same  purpose  the  pro- 
phet Ezekiel :  "And  I  will  set  up  one  shep- 
herd over  them,  and  he  shall  feed  them,  even 
my  servant  David;  he  shall  feed  them,  and 
he  shall  be  their  shepherd.  And  I  tlie  Lord 
will  be  their  God,  and  my  servant  David  a 
prince  among  them;  I  the  Lord  have  spoknii 
it.  And  I  will  make  with  them  a  covenant 
of  peace,  and  will  cause  the  evil  beasts  to 
cease  out  of  the  land ;  and  they  shall  dwell 
safely  in  the  wilderness,  and  sleep  in  the 
woods.  And  I  will  make  them  and  the 
places  round  about  my  hill  a  blessing,"  Eze- 
kiel, xxxiv.  23 — 26.  And  agam,  *'  Then  will 
1  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  you 
shall  be  clean ;  from  all  your  filthiness  and 
from  all  your  idols  will  I  cleanse  you.  A  new 
heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit 
will  I  put  within  you,  and  I  will  take  away 
the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will 
give  you  a  heart  of  flesh.  Anci  I  will  put 
my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk 
in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my  judg- 
ments, and  do  them.  And  the  desolate  land 
shall  be  tilled,  whereas  it  lay  desolate  in  the 
sight  of  all  that  passed  by.  And  they  shall 
say.  This  land  that  was  desolate  is  become  like 
the  garden  of  Eden  ;  and  the  waste,  and  de- 
solate, and  ruined  cities,  are  become  fenced 
and  inhabited,"  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25 — 27,  34,  35. 
The  prophet  Zechariah  speaks  to  the  same 
effect:  "Sing  and  rejoice,  O  daughter  of 
Zion ;  for  lo,  I  come,  and  I  will  dwell  in  the 
midst  of  thee,  saith  the  Lord.  And  many 
nations  shall  be  joined  to  the  Lord  in  that 
day,  and  shall  be  my  people;  and  I  will  dwell 
in  the  midst  of  thee;  and  thou  shalt  know  that 
the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  sent  me  unto  thee. 
And  the  Lord  shall  be  king  over  all  the  earth; 
in  that  day  shall  there  be  one  Lord,  and  iiis 
name  one,"  Zech.  ii.  10, 11 ;  xiv.  9. 

Though  the  promises  and  prophecies  of 
this  import  are  addressed  to  the  church  un- 
der the  names  of  Israel,  Jacob,  Zion,  or  Jeru- 
salem, we  are  certain  they  were  not  fulfilled 
to  the  nation  of  Israel  while  their  civil  go- 
vernment subsisted.  Their  national  pros- 
perity and  glory  were  greatly  diminished  be- 
fore any  of  these  prophecies  were  revealed. 
They  were  an  inconstant  and  a  suflcring 
people,  during  the  reigns  of  the  kings  of  Ju- 
dah  and  Israel,  till  at  length  their  city  and 
temple  were  destroyed  by  the  Chaldeans. 
And  though  they  returned  from  their  capti- 
vity, and  their  city  and  temple  were  rebuilt, 
they  continued  tributary  and  dependent,  and 
were  successively  subject  to  the  Persian, 
Macedonian,  and  Roman  ])ower.  Their  ob- 
stinate rejection  and  crucifixion  of  Messiah, 
filled  up  the  measure  of  their  ini(;uilies,  and 
brought  wrath  upon  them  to  the  uticrmosl. 


340  THE  EXTENT 

They  were  soon  afterwards  exterminated 
from  their  land,  their  constitution,  both  of 
church  and  state,  utterly  subverted ;  and 
they  remain  to  this  day,  in  a  dispersed  state, 
which  renders  their  observance  of  the  law 
impracticable. 

It  seems  equally  plain,  that  these  prophe- 
cies have  not  yet  been  fulfilled  to  the  chris- 
tian church.  The  greater  part  of  the  eartli, 
to  tills  day,  is  unacquainted  with  the  name 
of  Jesus.  And  the  general  face  of  Christen- 
dom, whether  in  Popish  or  in  Protestant 
countries,  exhibits  little  more  of  the  spirit 
and  character  of  the  gospel,  than  is  to  be 
found  among  the  Heathens.  If  Christianity 
be  compatible  with  pride  or  baseness,  with 
avarice  or  profusion,  with  malice  and  envy, 
with  scepticism  in  principle  and  licentious- 
ness of  conduct,  then  christians  abound;  but 
if  humility,  integrity,  benevolence,  and  a 
spiritual  mind,  are  essential  to  a  christian ; 
if  we  judge  by  the  criterion  which  our  Lord 
himself  appointed,  and  account  only  those  his 
disciples  who  live  in  the  exercise  of  mutual 
love,  it  is  to  be  feared  that  they  are  but  few, , 
even  in  the  places  which  are  most  favoured  j 
with  the  light  of  the  gospel.  But  can  the  i 
scriptures  be  broken  1  Can  the  promises  of 
the  Lord  fail  ]  By  no  means.  Heaven  and 
earth  shall  pass  away,  but  not  one  jot  or  tittle  ' 
of  his  word  shall  fail  of  accomplishment. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  suppose  that  every 
individual  of  mankind  shall  be  savingly  con- 
verted to  the  Lord  in  this  future  day  of  his 
power ;  but  I  apprehend  the  current  language 
of  the  prophecies  warrants  us  to  hope,  that 
the  prayers  and  desires  of  the  church  shall, 
in  some  future  period,  be  signally  answered, 
in  the  following  respects. 

1.  That  the  gospel  shall  visit  the  nations 
which  are  at  present  involved  in  darkness. 
The  Heathen  are  given  to  Messiah  for  his  in- 
heritance, and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
for  his  possession.  At  present  (as  I  have 
formerly  observed,  Ser.  xxxii.)  if  the  whole 
of  Christendom  were  inhabited  by  real  Chris- 
tians, they  would  bear  but  a  small  proportion 
to  the  rest  of  mankind.  Large  countries  in 
Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa,  where  the  gospel 
was  once  known,  have  been  for  many  ages 
involved  in  Mahommedan  darkness.  The 
scattered  remnants  of  the  Greek  church  in 
Turkey  are  so  miserably  depraved  and  igno- 
rant, that  they  scarcely  deserve  to  be  mention- 
ed as  an  exception.  The  rest  of  Asia  knows 
little  of  Christianity,  unless  they  have  learnt 
it  in  the  eastern  parts  from  the  cruelty  and 
tyranny  of  men  who  bear  the  name  of  chris- 
tians. The  like  may  be  said  of  America,  ex- 
cepting the  northern  provinces  of  our  late 
dominion  there.  For  the  zeal  of  the  Span- 
iards and  Portuguese  has  produced  few  other 
effects  than  rapine,  slavery,  and  deluges  of 
human  blood.  The  interior  parts,  both  of 
Africa  and  America  are  unknown.  The 


OF  MESSIAH'S  [ser.  xxxvii. 

countries  and  islands  lately  discovered  in  the 
southren  hemisphere,  are  left,  as  they  were 
found,  in  gross  ignorance.  The  exertions  of 
our  navigators  to  supply  them  with  sheep 
and  cows,  and  useful  implements,  from  Eu- 
rope, were  humane  and  laudable.  But  it 
does  not  appear  that  the  least  attempt  was 
made  to  impart  to  them  the  knowledge  of 
our  holy  religion.  The  only  missionary  they 
have  from  us  (if  he  be  yet  living,)  is  the 
much-spoken-of  Omiah.  This  man  was 
brougiit  to  England,  almost  from  tlie  Anti- 
podes ;  he  spent  some  time  amongst  us,  and 
was  then  sent  back  to  tell  his  countrymen 
what  he  had  seen  and  heard.  But  if  he  gave 
a  faithful  account  of  our  customs,  morals,  and 
religion,  so  far  as  they  fell  within  the  circle 
of  his  own  observations,  the  relation  would 
certainly  be  little  to  our  honour,  and  I  am 
afraid  much  to  their  hurt.  In  brief,  a  large 
part  of  Europe,  almost  the  whole  of  the  other 
three  continents,  with  the  islands  in  the 
Eastern  and  Southern  Oceans,  are  destitute 
of  the  true  gospel.  But  there  is  a  time  ap- 
proaching, called  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles, 
when  the  Redeemer's  glory  shall  dawn  and 
shine  upon  all  nations.  And  though  we  can- 
not see  when  or  how  this  happy  change  shall 
be  effected,  yet  in  the  Lord's  hour,  moun- 
tains shall  sink  into  plains.  Nor  is  it  more 
improbable  to  us  now,  than  it  would  have 
seemed  to  an  inhabitant  of  Rome  in  the  time 
of  Julius  Cffisar,  that  the  island  of  Great 
Britain  should  one  day  be  distinguished  by 
all  those  privileges  which  the  Providence  of 
God  has  since  bestowed  upon  it. 

2.  That  this  gospel  shall  prevail  not  in 
word  only,  but  in  power.  Even  where  the 
name  of  Christ  is  professed,  but  little  of  the 
power  of  it  is  at  present  known.  The  super- 
stition and  false  worship  generally  prevalent 
within  the  pale  of  the  Roman  and  Greek 
churches,  may  be  mentioned  without  offence 
to  Protestants.  But  the  bulk  of  the  Protest- 
ant countries  are  equally  overspread  with 
scepticism  and  wickedness.  Few  compara- 
tively, among  Protestants,  are  friendly  to 
that  gospel  which  the  apostles  preached; 
and  much  fewer  are  they  who  are  influenced 
by  it.  Perhaps  no  nation  is  favoured  with 
greater  advantages  for  knowing  the  truth 
than  our  nation,  nor  any  city  more  favoured 
than  this  city.  I  doubt  not  but  there  are 
persons  now  living,  who  would  have  been 
thought  eminent  christians,  if  they  had  lived 
in  the  first  and  happiest  age  of  the  church ;  and 
I  trust  their  number  is  greater  than  we  are 
aware  of.  The  Lord  has  a  hidden  people, 
little  known  to  the  world  or  to  each  other. 
But  if  we  judge  by  the  standard  of  truth,  we 
must  acknowledge  that  the  power  of  religious 
profession  is  very  low.  IIow  little  does  it 
appear  in  the  lives,  tempers,  and  pursuits  of 
the  most  who  hear  the  gospel ;  but  the  time 
will  come  when  christians  shall  again  be 


SER.  XXXVIII.  I 


SPIRITUAL 


KINGDOM. 


341 


known  by  their  integrity,  spiritiial-minded- 
ness,  and  benevolence,  and  by  all  the  fruits 
of  riorhteoiisness,  which  are,  by  Jesus  Christ, 
to  the  glory  and  praise  of  God.  The  fall  of 
mystical  Babylon,  and  of  Antichrist,  in  its  va- 
rious forms,  and  tiie  calling  of  the  Jews,  are 
events  which  are  positively  foretold,  and 
which,  when  they  come  to  pass,  will  have 
great  effects.  Zion,  as  yet,  is  only  building, 
but  it  shall  be  built. 

3.  That  the  animosities  and  disputes  which 
prevail  among  christians  shall  cease.  The 
observations  of  a  late  ingenious  writer,  whicii, 
it  is  to  be  feared,  he  was  confirmed  in  by  his 
own  experience,  is  too  much  founded  in 
truth : — "  We  have  just  religion  enough  to 
make  us  hate  one  another."  The  spirit  of 
party,  prejudice,  and  bigotry,  and  interest,  a 
seal  for  systems,  forms,  modes,  and  denomi- 
nations furnish  men  with  plausible  pretences 
for  indulging  their  unsanctified  passions,  and 
deceive  them  into  an  opinion,  that  while  they 
are  gratifying  their  pride  and  self-will,  they 
are  only  labouring  to  promote  the  cause  of 
God  and  truth.  Hence  often  the  feuds  which 
obtain  among  religious  people  are  pursued 
with  greater  violence,  and  to  greater  lengths, 
and  are  productive  of  more  mischievous  con- 
sequences, than  the  quarrels  of  drunkards. 
The  lovers  of  peace,  who  refuse  to  take  a  part 
in  these  contentions,  but  rather  weep  over 
them  in  secret,  are  censured  and  despised  as 
neutrals  and  cowards,  by  the  angry  combat- 
ants on  all  sides,  while  the  world  despises 
and  laughs  at  them  all.  It  was  not  so  in  the 
beginning,  nor  will  it  be  so  always.  The 
hour  is  coming,  when  believers  sliall  be  united 
in  love,  shall  agree  in  all  that  is  es,sential  to  a 
life  of  faith  and  holiness,  and  shall  live  in  the 
exercise  of  forbearance  and  tenderness  to- 
wards each  other,  if  in  some  points  of  smaller 
importance,  they  cannot  tiiink exactly  alike; 
which  possibly  may  be  the  case  in  the 
best  times,  in  the  present  imperfect  state  of 
human  nature.  Ephraim  shall  then  no  more 
envy  Judah,  nor  Judah  vex  Ephraim,  Isa.  xi. 
13. 

4.  That  it  will  be  a  time  of  general  peace. 
At  present  the  kingdom-s,  wliich,  by  their 
profession,  should  be  subjects  of  the  Prince  of 
Peace,  are  perpetually  disturbing,  invading, 
and  destroying  each  other.  They  live  in 
habits  of  mutual  fear  and  jealousy,  and  main- 
tain great  armies  on  all  sides;  that  each  na- 
tion may  be  prepared,  if  occasion  offers,  to 
strike  the  first  blow.  War  is  followed  as  a 
trade,  and  cultivated  as  a  science;  and  they 
who,  with  the  greatest  diligence  and  success, 
spread  devastation  and  ruin  far  and  wide,  and 
deluge  the  earth  with  human  blood,  acquire 
the  title  of  heroes  and  conquerors.  Can  there 
be  a  stronger  confirmation  of  what  we  read  in 
scripture  concerning  the  depravity  of  man? 
Can  we  conceive  an  employment  more  suited 
to  giatify  the  malignity  of  Satan  and  the 


powers  of  darkness,  If  they  were  permitted  to 
appear  and  act  amongst  us  in  human  shapes  1 
Could  such  enormities  possibly  obtain,  if  the 
mild  and  merciful  spirit  of  the  gospel  gene- 
rally pievailed '!  but  it  shall  prevail  at  last, 
and  then  the  nations  shall  learn  war  no  more, 
Isa.  ii.  4. 

How  transporting  the  thought !  that  a  time 
shall  yet  arrive,  when  the  love  of  God  and 
man,  of  truth  and  righteousness,  shall  obtain 
through  the  earth.  The  evils  (and  tliese  are 
the  greatest  evils  of  human  life)  which  men 
bring  upon  themselves,  and  upon  each  other, 
by  their  wickedness,  shall  cease ;  and  we 
may  believe  that  the  evils  in  the  natural 
world  will  be  greatly  abated.  Sin  will  no 
longer  call  down  the  tokens  of  God's  dis- 
pleasure, by  such  public  calamities  as  hurri- 
canes, earthquakes,  pestilence  and  famine. 
And  if  some  natural  evils,  as  pain  and  sick- 
ness, should  remain,  submission  to  the  will 
of  God,  and  the  compassion  and  tenderness 
of  men  towards  the  afflicted,  will  render  them 
tolerable. 

If  this  prospect  be  desirable  to  us,  surely  it 
will  be  the  object  of  our  prayers.  The  Lord 
will  do  great  things,  but  he  will  he  inquired 
of  by  his  people  for  the  performance. 

But  to  many  persons  the  extension  of  do- 
minion and  commerce  appears  much  more 
desirable.  The  glory  and  extent  of  the  Bri- 
tish government  has  been  eagerly  pursued, 
and  the  late  diminution  of  our  national  gran- 
deur and  influence  has  been  much  laid  to 
heart;  while  the  glory  of  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom,  and  the  conversion  of  the  Heathens, 
are  considered  by  the  politicians  and  mer- 
chants of  the  earth,  as  trivial  concerns,  un- 
worthy of  their  notice,  or  rather  as  obstacles 
to  the  views  of  ambition  and  avarice.  But  it 
is  said  of  Messiah,  and  of  his  church.  The 
nation  and  kingdom  that  will  not  serve  thee 
shall  perish,  Isa.  Ix.  12.  The  word  of  God 
may  be  slighted,  but  it  cannot  be  annulled ; 
and  it  is  more  a  subject  for  lamentation  than 
wonder,  that  our  national  prosperity  should 
decline,  when  we  are  indifferent,  yea,  ad- 
verse to  that  cause  which  the  great  Governor 
of  the  world  has  engaged  to  promote  and  es- 
tablish. 


SERMON  XXXVin. 

KINO  OF  KINGS,  AND  LORD  OF  LORDS. 

{And  he  hath  on  his  vesture  and  on  his  thigh, 
a  name  written,)  Kwo  of  kwos,  AJfD 
Lord  of  lords.   Rev.  xix.  16. 

The  description  of  the  administration  and 
glory  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  in  de- 
fiance of  all  opposition,  concludes  the  second 
part  of  the  Messiah.  Three  different  pas- 
sages from  this  book  are  selected  to  form  a 


342 


KING  OF  KINGS,  AN: 


D  LORD  OF  LORDS.      [ser.  xxxviii. 


grand  chorus,  of  wliich  his  tille  in  this  verse 
is  the  close ;  a  title  which  has  been  some- 
times vainly  usurped  by  proud  worms  of  the 
earth.  Eastern  monarclis,  in  particular,  have 
affected  to  style  themselves  King  of  kinjrs, 
and  Lord  of  lords.  In  the  scriptural  lan- 
guage, men,  whether  high  or  low,  rich  or 
poor,  one  with  another,  are  compared  to 
worms  and  potsherds  of  the  earth ;  but  they 
are  by  nature  so  strongly  affected  by  pride, 
that  they  cannot  invent  titles  of  honour  an- 
swerable to  the  idea  they  have  of  their  own 
importance,  without  intrenching  upon  the 
divine  prerogative.  Thus  sovereignty,  ma- 
jesty, holiness,  and  grace,  and  other  attributes 
which  properly  belong  to  God  alone,  are  par- 
celled out  among  the  great.  But  let  the 
great  and  the  mighty  know  that  wherein 
they  speak  proudly,  Messiah  is  above  them. 
The  whole  verse  (of  which  the  latter  clause 
only  is  in  the  Oratorio)  offers  two  points  to 
our  meditations. 

I.  How  he  is  represented  as  wearing  his 
title.  It  is  written,  or  inscribed,  upon  his 
vesture  dipped  in  blood,  and  upon  his  thigh ; 
either  upon  that  part  of  his  vesture  which 
covers  his  thigh,  or  upon  the  upper  part  of 
his  vesture,  and  upon  his  thigh  likewise. 

II.  The  title  itself, — King  of  kings,  and 
Lord  of  lords.  Whatever  power  the  kings 
and  lords  among  mankind  possess,  is  derived 
from  him,  and  absolutely  subject  to  his  con- 
trol. 

I.  The  manner  in  which  he  wears  his 
rame  or  title.  It  is  written  upon  his  vesture, 
and  upon  his  thigh. 

1.  This  name  being  written  upon  his  ves- 
ture, denotes  the  manifestation  and  the 
ground  of  his  authority.  It  is  written  upon 
liis  outward  garment,  to  be  read,  known,  and 
acknowledged  by  all  beholders.  And  it  is 
upon  his  bloody  garment,  upon  the  vesture 
stained  with  his  own  blood,  and  the  blood  of 
liis  enemies;  which  intimates  to  us,  that  his 
government  is  founded  upon  the  success  of 
his  great  undertaking.  In  the  passage  from 
whence  this  verse  is  selected,  there  are  three 
names  attributed  to  Messiah.  He  has  a  name 
which  no  one  knows  but  himself  (ver.  12,) 
agreeable  to  what  he  declared  when  upon 
earth:  "  No  man  (^^s.';,  no  one,  neither  man 
nor  angel)  knoweth  the  Son,  but  the  Father;" 
this  refers  to  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead. 
A  second  name,  The  Word  of  God,  (ver.  1.3,) 
denotes  the  mystery  of  the  divine  personality. 
The  name  in  my  text  imports  his  glory,  as 
the  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  in  our 
nature,  which,  when  he  resumed  it  from  the 
grave,  became  the  scat  of  all  power  and  au- 
thority ;  which  power  wo  are  now  taught  to 
consider,  not  merely  as  the  power  of  God,  to 
whom  it  essentially  belongs,  but  as  the  power 
of  God  exercised  in  and  by  that  Man  who  died 
upon  the  cross  for  our  sins.  In  consequence 
of  his  obedience  unto  death,  he  received  a 


name  which  is  above  every  name,  Phil.  ii.  9. 
This  inscription  his  own  people  read  by  the 
eye  of  faith  in  the  present  life,  and  it  inspires 
them  with  confidence  and  joy,  under  tlie 
many  tribulations  they  pass  through  in  the 
course  of  their  profession.  Hereafter  it  shall 
be  openly  luiown,  and  read  by  all  men. 
Every  eye  shall  see  it,  and  every  heart  must 
either  bow  or  break  before  him. 

2.  It  is  written  upon  his  thigh.  The  thigh 
is  the  emblem  of  power,  and  is  the  part  of  the 
body  on  which  the  sword  is  girded,  Ps.  xlv.  8. 
By  this  emblem  we  are  taught,  that  he  will 
assuredly  maintain  and  exercise  the  right 
which  he  has  acquired.  As  he  has  a  just 
claim  to  the  title,  he  will  act  accordingl}-. 
Many  titles  among  men  are  merely  titular. 
8o  the  King  of  Great  Britain  is  styled  like- 
wise King  of  France,  though  he  has  neither 
authority  nor  possession  in  that  kingdom. 
But  this  name  which  Messiah  bears  is  full  of 
life,  truth,  and  influence.  He  is  styled  King 
of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,  because  he  really 
is  so ;  because  he  actually  rules  and  reigns 
over  them,  and  does  according  to  his  own 
pleasure  in  the  armies  of  heaven,  and  among 
the  inhabitants  of  tlie  earth,  with  an  absolute 
and  uncontrollable  sway,  so  that  none  can 
stay  his  hand,  or  say  unto  him,  What  doest 
thou  1  Dan.  iv.  35. 

II.  The  title  itself  is  King  of  kings,  and 
Lord  of  lords.  He  is  the  Prince  of  the  kings 
of  the  earth.  Rev.  i.  .5.  Too  many  of  them 
imagine  a  vain  thing.  They  take  counsel  to- 
gether, and  set  themselves  against  him,  (Ps. 
ii.  4.)  saying.  Let  us  break  his  bands  asunder. 
But  he  sitteth  in  the  heavens,  and  has  them 
in  derision.  He  has  his  hook  in  their  nose, 
and  his  bridle  in  their  lips,  and  the  result  of 
all  their  contrivances  is  neither  more  nor  less 
than  the  accomplishment  of  his  will. 

1.  The  rage  they  discover,  and  the  resist- 
ance they  make,  cannot  weaken  this  truth, 
but  rather  render  it  more  evident.  If  it  be 
asked.  Why  does  he  permit  them  to  resist? 
we  may  give  an  answer  in  point  from  the 
case  of  Pharaoh.  He  resisted  and  he  perished. 
He  was  often  warned  and  rebuked,  but  ho 
still  hardened  his  neck,  and  continued  stub- 
born under  repeated  judgments,  till  at  length 
he  was  destroyed  without  remedy.  Thus  the 
God  of  Israel  was  more  magnified,  and  the 
people  of  Israel  were  more  honoured,  in  the 
view  of  the  surrounding  nations,  when  they 
were  brought  from  Egypt  with  a  high  liand 
and  with  a  stretched-out  arm,  and  when  Pha- 
raoh and  his  armies  were  overthrown  in  the 
Red  Sea,  than  the  nature  of  the  case  would 
have  admitted,  if  Pharaoh  had  made  no  op>- 
position  to  their  departure.  Yet  the  obstinacy 
of  Pharaoh  was  properly  his  own.  It  is  true, 
we  are  assured  that  God  hardened  liis  heart; 
but  we  are  not  thereby  warranted  to  suppo.se 
that  God  is  the  author  of  the  sin,  whicli  he 
hates  and  forbids.    It  is  written  again,  that 


SER.  XXXVIII.] 


KING  OF  KINGS,  AND  LORD  OF  LORDS. 


343 


God  cannot  be  tempted  with  evil,  neither 
tempteth  he  any  man,  (James  i.  I'S,)  and  the 
scripture  is  to  be  interpreted  consistently 
with  itself.  It  would  be  absurd  to  ascribe 
darkness  or  ice  to  the  agency  of  the  sun, 
though  both  inevitably  follow,  if  the  light  and 
heat  of  the  sun  be  withdrawn  to  a  certain  de- 
gree. A  degree  of  heat  is  necessary  to  keep 
water  in  that  state  of  fluidity  which  we  com- 
monly suppose  essential  to  its  nature ;  but  it 
is  rather  essential  to  the  nature  of  water  to 
harden  into  ice,  if  it  be  deprived  of  the  heat 
which  is  necessary  to  preserve  it  in  a  fluid 
state;  and  the  hardest  metals  will  melt  and 
flow  like  water,  if  heat  be  proportionably  in- 
creased. Thus  it  is  with  the  heart  of  fallen 
man.  In  whatever  degree  it  is  soft  and  im- 
pressive, capable  of  feeling  and  tenderness, 
we  must  attribute  it  to  the  secret  influence 
of  tlie  Father  and  Fountain  of  light ;  and  if  the 
is  pleased  to  withdraw  his  influence,  nothing 
more  is  needful  to  its  complete  induration. 

2.  The  kings  of  the  earth  are  continually 
disturbing  the  world  with  their  schemes  of 
ambition.  They  expect  to  carry  every  thing 
before  them,  and  have  seldom  any  higher  end 
in  view  than  the  gratification  of  their  own 
passions.  But  in  all  they  do  they  are  but  ser- 
vants of  this  great  King  and  Lord,  and  fulfil 
his  purposes,  as  the  instruments  he  employs 
to  inflict  prescribed  punishment  upon  trans- 
gressors against  him,  or  to  open  a  way  for  the 
spread  of  his  gospel.  Thus,  under  the  Old- 
Testament  dispensation  (for  he  was  King 
from  everlasting,)  the  succes.'^es  of  Senna- 
cherib and  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  the  exalta- 
tion of  Cyrus  were  entirely  owing  to  their 
beinn:'  employed  by  him,  as  an  axe  or  a  saw 
in  the  hand  of  the  workman,  Isa.  x.  lo.  And 
they  acted  under  a  limited  commission,  be- 
yond which  they  could  not  go.  They  had 
one  thing  in  view.  He  had  anotiier;  and  when 
his  design  was  accomplished,  we  hear  of  them 
no  more.  Time  would  not  suffice,  were  1  to 
adduce  the  many  striking  instances  of  the 
like  kind  which  oflor  to  observation  from  tiie 
perusal  of  modern  history.  It  is  well  known, 
with  respect  to  that  great  event,  the  R^orma- 
tion  from  Popery  in  t!ie  sixteenth  century, 
and  e.;pecially  in  our  own  land,  that  many  of 
the  principal  persons  who  contributed  to  its 
establishment  hated  it  in  their  hearts.  But 
their  ambition,  appetites,  and  worldly  policy 
engaged  them  in  such  measures,  as  the  King 
of  kings  over-ruled  to  produce  consequences 
which  they  neither  intended  nor  could  fore- 
see, and  which,  when  they  did  apprehend, 
they  v/ould  have  prevented  if  they  could,  but 
it  was  too  late.  Future  writers,  I  doubt  not, 
will  make  the  like  reflection  upon  the  Ame- 
rican war,  in  the  origin  and  progress  of  which 
there  was  sucii  an  evident  disproportion  be- 
tween the  apparent  causes  and  the  effects 
produced  by  them,  between  the  first  designs 
and  expectations  of  the  principal  actors  on 


both  sides  and  the  final  event,  that  I  think 
they  who  do  not  perceive  a  superintending 
Providence  conducting  the  whole  affair,  as  a 
preparation  to  still  greater  and  more  im- 
portant revolutions,  must  be  quite  at  a  loss  to 
account  for  what  has  already  happened,  upon 
any  principles  of  human  policy  or  foresight. 

3.  That  he  is  King  of  kings,  and  Governor 
among  the  nations,  is  farther  evident  from 
the  preservat^n  of  his  people ;  for  the  world 
is  against  them,  and  they  have  no  protector 
but  him.    The  wrath  of  man,  like  the  waves 
of  the  sea,  has  bounds  prescribed  to  it  which 
it  cannot  pass.    So  far  as  he  is  pleased  to 
over-rule  it  to  his  own  praise,  he  will  permit 
it  to  operate,  but  the  remainder,  that  is  not 
subservient  to  the  accomplishment  of  his 
purpose,  he  will  restrain,  Psalm  l.xxvi.  10. 
But  he  works  so  secretly,  though  powerfully, 
by  the  agency  of  second  causes,  that  only  they 
who  are  enlightened  by  iiis  word  and  Spirit 
can  perceive  his  interference.   He  permitted 
Ahithophel  to  give  that  counsel  to  Absalom, 
which,  though  wicked,  was,  in  the  political 
sense  of  the  word,  prudent;  that  is,  it  was 
the  probable  method  of  putting  David  into  the 
power  of  his  rebellious  son.  David  had  prayed 
that  the  Lord  would  turn  Ahithophel's  coun- 
sel into  foolishness,  2  Sam.  xv.  31.    Had  the 
Lord  instantly  deprived  Ahithophel  of  his  rea- 
son, this  prayer  would  have  been  more  visibly, 
but  not  more  effectually  answered,  than  by 
tlie  counter-advice  of  Hushai,  which  though 
rash  and  extravagant,  being  suited  to  gratify 
tlie  vanity  and  folly  of  Absalom,  (2  Sam.  xvii. 
14,)  rendered  the  other  abortive.  Sometimes 
the  enemies  of  his  church  divide  and  wrangle 
among  themselves,  and  then  one  party,  to 
mortify  and  oppose  the  other,  will  protect 
those  whom  otherwise  they  wish  to  destroy. 
Thus  Paul  escaped  from  t'iie  malice  of  the 
Jewish  council,  by  the  sudden  disagreement 
which  arose   between  the  Pharisees  and 
Sadducees,   (Acts  xxiji.  7,)  though  they 
came  together  equally  determined  to  destroy 
him.    At  other  times,  kings  and  statesmen 
act  so  inconsistently  with  their  professed 
aims,  and  take  steps  so  directly  calculated  to 
prevent  what  they  wish  to  obtain,  or  to  bring 
upon  themselves  what  they  mean  to  avoid, 
that  we  can  only  say  they  are  infatuated.  A 
very  small  compliance  seemed  likely  to  have 
secured  the  affection  of  the  twelve  tribes  to 
Rehoboam.   We  are  ready  to  wonder  that  he 
could  not  be  prevailed  on  to  speak  mildly  to 
the  people  for  one  day,  with  a  view  of  en- 
gaging them  to  be  his  servants  for  ever.  But 
when  we  read  that  the  cause  was  from  the 
Lord,  (1  Kings  xii.  1.'),)  and  that,  in  this  way, 
his  purpose  of  separatmg  tlie  kingdoms  of 
Israel  and  Judah  was  eflected,  the  wonder 
ceases.    Very  observable,  likewise,  was  the 
coincidence  of  circumstances  which  preserved 
the  Jews  in  Persia  from  the  destructive  de- 
signs of  their  adversary  Haman.  If  the  king 


m 


JOB'S  FAITH  AND  EXPECTATION. 


[sEK.  xxxraL 


had  slept  that  niolit,  as  usual,  or  if  his  at- 
tendants liad  road  to  him  in  any  book  but  the 
Chronirlo  of  the  empire,  or  in  any  part  of  that 
Chronicle  but  the  very  passage  in  which  the 
service  of  iNIordecai  had  been  recorded,  hu- 
manly spcakintr  Haman  would  have  carried 
his  point,  ICsther  vi.  1.  In  tiiis  manner,  by  a 
concurrence  of  circumstances,  each  of  them, 
if  considered  singly,  apparently  trivial,  and 
all  of  them  contingent  with  j^espcct  to  any 
hutnan  foresight  or  prevention,  the  Lord 
often  pours  contempt  upon  the  wise  and  the 
mighty,  and  defeats  their  deepest  laid  and 
hest-concerted  schemes,  in  the  moment  when 
they  promise  themselves  success. 

Many  salutary  and  comfortable  inferences 
may  be  drawn  from  the  consideration  of  this 
subject.  Some  of  them  I  may  perhaps  have 
formerly  mentioned,  but  they  will  well  bear  a 
repetition.  We  have  need  to  be  reminded  of 
what  we  already  know. 

1.  It  should  inspire  us  with  confidence.  If 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  Lord  of  lords,  be  for 
js,  what  weapon  or  counsel  can  prosper 
igainst  us  1  However  dark  and  threatening 
appearances  may  be,  we  need  not  tremble  for 
the  ark  of  God,  the  concernments  of  his 
church  are  in  safe  hands.  The  cause  so  dear 
to  us,  is  still  more  dear  to  him.  He  has 
pwwer  to  support  it  when  it  is  opposed,  and 
grace  to  revive  it  when  it  is  drooping.  It  has 
often  been  brought  low,  but  never  has  been, 
never  shall  be  forsaken.  When  he  will  work 
none  can  hinder.  Nor  need  you  fear  for 
yourselves,  if  you  liave  committed  yourselves 
and  your  all  to  him.  The  very  hairs  of  your 
head  are  numbered.  Matt.  x.  30.  There  is  a 
hedge  of  protection  around  you  (Job  i.  10,) 
which  none  can  break  through  without  his 
permission;  nor  will  he  permit  you  to  be 
touched,  except  when  he  designs  to  make  a 
temporary  and  seeming  evil  conducive  to 
your  real  and  permanent  advantage. 

2.  It  should  alfect  us  with  an  admiring  and 
thankful  sense  of  his  condescension.  "  Lord, 
what  is  man  that  thou  shouldest  be  so  mind- 
ful of  him  1"  He  humbles  himself  to  behold 
the  things  that  are  in  heaven,  Psal.  cxiii.  6. 
But  he  stoops  still  lower.  He  affords  his  at- 
tention and  favour  to  sinful  men.  His  eye  is 
always  upon  his  people,  his  ear  open  to  their 
prayers.  Not  a  sigh  or  falling  tear  escapes 
his  notice.  He  pities  them  as  a  father  pities 
his  children ;  he  proportions  their  trials  to 
their  strength,  or  their  strength  to  their  trials, 
and  so  adjusts  his  dispensations  to  their  state, 
that  they  never  suffer  unnecessarily,  nor  in 
vain. 

3.  How  great  is  the  dignity  and  privilege 
of  true  believers!  Is  the  man  congratulated 
or  envied  whom  the  king  delighteth  to  ho- 
nour !  Believers  are  more  frequently  despised 
than  envied  in  this  world.  But  they  may 
congratulate  one  another.  The  King  of 
kings  is  their  friend.    They  have  honours 


and  pleasures  which  the  world  knows  nothing 
of  'I'heir  titles  arc  liigh,  they  are  the  sons  and 
the  daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty,  2  Cor. 
v.  18.  Their  possessions  are  great,  for  all 
things  are  tlieirs,  1  Cor.  iii.  21.  They  are 
assured  of  whafris  best  for  thera  in  this  life, 
and  of  life  eternal  hereafter.  They  are  now 
nearly  related  to  the  King  of  kings,  and  shall 
ere  long  be  acknowledged  and  owned  by  him 
before  assembled  worlds.  They  who  now 
account  the  proud  happy,  will  be  .astonished 
and  confounded  when  they  shall  see  the 
righteous,  whom  they  once  undervalued, 
shine  forth  like  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

4.  We  may  lastly  infer  the  extreme  folly 
and  danger  of  those  who  persist  in  their  re- 
bellion and  opposition  against  this  King  of 
kings,  and  Lord  of  lords.  Though  he  exer- 
cises much  patience  and  long-suffering  to- 
wards them  for  a  season,  the  hour  is  approach- 
ing when  his  wrath  will  burn  like  tire.  It  is 
written,  and  must  be  fulfilled,  "the  wicked 
shall  be  turned  into  hell,  and  all  the  nations 
that  forget  God,"  Psal.  ix.  17.  Oh  the  so- 
lemnities of  that  great  day,  when  the  frame 
of  nature  shall  be  dissolved,  when  the  Judge 
shall  appear,  the  books  be  opened,  and  all 
mankind  shall  be  summoned  to  his  tribunal ! 
Will  not  you  tremble  and  bow  before  him,  ye 
carelessones,  while  he  is  seated  upon  a  throne 
of  grace,  and  while  tlie  door  of  grace  stands 
open  ?  Once  more  I  call,  I  warn,  I  charge 
you,  to  repent  and  believe  the  gospel.  If  to- 
day you  will  hear  his  voice  it  is  not  yet  too 
late.  But  wlio  can  answer  for  to-morrow  1 
Perhaps  this  night  your  soul  may  be  required 
of  you,  Luke  xii.  20.  Are  you  prepared  for 
the  summons  1  If  not,  seize  the  present  op- 
portunity. Attend  to  the  one  thing  needful. 
Seek  his  face,  that  your  soul  may  live.  If 
not,  remember  that  you  are  warned ;  your 
blood  will  be  upon  your  own  head.  We  have 
delivered  our  message,  and  if  you  finally  re- 
ject it  you  must  answer  tor  yourselves  to  hicn 
whose  message  it  is. 


SERMON  XXXIX. 

job's  faith  and  expectation. 

/  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he 
shall  stand  in  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth. 
And  though  after  my  skin,  worms  destroy 
this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God. 
Job  xix.  2.5,  26. 

Chhistianitv,  that  is,  the  religion  of 
which  Messiah  is  the  author  and  object,  the 
foundation,  life,  and  glory,  though  not  alto- 
gether as  old  as  the  creation,  is  nearly  so. 
It  is  coeval  with  the  first  promise  and  inti- 
mation of  mercy  given  to  fallen  man.  Whea 


SEK.  xxxix  ]  JOB'S  FAITH  AND  EXPECTATION. 


34.3 


Adam  by  transofressior.  iiad  violated  tiie  order 
and  law  of  his  creation,  his  religion,  tiiat  is, 
the  rig'ht  disposition  of  his  lieart  towards 
God,  was  at  an  end.  Sin  deprived  him  at  once 
of  faith  and  hope,  of  love  and  joy.  He  no 
longer  desired,  he  no  long-er  could  bear  the 
presence  of  his  offended  Maker.  He  vainly 
6oug-ht  to  avoid  it ;  and  when  compelled  to 
answer,  thougli  he  could  not  deny  his  guilt, 
instead  of  inakinar  an  ingenuous  confession, 
he  attempted  to  fix  the  blame  upon  the  wo- 
man, or  rather  indeed  upon  the  Lord  himself, 
who  had  provided  her  for  him.  But  mercy, 
undeserved  and  undesired,  relieved  him  from 
a  state  in  wiiich  he  was  already  become  ob- 
durate and  desperate.  A  promise  was  given 
him  of  the  seed  of  the  woman,  (Gen.  iii.  1.5,) 
which  virtually  contained,  as  the  seed  con- 
tains the  future  plant,  the  substance  of  all 
the  subsequent  promises  which  were  fulfilled 
by  tiie  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  by 
all  that  he  did,  or  suffered,  or  obtained  for 
sinners,  in  the  character  of  Mediator.  For 
a  sinner  can  have  no  comfortable  intercourse 
with  the  holy  God,  but  through  a  Mediator. 
Therefore  the  apostle  observes  of  the  patri- 
archs and  servants  of  God,  under  the  Old 
Testament,  "  These  all  died  in  faith,"  Heb. 
xi.  13.  We  can  say  nothing  higher  than 
this,  of  the  apostles  and  martyrs,  under  the 
New  Testament.  They  died,  not  trusting 
in  themselves  that  they  were  righteous,  not 
rejoicing  in  the  works  of  their  own  hands ; 
but  they  died,  like  the  thief  upon  the  cross, 
in  faith,  resting  all  their  hope  upon  him,  who, 
by  his  obedience  unto  death,  is  the  end  of  the 
law  for  righteousness  unto  every  one  that  be- 
lieveth,  Roni.  x.  4.  We  have  greater  advan- 
tages, in  point  of  light  and  liberty,  than  those 
of  old.  The  prophecies  concerning  Messiah, 
which,  at  the  time  of  delivery,  were  obscure, 
are  to  us  infallibly  interpreted  by  their  accom- 
plishment. And  we  know  that  the  great 
atonement,  typictilly  pointed  out  by  their  sa- 
crifices, has  been  actually  made ;  that  the 
Lamb  of  God  has,  by  the  one  offering  of  him- 
self, put  away  sin.  But  as  to  the  ground  and 
substance,  their  faith  and  hope  were  the  same 
with  ours.  Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  the  day 
of  Christ,  (John  viii.  .5(3;)  and  aged  Jacob, 
soon  after  he  h:id  said,  "I  have  waited  for 
thy  salvation,  O  I^)rd,"  died  with  the  same 
composure  and  willingness  as  Simeon  did,  who 
saw  it  with  his  own  eyes.  Job,  wiio  was  per- 
haps contemporary  with  Jacob,  who  at  least  is, 
with  great  probability,  thought  to  have  lived 
before  Moses,  gives  us  in  this  passage  a  strong 
and  clear  testimony  of  his  faith.  And  it  forms 
a  beautiful  and  well  chosen  introduction  to 
the  third  part  of  the  Messiah,  the  principal 
subject  of  which  is,  the  present  privileges  and 
future  prospects  of  those  who  believe  in  the 
Saviour's  name. 

The  learned  are  far  from  being  agreed 
eitiier  in  the  translation,  or  in  the  explanation 

Vol.  II.  2  X 


of  this  text.  The  word  worms  and  hody  being 
printed  in  Italics  in  our  version,  will  apprize 
the  attentive  English  reader,  that  there  are  no 
words  answerable  to  them  in  the  Hebrew.  If 
you  omit  these  words,  something  will  be  evi- 
dently wanting  to  make  a  complete  sense. 
This  want  different  writers  have  supplied,  ac- 
cordinff  to  their  different  judgments,  and  from 
hence  chiefly  has  arisen  the  variety  of  versions 
and  interpretations.  But  it  would  be  very 
improper  for  me,  in  this  place,  to  take  up  your 
time,  and  to  draw  off  your  attention  from  the 
great  concerns  which  should  fill  our  minds 
when  we  meet  in  the  house  of  God,  by  giving 
you  a  detail  of  controversies  and  criticisms, 
which  after  all  are  much  more  uncertain  than 
important.  We  need  not  dispute,  whether 
Job,  in  this  passage,  professes  his  assurance  of 
the  incarnation  of  Messiah,  or  of  his  resurrec- 
tion, or  of  his  final  appearance  to  judge  the 
world  ;  or  whether  he  is  only  declaring  his 
own  personal  faith  and  hope  in  him.  These 
several  senses  are  not  so  discordant  that  if  we 
determine  for  one  we  must  exclude  the  rest. 
1  shall  content  myself  with  the  words  as  I  find 
tiiem.  And  I  hope,  that  if  we  should  miss 
some  of  the  precise  ideas  which  Job  might 
have  when  he  spoke,  we  shall  not  greatly 
mistake  his  general  meaning,  nor  wander  fai 
wide  from  the  scope  of  the  text. 

Four  things  are  observable  : 

I.  The  title  of  Redeemer. 

ir.  The  appropriating  word  My. 

III.  His  standing  upon  the  earth. 

IV.  Job's  expectation  of  seeing  him  in  his 
flesh. 

1.  The  title.  There  is  no  name  of  Mes- 
siah more  significant,  comprehensive,  or  en- 
dearing, than  the  name  Redeemer.  The  name 
of  Saviour  expresses  what  he  does  for  sinners. 
He  saves  them  from  guilt  and  wrath,  from 
sin,  from  the  present  evil  world,  from  the 
powers  of  darkness,  and  from  all  their  ene- 
mies. He  saves  them  with  an  everlasting 
salvation.  But  the  word  Redeemer,  intimates 
likewise  the  manner  in  which  he  saves  them. 
For  it  is  not  merely  by  (  he  word  of  his  power, 
as  he  saved  his  disciples  when  in  jeopardy 
upon  the  lake,  by  saying  to  the  winds  and  the 
sea.s,  "Peace,  be  still :  and  there  was  a  great 
calm;"  (Mark  iv.  39;)  but  by  price,  by  pay- 
ing a  ransom  for  them,  and  pouring  out  the 
blood  of  his  heart  as  an  atonement  for  their 
sins.  Tlie  Hebrew  word  for  Redeemer, 
Goel,  primarily  signifies,  a  near  kinsman,  or 
the  next  of  kin  ;  he  with  whom  the  right  of 
redemption  lay,  (Numb.  xxxv.  19,  21.  Ruth 
iv.  1 — 3,)  and  who,  by  virtue  of  his  nearness 
of  relation,  was  the  legal  avenger  of  blood. 
Thus  Messiah  took  upon  him  our  nature, 
and  by  assuming  our  flesh  and  blood,  be- 
came nearly  related  to  us,  that  he  might 
redeem  our  forfeited  inheritance,  restore  us 
to  liberty,  and  avenge  our  cause  against 
Satan,  the  enemy  and  murderer  of  our  souls. 


846 


JOB'S  FAITH  AND  EXPECTATION. 


[SER.  XXXIX. 


But  thus  he  made  himself  also  responsible 
for  us,  to  pay  our  debts,  and  to  answer  the 
demands  of  the  justice  and  law  of  God  on 
our  behalf.  He  fulfilled  his  eng-ageinent. 
He  suffered,  and  he  died  on  this  account. 
But  our  Redeemer,  who  was  once  dead,  is 
now  alive,  and  livetii  for  evermore,  and  has 
the  keys  of  death,  and  of  hades.  Rev.  i.  18. 
This  is  he  of  wiiom  Job  saith,  I  know  that  he 
liveth  (was  then  livinsf,)  though  he  was  not 
to  stand  upon  the  earth,  until  the  latter  day. 
He  is  the  living  One,  having  life  in  himself, 
the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever,  Heb. 
xiii.  8.  Such  was  his  own  language  to  the 
Jews,  "  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am,"  John 
viii.  58.  Therefore  the  Redeemer  is  mighty, 
and  his  redemption  is  sure.  He  is  able  to 
save  to  the  uttermost.  His  power  is  unlimit- 
ed, and  his  official  authority,  as  Mediator,  is 
founded  in  a  covenant,  ratified  by  his  own 
blood,  and  by  the  oath  of  the  unchangeable 
God,  P.S.  ex.  4. 

II.  But  Job  uses  the  language  of  appro- 
priation. He  says.  My  Redeemer.  And  all 
that  we  know,  or  hear,  or  speak  of  him,  will 
avail  us  but  little,  unless  we  are  really  and 
personally  interested  in  him  as  our  Redeemer. 
A  cold  speculative  knowledge  of  the  gospel, 
such  as  a  lawyer  has  of  a  will  or  a  deed,  which 
he  reads  with  no  farther  design  than  to  un- 
derstand the  tenor  and  import  of  the  writing, 
Vviil  neither  save  nor  comfort  the  soul.  The 
believer  reads  it,  as  the  will  is  read  by  the 
heir,  who  finds  his  own  name  in  it,  and  is 
warranted  by  it  to  call  the  estate  and  all  tlie 
particulars  specified  his  own.  He  appro- 
priates the  privileges  to  himself,  and  says,  the 
promises  are  mine;  the  pardon,  the  peace, 
tlie  heaven,  of  which  I  read,  are  all  mine. 
This  is  the  will  and  testament  of  the  Re- 
deemer, of  my  Redeemer.  The  great  Testa- 
tor remembered  me  in  his  will,  which  is  con- 
firmed, and  rendered  valid  by  his  death, 
(Heb.  ix.  16,)  and  therefore  I  humbly  claim, 
and  assuredly  expect,  the  benefit  of  all  that 
he  has  bequeathed.  But  how  shall  we  ob- 
tain this  comfortable  persuasion,  and  preserve 
it  against  all  the  cavils  of  our  enemies,  who 
will  endeavour  to  litigate  our  right  !  I  seem 
to  have  before  me  a  proper  occasion  of  dis- 
cussing a  point,  very  important,  and  by  too 
many  misunderstood  ;  I  mean  the  nature  of 
that  assurance  of  hope,  which  the  scripture 
Bpeaks  of  as  attainable,  which  has  been  hap- 
pily experienced  by  many  believers,  and 
which  all  are  exhorted  and  encouraged  to 
seek  after,  in  the  methods  of  God's  appoint- 
ment. But  my  plan  will  only  permit  me  to 
offer  a  few  brief  hints  upon  the  subject. 

1.  Many  respectable  writers  and  preachers 
have  considered  this  assurance  as  essential  to 
trur;  faith.  But  we  have  the  scripture  in  our 
hands,  and  are  not  bound  to  abide  by  the  de- 
cisions of  any  man,  farther  than  as  they  agree 
wit.'i  this  standard.    The  most  eminent  pro- 


perties?, or  effects  ascribed  to  faith,  are,  that 
it  works  by  love,  (Gal.  v.  6,)  purifies  the 
heart,  (Acts  xv.  9,)  and  overcomes  the  world, 
1  John  V.  4.  I  think  it  cannot  easily  be  de- 
nied, by  those  who  are  competent  judges  in 
the  case,  that  there  are  persons  to  be  found, 
who  give  these  evidences  that  they  are  be- 
lievers, and  yet  are  far  from  the  possession 
of  an  abiding  assurance.  They  hope  they 
love  the  Lord,  but  there  is  such  a  dispropor- 
tion between  the  sensible  exercise  of  their 
love,  and  the  conviction  they  have  of  their 
obligations  to  him,  that  they  are  often  afraid 
they  do  not  love  him  supremely;  and  if  not, 
they  know  that  in  the  scriptural  sense  they 
do  not  love  him  at  all.  They  can  say  from 
their  hearts  that  they  desire  to  love  him,  but 
they  dare  not  go  farther.  But  there  is  a 
weak  and  a  strong  faith ;  they  differ  not  in 
kind,  but  only  in  degree.  Faith  is  compared 
to  a  grain  of  mustard-seed,  (Matt.  xvii.  20,) 
which,  under  the  cultivation  of  the  heavenly 
Husbandman,  who  first  sows  the  seed  in  the 
heart,  grows  up  to  assurance.  But  in  its  in- 
fant and  weak  state  it  is  true  and  acceptable 
faith.  Far  from  breaking  the  bruised  reed, 
(Is.  xlii.  3,)  he  will  strengthen  it.  He  will 
not  quench  the  smoking  flax,  but  will  in  due 
time  fan  it  into  a  flame. 

2.  I  will  go  a  step  farther.  Were  I  to 
define  the  assurance  we  are  speaking  of,  I 
should  perliaps  say,  it  is,  in  our  present  state, 
the  combined  effect  of  faith  and  ignorance. 
That  assurance  which  does  not  spring  from 
true  faith  in  the  Son  of  God,  wrouglit  by  the 
operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  no  better  than 
presumption.  But  I  believe  what  we  call 
assurance,  even  when  it  is  right,  is  not  en- 
tirely owing  to  the  strength  of  our  faith,  but 
in  a  great  measure  to  our  having  such  faint 
and  slight  views  of  some  truths,  which,  if  we 
liad  a  more  powerful  impression  of  them,  un- 
less our  faith  was  likewise  proportionably 
strengthened  at  the  same  time,  might  possi- 
bly make  the  strongest  assurance  totter  and 
tremble.  I  will  explain  myself  Admitting 
that  I  had  a  right  to  tell  you,  that  I  am  so  far 
assured  of  my  interest  in  the  gospel-salvation, 
as  to  have  no  perplexing  doubt  either  of  my 
acceptance  or  of  my  perseverance,  you  would 
much  over-rate  me,  if  you  should  suppose 
this  was  a  proof  that  my  faith  is  very  strong. 
Alas!  I  have  but  a  very  slight  perception  of 
the  evil  of  sin,  of  the  deceitfulnessof  my  own 
]ieart,of  the  force  and  subtlety  of  my  spiritual 
enemies,  of  the  strictness  and  spirituality  of 
the  holy  law,  or  of  the  awful  majesty  and  ho- 
liness of  the  great  God  with  whom  I  have  to 
do.  If,  in  the  moment  while  I  am  speaking 
to  you,  he  should  be  pleased  to  impress  these 
solemn  realities  upon  my  mind,  with  a  con- 
viction and  evidence  tenfold  greater  than  I 
have  ever  known  hitherto  (which  I  conceive 
would  still  be  vastly  short  of  the  truth,)  un- 
less my  fiiith  was  also  strengthened  by  a  ten- 


SER.  XXXIX.] 


JOB'S  FAITH  AND  EXPECTATION. 


347 


fold  clearer  and  more  powerful  discovery  of 
the  grace  and  glory  of  the  Saviour,  you  would 
probably  see  my  countenance  change  and  my 
speech  fjilter.  Tiie  Lord,  in  compassion  to 
our  weakness,  shows  us  these  thing's  by  little 
and  little,  as  we  are  able  to  bear  them;  and 
if,  as  we  advance  in  the  knowledge  of  our- 
selves and  of  our  dangers,  our  knowledge  of 
the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ  advances 
equally,  we  may  rejoice  in  hope,  we  may 
even  possess  an  assured  hope.  But  let  not 
him  who  hath  put  on  his  harness,  boast  as 
though  he  had  put  it  off,  1  Kings  xx.  11. 
We  are  yet  in  an  enemy's  land,  and  know 
not  what  changes  we  may  meet  with,  before 
cur  warfare  is  finished. 

3.  How  far  our  assurance  is  solid,  may  be 
estimated  by  the  effects.  It  will  surely  make 
us  humble,  spiritual,  peaceful,  and  patient.  I 
pity  those  who  talk  confidently  of  their  ho])o, 
as  if  they  were  out  of  the  reach  of  doubts  and 
fears,  while  their  tempers  are  unsanctified, 
and  their  hearts  are  visibly  attached  to  the 
love  of  the  present  world.  I  fear  they  know 
but  little  of  what  they  say.  I  am  better 
pleased  when  persons  of  this  character  com- 
plain of  doubts  and  darkness.  It  proves  at 
least  that  they  are  not  destitute  of  feeling, 
nor,  as  yet,  lulled  into  a  spirit  of  careless  se- 
curity. And  there  are  professors,  whom,  in- 
stead of  endeavouring  to  comfort  in  their  pre- 
sent state,  I  would  rather  wish  to  make  still 
more  suspicious  of  themselves  than  they  are  ; 
till  they  are  convinced  of  the  impossibility  of 
enjoying  true  peace,  while  their  hearts  are 
divided  between  God  and  the  world.  For 
though  sanctification  is  not  the  ground  of  a 
good  hope,  it  is  the  certain  concomitant  of  it. 
If  it  be  true,  that  without  holiness  no  man 
shall  see  the  Lord,  (Heb.  xii.  14,)  it  must 
likewise  be  true,  that  without  holiness  no 
man  can  have  a  scriptural  and  well-founded 
hope  of  seeing  him. 

4.  But  to  give  a  direct  answer  to  the  in- 
quiry. How  shall  I  know  that  he  is  my  Re- 
deemer !  I  may  use  the  prophet's  words, 
"  Then  shall  ye  know,  if  you  follow  on  to 
know  the  Lord,"  Hos.  vi.  3.  Our  names  are 
not  actually  inserted  in  the  Bible,  but  our 
characters  are  described  there.  He  is  the 
Redeemer  of  all  who  put  their  trust  in  him. 
You  will  not  trust  in  him,  unless  you  feel 
your  need  of  him;  you  cannot,  unless  you 
know  him,  as  he  is  revealed  in  the  word  ;  you 
do  not  unless  you  love  him,  and  are  devoted 
to  his  cause  and  service.  If  you  know  your- 
self to  be  a  sinner  deserving  to  perish,  if  you 
see  that  there  is  no  help  or  hope  for  you  but 
in  Jesus,  and  venture  yourself  upon  his  gra- 
cious invitation,  believing  that  he  is  able  to 
save  to  the  uttermost;  and  if  you  really  in- 
clude holiness  and  a  deliverance  from  sin,  in 
the  idea  of  the  salvation  which  you  long  for, 
then  he  is  your  Redeemer.  If,  among  us,  an 
act  of  grace  was  published,  inviting  all 


criminals  to  surrender  themselves,  with  a 
promise  of  mercy  to  those  who  did  ;  though 
no  one  was  mentioned  by  name  in  the  act, 
yet  every  one  who  complied  with  it,  and 
pleaded  it,  would  be  entitled  to  the  benefit. 
Such  an  act  of  grace  is  the  gospel.  The 
Lord  says,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  hear 
him,"  Matt.  iii.  17.  If  you  approve  him,  he  is 
yours.  If  you  are  still  perplexed  with  doubts, 
they  are  owing  to  the  weakness  of  your  faith. 
But  there  are  means  appointed  for  the  growth 
of  faith.  Wait  patiently  upon  the  Lord  in  the 
use  of  those  means,  and  you  shall  find  he  has 
not  bid  you  seek  his  face  in  vain.  Have  no 
fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of  dark- 
ness. Live  not  in  the  omission  of  known  duty. 
Do  not  perplex  yourself  with  vain  reasonings, 
but  believe  and  obey,  and  the  Lord  shall  be 
with  you.  There  are  some  peculiar  cases. 
Allowances  must  be  made  for  the  effects  of 
constitution  and  temperament.  Some  sincere 
persons  are  beset  and  followed,  through  life, 
with  distressing  temptations.  But  in  general, 
simplicity  and  obedience  lead  to  assurance. 
And  they  who  hearken  to  the  Lord,  and  walk 
in  the  way  of  his  commandments,  go  on  from 
strength  to  strength,  (Isa.  xlviii.  18;)  their 
peace  and  hope  increase  like  a  river,  which, 
from  small  beginnings,  runs  broader  and 
deeper,  till  it  falls  into  the  ocean.  But  to 
return  to  Job. — 

III.  Another  article  of  his  creed  concern- 
ing the  Redeemer,  is,  II#  shall  stand  in  the 
latter  day  upon  the  earth.  The  latter  or  last 
days,  in  the  prophetical  style,  usually  denote 
the  Messiah's  day,  the  times  of  the  gospel. 
To  this  time  Job  looked  forward.  He  beheld 
the  promises  afar  off.  Thus  Messiah  was  the 
consolation  of  his  people  of  old,  as  he  who 
was  come.  And  it  should  be  our  consolation 
to  know  that  he  is  come.  His  standing  upon 
the  earth  may  include  the  wliole  of  his  ap- 
pearance in  the  flesh ;  his  life,  passion,  and 
resurrection.  The  manner  of  expression  in- 
timates something  important  and  wonderful. 
Had  Job,  in  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  spoken  of 
any  individual  of  Adam's  race,  of  Isaiah,  or 
Paul,  there  would  have  been  nothing  extra- 
ordinary predicted  by  saying  he  shall  stand 
upon  the  earth,  for  all  men  do  so  in  their  suc- 
cessive generations.  But  that  the  Redeemer, 
the  Lord  of  glory,  the  Maker  of  all  things, 
should  condescend  to  visit  his  creatures,  to 
dwell  with  men  for  a  season,  to  stand  and 
walk  upon  the  earth  with  them,  clothed  in  a 
body  like  their  own,  is  an  event  which  never 
could  have  been  expected  if  it  had  not  beer 
revealed  from  heaven.  It  was  the  object  of 
Job's  faith,  and  well  deserving  the  solemn 
preface  with  which  he  introduces  his  firm 
persuasion  of  it,  "  Oh  !  that  my  words  were 
graven  with  an  iron  pen  in  the  rock  fijr  ever  !" 
When  Solomon  had  finished  the  temple  of 
the  Lord  of  Hosts,  instead  of  admiring  the 
magnificence  of  the  building,  he  Vv-as  struck 


848 


TtlE  LORD  IS  RISEN  INDEED. 


[SER.  XL. 


with  llie  condescension  of  tlie  Lord,  who 
would  vouchsafe  to  notice  it,  and  honour  it 
with  a  symbol  of  his  presence,  "  Will  God 
indeed  dwell  with  men  upon  the  earth?  Be- 
hold the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain 
hitn,  how  much  less  this  house  which  I  have 
built!"  1  Kings  viii.  27.  But  what  was  the 
visible  glory  which  appeared  in  that  temple, 
if  compared  with  the  glory  of  the  only  be- 
gotten Son  of  God,  when  he  tabernacled  in 
our  flesh !  The  human  nature  of  Christ  is  that 
true  temple,  not  made  with  hands,  in  which 
God  is  manifested  upon  a  throne  of  grace, 
that  sinners  may  approach  him  without  dis- 
may, and  receive,  out  of  his  fulness,  grace 
for  grace.  To  him  all  the  prophets  gave  wit- 
ness, on  him  the  desire  and  hope  of  his  people, 
in  all  ages,  have  been  fixed.  He  was  to  stand 
upon  the  earth,  as  Mediator  between  God 
and  man.  And  in  the  same  office,  now  he  is 
upon  the  throne  of  glory,  he  is,  and  will  be, 
admired,  adored,  and  trusted  in,  by  all  his 
believing  people,  to  the  end  of  time. 

IV.  From  the  Redeemer's  appearance  upon 
earth,  Job  infers  the  restoration  and  resurrec- 
tion of  his  own  body.  His  trials  had  been 
great — bereaved  of  his  children  and  substance, 
afflicted  with  grievous  boils,  harassed  with 
temptations,  reproached  by  his  friends:  out  of 
all  the  troubles  the  Lord  his  Redeemer  de- 
livered him,  and  his  latter  days  were  more 
prosperous  than  his  beginning.  But  he  knew 
that  he  must  go  th'e  way  of  all  the  eartli,  that 
his  body  must  lie  in  the  grave,  and  return  to 
dust.  But  he  expected  a  future  time  after 
his  dissolution,  when  in  the  flesh,  for  himself, 
and  with  his  own  eyes,  he  should  see  God. 
The  expressions  are  strong  and  repeated.  He 
does  not  speak  the  language  of  hesitation  and 
doubt,  but  of  confidence  and  certainty.  It 
likewise  appears  that  he  placed  his  ultimate 
happiness  in  seeing  God.  His  words  are  not 
very  different  from  those  of  the  apostle, 
*'  When  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like 
him,  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is,"  1  John 
iii.  2.  To  behold  the  glory  of  God,  as  our 
Redeemer,  to  be  in  a  state  of  favour  and 
communion  with  him,  and  according  to  the 
utmost  capacity  of  our  nature,  to  be  conform- 
ed to  him  in  holiness  and  love,  is  that  felicity 
which  God  has  promised  and  to  which  all  his 
servants  aspire.  Some  foretastes  of  it  they 
enjoy  in  the  present  life,  which  cheer  them 
under  their  trials,  and  raise  them  above  the 
grovelling  pursuits  of  those  who  have  their 
portion  only  in  this  world.  But  their  chief 
possession  is  in  hope.  They  look  forward  to 
a  brighter  period,  when  they  shall  awaken 
from  the  sleep  of  death,  to  behold  his  face  in 
righteousness,  Ps.  xvii.  l^.  Then,  and  not 
till  then,  they  shall  be  completely  satisfied. 
The  expectation  of  Job,  therefore,  affords  a 
sufficient  proof  that  the  doctrines  of  an  im- 
mortal state,  and  of  a  resurrection  unto  life, 
were  included  in  the  revelations  which  God 


aflarded  to  his  people  in  the  earliest  times, 
and  consequently,  that  the  religion  of  the 
Old  Testament  and  of  the  New  is  substantially 
the  same. 

The  great  inquiry  this  subject  should  im- 
press upon  us,  is,  are  we  tims  minded  1  What 
think  you,  my  dear  friends,  of  Christ  1  Have 
you  accepted  him  as  your  Redeemer;  and 
have  you  a  good  hope  that  you  shall  see  him 
to  your  comfort,  when  he  shall  return  to  judge 
the  world  !  If  so,  you  may  rejoice.  Changes 
you  must  expect.  You  must  die,  and  your 
flesh  miJdt  be  food  for  worms.  But  he  has 
promised  to  "change  our  vile  bodies,  that 
they  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious 
body,  according  to  the  mighty  power  whereby 
he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  unto  himself," 
Phil.  iii.  21. 


SERMON  XL. 

THE  LOUD  IS  RISEN  INDEED. 

But  now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and 
become  the  first-fruits  of  Ihem  that  slept. — 
1  Cor.  XV.  20. 

As,  in  the  animal  economy,  the  action  of  the 
heart  and  of  the  lungs,  though  very  different, 
are  equally  necessary  for  the  maintenance  of 
life,  and  we  cannot  say  that  either  of  them  is 
more  essentially  requisite  than  the  other;  sc 
in  the  system  of  divine  revelation,  there  are 
some  truths,  the  knowledge  and  belief  of 
which  singly  considered,  are  fundamentals 
with  respect  to  the  salvation  of  a  sinner.  And 
though  they  are  distinct  in  themselves,  we 
cannot  determine  wliich  of  them  is  of  most 
importance  to  us ;  for  unless  we  know,  ap- 
prove, and  receive  them  all,  we  can  have  no 
experience  of  a  life  of  faith  in  the  Son  of  God. 
Such,  for  in.stance,  is  the  scriptural  doctrine 
concerning  the  depravity  of  human  nature. 
This  is  a  first  principle ;  for  unless  we  under- 
stand what  our  state  is  in  the  sight  of  God,  the 
enormity  of  our  transgressions,  and  our  inca- 
pacity for  true  happiness,  until  our  hearts  are 
changed  by  the  power  of  his  grace,  we  cannot 
rightly  understand  a  single  chapter  in  the 
Bible.  Such,  likewise,  is  the  doctrine  of  the 
atonement.  For,  if  we  could  know  how  to- 
tally we  are  lost,  without  knowing  the  gra- 
cious method  which  God  has  appointed  for 
our  recovery,  we  must  unavoidably  sink  into 
despair.  Again,  if  we  were  sensible  of  our 
state  as  sinners,  and  even  if  we  trusted  in 
Christ  for  salvation,  yet  the  apostle  observes 
in  this  chapter,  that  unless  he  be  indeed  risen 
from  the  dead,  our  faith  in  him  would  be  in 
vain  and  we  should  still  be  in  our  sins.  The 
resurrection  of  Christ,  therefore,  is  a  doctrine 
absolutely  essential  to  our  hope  and  comfort; 
and  it  is  likewise  a  sure  pledge,  that  they  who 
believe  in  him  shall  be  raised  from  the  dead 


SKR.  XL.] 


THE  LORD  IS  RISEN  INDEED. 


349 


also,  by  virtue  of  their  union  with  him,  and 
according  to  his  pattern.  For  "now  is  Christ 
risen  from  the  dead,  and  is  become  the  first- 
fruits  of  them  that  slept."  Let  us  at  present 
consider  his  resurrection. — The  sure  conse- 
quence of  it,  that  his  people  shall  be  raised 
from  the  dead,  will  offer  to  our  meditations 
from  the  following  verses. 

The  resurrection  of  Christ,  being,  as  a  fact, 
tlie  great  pillar  upon  which  the  weight  and 
importance  of  Christianity  rest,  it  has  pleased 
the  Lord  to  put  the  indubitable  proof  of  it 
within  our  power.  There  is  no  one  point  of 
ancient  uninspired  history  so  certainly  and  un- 
questionably authenticated.  It  may  seem  un- 
necessary to  prove  it,  and  to  many  of  you  it 
is  entirely  so.  Yet  I  think  it  proper  to  take 
some  notice  of  it ;  not  so  much  on  account  of 
the  weak  and  trifling  cavils  of  infidels,  as  for 
the  sake  of  persons  who  may  be  assaulted  with 
temptations.  For  many  plain  people,  who  are 
not  much  acquainted  with  the  subtilties  of 
sceptics,  are  sometimes  pestered  with  difficul- 
1  ties  and  objections  in  their  own  minds,  per- 
haps more  shrewd  and  powerful  than  such  as 
are  commonly  found  in  books,  or  retailed  in 
coffee-houses.  For  unbelief  is  deeply  rooted 
HI  every  heart;  and  Satan,  our  great  enemy, 
can,  and  if  permitted,  will,  work  powerfully 
upon  this  evil  disposition.  He  endeavours  to 
beat  us  off  from  the  belief  of  every  truth  of 
scripture,  and  of  this  among  the  rest.  And 
many  persons  who  have  been  so  well  con- 
vinced that  our  Lord  rose  from  the  dead,  as 
to  venture  their  souls  and  their  all  upon  it, 
have  found  themselves  at  a  loss  how  to  an- 
swer the  enemy  in  an  hour  of  sharp  and  press- 
ing temptations. 

Let  us  suppose,  then,  that  we  had  lately 
received  the  news  of  some  extraordinary  and 
almost  incredible  event,  and  let  us  consider 
what  evidence  we  should  require  to  satisfy 
us  that  the  report  was  true,  and  apply  the 
same  kind  of  reasoning  to  the  point  in  hand. 
That  there  was,  a  great  while  ago,  a  person 
named  Jesus,  who  gathered  disciples,  and 
died  upon  a  cross,  is  universally  acknow- 
ledged. Both  Jews  and  Heathens,  who  lived 
at  the  time,  and  afterwards,  not  only  admitted 
it,  but  urged  it  as  a  reproach  against  his  fol- 
lowers. Many  testimonies  of  this  kind  are 
still  extant. 

The  turning  point  between  his  enemies  and 
his  friends,  is  his  resurrection.  This  has  been 
denied.  We  acknowledge  that  he  did  not  ap- 
pear publicly  after  he  arose,  as  he  did  before 
his  death,  but  only  to  a  competent  number  of 
his  followers,  to  whom  he  showed  himself,  and 
satisfied  them,  by  many  infallible  proofs,  that 
he  was  alive,  and  that  he  was  the  same  person 
whom  they  had  seen  crucified.  They  reported 
what  they  saw,  and  we  believe  their  report. 
We  are  therefore  to  inquire.  Who  they  were  ! 
and  on  what  grounds  we  receive  and  rely 
upon  their  testimony  ] 


If  they  were  mistaken  themselves,  or  if 
they  were  engaged  and  agreed  in  a  crafty 
design  of  imposing  upon  mankind,  we,  who 
depend  upon  their  relation,  may  be  involved 
in  their  mistake,  or  deceived  by  their  artifice. 
But  if  neither  of  these  suppositions  can  ])os- 
sibly  be  true,  if  they  were  competent  and  im- 
partial witnesses;  then  we  are  not  only  jus- 
tified in  giving  credit  to  their  testimony,  but 
it  must  be  unreasonable,  and  (in  a  case  of  this 
importance)  presumptuous  and  dangerous  to 
reject  it. 

1.  That  they  were  competent  judges  of 
what  they  asserted,  is  evident, 

L  From  their  numbers. — The  eye-witnesses 
of  this  fact  were  many.  "  He  was  seen  of 
Cephas,  then  of  the  twelve ;  after  that  he  wag 
seen  of  five  hundred  brethren  at  once  :  after 
that  he  was  seen  of  James,  then  of  all  the 
apostles ;  and  last  of  all,  he  was  seen  of  me 
also,"  1  Cor.  xv.  5 — 8.  Thus  Paul  wrote 
when  multitudes  who  lived  at  the  time  were 
still  living,  and  would  readily  have  contra- 
dicted him,  if  he  had  declared  an  untruth. 
Five  hundred  concurring  witnesses  are  suf^ 
ficient  to  establish  the  credit  of  a  fact,  which 
they  all  saw  with  their  own  eyes,  if  their 
word  may  be  depended  upon.  We  can  be 
certain  of  things  which  we  never  saw  no 
otherwise  than  by  the  testimony  of  others. 
And  certainty  may  be  attained  in  this  way. 
For  though  some  persens  would  appropriate 
the  word  demonstration  to  mathematical  evi- 
dence, yet  moral  evidence  may  be  in  many 
cases  equally  conclusive,  and  compel  assent 
with  equal  force.  I  am  so  fully  satisfied  by 
the  report  of  others,  that  there  are  such  citiea 
as  Paris  or  Rome,  though  I  never  saw  them, 
that  1  am  not  more  able  seriously  to  question 
their  existence,  than  I  am  to  doubt  the  truth 
of  a  proposition  in  Euclid  which  I  have  seen 
demonstrated. 

2.  From  the  nature  of  the  fact,  in  which  it 
was  not  possible  that  so  many  persons  could 
be  mistaken  or  deceived.  Some  of  them  saw 
him,  not  once  only,  but  frequently.  His  ap- 
pearance to  others  was  attended  with  peculiar 
striking  circumstances  and  effects.  His 
disciples  seem  not  to  have  expected  his  re- 
surrection, though  he  had  often  foretold  it 
previous  to  his  sufferings.  Nor  did  they 
hastily  credit  the  women  who  first  saw 
him  in  their  way  from  the  sepulchre.  Tho- 
mas refused  to  believe  the  report  of  all  big 
brethren,  to  whom  our  Lord  had  shown  him- 
self He  would  see  for  himself;  he  required 
more  than  ocular  proof,  for  he  said,  "Except 
I  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of  the  nails, 
and  thrust  my  hand  into  his  side,  I  will  not 
believe,"  John  xx.  25.  It  is  no  wonder,  that, 
when  these  proofs  were  offered  him,  he  fully 
yielded  to  conviction,  and  with  gratitude 
and  joy  addressed  his  risen  Saviour  in  the 
language  of  adoration  and  love,  "  My  Lord, 
and  mv  God !"    But  his  former  conduct 


850 


THE  LORD  IS 


RISEN  INDEED. 


[SER.  XX. 


showed  that  he  was  not  credulous,  nor  dis- 
posed to  receive  the  report  as  a  truth,  how- 
ever desirable,  without  sufficient  evidence. 

II.  As  they  were  competent  judg-es,  so 
they  were  upright  and  faithful  witnesses. 
There  is  no  more  room  to  suspect  that  they 
had  a  design  to  deceive  others,  than  that 
they  were  mistaken  or  deceived  them- 
selves. For, 

1.  If  we  judge  of  them  by  their  writings, 
we  must  at  least  allow  them  to  have  been 
well-meaning  men.  They  profess  to  aim  at 
promoting  the  knowledge  and  honour  of  the 
true  God,  and  thereby  to  promote  the  mo- 
rality and  happiness  of  mankind.  Their  con- 
duct was  uniformly  consistent  with  their  pro- 
fession, and  their  doctrines  and  precepts  were 
evidently  suited  to  answer  their  design.  The 
penmen  of  the  New  Testament  were  con- 
fessedly men  in  private  life,  most  of  them 
destitute  of  literature,  and  engaged  in  low 
occupations,  till  they  became  the  disciples  of 
Jesus.  Is  it  probable  that  men,  who  speak  so 
honourably  of  God,  who  inculcate  upon  their 
fellow-creatures  such  an  entire  devotedness 
to  his  will  and  service,  should  be  impostors 
themselves  !  Is  it  at  all  credible,  that  a  few 
men,  in  an  obscure  situation,  should  form  a 
consistent  and  well  concerted  plan,  sufficient 
to  withstand  and  overcome  the  prejudices, 
habits,  and  customs,  both  of  Jews  and 
Heathens;  to  institute  a  new  religion,  and, 
without  the  assistance  of  interest  or  arms,  to 
spread  it  rapidily  and  successfully  in  a  few 
years  throughout  the  greatest  part  of  the 
Roman  empire  1  Or  is  it  possible  that  such 
men  could,  at  their  first  effort,  exhibit  a 
scheme  of  theology  and  morality,  so  vastly 
superior  to  the  united  endeavours  of  the  phi- 
losophers of  all  ages  !  A  learned  man  in 
France  attempted  to  prove  (for  what  will 
not  learned  men  attempt ')  that  most  of  the 
Latin  poems  which  are  attributed  to  those 
whom  we  call  the  classic  writers,  and  par- 
ticularly the  ^neid  of  Virgil,  were  not  the 
production  of  the  authors  whose  names  they 
bear,  but  gross  forgeries,  fabricated  by  monks 
in  the  dark  ages  of  ignorance,  and  success- 
fully obtruded  upon  tlie  world  as  genuine,  till 
he  arose  to  detect  the  imposture.  He  gained 
but  few  proselytes  to  his  absurd  paradox. 
Yet,  to  suppose  that  men  who  could  only  ex- 
press their  own  dull  sentiments  in  barbarous 
Latin,  were  capable  of  writing  with  the  fire 
and  elegance  of  Virgil,  when  they  undertook 
to  impose  upon  the  world ;  or  to  affirm  that 
the  Principia  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton  was  in 
reality  written  by  an  ignorant  plowman,  and 
only  sent  abroad  under  the  sanction  of  a  cele- 
brated name,  cannot  be  more  repugnant  to 
true  taste,  sound  judgment,  and  common 
sense,  than  to  imagine,  that  the  Evangelists 
and  Apostles  were,  from  their  own  resources, 
capable  of  writing  such  a  book  as  the  New 
Testament ;  the  whole  of  which  must  stand 


or  fall  with  the  doctrine  of  our  Lord's  resur- 
rection. 

2.  But  farther,  they  could  not  possibly  pro- 
pose any  advantage  to  themselves  in  their 
endeavours  to  propagate  the  christian  re- 
ligion, if  they  had  not  been  assured  that  the 
crucified  Jesus,  whom  they  preached,  was 
risen  from  the  dead,  and  had  taken  possession 
of  his  kingdom.  Knowing  whom  they  had 
believed,  filled  with  a  constraining  sense  of 
his  love,  and  depending  upon  his  promise  and 
power  to  support  them  in  the  service  to  which 
he  had  called  them,  they  were  neither  ashamed 
nor  afraid  to  proclaim  his  gospel,  and  to  invite 
and  enjoin  sinners  every  where  to  put  their 
trust  in  him  ;  otherwise  they  had  nothin<r  to 
expect  but  such  treatment  as  they  actually 
met  with,  for  professing  their  belief  of  his 
resurrection,  and  especially  for  the  pains  they 
took  to  publish  it,  first  among  the  people  who 
had  put  him  to  death,  and  afterwards  among 
the  Heathens.  It  required  no  great  sagacity 
to  foresee  that  this  doctrine  would  be  an 
offence  to  the  Jews,  and  foolishness  to  the 
Greeks,  1  Cor.  i.  23.  They  were  in  fact 
despised,  hated,  opposed,  and  persecuted, 
wherever  they  went ;  and  those  who  espoused 
their  cause  were  immediately  exposed  to  a 
participation  in  their  sufferings.  Nor  was 
there  the  least  probability  that  the  event  could 
be  otherwise.  Impostures  there  have  been 
many ;  but  we  cannot  conceive  that  any  set 
of  men  would  deliberately,  and  by  consent, 
contrive  an  imposture,  which,  in  the  nature 
of  the  thing,  could  procure  nothing  to  them, 
or  to  their  followers,  but  contempt,  stripes, 
imprisonment,  and  death. 

'S.  Even  if  we  could  for  a  moment  suppose 
them  capable  of  so  wild  and  wicked  an  un- 
dertaking, as,  under  pretence  of  the  service 
of  God,  to  provoke  and  dare  the  hatred  of 
mankind,  by  asserting  and  propagating  an  of- 
fensive falsehood,  it  would  be  impossible  upon 
that  ground  to  account  for  the  success  which 
they  met  with.  If  this  counsel  and  cause  had 
not  been  of  God,  it  must  have  come  to  nought. 
Acts  V.  38.  But  by  preaching  Jesus  and  his 
resurrection,  in  defiance  of  all  the  arts  and 
rage  of  their  enemies,  they  mightily  prevailed 
over  the  established  customs  and  inveterate 
prejudices  of  mankind,  and  brought  multi- 
tudes into  the  belief  of  their  doctrine  against 
all  disadvantages.  The  Lord  confirmed  their 
word  with  signs  following.  The  miracles 
which  were  wrought  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
were  numerous,  notorious,  and  undeniable; 
and  the  moral  effects  of  their  preaching, 
though  too  frequent  and  universal  to  be 
styled  miraculous,  were  such  as  can  only  be 
with  reason  ascribed  to  a  divine  power.  The 
pillars  of  Paganism,  the  superstitions  of  idol 
worship,  though  in  every  country  connected 
and  incorporated  with  the  frame  of  civil  go- 
vernment, and  guarded  for  ages,  not  more  by 
popular  veneration  than  for  reasons  of  state, 


SER.  XU.J 


DEATH  BY  ADAM,  LIFE  BY  CHRIST. 


351 


were  very  soon  sliaken,  and  in  no  great  space 
of  time  subverted.  Witliin  about  two  hun- 
dred years  after  Tacitus  had  described  the 
Christians  as  the  objects  of  universal  con- 
tempt and  liatrcd,  Christianity  became  the  es- 
tablished religion  of  the  empire.  And  in  a 
letter  of  Pliny  to  Trajan  on  the  subject,  we 
have  indisputable  evidence,  that  even  in  the 
time  of  Tacitus,  hated,  vilified,  and  perse- 
cuted, as  the  Christians  were,  their  religion 
so  greatly  prevailed,  tiiat  in  many  places  the 
idol  temples  were  almost  deserted. 

4.  But  the  proof  of  the  resurrection  of 
Christ,  which  is  the  most  important  and  satis- 
factory of  any,  does  not  depend  upon  argu- 
ments and  historical  evidence,  with  which 
multitudes  of  true  christians  are  unacquaint- 
ed, but  is,  in  its  own  nature,  equally  con- 
vincing in  all  ages,  and  equally  level  to  all 
capacities.  They  who  have  found  the  gospel 
to  be  the  power  of  God  to  the  salvation  of 
their  souls,  have  the  witness  in  themselves; 
and  are  very  sure  that  the  doctrine,  which 
enlightened  their  understandings,  awakened 
their  conscience,  delivered  them  from  the 
guilt  and  dominion  of  sin,  brought  them  into 
a  state  of  peace  and  communion  with  God, 
and  inspired  them  with  a  bright  and  glorious 
hope  of  eternal  lite,  must  be  true.  They 
know  that  the  Lord  is  risen  indeed,  because 
they  are  made  partakers  of  the  power  of  his 
resurrection,  and  have  experienced  a  change 
in  themselves,  which  could  only  be  wrought 
by  the  influence  of  that  Holy  Spirit  which 
Jesus  is  exalted  to  bestow.  And  many  be- 
lievers, though  not  qualified  to  dispute  with 
philosophers  and  sceptics  upon  their  own 
learned  ground,  can  put  them  to  shame  and 
to  silence,  by  the  integrity  and  purity  of  their 
conduct,  by  their  patience  and  cheerfulness 
under  afflictions;  and  would  especially  silence 
them,  if  they  were  eye-witnesses  of  the  com- 
posure and  elevation  of  spirit  with  which  true 
believers  in  a  risen  Saviour  welcome  the  ap- 
proach of  death. 

This  is  the  evidence  which  I  would  princi- 
pally recommend  to  my  hearers  to  seek  afler. 
If  the  resurrection  of  (Jhrist  be  a  truth  and  a 
fact,  much  depends  upon  the  right  belief  of  it. 
I  say  a  right  belief ;  for  though  I  have  offered 
you  a  brief  view  of  the  external  evidence  in 
proof  of  this  point,  I  am  aware  that  I  am  not 
preaching  to  Jews  or  Mahommedans.  If  I 
should  ask  you,  Believest  thou  the  resurrec- 
tion !  Might  I  not  answer  myself,  as  the 
apostle  did  on  another  occasion,  "  I  know  that 
thou  believest!"  Acts  xxvi.  27.  But  so 
powerful  is  the  effect  of  our  depravity,  that  it 
is  possible,  yea,  very  common,  for  people  most 
certainly  to  believe  the  truth  of  a  proposition, 
so  as  not  to  be  able  to  entertain  a  doubt  of  it, 
and  yet  to  act  as  if  they  could  demonstrate  it 
to  be  false.  Let  me  ask  you,  for  instance. 
Do  you  believe  that  you  shall  die?  I  know 
that  you  believe  it   But  do  you  indeed  live, 


as  if  you  were  really  assured  of  tlie  certainty 
of  death,  and  (which  is  equally  undeniable) 
the  uncertainty  of  life  1  So  in  the  present 
case — If  Christ  be  risen  from  the  dead  ac- 
cording to  the  scriptures,  then  all  that  the 
scripture  declares  of  the  necessity  and  design 
of  his  sufferings,  of  his  present  glory,  and  of 
his  future  advent,  must  be  true  likewise. 
What  a  train  of  weighty  consequences  de- 
pend upon  his  resurrection  !  If  he  rose  from 
the  dead,  then  he  is  the  Lord  of  the  dead  and 
of  the  living — then  he  has  the  keys  of  death 
and  hades — then  he  will  return  to  judge  the 
world,  and  you  must  see  him  for  yourself,  and 
appear  at  his  tribunal — then,  it  is  he  with 
whom  you  have  to  do — and  then,  finally,  un- 
less you  really  love,  trust,  and  serve  him, 
unless  he  is  the  beloved  and  the  Lord  of  your 
heart,  your  present  state  is  awfully  danger- 
ous and  miserable. 

But  let  those  who  love  his  name  be  joyful 
in  him :  your  Lord  who  was  dead,  is  alive, 
and  because  he  liveth,  you  shall  live  also.  If 
ye  be  risen  with  him,  seek  the  things  which 
are  above,  where  he  sitteth  on  the  right  hand 
of  God.  And,  when  he,  who  is  our  life,  shall 
appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in 
glory. 


SERMON  XLI. 

DEATH  BY  ADAM,  LIFE  BY  CHRIST. 

For  since  by  man  came  death,  by  man  came 
also  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  For  as 
in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall 
all  be  made  alive.    1  Cor.  xv.  21,  22. 

From  Mr.  Handel's  acknowledged  abilities 
as  a  composer,  and  particularly  from  what  I 
have  heard  of  his  great  taste  and  success  in 
adapting  the  style  of  his  music  to  the  subject, 
1  judge  that  this  passage  afforded  him  a  liiir 
occasion  of  displaying  his  genius  and  powers. 
Two  ideas,  vastly  important  in  themselves, 
are  here  represented  in  the  strongest  light, 
by  being  placed  in  contrast  to  each  other. 
Surely  the  most  solemn,  the  most  pathetic 
strains  must  be  employed,  if  they  accord  with 
the  awful  words,  "  By  man  came  deatii," — 
"  In  Adam  all  die."  Nor  can  even  the  high- 
est efforts  of  the  heavenly  harpers,  more  than 
answer  to  the  joy,  the  triumph,  and  the  praise 
which  the  other  part  of  my  text  would  excite 
in  our  hearts,  if  we  are  interested  in  it,  pro- 
vided we  were  capable  of  comprehending  the 
full  force  and  meaning  of  the  expressions, 
"By  man  came  also  the  resurrection," — "In 
Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive." 

By  one  man  came  death.  "By  one  man 
sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin," 
Rom.  v.  12.  Sin  opened  the  door  to  death. 
The  creation,  at  the  beginning,  was  full  of 


852 


DEATH  BY  ADAM,  LIFE  BY  CHRIST. 


[SER.  XLI. 


order  and  beauty.  "  God  saw  every  thing 
that  he  had  made,  and  behold  it  was  very 
g'ood,"  Gen.  i.  31.  Adam,  happy  in  the  image 
and  favour  of  his  maker,  breathed  tlie  air  of 
immortality  in  paradise.  While  moral  evil 
was  unknown,  natural  evils,  such  as  sick- 
ness, pain,  and  death  had  no  place.  How 
different  has  the  state  of  things  been  since  ! 
Would  you  account  for  the  change?  Charge 
it  upon  man.  He  sinned  against  his  Creator, 
Lawgiver,  and  Benefactor,  and  thus,  by  him, 
came  death.  The  fact  is  sure,  and  therefore 
our  reasonings  upon  it,  in  order  to  account 
for  it,  farther  than  we  are  enlightened  and 
taught  by  scripture,  are  unnecessary  and 
vain.  God  is  infinitely  wise,  and  therefore 
this  change  was  foreseen  by  him.  He  doubt- 
less could  have  prevented  it,  for  to  omnipo- 
tence every  thing  that  does  not  imply  a  con- 
tradiction is  possible,  is  easy.  But  he  per- 
mitted it,  and  therefore  it  must  have  been 
agreeable  to  his  wisdom,  holiness,  and  good- 
ness to  permit  it.  He  can  over-rule  it  to  the 
purposes  of  his  own  glory,  and  to  ends  worthy 
of  himself,  and  he  has  assured  us  that  he  will 
do  so.  Thus  far  I  can  go,  nor  do  I  wish  to  go 
farther.  And  to  endeavour  to  vindicate  the 
ways  of  God  to  man,  to  fallen  man,  upon  the 
grounds  of  what  he  proudly  calls  his  reason, 
would  be  an  impracticable,  and,  in  my  view, 
a  presumptuous  attempt.  In  proportion  as  his 
srrace  enlightens  our  minds,  convinces  us  of 
our  ignorance,  and  humbles  our  pride,  we 
shall  be  satisfied,  that  in  whatever  he  ap- 
points or  permits,  he  acts  in  a  manner  be- 
coming his  own  perfections.  Nor  can  we  be 
satisfied  in  any  other  way.  We  see,  we  feel 
that  evil  is  in  the  world.  Death  reigns.  It 
has  pleased  God  to  afford  us  a  revelation,  to 
visit  us  with  the  light  of  his  gospel.  If,  in- 
stead of  reasoning,  we  believe  and  obey,  a 
way  is  set  before  us,  by  which  we  may  finally 
overcome  every  evil,  and  obtain  a  happiness 
and  honour,  superior  to  what  belonged  to  man 
in  his  original  state.  They  who  refuse  his 
gospel  must  be  left  to  their  cavils  and  per- 
plexities, until  the  day  in  which  the  great 
Judge  and  Governor  of  all  shall  arise  to  plead 
his  own  cause,  and  to  vindicate  his  proceed- 
ings from  their  arrogant  exceptions.  Then 
every  mouth  will  be  stopped,  Job  xxxv.  5. 
Let  us  look  to  the  heavens,  which  are  higher 
than  we,  and  attend  to  what  we  may  learn 
from  sure  principles,  that  the  earth,  with  all 
its  inhabitants,  is  but  as  dust  upon  the  balance, 
if  compared  with  the  immensity  of  God's  crea- 
tion. Unless  we  could  know  the  whole,  and 
the  relation  which  this  very  small  part  bears 
to  the  rest  of  his  government,  we  must  be  ut- 
terly incompetent  to  judge  how  it  becomes 
the  great  God  to  act.  We  are  infected  with 
the  sin,  and  we  are  subject  to  the  death,  with 
all  its  concomitant  evils,  which  came  into  the 
world  by  the  first  man.  But  we  are  likewise 
invited  to  a  participation  of  all  the  blessings 


which  the  second  Man  has  procured,  by  hi3 
atonement  for  sin,  and  by  his  victory  over 
death.  "  For  as  by  man  came  death,  so  by 
man  came  also  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead." 

Let  us  take  a  survey,  first  of  the  malady, 
and  then  of  the  remedy. 

I.  The  malady,  the  effect  and  wages  of  sin, 
is  death.  Many  ideas  are  included  in  this 
word,  taken  in  the  scriptural  sense. 

1.  The  sentence  annexed  to  the  transgres- 
sion of  that  commandment  which  was  given 
as  an  especial  test  of  Adam's  obedience,  and 
which  affects  all  his  posterity,  is  thus  ex- 
pressed, "  In  the  day  that  thou  eatest — thou 
shalt  surely  die,"  Gen.  ii.  17.  But  man  was 
not,  ordinarily,  to  die  by  a  stroke  of  apoplexy, 
or  by  a  flash  of  lightning.  The  sentence  in- 
cludes all  the  natural  evils,  all  the  variety  of 
woe  which  sin  has  brought  into  the  world. 
The  rebellious  tempers  and  appetites  which 
so  often  cut  short  the  life  of  man,  together 
with  the  sufferings  and  troubles,  which, 
sooner  or  later,  bring  him  down  with  sorrow 
to  the  grave,  being  the  consequences  of  sin, 
may  be  properly  considered  as  belonging  to 
that  death  in  which  they  terminate.  Even 
the  earth  and  the  elements  partook  in  the 
effects  of  man's  disobedience.  Thorns  and 
thistles  were  not  the  produce  of  the  ground 
till  after  he  had  sinned.  Gen.  iii.  18.  Nor  can 
I  suppose  that  hurricanes,  floods,  and  earth- 
quakes were  known  in  a  state  of  innocence. 
But  had  the  whole  earth  been  a  paradise,  man 
having  sinned  must  have  been  miserable.  It 
is  not  in  situation  to  make  that  heart  happy, 
which  is  the  seat  of  inordinate  passions,  rage, 
envy,  malice,  lust,  and  avarice.  And  were 
the  earth  a  paradise  now,  it  would  be  stained 
with  blood,  and  filled  with  violence,  crueltj', 
and  misery,  while  it  is  inhabited  by  sinners. 
Many  persons  at  present,  who  dwell  in  stately 
houses,  and  have  every  thing  around  them 
that  is  suited  to  gratify  and  please  their 
senses,  know  by  painful  experience,  how  little 
happiness  these  external  advantages  afford, 
while  their  minds  are  tortured  with  disap- 
pointments and  anxiety.  Thus  the  outward 
afflictions  which  every  where  surround  and 
assail  the  sinner,  and  the  malignant  passion.s, 
which,  like  vultures,  continually  gnaw  hi3 
heart,  all  combine  to  accelerate  the  execu- 
tion of  the  sentence  of  death. 

2.  Death,  in  a  very  important  sense,  en- 
tered immediately  with  sin.  Besides  the  ra- 
tional life  which  still  distinguishes  man  from 
the  brute  creation,  he  originally  possessed  a 
spiritual  and  divine  life,  for  he  was  created  in 
the  image  of  God,  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness.  He  was  capable  of  communion 
with  God,  of  rejoicing  in  his  favour,  and  of 
proposing  his  will  and  glory  as  the  great  end 
of  his  actions.  In  a  word,  the  presence  and 
life  of  God  dwelt  in  him  as  in  a  temple.  Aa 
the  soul  is  the  life  of  the  body,  which  becomea 


SER.  XLI.j 


DEATH  BY  ADAM, 


LIFE  BY  CHRIST. 


353 


a  carcase,  a  proy  to  worms  and  putrefaction, 
when  tlifi  soul  has  for!<aken  it,  so  (Jod  is  tlic 
life  of  the  soul.  Sin  defaced  his  temple,  and 
he  fonsook  it.  In  this  sense,  when  Adam  had 
transo're.ssod  the  law,  hedied  instantly,  in  that 
very  day,  in  that  very  moment.  lie  lost  his 
spiritual  life,  he  lost  all  desire  for  communion 
with  God,  he  no  iono-er  retained  any  love  for 
his  benefactor.  lie  dreaded  his  presence,  he 
souirht  to  hide  himself  from  him,  and  when 
obliged  to  appear  and  answer,  stood  self-con- 
demned before  him,  till  revived  and  restored 
by  the  promise  of  gfrace.  And  thus  his  po.s- 
terity  derive  from  him  what  may  be  called  a 
livin?  death.  They  are  dead  while  they  live, 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  (Eph.  ii.  1,)  till 
Iheyare  attain  quickened  by  his  Holy  Spirit. 
This  is  not  a  subject  of  common-place  decla- 
mation ;  it  is  to  be  proved  by  tlie  tenor  of 
scripture,  the  nature  of  redemption,  and  the 
very  reason  of  things.  Unless  we  allow  that 
man  in  his  present  state  is  thus  fallen,  de- 
praved, and  dead,  we  must  be  reducerl  to  the 
absurdity  of  supposing'  that  God  made  him 
such  a  creature  as  he  now  is ;  that  when  he 
formed  him  for  himself,  and  endued  him  with 
a  capacity  and  desires  which  nothing'  short 
of  his  own  infinite  goodness  can  satisfy,  he 
should  at  the  same  time  create  him  with  a 
disposition  to  hate  iiis  Maker,  to  seek  his  sa- 
tisfaction in  sensuality  upon  a  level  with  the 
brutes,  and  to  confine  his  views  and  pursuits 
within  the  limits  of  this  precarious  life,  while 
he  feels,  in  defiance  of  himself,  an  instinctive 
thirst  for  immortality.  Man,  considered  in 
this  view,  would  be  a  solecism  in  the  crea- 
tion ;  and  they  who  do  not  acquiesce  in  the 
cau.?e  which  the  scripture  assig-ns  for  the  in- 
consistences and  contradictions  which  are 
found  in  his  character,  will  never  be  able  to 
assign  any  other  cause,  which  will  bear  the 
trial  of  sober  and  rational  examination.  What 
the  poet  i5aysof  Beelzebub,  "  ma  jestic  though 
in  ruins,"  may  be  truly  atBrined  of  man.  His 
faculties  and  powers  are  proofs  of  his  original 
greatness;  his  awful  misapplication  of  them 
equally  prove  that  ho  is  a  fallen  and  ruined 
creature.  He  has  lost  his  trne  lite,  he  is  dead 
in  sin;  and  unless  renev,'ed  and  revived  by 
the  grace  of  God,  can  only,  in  a  future  state, 
be  fit  for  the  company  of  the  fallen  angels. 

3.  Death,  as  the  wages  of  sin,  extends  still 
farther.  There  is  the  secx^nd  death,  the  final 
and  eternal  rni.sery  of  soul  and  body  in  hell. 
This  we  know  is  the  dreadful  lot  of  the  im- 
penitent. VV^e  need  no  other  proof  that  this 
was  included  in  the  sentence ;  for  certainly, 
the  righteous  Judge  would  not  inflict  a 
greater  punishment  than  he  had  denounced. 
Indeed,  it  follows  of  course  in  the  very  na- 
ture of  things,  if  we  admit  the  soul  to  be  im- 
mortal, a  resurrection  both  of  the  just  and 
the  unjust,  and  that  there  remain  no  other 
sacrifice  for  sin,  in  favour  of  those  who  reject 
the  gospel.    For  to  be  disowned  of  God  in 

Vol.  IL  2  Y 


the  great  day,  to  be  separated  from  his 
favourable  presence,  and  conscious  of  his 
endless  displeasure;  to  be  abandoned  to  the 
unrestrained  rage  of  sinful  dispositions  and 
hopeless  despair;  to  be  incessantly  tormented 
by  the  stings  of  a  remorseful  con.sciencc,  must 
be,  upon  the  principles  of  scripture,  tljc  una- 
voidable consequences  of  being  cut  ofl'  by 
death,  in  an  unhumbled,  unpardoned,  un- 
sanctified  state. 

II.  But,  blessed  be  God,  the  gospel  reveals 
a  relief  and  remedy  fully  adapted  to  the  com- 
plicated misery  in  which  sin  has  involved  us. 
"As  by  man  came  death,  by  man  came  also 
the  resurrection  from  the  dead."  Messiah 
has  made  an  end  of  sin,  and  destroyed  the 
power  of  death.  They  who  believe  in  him, 
though  they  were  dead  shall  live.  .Tohn  xi.  25. 
For  lie  is  the  resurrection  of  tlic  dead,  and  the 
life  of  the  living. 

1.  He  raises  the  soul  from  the  death  of  sin 
unto  a  life  of  righteousness.  By  his  blood  he 
procures  a  right  and  liberty,  and  by  his  Spirit 
lie  communicates  a  jwvver,  that  tliose  who 
were  afar  off,  may  draw  nigh  to  God.  Thus, 
even  at  present,  believers  are  said  to  be  risen 
with  him.  Col.  iii.  I.  Their  spiritual  life  is 
renewed,  and  their  happiness  is  already  com- 
menced, though  it  be  as  yet  subject  to  abate- 
ments. 

(1.)  Though  when  lliey  are  made  partakers 
of  his  grace,  and  thereby  delivered  from  the 
condemning  [jower  of  the  law,  sin  has  no 
longer  dominion  over  them,  as  formerly;  yet 
it  still  wars  and  strives  within  them,  and  their 
life  is  a  state  of  continual  warfare.  They  now 
approve  the  law  of  God,  as  holy,  just,  and 
good,  and  delight  in  it  after  the  inward  man, 
(Rom.  vii.  12 — 19,)  yet  they  are  renewed  but 
in  part.  They  leel  a  law  in  their  members 
warrinor  against  the  law  of  their  minds.  Tliey 
cannot  do  the  things  that  they  v\  ould,  nor  as 
they  would ;  for  wiien  they  would  do  good, 
evil  is  present  with  them.  They  are  con- 
scious of  a  defect  ami  a  defilement  attending 
their  best  services.  Their  attainments  are 
unspeakalily  short  of  the  desires  which  love 
to  the  Redeemer  has  raised  in  their  hearts. 
They  are  8.shamed,  and  sometimes  almost 
discouraged.  They  adopt  the  apostle's  lan- 
guage, "  Oh,  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who 
shall  deliver  ine  from  the  body  of  this  death? 
Rut  with  him  they  can  likewise  say,  "1  thank 
God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  They 
know  he  is  on  their  sitle,  and  expect  that  he 
will  at  last  make  them  more  tlian  conquer- 
ors :  yet,  while  the  conflict  lasts,  they  have 
much  to  sutler,  and  much  to  lament. 

(2.)  They  are  subject,  like  other  people,  to 
the  various  calamities  and  distresses  incident 
to  this  state  of  mortality;  and  they  have, 
more  or  less,  troubles  peculiar  to  themselves, 
arising  from  the  nature  of  their  profession 
and  conduct  (if  they  are  faithful  to  their 
Lord)  while  they  live  in  a  world  that  lieth  in 


354 


THE  GENERAL  RESURRECTION. 


[SEH.  XLH. 


wickedness.  But  the  curse  and  sting  is  taken 
out  of  their  afflictions,  and  they  are  so  mo- 
derated and  sanctified  by  the  wisdom  and 
grace  of  him  vvliom  tiiey  serve,  that  in  the 
event  they  work  for  their  good.  But  though 
they  yield  the  fxjaceable  fniit  of  righteous- 
ness, (Heb.  xii.  11,)  in  themselves,  and  at  the 
time,  they  are  not  joyous,  but  grievous. 

(;3.)  They  are  still  subject  to  the  stroke  of 
death,  the  sepanition  of  soul  and  body.  But 
this  death  has  lost  its  sting  as  to  them.  And 
therefore  they  are  said  not  to  die,  but  to  sleep 
in  Jesus.  Death  is  not  their  enemy,  but  their 
friend.  To  them,  instead  of  being  an  evil,  it 
proves  a  deliverance  from  all  evil,  and  an  en- 
trance into  everlasting  life. 

2.  That  new  life  to  which  they  are  raised 
is  surely  connected  with  life  eternal;  the  life 
of  grace,  with  the  life  of  glory.  For  Christ 
liveth  in  them,  and  being  united  to  him  by 
faith,  they  shall  live  while  he  liveth.  They 
only  shut  their  eyes  upon  the  pains  and  sor- 
rows of  this  world,  to  open  them  immediately 
in  his  presence,  and  so  they  shall  be  for  ever 
with  the  Lord.  How  wonderful  and  happy 
is  the  transition  !  From  disease  and  anguish, 
from  weeping  friends,  and  often  from  a  state 
of  indigence  and  obscurity,  in  which  they 
have  no  friends  to  compassionate  them,  they 
remove  to  a  state  of  glory,  honour,  and  im- 
mortality, to  a  mansion  in  the  realms  of  light, 
to  a  seat  near  the  flirone  of  God.  In  the  lan- 
guage of  mortals,  this  ineffable  honour,  and 
happiness  is  shadowed  out  to  us,  by  the  em- 
blems of  a  white  robe,  a  golden  harp,  a  palm- 
branch  (the  token  of  victory,)  and  a  crown, 
not  of  oak  or  laurel,  of  gold  or  diamonds,  but 
a  crown  of  life.  Such  honour  have  all  tlie 
saints.  Hovvever  afflicted  or  neglected,  de- 
spised or  oppressed,  while  upon  earth,  soon  as 
their  willing  spirits  take  their  flight  from 
hence,  they  shine  like  the  sun  in  the  king- 
dom of  their  Father.  Thus  Lazarus  lay  for 
a  time,  diseased,  necessitous,  and  slighted,  at 
the  rich  man's  gate.  Yet  he  was  not  without 
attendants.  A  guard  of  angels  waited  around 
him,  and  when  he  died  conveyed  his  spirit 
into  Abraham's  bosom,  Luke  xvi.  22.  The 
Jews  thought  very  highly  of  Abraham,  the 
father  of  their  nation,  the  father  of  the  faith- 
ful. Our  Lord  therefore  teaches  us  by  this 
representation,  that  the  beggar  Lazarus  was 
not  only  happy  after  death,  but  highly  exalted 
by  him  who  seeth  not  as  man  seeth ;  for  he 
was  placed  in  Abraham's  bosom,  a  situation 
which,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  Jews, 
was  a  mark  of  peculiar  favour,  intimacy,  and 
distinction.  Thus  the  beloved  disciple  was 
seated  in  the  bosom  of  our  Lord,  when  he 
celebrated  his  last  passover  with  his  disci- 
ples, John  xiii.  22 — 25. 

3.  Their  dead  bodies  shall  be  raised  at  the 
great  day,  not  in  their  former  state  of  weak- 
ness and  corruption,  but  that  which  was  sown 
in  weakness  shall  be  raised  in  power,  and  the 


mortal  shall  put  on  immortality.  He  shall 
cliange  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned 
according  to  the  likeness  of  his  own  glorious 
body.  So  that  his  own  resurrection  is  both 
the  pledge  and  the  pattern  of  theirs.  I  have 
only  farther  to  observe  upon  this  subject  at 
present,  that  as  Adam  is  the  root  and  head  of 
all  mankind,  from  whence  they  all  derive  a 
sinful  and  mortal  nature ;  so  Jesus,  the 
second  Adam,  is  the  root  of  a  people  who  are 
united  to  him,  planted  and  engrafted  in  him 
by  faith.  To  these  the  resurrection,  con- 
sidered as  a  blessing,  is  to  be  restrained. 
There  will  be  a  resiirrection  of  tJie  wicked 
likewise,  (Jdin  v.  29,)  but  to  condemnation, 
shame  and  everlasting  contempt,  Dan.  xii.  2. 
But  the  connexion  is  close  and  indissoluble 
between  Christ,  tlie  first-fruits,  and  them  that 
are  Christ's  at  his  coming. 

May  we  be  happily  prepared  for  this  great 
event,  that  when  he  shall  appear  we  may 
have  confidence  in  him,  and  not  be  ashamed 
before  him,  1  John  ii.  28.  Happy  they  who 
shall  then  be  able  to  welcome  him  m  the 
language  of  the  prophet,  "  Lo,  this  is  our 
God,  we  have  waited  for  him,  and  he  will 
save  us;  this  is  the  Lord,  we  have  waited 
for  him,  we  will  be  glad,  and  rejoice  in  his 
salvation,  Isa.  xxv.  9.  But  how  awful  the 
contrast  of  those  (many  of  them  once  the 
great,  mighty,  and  honourable  of  the  earth) 
who  shall  behold  him  with  horror,  and  in  the 
anguish  of  their  souls  shall  call  (in  vain)  to 
the  rocks  and  mountains  to  fall  on  them  and 
hide  them  from  his  presence,  saying,  "  The 
great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come,  and  v^ho 
shall  be  able  to  stand  1"  Rev.  vi.  16,  17. 


SERMON  XLIL 

THE  GENERAL  RESURRECTION. 

Behold,  I  show  you  a  mystery.  We  shall 
not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed. 
In  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye, 
at  the  last  trump,  for  the  trumpet  shall 
sound,  ayid  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incor- 
ruptible, and  we  shall  be  changed.  Fur 
this  corruptible  must  put  on  incorrvption, 
and  this  mortal  must  put  on  immortality. 
1  Cor.  XV.  51,  52. 

An  object  in  itself  great,  and  which  we 
know  to  be  so,  will  appear  small  to  us  if  we 
view  it  from  a  distance.  The  stars,  for  ex- 
ample, in  our  view,  are  but  as  little  specks 
or  points  of  light ;  and  the  tip  of  a  finger,  if 
held  very  near  to  the  eye,  is  sufficient  to  hide 
from  us  the  whole  body  of  the  sun.  Distance 
of  time  has  an  effect  upon  us,  in  its  kind, 
similar  to  distance  of  space.  It  diminishea 
in  our  mind  the  idea  of  what  we  are  assured 
is,  in  its  own  nature,  of  great  magnitude  and 


SKR.  XLII.] 


THE  GENERAL  RESURRECTION. 


355 


importance.  If  any  of  us  were  informed  that 
W(;  should  certainly  die  before  this  day  closns, 
whit  a  sudden  and  powerful  ciiange  would 
take  place  in  our  tlioui^hts  !  That  we  all  must 
die,  is  a  truth,  of  which  we  are  no  less  cer- 
tain, than  that  we  are  now  alive.  But  be- 
cause it  is  po.'sible  that  we  may  not  die  to- 
day, or  to-morrow,  or  this  year,  or  for  several 
years  to  come,  we  are  often  little  more  affect- 
ci  by  the  thoun^'hts  of  death,  than  if  we  ex- 
pected to  live  here  for  ever.  In  like  manner, 
if  you  receive  the  scripture  as  a  divine  reve- 
lation, I  need  offer  you  no  other  proof,  that 
there  is  a  day,  a  great  day,  approachingf, 
which  will  put  an  end  to  the  present  state  of 
thiniTs,  and  introluce  a  state  unchangfeable 
and  eternal.  Then  the  Lord  will  descend  with 
a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  an  archang-el,  and 
with  the  trump  of  God.  The  earth  and  all 
its  works  will  be  burnt  up.  The  great 
Judge  will  appear,  the  tribunal  be  fixed,  the 
books  opened,  and  all  the  human  race  must 
give  an  account  of  themselves  to  God,  and, 
according  to  his  righteous  award,  be  happy 
or  miserable  in  a  degree  beyond  expression 
or  conception,  and  that  for  ever. 

If  we  were  infallibly  assured,  that  this 
tremendous  scene  would  open  upon  us  to- 
morrow ;  or  if,  while  I  am  speaking,  we 
should  be  startled  with  the  siij'nsof  our  Lord's 
coming  in  l!ie  air.  what  confusion  and  alarm 
would  overspread  the  conurotration  !  Yet,  if 
the  scripture  he  truf",  the  hour  is  approaching, 
when  we  must  all  be  spectators  of  this  solemn 
event,  and  parties  nearly  interested  in  it.  But 
because  it  is  at  a  distance,  we  can  hear  of  it, 
epcak  of  it,  and  profess  to  expect  it,  with  a 
coolness  almost  equal  to  indifference.  May 
the  Lord  give  us  that  faith  which  is  the  evi- 
dence of  thin:rs  not  seen,  that  while  I  aim  to 
lead  your  meditations  to  the  subject  of  my 
text,  we  may  be  duly  impressed  by  it:  and 
tint  we  may  carry  from  hence  such  a  con- 
8id<!ntion  of  our  latter  end,  as  may  incline 
our  hearts  to  that  which  is  our  true  wisdom  ! 

Many  curious  inquiries  and  speculations 
might  be  started  from  this  passage,  hut  which, 
because  I  judge  tliom  to  be  more  curious  than 
useful,  it  is  my  intention  to  wave.  I  shall 
confine  myself  to  what  is  plainly  expressed, 
because  I  wish  rather  to  profit  than  to  amuse 
my  hearers.  The  principal  subject  before  us 
is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  in  the  mo.st 
pleasing  view  of  it;  for  my  text  speaks  only 
of  those  who  shall  change  the  mortal  and  cor- 
ruptible, for  incorruption  and  immortality. 

I.  The  introduction, — "  Behold  I  show  you 
a  mystery." 

II.  What  we  are  tausrht  to  expect, — 
"  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be 
changed." 

III.  The  suddenness  of  the  event, — "  In  a 
moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye." 

IV.  The  grand  preceding  signal, — "  The 
trumpet  ahall  sound." 


I.  The  apostle  apprizes  the  Corinthians 
that  he  is  about  to  show  them  a  mystery.  As 
the  word  mystery  has  been  treated  with  no 
smnll  contempt,  I  shall  embrace  this  occasion 
of  offering  you  a  short  explanation  of  it,  as  it 
is  used  in  the  scriptures.  W"e  are  allowed  to 
say,  that  there  are  mysteries  in  nature,  and 
perhaps  we  may  be  allowed  to  speak  of  mys- 
teries in  providence;  but  though  an  apostle 
assures  us,  that  great  is  the  mystery  of  god- 
liness, (1  Ti.m.  iii.  16.)  many  persons  will 
scarcely  bear  the  application  of  the  word  to 
religion.  And,  a  late  ingenious  writer,  who 
has  many  admirers  in  the  present  day,  has 
ventured  to  affirm  in  print,  that  where  mys- 
tery begins,  religion  ends.  If  the  frequency 
of  the  case  did  not,  in  some  degree,  abate  our 
wonder,  this  might  seem  almost  a  mystery^ 
that  any  persons  wdio  profess  to  believe  the 
scripture,  should  so  openly  and  flatly  contra- 
dict what  the  scripture  expressly  and  re- 
peatedly declares  :  or  that  while,  as  men  of 
reason  and  philosophy,  they  are  forced  to 
acknowledge  a  mystery  in  every  part  of 
creation,  and  must  confess  it  beyond  their 
ability  to  explain  the  growth  of  a  blade  of 
grass ;  they  should,  in  opposition  to  all  the 
rules  of  analogy,  conclude,  that  tlie  gospel, 
the  most  important  concern  of  man,  and 
which  is  commended  to  us  as  the  most  emi- 
nent display  of  tlie  wisdom  and  power  of  God, 
is  the  only  subject  so  level  to  our  apprehen- 
sions, as  to  be  obvious,  at  first  sight,  to  the 
most  careless  and  superficial  observers.  That 
great  numbers  of  people  are  very  far  from 
being  accurate  and  diligent  in  their  religious 
inquiries,  is  too  evident  to  be  denied.  How 
often  do  we  meet  with  persons  of  sense  who 
talk  with  propriety  on  philosophical,  political, 
or  commercial  subjects,  and  yet,  when  they 
speak  of  religion,  discover  such  gross  igno- 
rance, as  would  be  shameful  in  a  child  often 
years  old,  and  amounts  to  a  full  proof  that 
they  have  not  thought  it  worth  their  while 
to  acquire  even  a  slight  knowledge  of  its  first 
principles.  Can  we  even  conceive  the  pos- 
sibility of  a  divine  revelation  that  should 
have  nothing  in  it  mysterious  to  persons  of 
this  character  1 

A  mystery,  according  to  the  notation  of 
the  Greek  word,  signifies  a  secret.  And  all 
the  peculiar  truths  of  the  gospel  may  justly 
be  styled  mysteries  or  secrets,  for  two  rea- 
sons. 

1.  Because  the  discovery  of  them  is  be- 
yond the  reach  of  fallen  man,  and  they  nei- 
ther would  nor  could  have  been  known  with- 
out a  revelation  from  God.  This  is  eminently 
true  of  the  resurrection.  The  light  of  nati;re, 
which  we  often  hear  so  higiily  commended, 
may  afford  some  faint  glimineringsof  a  future 
state,  but  gives  no  intimation  of  a  resurrec- 
tion. The  men  of  wisdom  at  Atiiens,  the 
Stoic  and  Epicurean  philosopher.s,  who  dif- 
fered widely  in  most  parts  of  their  respective 


.•356 


THE  GE-YERAL 


RESURRECTION. 


[SER.  XLII. 


Ecliemes,  united  in  deriding  tliis  sentiment, 
and  contemptuously  styled  the  apostle  Paul  a 
babbler,  (Acts  xv  ii.  i;'>,)  for  preaching-  it.  But 
this  secret  is  to  us  made  known.  And  we  are 
assured,  not  only  that  the  Lord  will  receive 
to  himself  the  departing  spirits  of  his  people, 
but  that  he  will  give  commandment  concern- 
ing their  dust,  and,  in  due  time,  raise  their 
vile  bodies  to  a  conformity  with  his  own  glo- 
rious body. 

2.  Because,  though  they  are  revealed  ex- 
pressly in  the  scripture,  such  is  the  grossness 
of  our  conceptions,  and  the  strength  of  our 
prejudices,  that  the  truths  of  revelation  are 
still  unintelligible  to  us,  without  a  farther  re- 
velation of  their  true  sense  to  the  mind,  by 
the  influence  of  his  Holy  Spirit.  Otherwise, 
how  can  the  secret  of  the  Lord  be  restrained 
to  those  who  fear  him,  (Psal.  xxv.  14,)  when 
the  book  which  contains  it  is  open  to  all,  and 
the  literal  and  grammatical  meaning  of  the 
words  is  in  the  possession  of  many  who  fear 
him  not  ! 

Books  in  the  arts  and  sciences  may  be  said 
to  be  full  of  mysteries  to  those  who  have  not 
a  suitable  capacity  and  taste  for  them :  or  who 
do  not  apply  themselves  to  study  them  with 
diligence,  and  patiently  submit  to  learn  gra- 
dually one  thing  after  another.  If  you  put  a 
treatise  on  mathematics,  or  a  system  of  music, 
into  the  hands  of  a  plowman  or  labourer,  you 
will  not  be  surprised  to  find  that  he  cannot 
understand  a  single  page.  Shall  the  works 
of  a  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  or  of  a  Handel,  be 
thus  inexplicable  to  one  person,  while  another 
peruses  them  with  admiration  and  delight? 
Shall  these  require  a  certain  turn  of  mind, 
and  a  close  attention?  and  can  it  be  reason- 
ably supposed,  that  the  Bible  is  the  only  book 
that  requires  no  peculiar  disposition,  or  de- 
gree of  application,  to  be  understood,  though 
it  is  designed  to  make  us  acquainted  with 
the  deep  things  of  God  ?  1  Cor.  ii.  10.  In 
one  respect,  indeed,  there  is  an  encouraging 
difference.  Divine  truths  lie  thus  far  equally 
open  to  all,  that  though  none  can  learn  them 
unless  they  are  taught  of  God,  yet  all  who 
are  sensible  of  their  own  weakness  may  ex- 
pect his  teaching,  if  they  humbly  seek  it  by 
prayer.  Many  people  are,  perhaps,  incapa- 
ble of  being  mathematicians.  They  have  not 
a  genius  for  the  science.  But  there  is  none 
who  teacheth  like  God.  He  can  give  not 
only  light,  but  sight;  not  only  lessons,  but 
the  capacity  necessary  for  their  reception. 
And  while  his  mysteries  are  hidden  from  the 
wise  and  prudent,  who  are  too  proud  to  wait 
upon  him  for  instruction,  he  reveals  them 
unto  babes. 

It  may  perhaps  be  thought,  that  a  belief  of 
the  doctrine  of  the  resurrrection  does  not  re- 
quire the  same  teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
that  is  necessary  to  the  right  knowledge  of 
6ome  other  doctrines  of  the  gospel.  But  such 
a  belief  as  may  afiect,  cheer,  and  animate  the 


heart  must  be  given  us  from  above,  for  we 
cannot  reason  ourselves  into  it.  Nay,  this 
divine  teaching  is  necessary  to  secure  the 
mind  from  the  vain  reasonings,  perplexities, 
and  imaginations  which  will  bewilder  our 
thoughts  upon  the  subject,  unless  we  learn 
to  yield,  in  simplicity  of  faith,  to  what  the 
scripture  has  plainly  revealed,  and  can  bo 
content  to  know  no  farther  before  the  proper 
time. 

II.  What  we  are  here  taught  to  expect  is 
thus  expressed — "  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  but 
we  shall  all  be  changed."  We  are  not  to 
suppose  that  the  whole  human  race  will  die, 
and  fail  from  the  earth,  before  the  resurrec- 
tion. Some  will  be  living  at  the  time,  and 
among  them  some  of  the  Lord's  people.  Of 
the  living,  it  cannot  properly  be  said  that 
they  will  be  raised  from  the  dead  :  but  they 
will  experience  a  change,  which  will  put 
them  exactly  in  the  same  state  with  the 
others.  Their  mortality  shall  be  swallowed 
up  in  life.  Thus  we  conceive  it  to  have  been 
with  Enoch  and  Elijah.  They  did  not  die 
like  other  men  ;  but  their  mortal  natures 
were  frail  and  sinful,  like  ours,  and  incapable 
of  sustaining  the  glories  of  heaven  without 
a  preparation.  Flesh  and  blood  in  its  pre- 
sent state  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God, 
neither  can  corruption  inherit  incorruption  ; 
but  the  dead  shall  arise,  and  the  living  shall 
be  changed.  Here  is  a  wide  field  for  specu- 
lation, but  I  mean  not  to  enter  it.  Curiosity 
would  be  glad  to  know  how  our  bodies,  when 
changed,  shall  still  be  the  same.  Let  us 
first  determine  how  that  body,  which  was 
once  an  infant,  is  the  very  same  when  it  be- 
comes a  full  grown  man,  or  a  man  in  ex- 
treme old  age.  Let  us  explain  the  transmu- 
tation of  a  caterpillar  or  silk-worm,  \\  hich 
from  a  reptile  becomes  a  butterfly.  What  a 
wonderful  change  is  this  both  in  appearance 
and  in  powers!  Who  would  suppose  it  to 
be  the  same  creature  ?  Yet  who  can  deny 
it?  It  is  safest  and  most  comfortable  for  us, 
to  refer  to  the  wisdom  and  power  of  God  the 
accomplishment  of  his  own  word. 

III.  These  great  events  will  take  place 
unexpectedly  and  suddenly — "In  a  moment, 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye."  We  have  rea- 
son to  believe,  that  a  part  at  least  of  mankind 
will  be  employed  as  they  are  now,  and  as 
they  were  in  the  days  of  Noah  and  Lot, 
(Luke  xvii.  26 — 30,)  eating  and  drinking, 
buying  and  selling,  building,  and  planting; 
having  nothing  less  in  their  thoughts  than 
the  calamity  and  destruction  which  shall 
overwhelm  them  without  warning.  For 
while  they  are  promising  themselves  peace, 
the  day  of  the  Lord  shall  come  upon  them 
like  a  thief  in  the  night,  unlocked  for,  and 
like  the  pangs  of  a  labouring  woman,  una- 
voidable. "  In  that  day  the  lofty  looks  of 
man  shall  be  humbled,  and  the  haughtiness  oi 
man  shall  be  bowed  down,  and  the  Lord 


SER.  XLII.] 


THE  GENERAL 


RESURRECTION. 


357 


alone  shall  be  exalteri,"  Isa.  ii.  6.    So  larg'e 

a  p;irt  of  divine  prophecy  remains  yet  to  be 
tultilleil,  that  I  appn^liend  it  is  not  probable 
that  any  of  us  sliall  be  alive  when  this  great 
and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed. 
But  are  not  some  of  us  exposed  to  a  simi- 
lar dreadful  surprise !  If  you  die  in  your 
sins,  the  conseipiences  will  be  no  less  deplo- 
rable to  you,  tlian  if  you  saw  the  whole  frame 
of  nature  perishing  with  you.  Alas,  what 
will  you  do,  whither  will  you  flee  for  help, 
or  where  will  you  leave  your  glory,  if,  while 
you  are  entrrossed  by  the  cares  or  pleasures 
of  this  world,  death  should  arrest  you,  and 
Bunimon  you  to  judgment !  The  rich  man  in 
the  gospel  is  not  charged  with  any  crimes 
of  peculiar  enormity.  It  is  not  said  that  he 
ground  the  faces  of  the  jMor,  or  that  he,  by 
fraud  or  oppression,  kept  back  the  hire  of  the 
labourers  who  had  reaped  his  harvest ;  he 
only  rejoiced  in  his  wealth,  and  in  having 
much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years,  and  that 
therefore  he  might  securely  eat,  drink,  and 
be  merry.  But  God  said  unto  him,  "  Thou 
fool,  this  night  shall  thy  soul  be  required  of 
thee,"  Luke  xii.  20.  Awful  disappointment! 
Thus  will  it  be,  sooner  or  later,  with  all 
whose  hearts  and  portions  are  in  this  world, 
but  not  rich  towards  God !  Consider  this, 
you  that  are  like  minded  with  him.  Trem- 
ble at  the  thought  of  being  found  in  the  num- 
ber of  those  who  have  all  their  consolation 
here,  ami  who,  when  they  die,  must  leave 
their  all  behind  them.  Now  is  the  accepta- 
ble time,  the  day  of  salvation.  Now,  if  you 
will  seek  the  Lord,  he  will  be  found  of  you. 
Now,  if  you  pray  for  grace  and  foith,  he  will 
answer  you.  But  when  once  the  Master  of 
the  house  shall  arise,  and  with  his  own  so- 
vereign authoritative  hand  shall  shut  the  door 
of  his  mercy,  it  will  then  be  in  vain,  and  too 
late  to  say,  "  Lord,  Lord,  open  unto  us," 
Luke  xiii.  2.). 

IV.  The  great  scene  will  be  introduced  by 
a  signal — "  At  the  last  trump  ;  for  the  trum- 
pet shall  sound."  Thus  the  approach  of  a 
king  or  a  judge  is  usually  announced  ;  and 
the  scripture  frequently  borrows  images  from 
our  little  affairs  and  cuistoms,  and,  in  conde- 
scension to  our  weakness,  illustrates  things  in 
themselves  too  great  for  our  conceptions,  by 
compnring  them  with  those  which  are  more 
familiar  to  us. 

It  will  indeed  be  comparing  great  things 
with  small,  if  I  attempt  to  illustrate  this  sub- 
lime idea,  by  local  customs  wiiich  obtain  in 
this  kingdom.  At  a  time  of  assize,  when  the 
judges,  to  whom  the  administration  and 
guardianship  of  our  laws  are  entrusted,  are 
making  their  entrance,  expectation  is  awake, 
and  a  kind  of  reverence  and  awe  is  felt,  even 
by  those  who  are  not  immediately  concerned 
in  their  inquest.  The  dignity  of  their  office, 
the  purpose  for  which  they  come,  the  con- 
course of  people,  the  order  of  the  procession, 


and  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  all  concur  in 
raising  an  emotion  in  the  hearts  cf  the  spec- 
tators. Happy  are  they  then  upon  whom 
the  inflexible  law  has  no  demand  !  But  who 
can  describe  the  terror  with  which  the  sound 
of  the  trumpet  is  heard  by  the  unhappy  cri- 
minal ;  and  the  throbbings  of  his  heart,  if  he 
be  already  convicted  in  his  own  conscience, 
and  knows  or  fears,  that  there  is  sufficient 
evidence  at  hand  to  fix  the  fact  upon  him, 
and  to  prove  his  guilt  !  For  soon  the  judge 
will  take  his  seat,  the  books  will  be  opened, 
the  cause  tried,  and  the  criminal  sentenced. 
Many  circumstances  of  this  kind  are  alluded 
to  in  the  scripture,  to  assist  us  in  forming 
some  conception  of  what  will  take  place, 
when  all  the  race  of  Adam,  small  and  great, 
shall  stand  before  the  sovereign  Judge,  the 
one  Lawgiver,  who  is  able  to  save  and  ta 
destroy.  But  the  concourse,  the  solemnity, 
the  scrutiny,  the  event,  in  the  most  weighty 
causes  that  can  come  before  a  human  judica- 
ture, are  mere  shadows,  and  trivial  as  the 
sports  of  children,  if  compared  with  the  busi- 
ness of  this  tremendous  tribunal.  "The 
Lord  himself  will  descend  with  the  voice  of 
the  archangel,  and  the  trump  of  God."  What 
a  trumpet  will  that  be,  whose  sound  shall 
dissolve  the  frame  of  nature,  and  awaken  the 
dead  !  When  the  Lord  is  seated  upon  his 
great  white  throne,  (Rev.  xx.  11,)  the  heavens 
and  the  earth  shall  flee  from  his  presence ; 
but  the  whole  race  of  mankind  shall  be  as- 
sembled before  him,  each  one  to  give  an  ac- 
count of  himself,  to  liini,  from  whose  pene- 
trating knowledge  no  secret  can  be  hidden, 
and  from  whose  unerring  inflexible  sentence 
there  can  be  no  appeal.  "Where  then  shall 
tlie  wicked  and  the  ungodly  appear  ]" 

But  it  will  be  a  joyful  day  to  believers : 
they  shall  be  separated  as  the  wheat  from  the 
tares,  and  arranged  at  his  right  hand.  When 
the  Lord  shall  come,  attended  bv  his  holy 
angels,  his  redeemed  people  will  reassume 
their  bodies,  refined  and  freed  from  all  that 
was  corruptible;  and  those  of  them  who  shall 
be  then  living  will  be  changed,  and  caught  up 
to  meet  him  in  the  air.  He  will  tlicn  own 
them,  approve  and  crown  them,  before  as- 
sembled worlds.  Every  charge  that  can  be 
brought  against  tliem  will  be  over-ruled,  and 
their  plea,  that  they  trusted  in  him  for  salva- 
tion, be  admitted  and  ratified.  They  will  be 
accepted  and  justified.  They  will  shine  like 
the  sun  in  his  full  train,  and  attend,  as  as- 
sessors with  him,  when  he  shall  pass  final 
judgment  upon  his  and  their  enemies.  Then 
he  will  be  admired  in  and  by  them  that  be- 
lieve. Their  tears  will  be  for  ever  wiped 
away,  when  he  shall  say  to  them,  "  Come,  ye 
blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  tlie  kingdom 
prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world,"  Matt.  xxv.  34. 

Beloved,  if  these  things  are  so,  what  man- 
ner of  persons  ought  we  to  be  in  all  holy 


353 


DEATH  SWALLOWED  UP  IN  VICTORY. 


[SEII.  XI.III. 


convprsation  and  g-odliness?  2  Pet.  iii.  11. 
Should  we  not  jrivo  all  dilij^ence  to  make  our 
calling'  and  election  .sure,  that  we  may  be 
found  ofiiiin  in  peace  !  He  who  will  then  be 
seated  upon  the  throne  of  judii'ment,  is  to  us 
made  known  as  seated  upon  a  throne  of  grace. 
It  is  time,  it  is  high  time,  and  blessed  be  God 
it  is  nut  yet  too  late,  to  seek  his  mercy.  Still 
the  pospel  invites  us  to  hear  his  voice,  and  to 
humble  ourselves  before  him.  Once  more 
you  are  invited,  some  of  you  perhaps  for  the 
last  time:  how  know  you  but  sickness  or 
death  may  be  at  the  very  door  !  Consider, 
Are  you  prepared!  E.\amine  the  foundation 
of  your  hope, — and  do  it  quickly,  impartially, 
and  earnestly,  lest  you  should  be  cut  off  in 
an  hour  when  you  are  not  aware,  and  perish 
with  a  lie  in  your  right  hand. 


SERMON  XLIII. 

DEATH  SWALLOWED  UP  IN  VICTORY. 

Then  shall  he  brought  to  pass  the  saying 
that  is  toritlen,  Death  is  swallowed  up  in 
victory. — 1  Cor.  xv.  5^1. 

Death,  simply  considered,  is  no  more  than 
a  private  idea,  signifying'  a  cessation  of  life, 
or  that  what  was  once  living  lives  no  longer. 
But  it  has  been  the  general,  perhaps  the  uni- 
versal custom  of  mankmd  to  personify  it. 
Imagination  gives  death  a  formidable  appear- 
ance, arms  it  with  a  dart,  sting,  or  scythe, 
and  represents  it  as  an  active,  inexorable, 
and  invincible  reality.  In  this  view  Death  is 
a  great  devourer;  with  his  iron  tongue  he 
calls  for  thousands  at  a  meal.  He  has  al- 
ready swallowed  up  all  the  preceding  genera- 
tions of  men ;  all  who  are  now  living  are 
marked  as  his  inevitable  prey;  he  is  still  un- 
Batisfied,  and  will  co  on  devouring  till  the 
Lord  shall  come.  Then  this  destroyer  shall 
be  destroyed;  he  shall  swallow  no  more,  but 
be  swallovVt^d  up  himself  in  victory.  Thus 
the  scripture  accommodates  itself  to  the  lan- 
guage and  apprehensions  of  mortals.  Farther, 
the  metaphorical  usage  of  the  word  swallow 
still  enlarges  and  aggrandizes  the  idea.  Thus 
the  earth  is  said  to  have  opened  her  mouth 
and  swallowed  up  Korah  and  his  accomplices. 
Numb.  xvi.  ;^"3.  And  thus  a  pebble,  a  mill- 
stone, or  a  mountain,  if  cast  into  the  ocean, 
would  be  swallowed  up,  irrecoverably  lost 
and  gone,  as  though  they  had  never  been. 
Rev.  xviii.  21.  Such  shall  be  the  triumph- 
ant victory  of  Messiah  in  the  great  day 
of  the  consummation  of  all  things.  Death  in 
its  cause  and  in  its  effects,  shall  be  utterly 
destroyed.  Man  was  created  upright,  and 
lived  in  a  paradise,  till,  by  sin,  he  brought 
death  into  the  world.    From  that  time  death 


has  reigned  by  sin,  and  evils  abound.  But 
Messiah  came  to  make  an  end  of  sin,  to  de- 
stroy death,  and  him  that  hath  the  power  of 
it,  to  repair  every  disorder,  and  to  remove 
every  misery;  and  he  will  so  fully,  so  glo- 
riously accomplish  his  great  undertaking  in 
the  final  issue,  tiiat  every  thing  contrary  to 
holiness  and  happine.ss  shall  be  swallowed  up 
and  buried  beyond  the  possibility  of  a  return, 
as  a  stone  that  is  sunk  in  the  depths  of  the 
sea.  Tlius  where  sin  hath  abounded,  grace 
will  much  more  abound. 

This  victory,  however,  being  the  Redeem- 
er's work,  and  the  fruit  of  his  ntediation,  the 
scripture  teaches  us  to  restrain  the  benefits 
of  it  to  the  subjects  of  his  church  and  king- 
dom. In  Adam  all  die.  A  depraved  nature, 
guilt,  sorrow,  and  death,  extend  to  all  his 
posterity.  The  All,  who  in  Christ  shall  be 
made  alive,  are  those  who,  by  faith  in  him, 
are  delivered  from  the  sting  of  death,  which 
is  sin,  and  are  made  partakers  of  a  new 
nature.  There  is  a  second  de<ath,  which, 
though  it  shall  not  hurt  the  believers  in  Je- 
sus, (Rev.  ii.  11,)  will  finally  swallow  up  the 
impenitent  and  ungodly.  We  live  in  an  age 
when  there  is,  if  I  may  so  speak,  a  resurrec- 
tion of  many  old  and  exploded  errors,  which 
though  they  have  been  oilen  refuted  and  for- 
gotten, are  admired  and  embraced  by  some 
persons  as  new  and  wonderful  discoveries. 
Of  this  stamp,  is  the  conceit  of  a  universal 
restitution  to  a  state  of  happiness  of  all  in- 
telligent creatures,  whether  angels  or  men, 
who  have  rebelled  against  the  will  and  go- 
vernment of  God.  'I'his  sentiment  contradicts 
the  current  doctrine  of  scripture,  which  as- 
serts the  everlasting  misery  of  the  finally 
impenitent,  in  as  strong  term.s  in  the  very 
same  terms,  as  the  eternal  happiness  of  the 
righteous,  and  sometimes  in  the  very  same 
verse.  Matt.  xxv.  4(5.  Nor  can  it  possibly  be 
true,  if  our  Lord  spake  the  truth  concerning 
Judas,  when  he  said,  "  It  had  been  good  for 
that  man  if  he  had  never  been  born,"  Matt, 
xxvi.  24.  If  I  could  consider  this  notion  as 
harndess  though  useless,  and  no  worse  than 
many  mistakes  which  u'.en  of  upright  minds 
have  made,  through  inattention  and  weakness 
of  judgment,  I  should  not  have  mentioned  it. 
But  I  judge  it  to  be  little  le.ss  pernicious  and 
poisonous,  than  false.  It  directly  tends  to 
abate  that  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin,  of  the  in- 
flexible justice  of  God,  and  the  truth  of  his 
threatenings,  which  is  but  too  weak  in  the 
best  of  men.  Let  us  abide  by  the  plain  de- 
clarations of  his  word,  which  assures  us,  that 
there  remaineth  no  other  sacrifice  for  sin, 
(Heb.  X.  28,  27,)  no  future  relief  against  it, 
for  those  who  now  refuse  the  gospel ;  and 
that  they  who  cordially  receive  it  shall  be 
saved  with  an  everlasting  salvation,  and  shall 
one  day  sing,  "  Death  is  swallowed  up  in 
victory." 


DEATH  SWALLOWED  UP  IN  VICTORY. 


359 


I  would  fartlier  observe,  tiiat  many  prophe- 
cies have  a  fjradual  and  increasing  accom- 
plishment, and  may  be  applied  to  several  pe- 
riods;  though  their  full  completion  will  only 
bo  at  the  resurrection  and  last  judgment. 
Tiiis  passage,  as  it  stands  in  the  prophecy  of 
Isaiah,  (chap.  xxv.  8,)  from  whence  the  apos- 
tle quotes  it,  appears  to  have  a  reference  to 
the  comparatively  brighter  light  and  glory 
of  the  gospel-state  beyond  what  was  enjoyed 
by  tiie  church  under  the  Lev itical  dispensa- 
tion ;  and  especially  to  the  privileges  of  those 
happy  days,  when  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles, 
and  the  remnant  of  Israel  shall  be  brought  in, 
and  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  become 
the  kingdoms  of  the  Lord  and  of  his  Christ. 
I  would  not  e.xclude  these  subordinate  senses; 
I  have  already  considered  them.  But  my 
text  calls  our  attention  to  the  end  of  all  things. 
Then,  in  the  most  emphatical  sense,  Death 
will  be  svvallowed  up  of  victory. 

Let  us  endeavour  to  realize  the  great  scene 
before  u.s  to  contemplate  the  redeemed  of  the 
Ivord  when  they  shall  return  with  him  to  ani- 
snate  their  glorious  bodies.  Let  us  ask  the 
question  which  the  elder  proposed  to  John, 
"Who  are  these  clothed  with  white  robes, 
and  whence  came  they .'"  Rev.  vii.  18.  They 
came  out  of  great  tribulation,  they  were  once 
binder  the  power  of  death,  but  now  death,  as 
to  them,  is  swallowed  up  in  victory.  In  every 
sense  in  which  death  ruled  over  them  they 
are  now  completely  delivered. 

I.  They  were  once  dead  in  law.  They 
had  revolted  from  their  Maker.  They  had 
violated  the  holy  order  of  his  government, 
and  stood  exposed  to  his  righteous  displea- 
sure, and  to  the  heavy  penalty  annexed  to 
the  transgression  of  his  commandments.  But 
mercy  interposed.  God  so  loved  lliem,  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son  to  make  an 
atonement  for  their  sins,  and  to  be  their  wis- 
dom, righteousness,  sanctification,  and  re- 
demption, 1  Cor.  i.  'SO.  They  received  grace 
to  believe  in  this  Saviour,  and  now  they  are 
delivered  from  condemnation.  They  are  ac- 
cepted in  the  Beloved.  They  are  considered 
as  one  with  him,  and  interested  in  all  that  he 
did,  an;l  in  all  that  he  suffered.  Now  they 
are  the  children  of  God,  and  heirs  of  his  king- 
dom. Though  they  were  afar  off,  they  are 
brought  nigh,  and  admitted  to  a  nearer  re- 
lation than  the  holy  angels,  to  him  who  sit- 
teth  upon  the  throne.  For  he  took  upon  him, 
and  still  he  pleased  to  wear,  not  the  nature  of 
angels,  but  the  human  nature.  Their  former 
guilt  is  cancelled,  blotted  out,  and  swallowed 
up.  All  their  sins  arc  covered.  Sunk  in  his 
precious  blood  as  in  a  deep  sea,  so  that  even 
if  sought  (or,  they  can  no  more  be  found. 
That  they  Inve  sinned,  will  always  be'  a 
truth  ;  and  probably  they  will  never  lose  a 
consciousness  of  what  t.'iey  were  by  nathre 
and  practice  while  in  this  world.    But  this, 


so  far  from  abating  their  joy,  will  heigliten 
their  gratitude  and  praise  to  him  who  loved 
them,  and  washed  tliem  from  their  sins  in  his 
own  blood.  Rev.  i.  5.  Their  happiness  prin- 
cipally consists  in  a  perception  of  his  love  to 
them,  and  in  their  returns  of  grateful  love  to 
him.  And  they  love  him  much,  because  for 
his  sake,  much  has  been  forgiven  them, 
Luke  vii.  47. 

II.  Once  they  were  dead  in  sin.  They 
were  destitute  of  the  knowledge  and  love  of 
God.  They  were  foolish,  deceived,  and  dis- 
obedient, enslaved  to  divers  lusts,  (Titus  iii. 
3,)  to  inordinate,  .sensual,  unsatisfying  plea- 
sures. They  lived  in  malice  and  envy  ;  they 
were  hateful,  and  they  hated  one  another.  In 
a  word,  they  were  dead  while  they  lived, 
1  Tim.  V.  6.  But  by  tiie  power  of  grace  they 
were  awakened  and  raised  from  this  death, 
and  made  partakers  of  a  new,  a  spiritual,  and 
divine  life.  Yet  the  principle  of  sin  and  death 
stiil  remained  in  them,  and  their  life  upon 
earth,  though  a  life  of  faith  in  the  Son  of 
God,  was  a  state  of  continual  warfare.  They 
had  many  a  conflict,  and  were  often  greatly 
distressed.  They  sowed  in  tears,  to  the  end 
of  their  pilgrimage,  but  now  they  reap  in  joy, 
Psalm  cxxvi.  .5.  This  death  is  also  swal- 
lowed up  in  victory.  They  are  now  entirely 
and  for  ever  freed  from  every  clog,  defect,  and 
delilement.  By  beholding  their  Lord  as  he 
is,  in  all  his  glory  and  love,  without  any  in- 
terposing veil  or  cloud,  they  are  made  like 
him,  and  to  the  utmost  measure  of  their  ca- 
pacity conformed  to  his  image.  Now  they 
are  absolutely  spotless  and  impeachable;  for 
though  mutability  seems  no  less  essential  to 
a  creature  than  dependence,  yet  they  cannot 
change,  because  their  Lord  is  unchangeable, 
for  their  life  is  hidden  with  Christ  in  God, 
Col.  iii.  3.  They  cannot  fall  from  their  ho- 
liness or  happiness,  because  he  has  engaged 
to  uphold  and  maintain  them  by  his  almighty 
power. 

III.  One  branch  of  the  death  due  to  sin  is 
the  tyranny  and  power  of  Satan.  For  a  time 
he  ruled  in  their  hearts,  as  in  his  own  strong- 
hold ;  and  while  they  were  blinded  by  his  in- 
fluence they  were  little  affected  with  their 
bondage.  Hard  as  his  service  was,  they  did 
not  often  complain  of  it.  They  were  led  by 
him  according  to  his  will  for  the  most  part 
without  resistance,  or,  if  they  attempted  to 
resist,  they  found  it  was  in  vain.  But  in  his 
own  hour  their  Lord,  who  had  bouL''ht  them, 
dispossessed  their  strong  enemy,  and  claimed 
their  hearts  for  himself.  Yet  after  they  were 
thus  set  free  from  his  ruling  power,  this  ad- 
versary was  always  plotting  and  fighting 
against  them.  Mow  much  have  some  of  them 
suffered  from  his  subtle  wiles  and  his  fiery 
darts !  from  his  rage  as  a  roaring  lion,  from 
his  ctmning  as  a  serpent  lying  in  their  path, 
and  from  his  attempts  to  deceive  them  under 


3G0 


DEATH  SWALLOWED  UP  IN  VICTORY. 


[SER.  XLIIl. 


the  somblancp  of  an  anrrel  of  light !  2  Cor.  xi. 
14.  Btit  now  they  are  placed  ont  of  his  reach. 
Death  and  Satan  are  swallowed  up.  The 
victory  is  complete.  The  wicked  one  shall 
iiever  have  access  to  touch  or  disturb  them 
any  more.  Now  he  is  shut  up  in  his  own 
pltioe,  and  the  door  sealed,  no  more  to  open. 
Wliilo  he  was  permitted  to  vex  and  worry 
tliein,  he  acted  under  a  limited  commission 
■which  lie  could  not  exceed;  all  was  directed 
and  over-ruled  by  the  wisdom  and  love  of 
their  Lord  for  their  advantage.  Such  exer- 
cises were  necessary,  then,  to  discover  to 
them  more  of  the  weakness  and  vileness  of 
their  own  hearts,  to  make  them  more  sensible 
of  their  dependence  upon  their  Saviour,  and 
to  att'ord  them  affecting  proofs  of  his  power 
and  care  engaged  in  their  behalf  But  they 
are  necessary  no  longer.  Their  warfare  is 
finished.  They  are  now  where  the  wicked 
cease  from  troubling,  and  where  the  weary 
are  at  rest,  Job  iii.  17. 

IV.  While  they  were  in  the  world,  they 
had  a  share,  many  of  them  a  very  large 
shMre,  of  the  woes  and  sufferings  incident  to 
this  mortal  state:  which,  as  they  are  the 
fruits  and  effects  of  sin,  and  greatly  contribute 
to  shorten  the  life  of  man,  and  hasten  his  re- 
turn to  dust,  are,  as  1  formerly  observed,  pro- 
perly included  in  the  comprehensive  meaning 
of  the  original  sentence,  death.  They  belong 
to  its  train,  and  are  harbingers  of  its  approach. 
None  of  the  race  of  Adam  are  exempted 
from  these;  but  especially  the  servants  of 
God  have  no  exemption.  Their  gracious 
Lord,  who  frees  them  from  condemnation, 
and  gives  them  peace  in  himself,  assures 
them  that  in  this  world  they  shall  have  tri- 
bulation, John  xvi.  'S'i.  This  is  so  inseparable 
from  their  calling,  that  it  is  mentioned  as  one 
special  mark  of  their  adoption  and  sonship, 
Heb.  xii.  6 — 8.  Ifthe  prosperity  of  the  wicked 
sometimes  continues  for  a  season  without  in- 
terruption, their  day  is  coming,  (Psal.  xxxvii. 
13  ;)  but  the  righteous  may  expect  chastise- 
ment and  discipline  daily.  Thus  their  graces 
are  refined,  strengthened,  and  displayed,  to 
the  praise  of  their  heavenly  Father.  There 
is  no  promise  in  the  Bible  that  secures  the 
most  eminent  and  exemplary  believer  from 
participating  in  the  heaviest  calamities  in 
common  with  others,  and  they  have  many 
trials  peculiar  to  themselves.  Thus,  while 
upon  earth,  they  endure  hardship  for  his  sake. 
Because  he  chose  them  out  of  the  world,  and 
they  would  no  longer  comply  with  its  sinful 
maxims  and  customs,  the  world  hated  them, 
John  XV.  19.  Many  of  them  were  the  mark 
of  public  scorn  and  malice,  accounted  the 
offscouring  of  all  things ;  they  were  driven 
to  deserts,  and  mountains,  and  caves;  they 
suffered  stripes,  imprisonment,  and  death. 
Others  had  trials  of  pains,  sickness,  and 
poverty,  of  sharp  bereaving  dispensations. 


Tlieir  gourds  withered,  and  the  desire 
of  their  eyes  was  taken  away  with  a 
stroke.  They  had  fightings  without,  and 
fears  within.  So  that  if  their  pressures  and 
troubles  were  considered,  without  taking  into 
the  account  their  inward  supports  and  the 
consolation  they  derived  from  their  hopes  be- 
j  yond  the  grave,  they  might  be  deemed  of  all 
men  the  most  miserable,  1  Cor.  xv.  19.  But 
they  were  supported  under  these  exercises, 
brought  safely  through  them,  and  now  their 
sorrows  are  swallowed  up  in  victory.  Novr 
the  days  of  their  mourning  are  ended.  Is.  Ix. 
17.  They  now  confess,  that  their  longest  af- 
flictions were  momentary,  and  their  heaviest 
burdens  were  light,  in  comparison  of  that  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory, 
(2  Cor.  iv.  17,)  which  they  have  entered  upon. 
Sorrow  and  sighing  have  taken  their  ever- 
lasting flight,  and  joy  and  gladness  have 
come  forth  to  meet  them,  and  to  dwell  with 
thern  for  ever,  Is.  li,  11. 

V.  In  their  collective  capacity,  the  seeds 
of  sin  often  produced  bitter  fruits.  Through 
remaining  ignorance  and  prejudice,  they  often 
mistook  and  misunderstood  one  another.  They 
i  lost  much  good  which  they  might  otherwise 
have  enjoyed,  and  brought  upon  themselves 
many  evils.  Through  their  intemperate  heats 
and  unsanctified  zeal,  which  divided  them 
I  into  little  parties  and  separate  interests,  the 
I  children  of  the  same  family,  the  members  of 
the  same  body,  wore  too  often  at  variance,  or 
j  at  least  cold  and  distant  in  their  regards  to 
!  each  other.  Yea,  Satan  could  foment  discord 
and  jealousies  among  those  who  lived  in  the 
same  house,  or  met  at  the  same  table  of  the 
Lord.    But  now  grace  has  triumphed  over 
every  evil ;  sin  and  death  are  swallowed  up 
in  victory.    Now  all  is  harmony,  love,  and 
joy.    They  have  one  heart  and  one  song, 
which  will  never  more  be  blemished  by  the 
harshness  of  a  single  discordant  note. 

May  this  prospect  animate  our  hopes,  and 
awaken,  in  those  who  have  hitherto  been  afar 
off,  a  desire  of  sharing  in  the  happiness  of  the 
redeemed  I  Awful  will  be  the  contrast  to 
those  who  have  had  their  portion  in  this 
world  I  Is  it  needful  to  address  any  in  this 
auditory,  in  the  language  which  our  Lord 
used  to  his  impenitent  hearers'!  "Wo  unto 
you  that  are  rich ;  for  you  have  received 
your  consolation.  Wo  unto  you  that  are  full ; 
for  ye  shall  hunger.  Wo  unto  you  that  laugh 
now;  for  ye  shall  mourn  and  weep!"  Luke 
vi.  24,  25.  When  the  rich  man,  who  had 
lived  in  honour  and  affluence  here,  was  torn 
from  all  that  he  loved,  and  lifted  up  his  eyes  in 
torment,  the  remembrance  of  his  former  state, 
that  he  once  had  his  good  things,  (Luke  xvi. 
2o,)  but  that  they  *vere  gone,  for  ever  gone, 
could  only  be  a  keen  aggravation  of  his 
mi'sery.  Dreadful  will  be  the  coixiition  of  all 
who  die  in  their  sins;  but  the  case  of  thost 


TRIUMPH  OVER  DEATH  AND  THE  GRAVE.  SGI 


SER.  XLIV.] 

who  are  now  frequently  envied  by  the  ig- 
norant, in  the  view  of  a  mind  enlig'htened  by 
the  truth,  must  appear  doubly  and  peculiarly 
pitiable.  Tliey  have  the  most  to  lose,  they 
have  the  most  to  account  lor.  Alas,  how 
terrible,  how  sudden  the  change  !  From  a 
state  of  honour  and  influence  amongst  men, 
to  fall  in  a  moment  under  the  contempt  and 
displeasure  of  tiie  holy  God — to  pass,  from  a 
crowd  of  dependents  and  flatterers,  to  the 
company  of  Satan  and  his  angels;  from  gran- 
deur and  opulence,  to  a  state  of  utter  dark- 
ness and  iiorror,  where  the  worm  dieth  not, 
and  the  fire  cannot  be  quenched,  Mark  ix. 
44,  4(j,  48.  These  are  sensible  images,  it  is 
true ;  the  thinirs  of  the  unseen  world  cannot 
be  described  to  us  as  they  are  in  themselves; 
btit  we  may  be  certain  that  the  description 
fiills  unspeakably  short  of  the  reality.  The 
malicious  insults  of  the  powers  of  darkness, 
the  mutual  recriminations  of  those  who, 
having  been  connected  in  sin  here,  will  be 
eome  way  connected  in  misery  hereafter, 
(Matt.  xiii.  30.) — remorse,  rage,  despair,  a 
total  and  final  exclusion  from  God  the  foun- 
tain of  happiness,  with  an  abiding  sense  of 
his  indignation: — this  complicated  misery 
cannot  be  expressed  in  the  language  of  mor- 
tals— like  the  joy  of  the  blessed,  it  is  more 
than  eye  hath  seen,  or  ear  hath  heard,  or  can 
possibly  enter  into  the  heart  of  man  to  con- 
ceive, 1  Cor.  ii.  9.  Add  the  ideas  of  un- 
changeable and  eternal  to  the  rest,  tiiat  it 
will  be  a  misery  admitting  of  no  intermission, 
abatement,  or  end ;  and  then  seriously  con- 
sider, what  can  it  profit  a  man  should  he 
gain  the  whole  world,  if  at  last  he  should 
thus  lose  his  soul  ?  Matt.  xvi.  20.  No  longer 
make  a  mock  at  sin:  it  is  not  a  small  evil; 
it  is  a  great  evil  in  itself,  and,  unless  par- 
doned and  forsaken,  will  bo  productive  of  tre- 
mendous consequences.  No  longer  make 
liglil  of  the  gospel  :  it  points  out  to  you  the 
only  possible  method  of  escaping  the  damna- 
tion of  hell.  To  refuse  it,  is  to  rush  upon 
remediless  destruction.  No  longer  trust  in 
uncertain  riches:  if  you  pos.sess  them,  I  need 
not  tell  you  they  do  not  make  you  happy  at 
present,  much  less  will  they  comfort  you  in 
the  hour  of  death,  or  ])rofit  you  in  the  day  of 
wrath,  Prov.  xi.  4.  Waste  not  your  time  and 
talents  (which  must  be  accounted  for)  in  the 
pursuit  of  sensual  pleasure;  in  the  end  it 
will  bite  like  a  serpent.  For  all  these  things 
God  will  assuredly  bring  you  into  judufment, 
unless  in  this  day  of  grace  you  humble  your- 
selves to  implore  that  mercy  which  is  still 
proposed  to  you,  if  you  will  seek  it  sincerely 
and  with  your  whole  heart;  and  which  I 
once  more  entreat,  charge,  and  adjure  you  to 
seek,  by  the  great  name  of  Messiah,  the  Sa- 
viour, by  his  agonies  and  bloody  sweat,  by  his 
cross  and  passion,  by  his  precious  death,  and 
by  the  consideration  of  his  future  glorious 
appearance,  to  subdue  all  things  to  himself. 
Vol.  II.  2  Z 


SERMON  XLIV. 

TRIUMPH  OVER  DEATH  AND  THE  GRAVE. 

0  death,  where  is  thy  sting  1  O  grave,  where 
is  thy  victory  !  The  sting  of  death,  is  si/i ; 
and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law.  But 
thanks  be  to  God,  which  giveth  us  the 
victory,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
1  Cor.  XV.  55—57. 

The  christian  soldier  may,  with  the  great- 
est propriety,  be  said  to  war  a  good  warfare, 

1  Tim.  i.  18.  He  is  engaged  in  a  good  cause; 
he  fights  under  the  eye  of  the  Captain  of  his 
salvation.  Though  he  be  weak  in  himself, 
and  though  his  enemies  are  many  and  mighty, 
he  may  do  that  which  in  other  soldiers  would 
be  presumption,  and  has  often  been  the  cause 
of  a  defeat;  he  may  triumph  while  he  is  in 
the  heat  of  battle,  and  assure  himself  of  vic- 
tory before  the  conflict  is  actually  decided; 
for  the  Lord,  his  great  Commander,  fights  for 
him,  goes  before  him,  and  treads  his  enemies 
under  his  feet.  Such  a  persuasion,  when 
solidly  grounded  upon  the  promises  and  en- 
gagement of  a  faithful  unchangeable  God, 
is  sufiicient,  it  should  seem,  to  make  a  cow- 
ard bold.  True  christians  are  not  cowards ; 
yet,  when  they  compare  themselves  with 
their  adversaries,  they  see  much  reason  for 
fear  and  suspicion  on  their  own  parts;  but 
when  they  look  to  their  Saviour,  they  are 
enlightened,  strengthened,  and  comtbrted. 
They  consider  who  he  is,  what  he  has  done  ; 
that  the  battle  is  not  so  much  theirs  as  his; 
that  he  is  their  strength  and  their  shield, 
and  that  his  honour  is  concerned  in  the  event 
of  the  war.  Thus  out  of  weakness  they  are 
made  strong;  and  however  pressed  and  op- 
posed, they  can  say,  "  Nay,  in  all  these  things 
we  are  more  than  conquerors,  through  him 
that  loved  us  !"  Rom.  viii.  37.  The  whole 
power  of  the  opposition  against  them  is  sum- 
med u|)  in  the  words  Sin  and  Death  :  but  these 
enemies  are  already  weakened  and  disarmed. 
It  is  sin  that  furni.'-hed  death  with  his  sting; 
a  stin<j  sharpened  and  strengthened  by  the 
law.  But  Jesus,  by  his  obedience  unto  death, 
has  made  an  end  of  sin,  and  has  so  fulfilled 
and  satisfied  the  law  on  their  behalf,  that 
death  is  deprived  of  its  sting,  and  can  no 
longer  hurt  them.  They  may  therefore  meet 
it  with  confidence,  and  say,  "Thanks  be  to 
God  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

We  have  here  two  unspeakably  different 
views  to  take  of  the  same  subject, — Death 
armed  with  its  formidable  sting ;  and  Death 
rendered  harndesti,  and  its  as})ect  softened, 
by  the  removal  of  the  sting. 

I.  The  first  is  a  very  awful  subject:  I  en- 
treat your  attention.  I  am  not  now  about  to 
speak  upon  a  point  of  speculation.    It  is  a 


362 


TRIUMPH  OVER  DEATH  AND  THE  GRAVE. 


[SER.  XLiy. 


personal,  a  home  concern  to  us  all.  For  we 
must  all  die.  But  should  any  of  you  feel  not 
only  the  stroke,  but  the  stin^  of  death  when 
you  leave  this  world,  it  were  better  for  you 
tliat  you  had  never  been  born. 

The  love  of  life,  and  consequently  a  re- 
Inctmce  to  that  dissolution  of  the  intimate 
union  between  soul  and  body,  which  we  call 
death,  seems  natural  to  man.  But,  if  there 
was  no  hereafter,  no  state  of  judgment  and 
retribution  to  be  expected;  if  tiiere  was  no 
consciousness  of  guilt,  no  foreboding  of  con- 
sequences upon  the  mind ;  if  we  only  con- 
sidered death  as  inevitable,  and  had  no 
apprehensions  beyond  it ;  death  would  be  di- 
vested of  its  principal  terrors.  We  see  that 
when  conscience  is  stupified,  or  when  the 
mind  is  poisoned  with  infidelity,  many  people, 
notwithstanding  the  natural  love  of  life,  are 
60  disgusted  with  its  disappointments,  that  a 
fit  of  impatience,  or  the  dread  of  contempt, 
often  prevails  on  them  to  rush  upon  death  by 
an  act  of  their  own  will ;  or  to  hazard  it  in  a 
duel,  rather  than  be  suspected  of  wanting 
what  they  account  spirit.  But  death  has  a 
sting,  though  tliey  perceive  it  not  till  they 
feel  it,  till  tliey  are  stung  by  it  past  recovery. 

But  usually,  and  where  the  heart  is  not 
quite  hardened,  men  are  unwilling  and  afraid 
to  die.  They  have  some  apprehension  of  the 
sting.  Death  can  sting  at  a  distance.  How 
often  and  how  greatly  does  the  fear  of  death 
poison  and  embitter  all  the  comforts  of  life, 
even  in  tlie  time  of  health  I  Perhaps  some  of 
you  well  know  this  to  be  true.  But  in  health 
people  can  in  some  measure  run  away  from 
themselves,  if  1  may  so  speak.  They  fly  to 
business,  company,  and  amusements,  to  hide 
themselves  from  their  own  reflections.  Their 
fears  are  transient,  occasional,  and  partial ; 
they  would  tremble  indeed,  if  they  knew  all; 
or  if  they  were  steadfastly  and  deliberately  to 
contemplate  what  they  do  know.  How  sin  is 
the  sting  of  death,  is  best  discovered  when 
conscience  is  alarmed  in  a  time  of  sickness ; 
when  the  things  of  the  world  can  no  longer 
amuse,  and  death  is  approaching  with  hasty 
strides.  These  scenes  are  mostly  kept  secret; 
and  very  often  they  are  not  understood  by 
those  who  are  spectators  of  them.  Perhaps 
the  unhappy  terrified  sinner  is  considered  as 
delirious,  because  the  sting  of  death  in  his 
conscience  extorts  from  him  such  confessions 
and  complaints  as  he  never  made  before. 
What  was  once  slighted  as  a  fable,  is  now 
seen  and  felt  as  a  reality.  Such  cases,  I  am 
afraid,  are  more  fre([uent  than  we  are  in 
general  aware  of  But  they  are  suppressed, 
ascribed  to  the  violence  of  the  fever,  and  for- 
gotten as  soon  as  possible.  Yet  they  do 
sometimes  transpire.  I  believe  there  is  no 
reason  to  doubt  the  truth  of  what  we  have 
heard,  of  one  who,  in  the  horrors  of  despair, 
vainly  offered  his  physicians  many  thousand 
pounds,  to  prolong  his  life  but  a  single  day. 


The  relation  is  in  print,  of  another,  who, 
pointing  to  the  fire  in  his  chamber,  said.  If 
he  were  only  to  lie  twenty  thousand  years  in 
such  a  fire,  he  should  esteem  it  a  mercy  com- 
pared with  what  he  felt,  and  with  what  he 
saw  awaiting  him.  It  is  not  always  thus. 
Many  persons  die  insensible  as  they  lived, 
and  can,  perhaps,  trifle  and  jest  in  their  last 
moments.  But  the  scripture  assures  us,  that 
when  they  who  die  in  their  sins  breathe  their 
last  in  this  world,  they  open  their  eyes  in  the 
other  world  in  torments.  For  the  sting  of 
death,  the  desert  of  sin,  unless  timely  re- 
moved by  faith  in  Jesus,  will  fill  tliesoul  with 
anguish  for  ever.  It  derives  a  strength,  an 
efficacy,  and  a  continuance  from  the  law. 

This  law,  which  gives  strength  to  sin  and 
sharpens  the  sting  of  death,  is  the  law  of  our 
creation,  as  connected  with  the  penalty  which 
God  has  annexed  to  the  breach  of  it.  Our 
relation  to  God,  as  we  are  his  creatures,  re- 
quires us,  according  to  the  very  nature  of 
things,  supremely  to  love,  serve,  trust,  and 
obey  him,  who  made  us,  and  in  whom  we 
live,  and  breathe,  and  have  our  being,  Acts 
xvii.  28.  And  our  revolting  from  him,  and 
living  to  ourselves  in  opposition  to  his  will, 
is  such  an  affront  to  his  wisdom,  power,  au- 
thority, and  goodness,  as  must  necessarily 
involve  misery  in  the  very  idea  of  it,  if  his 
perfections,  the  capacity  of  our  souls,  and  our 
absolute  dependence  upon  him,  be  attended 
to.  And  they  must  be  attended  to  sooner  or 
later.  Though  he  keep  long  silence,  and  the 
sinner  presumes  upon  his  patience,  and  thinks 
him  such  a  one  as  himself,  he  will  at  length 
reprove  him,  (Psalm  1.  21,)  and  set  his  sins  in 
order  before  him,  in  contrast  with  the  de- 
mands of  his  law.  The  nature,  autliority, 
extent,  and  sanction  of  this  law,  all  combine 
to  give  efficacy  to  the  sting  of  death. 

1.  The  law,  to  which  our  tempers  and  con- 
duct ought  to  be  conformed,  is  not  an  arbi- 
trary apjjointment ;  but  necessarily  results 
from  our  state  as  creatures,  and  the  capaci- 
ties and  powers  we  have  received  from  our 
Creator.  It  is  therefore  holy,  wise,  and  good ; 
indispensable,  and  unchangeable.  To  love 
God  with  all  our  heart  and  strength,  to  de- 
pend upon  him,  to  conform  to  every  intima- 
tion of  his  will,  was  tiie  duty  of  man  from 
the- first  moment  of  his  existence;  was  the 
law  of  his  nature,  written  originally  in  his 
heart.  The  republication  of  it,  as  it  stands  in 
the  Bible,  by  precepts  and  prohibitions,  would 
not  have  been  necessary  had  he  continued 
in  that  state  of  rectitude  in  which  he  was 
created.  It  became  necessary  after  his  fall, 
to  restrain  him  from  evil,  and  to  convince  him 
of  sin ;  but  could  not  properly  increase  his 
primitive  obligation  to  obedience. 

2.  We  are  bound  to  the  observance  of  this 
law  by  the  highest  authority.  It  is  the  law 
of  God  our  maker,  preserver,  and  benefactor, 
who  has  every  conceivable  right  to  govern 


SER.  xLiv.]  TRIUMPH  OVER  DEATH  AND  THE  GRAVE. 


3G3 


us.  His  eye  is  always  upon  us,  and  we  are 
surrounded  by  liis  power,  so  that  we  can  nei- 
ther avoid  his  notice  nor  escape  his  hand. 
Men  are  usually  tenacious  of  tlieir  authority; 
they  seldom  allow  their  dependants  to  dispute 
or  disobey  their  commands  with  impunity.  It 
is  expected  tliat  a  son  sliould  honour  his  fa- 
ther, and  a  servant  his  master,  Mai.  i.  6.  And 
when  men  have  power  to  execute  the  dic- 
tates of  their  pride,  they  frequently  punish 
disobedience  with  death.  But  how  will  these 
haujrhty  worms,  vviio  trample  upon  their  fel- 
low-worms, and  think  tliey  have  a  right  to 
.the  most  implicit  obedience  from  their  in- 
feriors; how  will  tliey  tremble  when  they 
shall  appear  before  God,  who  is  no  respecter 
of  persons,  to  answer  for  their  contempt  of 
the  authority  of  the  Sovereijrn  Lawgiver, 
who,  alone,  is  able  to  save  or  to  destroy  ! 
That  we  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  man, 
(Acts  V.  29,j  will,  perhaps,  be  allowed  as  a 
speculative  trutli;  but  whoever  will  uniformly 
make  it  the  rule  of  his  practice,  must  expect 
upon  many  occasions  to  be  deemed  a  fool  or 
a  madman  by  the  world  around  him.  But 
sovereignty,  majesty,  authority,  and  power 
belong  to  God.  lie  is  the  Governor  of  the 
universe,  and  his  throne  is  established  in 
righteousness.  He  is  long-suflering,  and 
waits  to  be  gracious,  but  he  will  not  forego 
liis  right.  Sin  is  the  sting  of  dcatli  indeed, 
when  the  authority  of  him  against  whom  it 
w;is  committed  is  perceived  by  the  con- 
Ecience. 

3.  The  extent  of  the  law  adds  to  the 
etrength  by  which  sin  acts  as  the  sting  of 
death.  Human  laws  can  only  take  cogni- 
zance of  words  and  actions.  But  the  law  of 
God  reaches  to  the  thoughts  and  inward  re- 
cesses of  the  heart.  It  condemns  what  is 
most  specious  and  most  approved  amongst 
men,  if  not  proceeding  from  a  right  intention, 
and  directed  to  the  right  end,  wliich  can  be 
no  other  than  the  will  and  glory  of  him  who 
made  us.  It  condemns  the  sinner  not  only 
for  the  evil  which  he  has  actually  committed, 
but  for  every  sinful  purpose  formed  in  his 
heart,  and  which  was  only  rendered  abortive 
for  want  of  opportunity.  Matt.  v.  2S.  It  like- 
wise takes  exact  notice  of  every  aggravation 
of  sin  arising  from  circumstances,  from  the 
abuse  of  superior  light  and  advantages,  and 
from  the  long  train  of  consequences,  in- 
creasing in  proportion  to  the  influence  which 
the  rank,  wealfli,  or  extensive  connexions  of 
the  offender  give  to  his  example. 

4.  The  .sanction  of  the  law,  which  thus 
strengtliens  the  malignity  of  sin,  is  tiie  very 
point,  if  I  may  so  express  myself,  of  the  sting 
of  death.  This  is  the  displeasure  of  the  Al- 
mighty. His  holy,  inflexible  love  of  order 
will  exclude  those  who  violate  it  from  his 
favour.  They  must  be  miserable,  unless  they 
are  reconciled  and  renewed  by  tlie  grace  of 
the  gospel.    They  must  be  separated  from 


him,  and  they  cannot  be  happy  without  him. 
They  are  not  so  even  in  tliis  world,  wiiich 
they  love.  How  miserable  then  must  they 
be,  when,  torn  from  all  their  attachments, 
pleasures,  and  possessions,  having  no  longer 
any  thing  to  divert  tliem  from  a  fixed  atten- 
tion to  their  true  stale,  they  shall  be  made 
keenly  sensible  of  what  is  implied  in  that 
sentence,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into 
everlasting  fire."  We  cannot  now  conceive 
what  it  will  be'  to  lose  the  only  good  which 
can  satisfy  a  soul :  to  be  shut  out  I'rom  God, 
whose  favour  is  life,  and  in  wliose  presence 
there  is  fulness  of  joy,  and  to  be  shut  up 
where  neither  peace  nor  hope  can  enter. 
The  images  of  fire  unquenchable,  and  a  never- 
dying  worm,  are  but  faint  emblems  of  that 
despair  and  remorse  which  will  sting  the 
sinful  soul  in  a  future  state.  This  is  the 
second  death :  this  is  eternal  death ;  for  the 
wicked,  and  all  they  who  forget  God,  when 
thrust  into  hell,  will  for  ever  desire  to  die, 
and  death  will  for  ever  flee  from  them. 
Rev.  ix.  6. 

II.  Let  us  turn  our  thoughts  to  a  more 
pleasing  theme,  and  attempt  to  take  a  view 
of  death  as  softened  into  a  privilege  by  him 
who  has  brought  life  and  imiuortality  to  light. 
Jesus  died.  His  death  was  penal ;  ho  died 
lor  sin,  though  not  for  his  own,  and  therefore 
suffered  the  penalty  due  to  sin,  the  curse  of 
the  broken  law.  The  torment  and  shame  of 
his  crucifixion  were  preceded  and  accom- 
panied by  unknown  agonies  and  conflicls, 
which  caused  him  to  sweat  blood,  and  to 
utter  strong  cries  and  groans.  Death  stung 
him  to  the  heart ;  but  (as  it  is  said  of  the  en- 
raged bee)  he  lost  his  sting.  The  law  having 
been  honoured,  and  sin  expiated,  by  the 
obedience  and  sufferings  of  tlie  iSon  of  God 
for  us,  and  in  our  nature,  deatii  has  no  longer 
power  to  sting  those  who  believe  in  him. 
They  do  not  properly  die — they  fall  asleep  in 
.Tesus,  Acts  vii.  (iU ;  1  Thessalonians  iv.  1.5. 
To  tiiem  this  last  enemy  acts  a  friendly  part. 
He  is  sent  to  put  an  end  to  all  tiieir  sorrows, 
and  to  introduce  them  into  a  state  of  endless 
life  and  joy. 

1.  Dying  believers  can  sing  this  song  be- 
fore their  departure  out  of  the  world.  We 
expect  it,  when  we  are  called  to  attend  them 
in  their  last  hours  ;  and  if  their  illness  leaves 
them  in  possession  of  their  faculties  and 
speech,  we  are  seldom  disappointed.  Yet  I 
believe  a  full  knowledge  of  this  subject  can- 
not be  collected  from  what  we  observe  of 
others,  or  hear  from  them,  when  they  are 
near  death.  We  must  be  in  .similar  cir- 
cumstances ourselves,  before  we  can  see  as 
they  see,  or  possess  the  ideas  which  they  en- 
deavour to  describe,  and  which  seem  too 
great  for  the  language  of  mortals  to  convey. 

We  know,  by  tl)e  evidence  of  undeniable 
testimony,  that  many  faithful  servants  of  God, 
when  called  to  sulier  for  his  sake,  have  not 


3(54 


TRIUMPH  OVER  DEATH  AND  THE  GRAVE. 


[SER.  XLIT. 


only  been  supported,  but  comforted,  and 
enabled  to  rejoice,  under  the  severest  tor- 
tures, and  even  in  the  midst  of  the  flames. 
We  suppose,  I  think  witli  reason,  that  such 
comuiunications  of  li^Ut  and  power  as  raise 
a  person,  in  such  situations,  above  the  ordi- 
nary feeling-s  of  humanity,  must,  either  in 
kind  or  degree,  be  superior  to  what  is  usually 
enjoyed  by  christians  in  the  smoother  walks 
of  prosperity  and  outward  peace.  God,  who 
is  all-sufficient,  and  always  near,  has  pro- 
mised to  give  his  people  strengtii  according 
to  their  day,  and  in  the  time  of  trouble  they 
are  not  disappointed.  A  measure  of  the  like 
e.xtraordinary  discoveries  and  supports  is  often 
vouchsafed  to  dying  believers,  and  thus  the 
gloom  which  might  otherwise  hang  over 
their  dying  hours,  is  dispelled ;  and  while 
they  contemplate  the  approach  of  death,  a 
new  world  opens  upon  them.  Even  while 
they  are  yet  upon  earth,  they  stand  upon  the 
threshold  of  heaven.  It  seems,  in  many 
cases,  as  if  the  weakness  of  the  bodily  frame 
gave  occasion  to  the  awakening  of  some 
faculty,  till  then  dormant  in  the  soul,  by 
which  invisibles  are  not  only  believed,  but 
seen,  and  unutterables  are  heard  and  under- 
stood. 

Tlin  soul's  (lark  cottaee,  tatterpd  anil  ilocayert, 
Lets  in  new  liglit  llirougli  chinks.  

Instances  are  frequent  of  those  who  are 
thus  blessed  when  they  die  in  the  Lord;  and 
it  does  not  appear  that  old  age,  or  great  know- 
ledge, or  long  experience,  gives  any  consi- 
derable advantage  in  a  dying  hour ;  for  when 
the  heart  is  truly  humbled  for  sin,  and  the 
hope  solidly  fixed  upon  the  Saviour,  persons 
of  weak  capacities  and  small  attainments, 
yea,  novices,  and  children,  are  enabled  to 
meet  death  with  equal  fortitude  and  triumph. 
And  often  the  present  comforts  they  feel,  and 
their  lively  expectations  of  approaching  glory, 
inspire  them  with  a  dignity  of  sentiment  and 
expression  far  beyond  what  could  be  expected 
from  theui ;  and  perhaps  their  deportment 
upon  the  whole  is  no  less  animating  and  en- 
couraging, than  that  of  the  most  established 
and  best  informed  believers.  Thus,  out  of  the 
mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings  the  Lord  or- 
dains strength,  and  perfects  his  praise.  Psalm 
viii.  2.  In  a  few  hours,  under  the  influence 
of  his  immediate  teaching,  they  often  learn 
more  of  the  certainty  and  imporlance  of  di- 
vine things  than  can  be  derived  from  the  or- 
dinary methods  of  instruction  in  the  course 
of  many  years.  In  the  midst  of  agonies  and 
outward  distress,  we  hear  them  with  admira- 
tion declare  that  they  are  truly  happy,  and 
that  they  never  knew  pleasure  in  their  hap- 
piest days  of  health  equal  to  what  they  enjoy 
when  flesh  and  heart  are  fainting.  For  death 
has  lost  its  sting  as  to  them,  and  while  they 
are  able  to  speak,  they  continue  ascribing 
praise  to  him,  who  has  given  them  the  vic- 


I  tory,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Every 
word  in  this  doxology  is  emphatical. 

1st.  Thanl*s  be  to  God. — This  blessedness 
is  all  his  work.  The  means  are  of  his  gra- 
cious appointment.  The  application  is  by  bis 
gracious  power.  He  gave  his  Son  tor  tliem, 
he  sent  his  gospel  to  them.  It  was  the  agency 
of  his  Spirit  that  made  them  a  willing  people. 
The  word  of  promise,  which  is  the  ground  of 
their  hope,  was  of  his  gratuitous  providing, 
and  it  was  he  who  constrained  and  enabled 
them  to  trust  in  it.  Psalm  c.xix.  49. 

2d.  Who  giveth  us  the  victoi-y. — This  is 
victory  indeed  ;  for  it  is  over  the  last  enemy; 
and  after  the  last  enemy  is  vanquished,  tliure 
can  be  no  more  conflicts.  In  this  sense,  be- 
lievers are  more  than  conquerors.  In  other 
wars,  they  who  have  conquered  once  and 
again,  may  have  been  finally  defeated,  or  they 
may  have  died  (like  our  long-lamented  gene- 
ral Wolfe)  upon  the  field  of  battle,  and  have 
left  the  fruits  of  their  victory  to  be  enjoyed 
by  others.  But  the  christian  soldier,  though 
he  may  occasionally  be  a  loser  in  a  skirmish, 
he  is  sure  to  conquer  in  the  last  great  de- 
ciding battle;  and  when  to  an  eye  of  sense, 
he  seems  to  fall,  he  is  instantly  translated  to 
receive  the  plaudit  of  his  Commander,  and 
the  crown  of  life  which  he  has  prepared  lor 
them  that  love  him. 

3d.  This  victory  is  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. — They  gained  it  not  by  their  own 
sword,  neither  was  it  their  own  arm  that 
saved  them.  Psalm  Ixiv.  'S.  He  died  to  de- 
liver them,  who  would  otherwise,  through 
fear  of  death,  have  been  always  subject  to 
bondage.  And  it  is  he  who  teaches  tijeir 
hands  to  war,  and  their  fingers  to  fight,  and 
covers  their  heads  in  the  day  of  battle. 
Therefore  they  gladly  say,  "Not  unto  us, 
O  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name,  be 
the  glory  and  the  praise,"  Psalm  cxv.  1. 
And  this  consideration  enhances  their  plea- 
sure; for  because  they  love  him  above  all, 
they  rejoice  not  only  in  the  victory  they  ob- 
tain, but  in  the  thought  that  they  are  in- 
debted to  him  for  it.  For  were  it  possible 
there  could  be  several  methods  of  salvation, 
and  they  were  left  to  their  own  choice,  they 
would,  most  gladly  and  deliberately,  choose 
that  method  which  should  bring  them  under 
the  greatest  obligations  to  him. 

2.  This  triumphant  song  will  be  sung  to 
the  highest  advantage,  when  the  whole  body 
of  the  redeemed  shall  be  collected  together 
to  sing  it  with  one  heart  and  voice  at  the 
great  resurrection-day.  Lot  was  undoubtedly 
thankful,  when  he  was  snatched  from  the 
impending  destruction  of  Sodom.  Yet  his 
lingering,  (Gen.  xix.  Ki,)  showed,  that  he 
had  but  an  imperfect  sense  of  the  greatness 
of  the  mercy  afforded  him.  His  feelings  were 
probably  stronger  afterwards,  when  he  stood 
in  safety  upon  the  mountain,  and  actually 
saw  the  smoke  rising,  like  the  smoke  of  a 


8KR.  XLV.]  DIVINE  SUPPORT  AND  PROTECTION. 


365 


furnace,  from  the  place  where  he  had  lately 
dwelt.  At  present  we  have  but  very  faint 
ideas  of  the  misery  from  which  we  are  de- 
livered, of  the  liappiness  reserved  in  heaven 
for  us;  or  of  the  sutferinnrs  of  the  Redeemer; 
but  if  we  attain  to  tlie  heavenly  Zion,  and  see 
from  thence  tiie  smoke  of  that  bottomless  pit, 
which  might  justly  have  been  our  everlast- 
ing abode,  we  shall  then  more  fully  under- 
Btand  wiiat  we  are  delivered  from,  the  means 
of  our  deliverance,  and  the  riches  of  the  in- 
heritance of  the  saints  in  light.  And  then  we 
shall  sing  in  more  exalted  strains  than  we 
can  at  present  even  conceive  of,  "Thanks 
be  to  God,  who  hath  given  us  the  victory, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 


SERMON  XLV. 

DIVINE  SUPPORT  AND  PROTECTION. 

( What  shall  we  say  then  to  these  thinc^s  ?) 
If  God  he  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us  f 
Rom.  viii.  31. 

The  passions  of  joy  or  grief,  of  admiration 
or  gratitude,  are  moderate,  when  we  are  able 
to  find  words  which  fully  describe  their  emo- 
tions. When  they  rise  very  high,  language 
is  too  faint  to  express  them;  and  the  person 
is  either  lost  in  silence,  or  feels  something 
which,  after  his  most  laboured  efforts,  is  too 
big  for  utterance.  We  may  often  observe 
the  apostle  Paul  under  this  difficulty,  when 
attempting  to  excite  in  others  such  sensa- 
tions as  filled  his  own  heart,  while  contem- 
plating the  glories  and  blessings  of  the  gospel. 
Little  verbal  critics,  who  are  not  animated  by 
his  fervour,  are  incapable  of  entering  into  the 
spirit  of  his  writings.  They  coldly  examine 
them  by  the  strictness  of  grammatical  rules, 
and  think  themselves  warranted  to  charge 
him  with  solecisms,  and  improprieties  of 
speech.  For  it  must  be  allowed,  that  he 
sometimes  departs  from  the  usual  forms  of 
expression ;  invents  new  words,  or  at  least 
compounds  words  for  his  own  use,  and  heaps 
one  hyperbole  upon  another.  But  there  is  a 
beautiful  energy  in  his  manner  far  superior 
to  the  frigid  exactness  of  grammarians,  though 
the  taste  of  a  mere  grammarian  is  unable  to 
admire  or  relish  it.  When  he  is  stating  the 
advantage  of  being  with  Christ,  as  beyond 
any  thing  that  can  be  enjoyed  in  the  present 
life,  he  is  not  content  with  saying,  as  his  ex- 
pression is  rendered  in  our  version,  "  It  is  far 
better,"  Phil.  i.  '23.  In  the  Greek  another 
word  of  comparison  is  added,  which,  if  our 
language  would  bear  the  literal  translation, 
would  be,  "  Far  more  better,"  or  "  Much 
more  better."  And  when  he  would  describe 
the  low  opinion  he  had  of  himself,  great  as 
his  attainments  were  in  our  view,  he  thinks 


it  not  sufficient  to  style  himself,  "  The  least 
of  all  saints,"  but  "  less  than  the  least," 
Eph.  iii.  8.  Such  phrases  do  not  imply  that 
he  was  ignorant  of  the  rules  of  good  w  riting, 
but  they  strongly  intimate  the  fulness  of  his 
heart.  In  the  course  of  the  chapter  before 
us,  having  taken  a  rapid  survey  of  the  work 
of  grace,  carriec^  on  by  successive  steps  in 
the  hearts  of  believers,  till  at  length  consum- 
mated in  glory,  in  this  verse,  instead  of  study- 
ing for  words  answerable  to  his  views,  he 
seems  to  come  to  a  full  stop,  as  sensible  that 
the  strongest  expressions  he  could  use  would 
be  too  faint.  He  makes  an  abrupt  transition 
from  describing  to  admiring.  He  has  said 
much,  but  not  enough ;  and  therefore  sums 
up  all  with,  "What  shall  we  say  to  these 
things  !"  Surely  they  who  can  read,  with  the 
utmost  coolness  and  indifference,  what  he 
could  not  write  without  rapture  and  astonish- 
ment, do  not  take  his  words  in  his  sense.  If 
the  apostle's  phraseology  is  now  become  ob- 
solete, and  sounds  uncouth  in  the  ears  of  too 
many  who  would  bo  thought  christians,  ia 
there  not  too  much  reason  to  fear  that  they 
are  christians  only  in  name  ! 

Though  this  short  lively  question  is  omitted 
in  the  musical  composition,  I  am  not  willing 
to  leave  it  out.  It  stands  well,  as  a  sequel  to 
what  we  have  lately  considered.  The  sting 
of  death  is  taken  away.  Death  itself  is  swal- 
lowed up  in  victory.  Sinners,  who  were  once 
burdened  with  guilt,  and  exposed  to  condem- 
nation, obtain  a  right  to  sing,  "  Thanks  be  to 
God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory,  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ" — "  What  shall  we  say  to 
these  things  !" 

It  stands  well  likewise,  as  introducing  the 
following  question, — "If  God  be  for  us;"  if 
his  promises,  his  power,  his  wisdom,  and  his 
love,  be  all  engaged  on  our  behalf,  "  who  can 
be  against  us  !"  What  shall  we,  or  can  we, 
or  need  we  say  more  than  this!  what  cause 
can  we  have  for  fear,  or  our  enemies  for 
triumph,  if  God  be  for  us  ! 

We  may  consider, 

I.  What  is  implied  in  the  supposition. 

II.  The  meaning  of  the  inference. 

I.  The  form  of  the  question  is  hypotheti- 
cal. If  the  assumption  be  right,  that  God  is 
for  us ;  the  conclusion,  that  none  can  be  ef- 
fectually against  us,  is  infallibly  sure.  Many 
serious  persons  will  allow,  that  if  God  be  in- 
deed for  them,  all  must,  and  will  be  well  in 
the  end.  But  they  hesitate  at  the  if,  and  are 
ready  to  ask.  How  shall  I  know  that  God  is 
for  me  1  I  would  offer  you  a  few  considera- 
tions towards  the  determining  of  this  point, 
in  the  first  place. 

Sin  has  made  an  awful  breach  and  separa- 
tion between  God  and  mankind.  They  are 
alienated  in  their  minds  from  him,  and  he  is 
justly  displeased  with  them.  The  intercourse 
and  communion  with  God,  which  constitute 
the  honour  and  happiness  of  the  human  na- 


866 


DIVINE  SUPPORT 


AND  PROTECTION.  [seu.  xxv. 


tiirc,  were  no  longer  eitlier  afronled  or  de- 
sired when  man  rebelled  against  his  Maker, 
except  to  the  few  who  understood  and  em- 
braced his  j^racious  purpose  of  reconciliation, 
the  tinsl  intimation  of  which  was  revealed  lu 
the  promise  of  the  seed  of  the  woman,  w!io 
siioiild  bruise  the  serpent's  head,  Gen.  iii.  liJ. 
The  clear  and  full  discovety  of  this  recon- 
ciliiition  is  made  known  to  us  by  the  gospel. 
"  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling'  the  world 
unto  himself,"  2  Cor.  v.  19.  God  is  already 
reconciled  in  this  sense,  that  having  provided 
and  accepted  a  satisfaction  to  his  law  and 
justice,  he  can  now,  in  a  way  worthy  of  him- 
self, receive  and  pardon  the  returning  sinner. 
And  he  accompanies  the  word  of  his  grace 
vi  ith  the  power  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  to  make 
sinners  willing  to  be  reconciled  to  him.  If 
we  be  for  God,  he  is  assuredly  for  us.  If  we 
peek  him,  he  has  been  beforehand  with  us; 
tijr,  ill  the  first  instance,  he  is  always  found 
of  those  who  seek  him  not.  Is.  Ixv.  1.  If  we 
love  him,  it  is  because  he  first  loved  us.  True 
believers  walk  with  God.  But  two  cannot 
walk  together,  witii  confidence  and  comfort, 
unless  they  be  agreed,  Amos  iii.  8.  This 
agreement  is  chiefly  with  respect  to  three 
particulars  proposed  by  the  Lord  God  in  his 
word,  and  to  which  the  believing  sinner 
cheerfully  and  thankfully  accedes. 

1.  In  the  ground  of  the  agreement;  this  is 
Messiah,  the  Mediator  between  God  and 
man.  When  he  entered  upon  his  oflice,  a 
voice  from  heaven  commended  him  to  sin- 
ners. "This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I 
am  well  pleased,"  Matt.  iii.  17.  And  they 
who  are  enlightened  to  behold  the  glory  of 
God  in  his  person  and  engagement,  accept 
him  as  the  beloved  Saviour  in  whom  and 
with  whom  they  are  well  pleased.  Without 
this  acceptance  of  the  Mediator  there  can  be 
no  agreement.  Jesus  is  the  only  door,  the 
only  way  of  a  sinner's  access  to  the  know- 
lodge  and  favour  of  God.  This  is  the  pre- 
cious and  sure  foundation  which  he  has  laid  in 
Zion,  (1  Pet.  ii.  6;)  and  to  presume  to  build 
our  hope  upon  any  other,  is  to  build  upon  a 
quicksand.  In  this  point  reason,  in  its  present 
distempered  state,  would  lead  us,  if  followed, 
directly  contrary  to  the  simplicity  of  faith. 
Reason  suggests,  that  if  we  have  acted  wrong, 
we  must  repent  and  amend  ;  and  what  can 
we  do  more  !  But  the  law  against  which  we 
have  sinned  makes  no  provision  for  repent- 
ance. Nor  is  such  a  repentance  as  includes 
a  change  of  heart,  (and  nothing  short  of  this 
deserves  the  name,)  in  our  own  power.  Re- 
pentance unto  life,  (Acts  xi.  18,)  is  the  gift 
of  God  ;  and  Jesus,  who  is  exalted  to  be  a 
prince  and  a  Saviour,  (Acts  v.  151,)  bestows 
it  upon  those  who  acknowledge  him,  and  im- 
plore it  of  him.  But  God  will  only  treat  with 
us  as  those  who  are  condemned  already,  who 
have  nothing  but  sin,  and  de.servie  nothing 
but  misery.    When  we  feel  this  to  be  our 


proper  state,  we  are  referred  to  Jesus,  in 
whom  God  is  well  pleased,  and  for  whoso 
sake  sins  are  pardoned,  and  sinners  accepted 
and  justified,  without  condition  and  without 
exception.  And  then  likewise  we  begin  to 
see  the  necessity,  propriety,  and  sufficiency 
of  this  appointment.  Herein  all  who  are 
taught  of  God  are  of  one  mind.  However 
they  may  differ  in  some  respects,  they  agree 
in  cordially  receiving  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord, 
(Col.  ii.  6,)  as  he  is  made  of  God  for  us  wis- 
dom, righteousness,  and  salvation. 

2.  They  agree  with  God  in  the  great  de- 
sign of  the  gospel,  which  is  to  purify  unto 
himself  a  peculiar  people,  who,  being  dsji- 
v&red  from  their  fears  and  their  enemies, 
shall  serve  him  with  an  unreserved  and  per- 
severing obedience,  Luke  i.  74,  75.  A  de- 
liverance from  the  power  of  sin  and  Satan,  a 
devoted n ess  to  God,  and  a  conformity  to  the 
mind  and  pattern  of  his  dear  Son,  are  included 
by  every  true  believer  in  the  idea  of  salva- 
tion. He  knows  that  he  can  be  happy  in  no 
other  way.  This  is  a  turning  point.  There 
are  convictions  of  sin  excited  by  a  dread  of 
punishment,  which,  though  distressing  to  the 
conscience,  leave  the  heart  and  afiections 
unchanged.  They  who  are  thus  impree.sed, 
if  no  farther,  would  be  satisfied  with  an  as- 
surance of  pardon.  But  the  grace  of  God 
which  bringeth  salvation,  ('J'it.  ii.  11,  12,) 
teaches  us  to  renounce,  to  abhor  all  ungodli- 
ness in  the  present  world ;  to  give  ourselves 
unto  him  who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he 
might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity;  and  to 
walk  worthy  of  God,  who  calls  us  to  his  king- 
dom and  glory,  1  Thess.  ii.  12.  This  is  the 
will  of  God,  even  our  sanctification.  And 
this  is  the  desire  of  his  people,  that  they  may 
be  sanctified  wholly ;  that  their  whole  persons 
spirit,  soul,  and  body,  maybe  preserved  blame- 
less; that  they  may  be  filled  with  the  fruits 
of  righteousness,  which  are  by  Jesus  Christ ; 
that  they  may  walk  as  the  sons  of  God  with- 
out rebuke,  and  shine  as  lights  in  the  world, 
Phil.  ii.  15.  Though  their  attainments  are 
imperfect,  in  their  judgment  and  desires, 
they  are  fully  agreed  with  God  as  to  their 
aim  and  design. 

•i.  They  are  agreed  with  him  likewise  as 
to  the  ultimate  great  end,  the  final  cause  of 
their  redemption,  which  is  the  praise  of  the 
glory  of  his  grace,  Eph.  i.  (5.  That  the  lofti- 
ness, high  looks,  and  proud  pretences  of  men 
may  be  abased,  and  the  Lord  alone  may  be 
exalted,  and  that  he  who  glorieth  may  glory 
only  in  the  Lord,  1  Corinthians,  i.  31.  Sal- 
vation is  of  the  Lord  in  every  sense ;  the 
plan,  the  price,  the  power,  the  application,  the 
consummation.  He  is  the  Alpha  and  the 
Omega,  the  author  and  the  object  of  it.  The 
praise  therefore  is  wliolly  due  to  him,  and  he 
claims  it.  To  this  claim  his  people  fully 
consent.  It  is  the  desire  of  their  souls,  that 
his  name,  which  alone  is  excellent,  may  alone 


SKR.  XIV.] 


DIVINE  SUPPORT 


AND  PROTECTION. 


367 


be  extolled  ;  and  with  one  heart  and  voice 
they  say,  Not  unto  us,  O  Lord,  not  unto  us, 
but  unlo  thee  be  all  the  glory  and  all  the 
praise.  Psalm  cxv.  1. 

If  we  truly  understand  ar^d  approve  these 
things,  tlien  \vc  are  certainly  engaged  for 
God,  and  of  course  he  is  for  us.  For  lie  alone 
could  either  enable  us  to  see  them  in  their 
true  liglit,  or  incline  our  hearts  to  embrace 
them.    Who  then  can  be  against  us! 

II.  We  are  not  to  understand  tlie  que.s- 
tion,  "  Who  can  be  against  us  ■"  as  designed 
to  encourage  us  to  expect  that  they  wlio  have 
the  Lord  on  their  side  will  meet  vvitli  no  op- 
position, but  that  all  opposition  against  them 
will  be  in  vain. 

1.  Tiiey  whom  God  is  for,  will  on  that 
very  account  have  many  opposers. 

(1.)  The  men  of  the  world. — This  our 
Lord  expressly  teaches  us  to  expect.  "If  ye 
were  of  the  world,  the  world  would  love  its 
own.  But  because  you  are  not  of  the  world, 
but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world, 
tlierefore  the  world  hatetli  you,"  John  xv.  19. 
And  his  apostle,  "  Marvel  not,  my  bretiiren, 
if  the  world  hate  you,"  1  Joim  iii.  14.  Till 
we  declare  Ibr  him,  the  world  will  bear  with 
us,  but  no  longer,  as  the  Gibeonitos  were  in 
a  state  of  honour  and  friendship  with  the 
neighbouring  cities  till  they  submitted  to 
Joshua  ;  (Josh.  x.  1 — 4  ;)  but  when  they  ob- 
tained peace  from  him,  they  were  imme- 
diately involved  in  war  with  their  former 
friends.  While  Saul  persecuted  the  church, 
the  world  smiled  upon  him,  and  he  seemed  to 
be,  as  we  say,  in  the  way  of  preferment. 
But  vvlien  he  yielded  himself  to  the  service 
of  Christ,  and  his  defection  from  the  connnon 
cause  became  generally  known,  bonds  and 
alflictions  awaited  him  in  every  place  ;  and 
they  who  before  liad  employed  and  caressed 
him  sought  his  life.  I  do  not  mean  to  sound  a 
trumpet  of  defiance.  I  believe  that  young 
converts,  by  their  warm  but  injudicious  zeal, 
often,  more  tlian  is  neces.sary,  provoke  the 
spirit  of  the  world,  and  thereby  increase  their 
own  difficulties.  The  gospel,  when  rightly 
understood,  inspires  a  spirit  of  benevolence, 
and  directs  to  a  conduct  which  is  suited  to 
conciliate  good-will  and  esteem.  And  when 
the  apostle  exhorts  us,  If  it  be  possil)Ie,  and 
as  nuich  as  in  us  lies,  to  live  peaceably  with 
all  men,  (Horn.  xii.  18,)  he  gives  us  hope  that 
much  may  be  done  to  soften  prejudices,  to 
put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men, 
and  to  make  them  at  least  ashamed,  by  a  pa- 
tient perseverance  in  well  doing.  A  con- 
sistent cliristian,  whose  integrity,  humility, 
and  philanthropy  mark  his  character  and 
adorn  his  profession,  will  in  time  command 
respect ;  but  his  attachment  to  unfashionable 
truths,  and  of  his  separation  from  the  maxims 
and  pursuits  of  the  many,  will  render  him,  in 
their  eye.s,  singular  and  precise,  weak  and 
enthusiastic.    If  they  say,  "  He  is  a  good 


sort  of  man,  but  has  some  strange  peculiari- 
ties," it  is  the  most  favourable  judgment  ho 
can  hope  for ;  and  from  some  persons,  and  at 
some  times  ho  will  meet  v.'ith  tolicns  of  a 
settled  dislike.  For  though  a  religious  cha- 
racter may  be  fonned,  which  even  the  world 
will  approve,  yet  all  who  will  live  godly  in 
Christ  Jesus  must  sufi'er  persecution,  2  Tim. 
iii.  12.  They  walk  in  the  midst  of  observers, 
wlio  watch  for  tlieir  halting,  who  lay  snares 
for  their  feet,  and  will  endeavour  to  bribe  or 
intimidate  them  to  forsake  the  patli  of  duty. 
It  is  difficult  to  stem  the  torrent,  or  to  avoid 
the  infection  of  the  world,  and  to  live  supe- 
rior to  the  fear  of  man,  as  becomes  us,  if  we 
know  whose  we  are,  and  whom  we  serve. 
But  though  difficult,  it  is  practicable  and  at- 
tainable, and  actually  attained  by  believers; 
for  this  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the 
world,  even  our  faith,  1  John  v.  4. 

(2.)  The  powers  of  darkness. — Satan  will 
not  ordinarily  trouble  while  lie  bears  rule. 
He  is  indeed  an  enemy  to  his  own  servants, 
and  seeks  their  destruction,  both  soul  and 
body,  by  pushing  them  on  in  sin,  which  if 
persisted  in  will  prove  their  ruin ;  bui  while 
they  make  no  resistance,  he  gives  them  no 
disturbance.  It  is  otherwise  with  those  whom 
tlie  Lord  has  freed  from  his  bondage.  He 
will  pursue  them  like  a  lion  seeking  his  prey, 
(1  Pet.  v.  8,)  and  lie  in  wait  for  them  like  a 
serpent  in  the  path.  This  is  one  cause  of  the 
world's  hatred;  for  the  scripture  styles  him 
the  god  of  this  world,  (2  (.'or.  iv.  4,)  and  he 
sets  all  that  he  can  influence,  tongues,  and 
pens,  and  swords,  against  lliose  who  are  on 
the  Lord's  side.  Thcrefire  the  people  of  God 
may  be  known  by  two  marks.  Satan  by  him- 
self and  by  his  instruments  fights  against 
them,  and  they  also  fight  against  him.  The 
former  without  the  latter  is  not  conclusive. 
A  mere  outward  profession  of  religion  may 
excite  opposition,  and  mere  pretenders  may 
take  pleasure  in  it  for  a  time,  if  it  does  not 
come  too  close.  It  may  feed  their  vanity,  and 
give  them  a  sort  of  consequence,  by  havings 
sufferings  to  talk  of.  But  I  would  entreat 
my  hearers  seriously  to  examine.  Is  your 
heart  really  against  sin,  which  is  the  strength 
of  Satan's  kingdom  !  Are  you  against  his 
will  and  interest  in  the  world?  Have  you  re- 
nounced his  service  !  If  so,  fear  not.  God  is 
for  you,  and  none  can  harm  you.  For, 

2.  No  opposition  can  prevail  against  us,  if 
God  be  for  us.  It  is  impossible  to  deny,  or 
even  to  doubt  this  truth,  upon  the  principles 
of  reason;  for  who,  or  what,  can  injure  those 
who  are  under  the  protection  of  Omnipo- 
tence? And  yet  it  is  not  always  easy  to 
maintain  the  persuasion  of  it  in  the  mind,  and 
to  abide  in  the  exercise  of  faitli,  wlien  to  an 
eyeof  sense,  all  things  seem  against  us.  But 
though  we  believe  not,  he  contiiuieth  fiiith- 
ful,  and  will  not  forsake  those  wliom  he  once 
enables  to  put  their  trust  in  him.    Job  was  » 


368 


ACCUSERS  CHALLENGED. 


[see.  xlvi. 


faithful  and  approved  servant  of  God,  yet  for 
a  season  his  trials  were  great,  and  his  con- 
fidence was  sometimes  shaken.  But  he  was 
supported,  and  at  lenjjth  delivered.  There 
are  many  instances  recorded  in  scripture  to 
confirm  our  faitii,  and  to  teach  us,  that  God 
manifests  himself  to  be  for  his  people,  and  in 
different  ways  renders  them  superior  to  all 
their  difficulties  and  enemies. 

At  one  time  he  prevents  the  threatened 
danjrer.  They  only  see  it  or  expect  it,  for  he 
is  better  to  them  than  their  apprehensions 
and  fears.  Thus,  when  Sennacherib  was 
furious  anrainst  Jerusalem,  and  supposed  he 
could  easily  prevail,  he  was  not  suffered  to 
come  near  it,  Isa.  xxxvii.  29,  33.  When  he 
thouo-ht  to  destroy  it,  he  felt  a  hook  and  a 
bridle  which  he  could  not  resist,  and  was 
compelled  to  retire  disappointed  and  ashamed. 

At  another  time  the  enemies  go  a  step 
farther.  His  people  are  brouorht  into  trouble, 
but  God  is  with  them,  and  they  escape  un- 
hurt. So  Daniel,  though  he  was  cast  into  the 
den  of  lions,  (Dan.  vi.  23,)  received  no  more 
harm  from  them  tiian  if  he  had  been  among 
a  flock  of  slieep.  He  permitted  three  of  his 
servants  to  be  thrown  into  a  furnace  of  fire, 
but  he  restrained  the  violence  of  the  flames, 
so  that  not  even  a  hair  of  their  heads  was 
singed,  Dan.  iii.  27. 

The  most  that  opposers  can  do  is  to  kill  [ 
the  body,  Luke  xii.  4.  If  God  permits  his  | 
people  to  be  thus  treated,  still  they  are  not , 
forsaken.  Their  death  is  precious  in  his 
sight.  Psalm  cxvi.  15.  They  who  die  in  the 
Lord  are  blessed.  They  are  highly  honoured 
who  are  called  and  enabled  to  die  for  him.  If 
he  is  pleased  to  comfort  them  with  his  pre- 
sence, and  then  to  take  them  home  to  liim- 
self,  they  can  desire  no  more.  Stephen, 
though  apparently  given  up  to  the  power  of 
his  adversaries,  and  cruelly  stoned  to  death, 
was  no  less  happy  than  those  who  die  in  com- 
posure upon  their  beds,  with  their  friends 
around  tliem.  Nor  was  he  less  composed ; 
for  the  heavens  were  opened  to  him,  and 
he  saw  his  Saviour  in  glory,  approving  his 
fidelity,  and  ready  to  receive  his  spirit,  Acts 
vii.  56 — 60 

In  brief,  whatever  men  or  devils  may  at- 
tempt against  us,  there  are  three  things  which, 
if  we  are  true  believers,  they  cannot  do.  They 
may  be  helpful  to  wean  us  from  the  world ; 
they  may  add  earnestness  to  our  prayers ; 
they  may  press  us  to  greater  watchfulness 
and  dependence ;  they  may  afford  fair  occa- 
sions of  evidencing  our  sincerity,  the  good- 
ness of  our  cause,  and  the  power  of  that  God 
who  is  for  us. — Such  are  the  benefits  that 
the  Lord  teaches  his  people  to  derive  from 
their  sufferings,  for  he  will  not  let  them  suf- 
fer or  be  oppressed  in  vain.  But  no  enemy 
can  deprive  us  of  the  love  with  which  God 
favours  us,  or  the  grace  which  he  has  given 
us,  or  the  glory  which  he  has  prepared  for 


us.  Now  what  shall  we  nay  to  these  things 
Alas!  there  are  too  many  who  say,  at  least 
in  their  hearts  (for  their  conduct  bewrays 
their  secret  thoughts,)  we  care  but  little 
about  them.  If  tliey  were  to  speak  out,  they 
might  adopt  the  language  of  the  rebellious 
Jews  to  the  prophet,  "  As  to  the  words  which 
thou  hast  spoken  to  us  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  we  will  not  hearken  unto  thee.  But 
we  will  certainly  do  whatsoever  thing  goeth 
forth  out  of  our  own  mouth,"  Jer.  xliv.  16, 17. 
And  there  are  others  who  plainly  say.  Let  us 
then  continue  in  sin  that  grace  may  abound. 
They  do  not  so  expressly  reject  the  gospel  as 
to  take  encouragement  from  it  to  goon  in  their 
wickedness.  The  case  of  the  former  is  very 
dangerous,  that  of  the  latter  is  still  worse. 
But  grace,  though  long  slighted,  though  often 
abused,  is  once  more  proclaimed  in  your  hear- 
ing. The  Lord  forbid  that  you  should  perish 
with  the  sound  of  salvation  in  your  ears. 

At  present,  and  while  you  persist  in  your 
impenitence  and  unbelief,  I  may  reverse  the 
words  of  my  text.  O  consider,  I  beseech  you, 
before  it  be  too  late,  if  God  be  against  you, 
who  can  be  for  you  1  Will  your  companions 
comfort  you  in  a  dying  hour  !  Will  your 
riches  profit  you  in  the  day  of  wrath  ;  Will 
the  recollection  of  your  sinful  pleasures  give 
you  confidence  to  stand  before  this  great  and 
glorious  Lord  God,  when  you  sliall  be  sum- 
moned to  appear  at  his  tribunal !  May  you 
be  timely  wise,  and  flee  for  refuge  to  the 
hope  set  before  you ! 


SERMON  XLVI. 

ACCUSERS  CHALLENGED. 

Who  shall  Iny  any  thing  to  the  charge  of 
God's  elect  ?  It  is  God  that  justifieth. 
Rom.  viii.  83. 

Though  the  collating  of  manuscripts  and 
various  readings,  has  undoubtedly  been  of 
use  in  rectifying  some  mistakes  which, 
through  the  inadvertency  of  tran.scribers,  had 
crept  into  different  copies  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament ;  yet  such  supposed  corrections  of  the 
'  text  ought  to  be  admitted  with  caution,  and 
not  unless  supported  by  strong  reasons  and 
good  authorities.  Tiie  whole  scripture  ia 
given  by  inspiration  of  God  ;  and  they  who 
thankfully  receive  it  as  his  book,  will  not 
trifle  with  it  by  substituting  bold  conjectural 
alterations,  which,  though  they  may  deem  to 
be  amendments,  may  possibly  disguise  or  al- 
ter the  genuine  sense  of  the  passage.  Some 
fancied  emendations  might  be  pointed  out, 
suggested  by  very  learned  men,  which  do 
not  seem  to  afford  so  strong  a  proof  of  the 
sound  judgment  of  the  proposers,  as  of  their 
vanity  and  rashness.    Let  the  learned  be  iia 


8ER.  XLVI.] 


ACCUSERS  CHALLENGED. 


369 


ingenious  as  they  please  in  correcting  and 
amending  the  text  of  Horace  or  Virgil,  for  it 
IS  of  little  importance  to  us  whether  their 
criticisms  be  well  founded  or  not,  but  let 
them  treat  the  pages  of  divine  revelation 
with  reverence. 

But  the  pointing  of  the  New  Testament, 
though  it  has  a  considerable  influence  upon 
the  sense,  is  of  inferior  authority.  It  is  a 
human  invention,  very  helpful,  and  for  the 
most  part,  I  suppose,  well  executed.  But  in 
some  places  it  may  admit  of  real  amendment. 
The  most  ancient  manuscripts  are  without 
points,  and  some  of  them  are  even  without  a 
distinction  of  the  words.  With  the  pointing, 
therefore,  we  may  take  more  liberty  than 
with  the  text;  though  even  this  liberty 
skonld  be  used  soberly.  A  change  in  the 
pointing  of  this  verse  and  the  follov/ing,  will 
not  alter  the  received  sense,  but,  as  some 
critics  judge,  will  make  it  more  striking  and 
emphatical.  If  two  clauses  should  be  read 
with  an  interrogation  instead  of  a  period,  the 
apostle's  triumphant  challenge  may  be  ex- 
pressed in  the  following  brief  paraphrase. 

Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of 
God's  elect  ?  Shall  God  himself  !  So  far 
from  it,  it  is  he  loho  juslificth.  Who  is  he 
that  condemncth  ?  Shall  Christ?  Nay,  he 
loves  them,  and  accepts  them.  Shall  he  who 
died  for  them,  yea,  rather  who  is  risen  again, 
who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  on 
their  behalf,  who  also  maketh  intercession 
for  them  ?  There  is  not  the  least  ground  to 
fear,  that  he  who  has  promised  to  justify  them 
will  lay  any  thing  to  their  charge ;  or  that  he 
will  condemn  them,  who  died  to  deliver  them 
from  condemnation,  nor  can  any  charge  of 
their  enemies  prevail  to  the  condemnation  of 
those  whom  God  is  pleased  to  justify,  and  (or 
whom  Christ  died,  and  now  intercedes  before 
the  throne. 

The  death,  the  resurrection,  and  ascension 
of  Messiah,  we  have  already  considered.  I 
shall  speak  only  to  two  points  from  this  verse 

I.  The  title  here  given  to  believers. — 
God's  elect. 

II.  Their  great  privilege,  they  are  jus- 
tified.— It  is  God  who  justifieth  them. 

I.  The  persons  who  will  be  finally  justified 
by  God  are  here  styled  his  elect.  Very  near 
and  strong  is  the  connexion  between  peace 
and  truth.  Yet  a  mistaken  zeal  for  truth  has 
produced  many  controversies,  which  have 
hurt  the  peace  of  the  people  of  God  among 
themselves;  and  at  the  same  time  have  ex- 
posed them  to  the  scorn  and  derision  of  the 
world.  On  the  other  hand,  a  pretended  or 
improper  regard  for  peace  has  often  been 
prejudicial  to  the  truth.  But  that  peace 
which  is  procured  at  the  expense  of  truth,  is 
too  dearly  purchased.  Every  branch  of  doc- 
trine, belonging  to  the  faith  once  delivered 
to  the  saints,  is  not  equally  plain  to  every 
believer.    Some  of  these  doctrines  the  apos- 

VoL.IL  3  A 


tie  compares  to  milk,  the  proper  and  neces- 
sary food  for  babes,  (Heb.  v.  IJj,  14 ;)  others 
to  strong  meat,  adapted  to  a  more  advanced 
state  in  the  spiritual  life,  when  experience  is 
more  enlarged,  and  the  judgment  more  esta- 
blished. The  Lord,  the  great  teacher,  leads 
his  children  on  gradually,  from  the  plainer  to 
the  more  difficult  truths,  as  they  are  able  to 
bear  them.  But  human  teachers  are  often 
too  hasty :  they  do  not  attend  sufficiently  to 
the  weakness  of  young  converts,  but  expect 
them  to  learn  and  receive  every  thing  at 
once;  they  are  not  even  content  with  offer- 
ing strong  meat  prematurely  to  babes,  but 
force  upon  them  the  bones  of  subtilties,  dis- 
tinctions, and  disputations.  But  though  a 
judicious  minister  will  endeavour  to  accom- 
modate himself  to  the  state  of  his  hearers,  no 
gospel-truth  is  to  be  tamely  and  voluntarily 
suppressed  from  a  fear  of  displeasing  men. 
In  fact,  however,  the  controversies  which 
have  obtained  among  real  christians,  have 
not  so  much  affected  the  truth  as  it  lies  in 
scripture,  as  the  different  explanations,  which 
fallible  men  of  warm  pa.ssions,  and  too  full  of 
their  own  sense,  have  given  of  it.  They  who 
professedly  hold  and  avow  the  doctrine  of  an 
election  of  grace,  arc  now  called  Calvinists  ; 
and  the  name  is  used  by  some  persons  as  a 
term  of  reproach.  They  would  insinuate 
that  Calvin  invented  the  doctrine ;  or  at  least, 
that  he  borrowed  it  from  Austin,  who  accord- 
ing to  them,  was  the  first  of  the  Fathers  that 
held  it.  It  is  enough  for  me  that  I  find  it  in 
the  New  Testament.  But  many  things  ad- 
vanced upon  the  subject  by  later  writers,  I 
confess,  I  do  not  find  there.  If  any  persons 
advance  harsh  assertions  not  warranted  by 
the  word  of  God,  I  am  not  bound  to  defend 
them.  But  as  the  doctrine  itself  is  plainly 
taught,  both  by  our  Lord  and  his  apostles,  and 
is  of  great  importance,  when  rightly  under- 
stood, to  protnote  the  humiliation,  gratitude, 
and  comfort  of  believers,  1  think  it  my  duty 
to  state  it  as  plainly  as  I  can.  I  shall  offer 
my  view  of  it,  in  a  series  of  propositions  so 
evidently  founded  (as  I  conceive)  on  acknow- 
ledged principles  of  scripture,  that  they  can- 
not be  easily  controverted  by  any  persons  who 
have  a  real  reverence  for  the  word  of  God, 
and  any  due  acquaintance  with  their  own 
hearts. 

1.  AH  mankind  are  sinners,  (Rom.  iii.  23,) 
by  nature  and  practice.  Their  lives  are 
stained  with  transgressions,  their  hearts  are 
depraved,  their  minds  blinded,  and  alienated 
from  God.  So  that  they  are  not  sensible 
either  of  their  guilt  or  their  misery ;  nor  so 
much  as  desirous  of  returning  to  God,  till  he 
prevents  them  with  his  mercy,  and  begins  to 
draw  their  hearts  towards  himself!  Were  I 
to  prove  this  at  large,  I  might  transcribe  one 
half  of  the  Bible.  Nay,  it  is  fully  proved  by 
experience  and  observation.  The  Heathens 
felt  and  confessed  it.   My  present  subject 


370 


ACCUSERS  CHALLENGED. 


[SER.  XLVI. 


does  not  require  me  to  account  for  it,  or  to 
reason  upon  it.  That  it  is  so,  I  appeal  to 
fact. 

2.  The  inestimable  gift  of  a  Saviour,  to 
atone  for  sin  and  to  mediate  between  God 
and  man,  (John  iii.  16 ;)  that  there  might  be 
a  way  opened  for  the  communication  of  mercy 
to  sinners,  without  prejudice  to  the  honour 
of  the  perfections  and  government  of  God — 
this  gift  was  the  effect  of  his  own  rich  grace 
and  love,  (Rom.  v.  6,  8,)  no  less  unthought 
of,  and  undesired,  than  undeserved  by  fallen 
man. 

3.  Wherever  this  love  of  God  to  man  is 
made  known  by  the  gospel,  there  is  encour- 
agement, and  a  command  given  to  all  men 
everywhere  to  repent,  Acts  xvii.  30, 31.  The 
manifestation  of  the  eternal  Word  in  the  hu- 
man nature,  and  his  death  upon  the  cross,  are 
spoken  of  as  the  highest  display  of  the  wisdom 
and  goodness  of  God.  Designed  to  give  us, 
in  one  and  the  same  transaction,  the  most  af- 
fecting sense  of  the  evil  of  sin,  and  the  strong- 
est assurance  imaginable,  that  there  is  for- 
giveness with  God,  Rom.  iii.  24,  25. 

4.  Men,  while  blinded  by  pride  and  preju- 
dice, enslaved  to  sinful  passions,  and  under 
the  influence  of  this  present  evil  world,  nei- 
ther can  nor  will  receive  the  truth  in  the  love 
of  it,  2  Cor.  iv.  4;  John  v.  40  ;  vi.  44.  They 
are  prepossessed  and  pre-engaged.  This,  at 
least,  is  evidently  the  case  with  many  people 
in  this  favoured  nation,  who,  when  the  gospel 
is  proposed  to  them  in  tiie  most  unexception- 
able manner,  not  only  disregard,  but  treat  it 
with  a  pointed  contempt  and  indignation, 
Luke  iv.  28,  29 ;  Acts  xvii.  IS.  Such  was 
its  reception  at  the  beginning,  and  we  are 
not  to  wonder,  therefore,  that  it  is  so  at  this 
day. 

5.  As  all  mankind  spring  from  one  stock, 
there  are  not  two  different  sorts  of  men  by 
nature ;  consequently  they  who  receive  the 
gospel  are  no  better  in  themselves,  (Eph.  ii. 
§,)  than  they  are  who  reject  it.  The  apostle 
virriting  to  the  believers  at  Corinth,  having 
enumerated  a  catalogue,  in  which  he  com- 
prises some  of  the  most  flagitious  and  infa- 
mous characters,  (1  Cor.  vi.  9 — 11,)  and 
allowed  to  be  so  by  the  common  consent  of 
mankind,  adds,  "such  were  some  of  you." 
Surely  it  cannot  be  said,  that  they  who  had 
degraded  themselves  below  the  brutes,  by 
their  abominable  practices,  were  better  dis- 
posed than  others  to  receive  that  gospel, 
which  is  not  more  distinguished  by  the  sub- 
limity of  its  doctrine,  than  by  the  purity  and 
holiness  of  conversation  which  it  enjoins  ! 

6.  It  seems,  therefore,  at  least  highly  pro- 
bable, thatall  men  universally,  if  left  to  them- 
selves, would  act  as  the  majority  do  to  whom 
the  word  of  salvation  is  sent ;  that  is,  they 
would  reject  and  despise  it.  And  it  is  unde- 
niable, that  some,  who  in  the  day  of  God's 
power  have  cordially  received  the  gospel,  did 


for  a  season  oppose  it  with  no  less  pertinacity 
than  any  of  those  who  have  continued  to  hate 
and  resist  it  to  the  end  of  life.  Saul  of  Tar- 
sus was  an  eminent  instance.  Acts  ix.  1.  He 
did  not  merely  slight  the  doctrine  of  a  cruci- 
fied Saviour ;  but,  according  to  his  mistaken 
views,  thought  himself  bound  in  conscience 
to  suppress  those  who  embraced  it.  He 
breathed  out  threatening,  and  slaughter,  and, 
as  he  expresses  it  himself,  was  exceedingly 
mad  against  them,  (Acts  xxvi.  11,)  and  made 
havoc  of  them.  His  mind  was  tilled  with 
this  bitter  and  insatiable  rage,  at  the  moment 
when  the  Lord  Jesus  appeared  to  him  in  his 
way  to  Damascus.  Is  it  possible  tliat  a  man 
thus  disposed  should  suddenly  become  a 
preacher  of  the  faith  which  he  had  long  la- 
boured to  destroy,  if  his  heart  and  views  had 
not  been  changed  by  a  supernatural  agency  ] 
Or  that  the  like  prejudices  in  other  persons 
can  be  removed  in  any  other  manner  ! 

7.  If  all  men  had  heard  the  gospel  in  vain, 
then  Christ  would  have  died  in  vain.  But 
this  is  prevented  by  the  covenanted  office  and 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  (John  xvi.  8,^ 
who  accompanies  the  word  with  his  enc-g" 
and  makes  it  the  power  of  God  to  the  salva- 
tion of  those  who  believe.  He  prepares  th» 
minds  of  sinners,  and,  as  in  the  case  of  Ly 
dia,  (Acts  xvi.  14,)  opens  their  hearts  to  un 
derstand  and  receive  the  truth,  in  the  lovt 
of  it. 

8.  But  who  will  presume  to  say,  that  when 
God  was  pleased  to  make  a  proposal  of  mercy 
to  a  race  of  rebels,  he  was  likewise  bound  to 
overcome  the  obstinacy  of  men  in  every  case, 
and  to  compel  them  to  accept  it  by  an  act 
of  his  invincible  power.  If  he  does  thus  in- 
terpose in  favour  of  some,  it  is  an  act  of  free 
mercy  to  which  they  have  no  claim.  For  if 
we  had  a  claim,  the  benefit  would  be  an  act 
of  justice,  rather  than  of  mercy.  May  not 
the  great  Sovereign  of  the  world  do  what 
he  will  with  his  own  !  Matt.  xx.  15.  And 
nothing  is  more  peculiarly  and  eminently  hia 
own  than  his  mercy.  Yes,  we  are  assured, 
that  he  will  have  mercy  on  whom  he  will 
have  mercy;  (Rom.  ix.  18;)  and  whom  he 
will,  he  may  justly  leave  to  be  hardened  in 
their  impenitence  and  unbelief  We  have 
all  deserved  to  be  so  left ;  but  he,  as  the  pot- 
ter over  the  clay,  has  power  and  right  to  make 
a  difference,  as  it  seemeth  good  in  his  sight. 
And  who  will  say  unto  him.  What  doest 
thou  7  Job  ix.  12. 

9.  When  sinners  are  effectually  called  by 
the  gospel,  then  they  are  visibly  chosen  out 
of  the  world,  (John  xv.  19,)  in  the  spirit  and 
tempers  of  which  they  before  lived,  disobe- 
dient and  deceived,  even  as  others.  Old 
things  pass  away,  and  all  things  become  new, 
2  Cor.  V.  17.  Tiieir  hopes  and  fears,  their 
companions  and  pleasures,  their  pursuits  and 
aims,  are  all  changed.  The  change  in  these 
respects  is  so  evident,  that  they  are  soon  bo< 


8BR.  XLVI.] 


ACCUSERS  CHALLENGED. 


371 


ticed  and  marked,  pitied  or  derided,  by  those 
from  whom  they  are  now  separated.  And  I 
think  they  who  really  experience  thischanire 
will  wiUinirly  ascribe  it  to  the  grace  of  God. 

10.  Cut  if  they  are  thus  chosen  in  time,  it 
follows  ofcour.se  that  they  were  chosen  from 
everlasting-.  Both  ^hese  e.xpressions,  when 
applied  to  this  subject,  amount  to  the  same 
thin<f ;  and  the  seeming  difference  between 
them  is  chiefly  owing  to  our  weakness  and 
ignorance.  To  the  infinite  and  eternal  God 
our  little  distinctions  of  past,  present,  and  fu- 
ture, are  nothing.  We  think  unworthily  of 
the  unchangeable  Jehovaii,  and  liken  him  too 
much  to  ourselves,  if  we  suppose  that  he  can 
form  a  new  purpose.  If  it  be  his  pleasure  to 
convert  a  sinner  to-day,  he  had  the  same 
gracious  design  in  fivour  of  that  sinner  yes- 
terday, at  tlie  day  of  his  birth,  a  thousand 
years  before  he  was  born,  and  a  thousand  ages 
(to  speak  according  to  our  poor  conceptions) 
before  the  world  began.  For  that  mode  of 
duration  which  we  call  time,  has  no  respect 
to  him  who  inliabiteth  eternity.  Is.  Ivii.  15. 

With  regard  to  those  who  reject  the  de- 
claration of  the  mercy  of  God,  who  though 
called  and  invited  by  the  gospel,  and  often 
touched  by  the  power  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  will 
not  co.ne  to  the  Saviour  for  life,  but  persist 
in  their  determination  to  go  on  in  their  sins, 
their  ruin  is  not  only  unavoidable,  but  just  in 
the  highest  degree.  And  thoucrh,  like  the 
wicked  servant  in  the  parable,  (Matt,  xx  v.  24,) 
they  cavil  a^i-ainsttlie  Lord,  their  mouths  will 
be  stopped,  (Rom.  iii.  19,)  when  he  shall  at 
length  appear  to  plead  with  them  fice  to  face. 
Then  their  col)web  excuses  will  fail  them, 
and  the  proper  groimd  of  tiieir  condemnation 
will  be,  that  when  he  sent  them  light,  they 
turned  from  it,  and  chose  darkness  rather 
than  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil, 
John  iii.  19. 

n.  The  great  privilege  of  the  elect,  com- 
prehensive of  every  blessing  i.s,  tliat  they  are 
justified,  finally  and  authoritatively  justified 
from  all  that  can  possibly  be  laid  to  their 
charge ;  for  it  is  God  himself  who  justifieth 
them. 

The  justification  of  a  sinner  before  God, 
by  faith  in  the  obedience  and  atonement  of 
Christ,  is  considered  by  many  persons,  in 
the.se  days  of  refinement,  in  no  better  light 
than  asa  branch  of  scholastic  theology,  which 
is  now  exploded  as  uncouth  and  obsolete.  At 
the  Reformation,  it  was  the  turning  point  be- 
tween the  Protestants  and  Papists.  Luther 
deemed  it  the  criterion  of  a  flourishing  or  a 
falling  church  ;  that  i.s,  he  judged  the  church 
would  always  be  in  a  thriving  or  a  declining 
state,  in  proportion  as  the  importance  of  this 
doctrine  was  attended  to.  How  important  it 
appeared  to  our  Englisii  reformers,  many  of 
whom  sealed  tlieir  testimony  to  it  with  their 
blood,  may  be  known  by  the  writings  of  Cran- 
mer,  Latimer,  Philpot,  and  others:  and  by 


the  articles  of  the  Church  of  England,  which 
are  .still  of  somuch  authority  by  law,  that  no 
person  can  bo  admitted  into  Holy  Orders 
amongst  us,  till  he  has  declared  and  sub- 
scribed his  assent  to  them.  But  T  hope  never 
to  preach  a  doctrine  to  my  hearers  which 
needs  the  names  and  authority  of  men,  how- 
ever respectable,  for  its  support.  Search  the 
scriptures,  (John  v.  39,)  and  judge  by  them 
of  the  importance  of  this  doctrine.  Judge 
of  it  by  the  text  now  before  us.  The  apostle 
speaks  of  it  as  sufficient  to  silence  every 
charge,  to  free  from  all  condemnation,  and 
inseparably  connected  with  eternal  hie;  for 
those  whom  God  justifies  he  will  also  olorify, 
Rom.  viii.  30.  Though  volumes  have  been 
written  upon  the  subject,  I  think  it  may  be 
explained  in  few  words.  Every  one  must 
i  give  an  account  of  himself  to  God  ;  and  the 
!  judgment  will  proceed  according  to  the  tenor 
i  of  his  iioly  word.  By  the  law  no  flesh  can 
i  be  justified,  for  all  have  sinned  :  (Rom.  iii.  19, 
20:)  but  they  who  believe  the  gospel  will  be 
justified  from  all  things,  (Acts  xiii.  39,)  for 
1  which  the  law  would  othervvi.se  condemn 
them  ;  and  as  they  who  believe  not  are  con- 
demned already,  (John  iii.  IS,)  so  believers 
are  already  justified  by  faith,  and  have  peace 
!  with  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
(Rom.  V.  1,)  in  the  present  life.  They  plead 
guilty  to  the  charge  of  the  law  ;  but  they  can 
likewise  plead,  that  they  renounce  all  hope 
and  righteousne.ss  in  themsclve.s,  and  upon 
the  warrant  of  the  word  of  promise,  put  their 
whole  trust  in  Jesus,  as  tiie  end  of  the  law 
for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth : 
(Rom.  X.  4:)  and  this  plea  is  accepted.  "To 
him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him 
that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  coun- 
ted for  righteousness,"  (Rom.  iv.  5,)  and  his 
sins  are  no  more  remembered  against  him, 
Ileb.  viii.  12. 

This  justification,  in  its  own  nature,  isau- 
tiioritative,  complete,  and  final.  It  is  an  act 
of  God's  mercy,  which,  because  founded  upon 
the  mediation  of  Jesus,  may,  with  no  less 
I  truth  be  styled  an  act  of  his  justice,  whereby 
the  believing  sinner  is  delivered  from  the 
!  curse  of  the  law,  from  the  guilt  and  power 
of  sin,  and  is  translated  into  the  kingdom  of 
his  dear  Son,  Col.  i.  13.  It  includes  the  par- 
don of  all  sin,  and  admi.ssion  to  the  state  of 
a  child  of  God.  It  is  a  passing  from  death 
unto  life,  John  v.  24.  By  faith  of  the  opera- 
tion of  God,  the  sinner,  once  afar  ofl^,  is 

■  brought  nigh,  is  accepted  in  the  Beloved,  and 
'  becomes  one  with  him,  as  the  branch  is 
;  united  to  the  vine,  and  the  members  with  the 

■  head,  John  xv.  U\  The  sanctification  of  a 
j  believer  is  imperfect  and  gradual ;  but  his 
!  justification,  in  this  sense,  from  the  moment 
j  when  he  begins  to  live  a  lif  ■  of  faith  in  the 
j  Son  of  God,  is  perfect,  and  incapable  of  in- 
I  crease.  The  principle  of  life  in  a  new-born 
I  infant,  and  the  privileges  dependent  upon  his 


372 


THE  INTERCESSION  OF  CHRIST. 


[SER.  XLVn. 


birth,  (if  he  be  the  heir  of  a  great  family,) 
are  tiie  same  from  tiie  first  hour,  as  at  any- 
future  time.  He  is  stronger  as  he  grows  up 
to  the  stature  of  a  man,  but  is  not  more  alive ; 
lie  grows  up  likewise  more  into  the  know- 
ledge and  enjoyment  of  his  privileges,  but 
his  right  to  them  admits  of  no  augmentation ; 
for  he  derives  it,  not  from  his  years,  or  his 
stature,  or  his  powers,  but  from  the  relation 
in  which  he  stands  as  a  child  to  his  father. 
Thus  it  is  with  those  who  are  born  from 
above ;  they  are  immediately  the  children  and 
heirs  of  God,  though  for  a  time,  like  minors 
while  under  age,  they  may  seem  to  differ  but 
little  from  servants;  (Gal.  iv.  1,2;)  and  it 
doth  not  yet  appear  what  they  shall  be. 

But  though  justification  in  the  sight  of  God 
be  connected  with  the  reality  of  faith,  the 
comfortable  perception  of  it  in  our  own  con- 
sciences is  proportionable  to  the  degree  of 
faith.  In  young  converts,  therefore,  it  is  usu- 
ally weak.  They  are  well  satisfied  that  Je- 
sus is  the  only  Saviour,  and  they  have  no 
doubt  of  his  ability  and  sufficiency  in  that 
character,  in  favour  of  those  who  put  their 
trust  in  him ;  but  they  are  suspicious  and  jea- 
lous of  themselves ;  they  are  apprehensive  of 
Bomething  singular  in  their  own  case,  which 
may  justly  exclude  them  from  his  mercy,  or 
they  fear  that  they  do  not  bel ieve  aright.  But 
the  weakest  believer  is  a  child  of  God  ;  and 
true  faith,  though  at  first  like  a  grain  of  mus- 
tard-seed, is  interested  in  all  the  promises  of 
the  gospel.  If  it  be  true,  it  will  grow,  (Mark 
iv.  26,)  it  will  attain  to  a  more  simple  depen- 
dence upon  its  great  object,  and  will  work  its 
way,  through  a  thousand  doubts  and  fears, 
(which,  for  a  season,  are  not  without  their 
use,)  till  at  length  the  weak  christian  be- 
comes strong  in  faith,  strong  in  the  Lord,  and 
is  enabled  to  say,  "I  know  whom  I  have  be- 
lieved," 2  Tim.  i.  12.  Who  shall  lay  any 
thing  to  my  charge"!  Who  shall  condemn ]  It 
is  God  who  justifieth.  It  is  Christ  who  died 
for  me  and  rose  again. 

But  especially  at  the  great  day,  the  Lord 
the  Judge  shall  ratify  their  justification  pub- 
licly before  assembled  worlds.  Then  every 
tongue  that  riseth  in  judgment  against  them 
(Is.  liv.  17,)  shall  be  put  to  silence.  Then 
Satan  will  be  utterly  confounded,  and  many 
who  despised  them  on  earth  will  be  astonish- 
ed and  say — "  These  are  they  whose  lives  we 
accounted  madness,  and  their  end  to  be  with- 
out honour.  How  are  they  numbered  among 
the  children  of  God !"  Wisdom,  v.  4,  5. 

The  right  knowledge  of  this  doctrine  is  a 
source  of  abiding  joy  ;  it  likewise  animates 
love,  zeal,  gratitude,  and  all  the  noblest  pow- 
ers of  the  soul,  and  produces  a  habit  of  cheer- 
ful and  successful  obedience  to  the  whole 
will  of  God.  But  it  may  be,  and  too  often  is, 
misunderstood  and  abused.  If  you  receive 
it  by  divine  teaching,  it  will  fill  you  with  those 
fruits  of  righteousness  which  are  by  Jesus 


Christ  to  the  glory  and  praise  of  God,  Phil, 
i.  11.  But  if  you  learn  it  only  from  men  and 
books,  if  you  are  content  with  the  notion  of 
it  in  your  head,  instead  of  the  powerful  expe- 
rience of  it  in  your  heart,  it  will  have  a  con- 
trary effect.  Such  a  lifeless  form,  even  of 
the  truth  itself,  will  probably  make  you  heady 
and  high  minded,  censorious  of  others,  trifling 
in  your  spirit,  and  unsettled  in  j'our  conduct. 
Oh!  be  afraid  of  resembling  tiie  foolish  vir- 
gins, (Matt.  XXV.  1 — 12,)  of  having  the  lamp 
of  your  profession  expire  in  darkness  for  want 
of  the  oil  of  grace  ;  lest  when  the  bridegroom 
Cometh,  you  should  find  the  door  shut  against 
you. 


SERMON  XLVII. 

THE  INTERCESSION  OF  CHRIST. 

Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  It  is  Christ 
that  died,  yea,  rather,  that  is  risen  ag  ain, 
who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who 
also  maketh  intercession  for  us.  Romans, 
viii.  34. 

The  redemption  of  the  soul  is  precious. 
Fools  make  a  mock  of  sin,  Prov.  xvi.  9. 
But  they  will  not  think  lightly  of  it  who  duly 
consider  the  majesty,  authority,  and  goodness 
of  him  against  whom  it  is  committed :  and 
who  are  taught  by  what  God  actually  has  done, 
what  sin  rendered  necessary  to  be  done,  be- 
fore a  sinner  could  have  a  well-grounded  hope 
of  forgiveness.  For  wisdom  does  nothing  in 
vain.  The  death  of  the  Son  of  God  would 
have  been  in  vain,  (Gal.  ii.  21,)  if  the  great  de- 
sisnn  in  favour  of  sinful  men  could  have  been 
effected  by  inferior  means.  But  as  he,  in  the 
office  of  Mediator,  was  the  hope  of  mankind 
from  the  beo-inning;  so  the  great  work  he 
has  accomplished,  and  the  characters  he  sus- 
tains, when  made  known  to  the  conscience,  are 
in  fact,  sufficient  to  relieve  in  every  case,  to 
answer  every  charge,  and  to  satisfy  the  be- 
liever in  Jesus  that  there  is  now  no  condem- 
nation to  fear.  There  are  many  (as  we  have 
observed)  ready  to  accuse,  but  it  is  in  vain ; 
the  charge  may  be  true,  but  it  is  overruled. 
Who  shall  dare  to  condemn,  if  things  be  as 
the  apostle  states  them  in  this  passage?  Who- 
ever would  impeach  the  hope  of  a  true  be- 
liever, must  prove,  (if  he  can,)  that  Christ  did 
not  die ;  or  that  he  did  not  rise  from  the  dead ; 
or  that  he  was  not  admitted  into  the  presence 
of  God  on  our  behalf;  or  that  he  is  unmind- 
ful of  his  promise,  to  make  intercession  for 
all  who  come  unto  God  by  him.  For  if  these 
points  are  indubitable  and  sure,  it  is  impos- 
sible that  the  soul  which  has  trusted  in  Jesus, 
and  put  its  cause  into  his  hands,  can  miscarry. 

The  death  and  resurrection  of  our  Lord, 
his  appearance  in  our  nature,  clothed  with 


8ER.  XLVII.] 


THE  INTERCESSION  OF  CHRIST. 


373 


glory,  seated  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Majes- 
ty on  high,  as  the  Iligh-Priest  of  our  profes- 
sion, can  scarcely  be  considered  too  often. 
These  old  truths  are  always  new  to  those  who 
love  him,  and  are  the  food  by  which  their  souls 
live.  Yet  I  sliall  not  at  present  repeat  what 
I  have  offered  upon  them  from  former  passa- 
ges, but  shall  chiefly  confine  myself  to  the 
subject  of  his  intercession,  which  has  not,  until 
now,  expressly  occurred  to  our  meditations. 

The  word  the  apostle  uses  here,  and  in 
Heb.  vii.  25, — "  Seeing  he  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession,"  occurs  likewise  in  Acts 
XXV.  24,  where  Festus  speaks  of  the  process 
managed  by  the  Jews  against  Paul ;  and  also 
in  Rom.  xi.  2,  of  Elijah's  making  intercession 
to  God  against  Israel.  From  these  passages 
compared  together,  we  may  observe  that  the 
Word  is  to  be  taken  in  a  large  sense.  He 
leads  our  cause,  he  manages  our  concerns, 
e  answers  our  enemies.  Who  then  shall 
condemn  those  for  whom  the  Lord  Jesus 
thus  employs  his  power  and  his  love  ?  He  is 
our  advocate,  (I  John  ii.  1,)  he  takes  upon 
nim  our  whole  concern.  He  pleads  as  a 
Priest,  and  manages  as  a  King,  for  those 
who  come  unto  God  by  him. 

I.  He  pleads  as  a  Priest — His  office  of  in- 
tercession has  a  plain  reference  to  his  great 
instituted  type,  the  high  priest  under  the  Le- 
vitical  dispensation  ;  who,  according  to  the 
appointment  of  God,  entered  within  the  vail, 
to  present  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice  before 
the  mercy-seat,  Lev.  xvi.  We  have  a  clear 
and  infallible  explanation  of  the  design  of  this 
institution.  "  Now  when  these  things  were 
thus  ordained,  the  priests  went  always  into 
the  first  tabernacle,  accomplishing  the  ser- 
vice of  God.  But  into  the  second  went  the 
high  priest  alone  once  every  year,  not  with- 
out blood,  which  he  offered  for  himself  and 
for  the  errors  of  the  people.  The  Holy  Ghost 
this  signifying,  that  the  way  into  the  holiest 
of  all  was  not  yet  made  manifest,  while  as 
the  first  tabernacle  was  yet  standing.  Which 
was  a  figure  for  the  time  then  present,  in 
which  were  offered  both  girts  and  sacrifices, 
that  could  not  make  him  that  did  the  service 
perfect,  as  pertaining  to  the  conscience ; 
which  stood  only  in  meats  and  drinks,  and 
divers  washings,  and  carnal  ordinances,  im- 
posed on  them  until  the  time  of  reformation. 
But  Christ  being  come  an  High  Priest  of 
good  things  to  come,  by  a  greater  and  more 
perfect  tabernacle,  not  made  with  hands, 
that  is  to  say,  not  of  this  building  ;  neither 
by  the  blood  of  goats  and  calves,  but  by  his 
own  blood,  he  entered  in  once  into  the  holy 
place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemption 
for  us,"  Heb.  ix.  6 — 12.  Thus  Jesus  is 
pa.si3ed  into  the  heavens,  entered  into  the 
holy  of  holies  with  his  own  blood.  His  pre- 
sence there,  in  our  nature,  with  the  marks 
of  his  sufferings  for  us,  as  the  Lamb  that  has 
been  slain,  ia  an  unceasing  virtual  interces- 


sion on  our  behalf  I  meddle  not  with  cu- 
rious questions  on  this  subject,  as  to  the  man- 
ner in  which  his  intercession  is  carried  on : 
it  is  sufficient  to  know  that  he  is  there,  and 
there  for  us,  as  our  representative.  This  con- 
sideration is  of  continual  use,  to  animate  and 
encourage  sinners  in  their  approach  to  God. 
There  are  three  cases  particularly,  in  which 
the  heart  that  knows  its  own  bitterness  must 
sink,  were  it  not  for  the  relieving  thought, 
that  there  is  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  a 
High  Priest,  who,  by  his  intercession,  is  abte 
to  save  to  the  uttermost. 

1.  When  the  mind  is  burdened  with  guilt. 
Great  is  the  distress  of  an  awakened  con- 
science. The  sinner  now  is  sensible  of  wanta 
which  God  alone  can  supply,  and  of  miseries 
from  which  he  cannot  be  extricated  but  by  an 
almighty  arm.  But  when  he  thinks  of  the 
majesty  and  holiness  of  God,  he  is  troubled 
and  adopts  the  language  of  the  prophet,  "  Wo 
is  me,  1  am  undone !"  Isa.  vi.  5.  He  dares 
not  draw  near  to  God,  nor  does  he  dare  to 
keep  any  longer  at  a  distance  from  him.  But 
when  such  a  one  is  enabled  to  look  to  Jesus 
as  the  intercessor,  what  light  and  comfort 
does  he  receive  !  For  the  gospel  speaks  in- 
viting language.  Let  not  the  weary  and 
heavy-laden  sinner  fear  to  approach.  Your 
peace  is  already  made  in  the  court  above, 
and  your  advocate  is  waiting  to  introduce 
you.  Lift  up  your  heart  to  him  and  think 
you  hear  him  in  effect  saying,  "Father, 
there  is  another  sinner  who  has  heard  of  my 
name,  and  desires  to  trust  in  me.  Father,  I 
will,  that  he  also  may  be  delivered  from  go- 
ing down  into  the  pit,  and  interested  in  the 
ransom  which  I  have  provided." 

2.  When  we  are  deeply  conscious  of  our 
defects  in  duty.  If  we  compare  our  best 
performances  with  the  demands  of  the  law, 
the  majesty  of  God,  and  the  unspeakable  ob- 
ligations we  are  under ;  if  we  consider  our 
innumerable  sins  of  omission,  and  that  the 
little  we  can  do  is  polluted  and  defiled  by  the 
mixture  of  evil  thoughts,  and  the  working  of 
selfish  principles,  aims,  and  motives,  which 
though  we  disapprove,  we  are  unable  to  sup- 
press, we  have  great  reason  to  confess,  "To 
us  belong  shame  and  confusion  of  face,"  Dan. 
ix.  7.  But  we  are  relieved  by  the  thought, 
that  Jesus  the  High  Priest  bears  the  iniquity 
of  our  holy  things,  perfumes  our  prayers 
with  the  incense  of  his  mediation,  and  washes 
our  tears  in  his  own  blood.  This  inspires  a 
confidence,  that  though  we  are  unworthy  of 
the  least  of  his  mercies,  we  may  humbly  hope 
for  a  share  in  the  greatest  blessings  he  be- 
stows, because  we  are  heard  and  accepted, 
not  on  the  account  of  our  own  prayers  and 
services,  but  in  the  beloved  Son  of  God,  who 
maketh  intercession  for  us.  Thus  the  wisdom 
and  love  of  God  have  provided  a  wonderful 
expedient,  which,  so  far  as  it  is  rightly  un- 
derstood, and  cordially  embraced,  while  it 


374 


THE  INTERCESSION  OF  CHRIST. 


[SER.  XLVJI. 


lays  the  sinner  low  as  the  dust  in  point  of 
humiliation  and  self-abasement,  fills  him  at 
the  same  time  with  a  hope  full  of  glory,  whicii, 
witli  respect  to  its  foundation,  cannot  be 
shaken ;  and  with  respect  to  its  object,  can 
be  satisfied  with  nothing  less  than  all  tiie  ful- 
ness of  God.  There  are  favoured  seasons  in 
which  the  believer,  having  a  lively  iinpres- 
eion  of  the  authority  and  love  of  the  Interces- 
sor, can  address  the  great  Jehovah  as  his  Fa- 
ther, with  no  less  confidence  tlian  if  he  was 
holy  and  spotless  as  the  angels  before  the 
throne,  at  the  very  moment  that  he  has  abun- 
dant cause  to  say,  "Behold  I  am  vile  !  I  ab- 
hor myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes !" 
Job  xl.  4  ;  xlii.  6. 

3.  This  powerful  and  prevalent  intercession 
abundantly  compensates  for  the  poverty  and 
narrowness  of  our  prayers.  Experience  con- 
firms what  the  scripture  declares  of  our  in- 
sufficiency to  order  our  own  cause  before  the 
Lord,  to  specify  our  various  wants,  and  to  fill 
our  mouths  with  such  arguments,  as  may  en- 
gage the  attention,  and  enliven  the  affections 
of  our  hearts.  "  We  know  not  how  to  pray  as 
we  ought,"  Rom.  viii.  26.  And  though  the 
Holy  Spirit  teaches  believers  to  form  peti- 
tions, which,  in  the  main,  are  agreeable  to  the 
will  of  God,  yet  we  often  mistake  and  ask 
amiss ;  we  often  forget  what  we  ought  to  ask, 
and  we  are  too  often  cold,  negligent,  weary, 
distracted,  and  formal  in  prayer.  How  prone 
are  we  to  enter  by  prayer  into  the  Lord's  pre- 
sence, as  the  thoughtless  horse  rushes  into 
the  battle!  (Jer.  viii.  6.)  to  speak  to  God  as 
if  we  were  only  speaking  into  the  air,  and  to 
have  our  thoughts  dissipated  and  wandering 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  wiiile  his  holy  name 
is  upon  our  polluted  lips  !  It  is  well  for  us, 
that  God  is  both  able  and  gracious  to  do  more 
than  we  can  ask  or  think  ;  but  that  he  actu- 
ally does  so,  for  such  unworthy  creatures,  is 
owing  to  our  Intercessor.  He  knows  all  our 
wants,  and  pleads  and  provides  accordingly. 
He  is  not  negligent,  though  we  too  frequently 
are.  He  prayed  for  Peter's  safety  (Luke 
xxii.  31,  32,)  before  Peter  himself  was  aware 
of  his  danger.  Have  we  not  sometimes  been 
as  it  were  surprised  and  shamed  by  the  Lord's 
g-oodness.  when  he  has  condescended  to  be- 
stow special  and  needful  mercies  upon  us,  be- 
fore we  thought  of  asking  for  them  !  These 
are  affecting  proofs  of  our  Intercessor's  at- 
tention and  care,  and  t'nathe  is  always  mind- 
ful of  us.  But, 

II.  Jesus  the  High  Priest  is  upon  a  throne. 
— He  is  a  King,  King  of  saints,  and  King  of 
nations.  He  is  not  only  a  righteous  advocate, 
but  he  possesses  all  authority  and  power.  And 
it  belongs  to  his  office  as  King,  effectually  to 
manage  for  those  in  whose  behalf  he  inter- 
cedes. I  have  already  observed  that  the  ori- 
ginal word  includes  this  sense. 

1.  He  is  the  source  and  fountain  of  their 
supplies.  All  their  springs  are  in  him.  The 


fulness  of  wisdom,  grace,  and  consolation,  out 
of  which  they  are  invited  to  receive,  resides 
in  him.  And  therefore  he  says,  "  If  ye  ask 
any  thing  in  my  name,  I  will  do  it,"  John  xiv. 
14.  Not  merely,  I  will  present  your  petitions, 
but  I  will  fulfil  them  myself  For  all  things 
are  committed  into  his  hands,  and  it  is  he 
with  whom  we  have  to  do,  Ileb.  iv.  13.  He 
therefore  enjoins  us,  if  we  believe  or  trust 
in  God,  to  believe  also  in  him,  Joim  xiv.  1. 
His  invitations,  "  If  any  man  thirst.  Jet  him 
come  unto  me  and  drink  ;"  (John  vii.  87;) — 
"  Whosoever  will.  Set  him  take  of  the  water 
of  life  freely;"  (Rev.  xxii.  17;)  equally  ex- 
press liis  sovereignty  and  his  munificence. 
On  him  the  eyes  of  all  who  know  him  wait 
from  age  to  age,  and  are  not  disappointed. 
He  opens  his  hand,  and  satisfies  tliem  with 
good,  Psal.  cxlv.  17.  Nor  is  the  store  of  his 
bounty  diminislied  by  all  that  he  has  distribu- 
ted, for  it  is  unsearchable  and  inexhaustible, 
like  the  light  of  the  sun,  which  gladdens  the 
eyes  of  millions  at  once,  has  done  so  from  the 
beginning,  and  will  continue  to  do  so  to  the 
end  of  time. 

2.  He  appoints  and  adjusts  their  various 
dispensations,  with  an  unerring  suitableness 
to  their  several  state.s,  capacities,  and  circum- 
stances. If  a  skilful  gardener  had  the  com- 
mand of  the  weather,  he  would  not  treat  all 
his  plants!,  nor  the  same  plant  at  all  times,  ex- 
actly alike.  Continual  rain,  or  continual  sun- 
shine, would  be  equally  unfavourable  to  their 
growth  and  fruitfulness.  In  his  kingdom  of 
providence,  he  so  proportions  the  rain  and  the 
sunshine  to  each  other,  that  the  corn  is  usual- 
ly brought  forward  from  the  seed  to  the  blade, 
the  car,  and  the  full  ripe  ear.  And  1  believe 
it  would  be  always  so,  were  it  not  for  the  pre- 
valence of  sin,  which  sometimes  makes  the 
heavens  over  our  head  brass,  the  earth  un- 
der our  feet  iron,  (Deut.  xxviii.  2:3,)  and  turns 
a  fruitful  land  into  barrenness.  So,  in  his 
kingdom  of  grace,  he  trains  his  people  up  by 
various  exercises.  He  delights  in  their  pros- 
perity, and  does  not  willingly  grieve  them. 
But  afflictions  in  their  present  .state  are  ne- 
cessary, and  his  blessing  makes  themsaluta- 
tary.  But  this  is  their  great  privilege,  that 
their  comforts  and  their  crosses  are  equally 
from  his  hand,  are  equally  tokens  of  his  love, 
and  alike  directed  to  work  together  lor  their 
good.  He  appoints  the  bounds  of  their  habi- 
tations, numbers  the  hairs  of  their  heads,  and 
is  their  guide  and  guard,  their  sun  and  stiield, 
even  unto  death.  Here  they  meet  with  ma- 
ny changes,  but  none  that  are  unnoticed  by 
him,  none  that  can  separate  them  from  his 
love,  and  they  all  concur  in  leading  them  on 
to  a  state  of  unchangeable  and  endless  joy, 
2  Cor.  iv.  17. 

3.  He  is  the  Captain  of  their  salvation, 
Hob.  ii.  10.  They  are  his  soldiers,  and  fight 
under  his  eye ;  yet  the  battle  is  not  theirs 
but  his.    Israel  of  old  were  to  muster  their 


SER.  XLVIt.] 


THE  INTERCESSION  OF  CHRIST. 


375 


forces,  to  range  themselves  for  the  fight,  to 
use  every  precaution  and  endeavour,  as 
though  success  depended  entirely  upon  them- 
selves. Yet  they  obtained  not  the  victory  by 
their  own  sword,  but  it  was  the  Lord  who 
fought  for  them,  and  trod  down  their  enemies 
before  them ;  and  they  had  little  more  to  do 
than  to  pursue  the  vanquished,  and  to  divide 
the  spoil.     And  thus  it  is  in  the  warfare 
which  true  christians  maintain,  not  against 
flesli  and  blood  only,  but  against  principalities 
and  powers,  (Eph.  vi.  12,)  against  the  spirit 
of  the  world,  and  against  Satan  and  his  le- 
gions. They  fight  in  his  cause,  but  he  upholds 
them  and  coiKpiers  for  them.  Their  enemies 
are  too  many  and  too  mighty  for  them  to 
grapple  with  in  their  own  strength  ;  but  he  re- 
bu  kes  them,  and  pleads  the  cause  of  his  people. 
His  gracious  interposition  in  their  favour  is 
beautifully  set  forth,  together  with  its  effects, 
in  the  vision  which  the  prophet  saw,  when  he 
was  sent  to  encourage  the  rulers  and  people 
of  the  Jews  against  the  difficulties  they  met 
with  when  rebuilding  the  temple.    He  saw 
Josliua  the  high  priest,  who,  in  that  character, 
represented  the  collective  l)ody  of  the  people, 
standing  before  the  Lord,  clothed  in  filthy  gar- 
ments, and  Satan  standingat  his  right  hand  to 
resist  him,  Zech.  iii.  1 — 4.  Such  is  our  attire 
as  sinners,  all  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy 
rags;  and  such  are  the  attempts  of  our  enemy, 
to  deter  us  from  approacliingto  him  who  alone 
can  relieve  us,  or  to  distress  us  when  we  ap- 
pear before  him.  But  when  Josliua  could  not 
speak  tor  himself,  the  Lord  spake  for  him, 
claimed  him  for  his  own,  as  a  brand  plucked 
out  of  the  fire,  silenced  his  adversary,  clothed 
him  witli  change  of  raiment,  and  set  a  fair 
mitre  ujion  his  head.    Thus  David  acknow- 
ledged the  Ix)rd's  goodness  in  providing  him 
a  table  in  the  midst  of  his  enemies,  (Fsal. 
xxiii.  5,)  who  saw  with  envy  his  privileges, 
but  were  not  able  to  prevent  his  enjoyment 
of  them.    M'my  a  time  the  Lord  thus  com- 
forts and  feeds  liis  people,  while  waiting  on 
him  in  secret,  or  attending  his  public  ordi- 
nances; and  were  our  eyes  opened,  like  the 
eyes  of  Elisha's  servant,  to  behold  what  is 
very  near,  though  unseen,  we  should  feel  the 
force  of  the  psalmist's  observation.  The 
powers  of  darkness  surround  us;  their  malice 
against  us  is  heightened  by  the  favour  of  our 
good  Shepherd  toward  us  ;  they  rage,  but  in 
vain  ;  for  though  they  could  presently  de- 
prive us  of  peace,  and  fill  us  with  anguish, 
if  we  were  left  exposed  totheh-  as  saults,  they 
are  under  a  restraint,  and  can  do  nothing 
without  his  permission.  When  he  is  pleased 
(a  give  quietness,  who  then  can  make  trou- 
l)le  .'  Job  xx.\iv.  '29.    He  preserves  and  pro- 
vides for  his  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves. 

We  m'ly  close  tliis  part  of  our  subject  with 
two  or  three  reflections,  which,  though  as  to  j 
tlic  suljstance  of  them  I  may  have  offered 
you  before,  are  always  seasonable  and  suita- 1 


ble,  when  we  are  speaking  of  the  power  and 
grace  of  Messiah. 

1.  How  precious  is  this  Saviour !  How 
justly  is  he  entitled  to  the  chief  place  in  the 
hearts  of  those  who  know  him  !  In  the  work 
of  salvation,  from  the  first  step  to  the  last,  he 
is  all  in  all.  If  he  had  not  died  and  risen 
again,  we  must  have  died  for  ever.  If  he  had 
not  ascended  into  heaven,  there  to  -appear  in 
the  presence  of  God  for  us,  we  must  have 
been  thrust  down  into  the  lowest  hell.  If  he 
did  not  plead  for  us,  we  would  not,  we  durst 
not  offer  a  word  in  our  own  behalf  If  he  was 
not,  on  our  part,  engaged  to  keep  us  night  and 
day, our  enemies  would  soon  be  too  hard  for  us. 
May  we  therefore  give  him  the  glory  due  to  his 
name  and  cleave  to  him, and  trust  in  him  alone. 

2.  How  safe  are  the  people  of  whom  he 
undertakes  the  care  !  While  his  eye  is  upon 
them,  his  ear  open  to  their  prayer,  and  his 
arm  of  power  stretched  out  for  their  protec- 
tion ;  while  he  remembers  that  word  of  pro- 
mise upon  which  he  himself  has  caused  them 
to  hope  ;  while  he  retains  that  faithfulness 
which  encouraged  them  to  commit  their  souls 
to  him,  it  is  impossible  that  cny  weapon  or 
stratagem  formed  against  them  can  prevail. 
There  are  many,  it  is  true,  who  will  rise  up 
against  them  ;  but  God  is  for  them,  and  with 
them  a  very  present  help  in  trouble,  Ps.  xlvi. 
1.  They  are  full  of  wants  and  fears,  and  in 
themselves  liable  to  many  charges;  but  since 
Jesus  is  their  head,  their  security,  their  inter- 
cessor, no  needful  good  shall  be  withlield 
from  them,  no  c ha r^e  admitted  against  them, 
none  shall  condemn  them,  fi)r  it  is  God  him- 
self who  justifies  the  believer  in  Jesus. 

'S.  If  these  things  be  so,  how  much  are  they 
to  be  pitied,  who  hear  of  them  witliout  being 
affected  or  influenced  by  them?  Will  you  al- 
ways be  content  with  bearing  !  "Oh,  taste 
and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good  !"  Ps.  xxxiv.  8. 
Should  you  at  last  be  separated  from  those 
with  whom  you  now  join  in  public  worsliip; 
should  you  see  them  admitted  into  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  you  yourselves  be  thrust  out; 
your  present  advantages  would  then  prove  an 
aggravation  of  your  guilt  and  misery.  As 
yet  there  is  room.  Strive  to  enter  while  the 
gate  of  mercy  remains  open.  Think  of  the 
solemnities  of  tliat  great  day.  Many  will 
then  be  condemned,  though  they  who  believe 
in  the  Son  of  God  will  be  justified.  Consi- 
der who  will  condemn  them,  God  himself,  Ps. 
1.  6.  From  his  in(]uisition  there  can  be  no 
retreat;  from  his  sentence  there  can  be  no 
appeal.  And  consider  wliat  the  condemna- 
tion will  be;  a  final  exclusion  from  his  fa- 
vour ;  a  never-ceasing  sense  of  his  awful 
displeasure  ;  a  state  of  eternal  horror  and 
despair,  without  mitigation,  witliout  the 
smallest  ray  of  hope  !  Can  you  deliberately 
give  up  all  claim  to  happiness,  and  determine 
to  rush  upon  the  thick  bosses  of  God's  buck- 
ler, (Job  XV.  26,)  to  defy  his  power,  and  to 


376 


THE  SONG  OF  HIE  REDEEMED. 


[SER.  ILVm, 


dare  liis  threaten insfs,  rather  than  forego  tlie 
transitory  and  delusive  pleasures  of  sin  !  And 
can  yon  do  this  with  the  gospel  soundino'  in 
your  ears  !  May  the  Lord  prevent  it !  How- 
ever, observe  you  are  once  more  warned, 
once  more  invited.  If  now  at  last,  after  so 
many  delays,  so  much  perverseness  on  your 
part,  you  will  honestly  and  earnestly  seek 
him,  he  will  be  found  of  you.  But  if  you 
persist  in  your  obstinacy,  your  condemnation 
will  be  inevitable  and  sure. 


SERMON  XLVIII. 

THE  SONG  OF  THE  REDEEMED. 

—  Thou — hast  redeemed  us  to  God,  by  thy 
blood  (out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue, 
and  people,  and  nation.)    Rev.  v.  9. 

The  extent,  variety,  and  order  of  the  cre- 
ation, proclaim  the  glory  of  God.  He  is  like- 
wise maximus  in  minimis.  The  smallest  of 
his  works  that  we  are  capable  of  examining, 
Buch  for  instance  as  the  eye  or  the  wing  of 
a  little  insect,  the  creature  of  a  day,  are 
stamped  with  an  inimitable  impression  of  his 
wisdom  and  power.  Thus  in  his  written  word 
there  is  a  greatness,  considering  it  as  a  whole, 
and  a  beauty  and  accuracy  m  the  smaller 
parts,  analogous  to  what  we  observe  in  the 
visible  creation,  and  answerable  to  what  an 
enlightened  and  humble  mind  may  expect  in 
a  book  which  bears  the  character  of  a  divine 
revelation.  A  single  verse,  a  single  clause, 
when  viewed  (if  I  may  so  speak)  in  the  mi- 
croscope of  close  meditation,  is  often  found  to 
contain  a  fulness,  a  world  of  wonders.  And 
though  a  connected  and  comprehensive  ac- 
quaintance with  the  whole  scripture  be  desi- 
rable and  useful,  and  is  no  less  the  privilege 
than  the  duty  of  those  who  have  capacity  and 
time  at  their  disposal  to  acquire  it;  yet  there 
is  a  gracious  accommodation  to  the  weakness 
of  some  persons,  and  the  circumstances  of 
others.  So  that  in  many  parts  of  scripture, 
whatever  is  immediately  necessary  to  con- 
firm our  faith,  to  animate  or  regulate  our 
practice,  is  condensed  into  a  small  compass, 
and  comprised  in  a  few  verses;  yea,  some- 
times a  single  sentence,  when  unfolded  and 
examined,  will  be  found  to  contain  all  the 
great  principles  of  duty  and  comfort.  Such 
IS  the  sentence  which  I  have  now  read  to  you. 
In  the  Messiah  it  is  inserted  in  the  grand 
chorus  taken  from  the  12th  and  13th  verses 
of  this  chapter.  And  as  it  may  lead  us  to  a 
compendious  recapitulation  of  the  whole  sub- 
ject, and  by  the  Lord's  blessing,  may  prepare 
us  to  join  in  the  fallowing  ascription  of  praise 
to  him  tliat  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  to  the 
Lamb ;  I  propose  to  consider  it  in  its  proper 
connection  as  a  part  of  the  leading  song  of 


the  redeemed  before  the  tl>rone,  in  which  ihe 
angels  cannot  share,  though  from  their  love 
to  redeemed  sinners,  and  from  their  views  of 
the  manifold  wisdom  and  glory  of  God  in  vi- 
siting such  sinners  with  sucii  a  salvation,  tliey 
cheerfully  take  a  part  in  the  general  chorus. 

The  redemption  spoken  of,  is  suited  to  the 
various  cases  of  sinners  of  every  nation,  peo- 
ple, and  language.  And  many  sinners  of  di- 
vers descriptions,  and  from  distant  situations, 
scattered  abroad  into  all  lands,  through  a  long 
succession  of  ages,  will,  by  the  efficacy  of 
this  redemption,  be  gathered  together  into 
one,  John  xi.  52.  They  will  constitute  ono 
family,  united  in  one  great  Head,  Eph.  iii. 
14,  15.  When  they  shall  fully  attain  the  end 
of  their  hope,  and  encircle  the  throne,  day 
without  night,  rejoicing,  their  remembrance 
of  what  they  once  were,  their  sense  of  the 
happiness  they  are  raised  to,  and  of  the  great 
consideration  to  which  they  owe  their  deliver- 
ance and  their  exaltation,  will  excite  a  per- 
petual joyful  acknowledgment  to  this  purport. 
They  were  once  lost,  but  could  contribute 
nothing  to  their  own  recovery.  Therefore 
they  ascribe  all  the  glory  to  their  Saviour. 
They  strike  their  golden  harps,  and  sing  in 
strains,  loud  as  from  numbers  without  num- 
ber, sweet  as  from  blest  voices,  "  Thou  art 
worthy — for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeem 
ed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of  every  kin- 
dred, and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation." 

But  though  this  song,  and  this  joy,  will 
only  be  consummated  in  heaven,  the  com- 
mencement takes  place  upon  earth.  Believ- 
ers, during  their  present  state  of  warfare, 
are  taught  to  sing  it ;  in  feebler  strains  in- 
deed,  but  the  subject  of  their  joy,  and  the 
object  of  their  praise,  are  the  same  which 
inspire  the  harps  and  songs  in  the  world  of 
light  May  I  not  say  that  this  life  is  the  time 
of  their  rehearsal  ]  They  are  now  learning 
their  song,  and  advancing  in  meetness  to  join 
in  the  chorus  on  high,  which,  as  death  suc- 
cessively removes  them,  is  continually  in- 
creasing by  the  accession  of  fresh  voices.  All 
that  they  know,  or  desire  to  know,  all  they  pos- 
sess or  hope  for,  is  included  in  this  ascription. 

I  take  the  last  clause  of  the  verse  into  the 
subject.  The  words  suggest  three  principal 
points  to  our  consideration: 

I.  The  benefit, — Redemption  to  God. 

n.  The  redemption  price, — By  thy  blood. 

IH.  The  extent  of  the  benefit, — To  a  peo- 
ple out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and 
nation. 

I.  Thou  hast  redeemed  us  to  God. — Re- 
demption or  ransom  is  applicable  to  a  state  of 
imprisonment  for  debt,  and  to  a  state  of  bond* 
age  or  slavery.  From  these  ideas  taken  to- 
gether, we  may  form  some  estimate  of  the 
misery  of  our  fallen  state;  a  theme,  wliich, 
if  I  cannot  insist  upon  at  large  in  every  dis- 
course, I  would  never  wholly  omit.  For  w" 
can  neither  understand  the  grace,  nor  enjoy 


SBR.  XLVIII.] 


THE  SONG  OF  THE  REDEEMED. 


377 


the  comfort  of  the  gospel,  but  in  proportion 
as  we  have  a  heart-felt  and  abiding  conviction 
of  our  wretched  condition  as  sinners  without 
it.  They  who  think  themselves  whole,  know 
not  their  need  of  a  physician,  (Matt.  ix.  12,) 
but  to  the  sick  he  is  welcome. 

If  a  man,  shut  up  in  prison  for  a  heavy 
debt,  which  he  is  utterly  incapable  of  dis- 
charging', should  obtain  his  liberty,  in  consi- 
deration of  payment  made  for  him  by  another, 
he  might  be  properly  said  to  be  redeemed  from 
imprisonment.  This  supposition  will  apply 
to  our  subject.  The  law  and  ju.«tice  of  God 
have  demands  upon  us  which  we  cannot  an- 
swer. We  are  therefore  shut  up,  under  the 
law,  in  unbelief,  helpless,  and  hopeless,  till 
we  know  and  can  plead  the  engagement  of  a 
surety  tor  us,  For  a  time,  like  Peter,  we  are 
sleeping  in  our  prison  (Acts  xii.  6 — 10,)  re- 
gardless of  danger.  The  first  sensible  effect 
of  the  grace  of  God,  is  to  awaken  us  from 
this  insensibility.  Then  we  begin  to  feel  the 
horrors  of  our  dungeon,  and  the  strength  of 
our  chains,  and  to  tremble  under  the  appre- 
hension of  an  impending  doom.  But  grace 
proceeds  to  reveal  the  Saviour  and  friend  of 
sinners,  and  to  encourage  our  application  to 
him.  In  a  good  hour  the  chains  fall  off,  the 
bars  of  iron  and  brass  arc  broken  asunder, 
and  the  prison  doors  fly  open.  The  prisoner 
understands  that  all  his  great  debt  is  forgiven, 
blesses  his  deliverer,  obtains  his  liberty,  and 
departs  in  peace. 

We  are  likewise  in  bondage,  the  servants, 
the  slaves  of  a  harder  task-master  than  Pha- 
raoh was  to  Israel.  Satan,  though  not  by 
right,  yet  by  a  righteous  permission,  tyran- 
nizes over  us,  till  Jesus  makes  us  free,  John 
viii.  34,  36.  The  way  of  transgressors  is 
hard,  Prov.  xiii.  15.  Though  the  solicitations 
and  commands  of  that  enemy  who  worketh  in 
the  children  of  disobedience  (Eph.  ii.  2,)  are 
in  some  respects  suited  to  our  depraved  incli- 
nations, yet  the  consequences  are  grievous. 
A  burdened  conscience,  a  wasted  constitution, 
a  ruined  fortune  and  character,  swiftly  and 
closely  follow  the  habits  of  intemperance  and 
lewdness;  and  they  who  seem  to  walk  in  a 
smoother  path,  are  deceived,  mortified,  and 
disappointed  daily.  If  persons  who  live  open- 
ly and  habitually  in  a  course  that  is  contrary 
to  the  rule  of  God's  word,  speak  swelling 
words  of  vanity  (2  Pet.  ii.  18,  19,)  and  boast 
of  their  liberty,  believe  them  not.  We  are 
sure  they  carry  that  in  their  bosom  which 
hourly  contradicts  their  assertions.  Yea,  some- 
times their  slavery  is  so  galling,  that  they  at- 
tempt to  escape,  but  in  vain.  They  are  soon 
retaken,  and  their  bonds  made  stronger.  The 
issue  of  their  short-lived  reformations,  which 
they  defer  as  long  as  possible,  and  at  last  set 
about  with  reluctance,  usually  is,  that  their 
latter  end  proves  worse  than  their  beginning. 
At  most,  they  only  exchange  one  sinful  habit 
for  another,  sensuality  for  avarice,  or  prodi- 

VoL.  II.  3  B 


gality  for  pride.  The  strong  one  armed  will 
maintain  his  dominion,  till  the  stronger  than 
he  interposes  and  says.  Loose  him,  and  let  him 
go,  for  I  have  found  a  ransom.  Then,  by  vir- 
tue of  the  redemption-price,  the  prey  is  taken 
from  the  mighty,  and  the  captive  is  delivered. 
Is.  xlix.  24,  25.  Then  the  enslaved  sinner, 
like  the  man  out  of  whom  the  legion  was  cast, 
sits  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  in  peace,  and  in  his 
right  mind,  Mark  v.  15.  He  becomes  the 
Lord's  freed-man. 

For  he  is  not  only  delivered  from  guilt  and 
thrall,  he  is  redeemed  to  God.  He  is  now 
restored  to  his  original  state,  as  an  obedient 
and  dependent  creature,  devoted  to  his  Crea- 
tor, conformed  to  his  will  and  image,  and  ad- 
mitted to  communion  with  him  in  love.  These 
are  blessings  which  alone  can  satisfy  the 
soul,  and  without  which  it  is  impossible  for 
man  to  be  happy.  While  he  is  ignorant  of 
his  proper  good,  and  seeks  it  in  creatures,  he 
is  and  must  be  wretched.  Madness  is  in  his 
heart,  a  deceived,  disordered  imagination 
turns  him  aside,  and  he  feeds  upon  ashes,  and 
upon  the  wind.  Is.  xlv.  20.  But  by  grace  he 
is  renewed  to  a  sound  judgment,  his  mind  re- 
ceives a  right  direction,  and  he  is  turned  from 
darkness  to  light,  from  the  power  of  Satan 
to  God,  Acts  xvi.  18. 

II.  What  unspeakably,  and  beyond  con- 
j  ception  enhances  the  value  of  this  deliver- 
I  ance,  is  the  consideration  of  the  means  by 
I  which  it  is  effected.    For  it  is  not  merely  a 
i  deliverance,  but  a  redemption.    It  is  not  an 
act  of  mere  mercy,  but  of  mercy  harmonizing 
with  justice.    It  is  not  an  act  of  power  only, 
but  of  unexampled  and  expensive  love. — 
I  "  Thou  has  redeemed  us  by  thy  blood  !" 
I    The  sentence  denounced  by  the  law  against 
transgressors,  was  death.  And  therefore  when 
Messiah  became  our  surety,  to  satisfy  the  law 
for  us,  he  must  die.    The  expression  of  his 
I  blood,  is  often  used  figuratively  for  his  death, 
j  perhaps  to  remind  us  how  he  died.    His  was 
)  a  bloody  death.    When  he  was  in  his  agony 
in  Gethsemane,  his  sweat  was  as  great  drops 
j  of  blood,  falling  down  to  the  ground,  Luke 
I  xxii.  44.    His  blood  flowed  when  he  gave 
his  back  to  the  smiters,  under  the  painful 
strokes  of  the  scourging  he  endured  previous 
to  his  crucifixion.    It  flowed  from  his  head, 
when  the  soldiers,  having  mocked  his  charac- 
ter of  King  by  crowning  him  with  thorns,  by 
their  rude  blows  forced  the  thorns  into  his 
temples.     His  blood   streamed   from  the 
wounds  made  by  the  spikes,  which  pierced 
his  hands  and  his  feet,  when  they  fastened 
him  to  the  cross.    When  he  hung  upon  the 
cross,  his  body  was  full  of  wounds,  and  cover- 
ed with  blood.    And,  after  his  death,  another 
large  wound  was  made  in  his  side,  from 
which  issued  blood  and  water.    Such  was 
the  redemption-price  he  paid  for  sinners,  his 
blood,  the  blood  of  his  heart.    Without  shed- 
ding of  blood  there  could  be  no  remission. 


378 


THE  SONG  OF  THE  REDEEMED. 


fsER.  XLViri. 


Nor  could  any  blood  answer  the  great  design, 
but  his.  Not  any,  not  all  the  bloody  sacrifices 
appointed  by  the  law  of  Moses  could  take 
away  sin,  as  it  respects  the  conscience,  nor 
aflbrd  a  plea,  with  which  a  sinner  could 
venture  to  come  before  the  most  high  God, 
Micah  vi.  6.  But  the  blood  of  Messiah,  in 
whom  were  united  the  perfections  of  the  di- 
vine nature,  and  the  real  properties  of  hu- 
manity, and  which  the  apostle  therefore  styles 
the  blood  of  God,  (Acts  xx.  "28,)  this  precious 
blood  cleanses  from  all  sin.  It  is  exliibited  as 
a  propitiation  of  perpetual  efficacy,  by  which 
God  declares  his  righteousness,  no  le>-'s  than 
his  mercy,  in  forgiving  iniquities,  (Rom.  iii. 
24,  26,)  and  shows  himself  just  to  the  de- 
mands of  his  holiness,  and  the  honour  of  his 
government,  when  he  accepts  and  justifies 
the  sinner  who  believes  in  Jesus. 

If  these  things  were  understood  and  at- 
tended to,  would  it  be  thought  wonderful  that 
this  Saviour  is  very  precious  to  those  who  be- 
lieve in  him,  and  wlio  obtain  redemption  by 
his  blood  !  How  can  it  possibly  be  otherwise ! 
Grace  like  this,  when  known,  must  captivate 
and  fix  the  heart !  Not  only  to  save,  but  to 
die,  and  to  die  for  his  enemies !  Such  costly 
love,  productive  of  such  glorious  conse- 
quences, and  to  such  unworthy  creatures ! 
Surely  the  apostle's  mind  was  filled  and  fired 
witli  these  considerations,  when  authenti- 
cating an  epistle  with  his  own  hand,  he  sub- 
joined this  empliatical  close,  "If  any  man 
love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be 
Anathema  Maranatha  !"  1  Cor.  xvi.  22.  Do 
you  think,  my  brethren,  that  the  apostle  took 
pleasure  in  denouncing  so  severe  a  sentence 
against  all  those  who  did  not  see  (as  we  say) 
with  his  eyes  !  Had  he  so  little  affection  for 
sinners,  that  he  could  thus  consign  them  to 
destruction  by  multitudes,  for  dift'ering  from 
him  in  what  some  persons  only  deern  an  opi- 
nion .'  Rather  consider  him,  not  as  breathing 
out  his  own  wishes,  but  as  speaking  in  the 
name  and  on  the  behalf  of  God.  He  knew 
it  must  be,  and  he  declared  it  would  be  so. 
It  was  no  pleasure  to  him  to  see  them  deter- 
mined to  perish.  On  the  contrary,  he  had 
great  grief  and  sorrow  of  heart  for  them, 
even  for  the  Jews,  who  had  treated  him  with 
the  greatest  cruelty.  Even  for  their  sakes, 
he  could  have  been  content  to  be  made  an 
anathema  himself  (Rom.  ix.  3,)  that  they 
mi^ht  be  saved.  But  upon  the  whole,  he  ac- 
quiesced in  the  will  of  God,  and  acknowledg- 
ed it  to  be  just,  right,  and  equal,  that  if  any 
man  would  not  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
after  all  that  he  had  done  and  sufiered  for  sin- 
ners, he  should  be  accursed.  By  this  com- 
parison of  the  apostle's  severe  language  with 
his  compassionate  temper,  I  am  led  to  digress 
a  little  farther.  It  suggests  an  apology  for 
ministers  of  the  gospel  in  general.  When 
we  declare  the  terrors  of  the  Lord,  when  we 
assure  you  that  there  is  but  one  solid  founda- 


tion for  hope,  and  that,  unless  you  love  thn 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  you  must  perish,  some  of 
our  hearers  account  us  bigoted,  uncharitable, 
and  bitter.  But  if  you  could  see  what  passes 
in  secret,  how  faitliful  ministers  mourn  over 
those  who  reject  their  message,  how  their  dis- 
obedience cuts  them  to  the  heart,  and  abates 
the  comfort  they  would  otherwise  find  in  your 
service;  if  you  could  believe  us  when  we 
say  (I  trust  truly)  that  we  are  ready  to  im- 
part unto  you,  not  the  gospel  of  God  only, 
but  our  own  souls  also,  because  you  are  dear 
to  us,  (1  Thess.  ii.  8,)  and  we  long  for  your 
salvation ;  then  you  would  think  more  fa- 
vourably of  us.  But  after  all  we  cannot,  we 
dare  not,  soften  our  message  to  please  men. 
What  we  find  in  the  word  of  God,  we  must 
declare.  It  would  be  at  the  peril  of  our  souls, 
to  speak  smooth  things,  to  prophesy  deceits 
(Is.  XXX.  10,)  to  you;  and,  so  far  as  we  preach 
the  truth,  it  will  be  at  the  peril  of  your  souls, 
if  we  are  disregarded. 

III.  The  benefits  of  this  redemption  extend 
to  a  numerous  people,  who  are  said  to  be  re- 
deemed out  of  every  kindred,  tongue,  and  na- 
tion. I  have,  upon  a  former  occasion,*  of- 
fered you  my  sentiments  concerning  the  ex- 
tent of  the  virtue  of  tliat  blood  which  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world.  But  the  clause 
now  before  us  invites  me  to  make  a  few  ad- 
ditional observations  upon  a  subject  which,  I 
conceive,  it  much  concerns  us  rightly  to  un- 
derstand. 

The  redeemed  of  the  Lord  are  those  who 
actually  experience  the  power  of  his  redemp- 
tion, who  are  delivered  from  the  dominion  of 
sin  and  Satan,  and  brought  into  a  state  of 
liberty,  peace,  and  holiness.  That  the  people 
of  every  kindred,  nation,  and  tongue,  are  not 
redeemed  in  this  sense  universally,  is  as  cer- 
tain as  evidence  of  facts,  and  express  declara- 
tions of  scripture  can  make  it.  "  Without 
holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  Multi- 
tudes, thus  disqualified,  will  be  found  trem- 
bling, on  the  lefl  hand  of  the  Judge,  at  the 
great  day.  But  a  remnant  will  be  saved,  ac- 
cording to  the  election  of  grace.  For  they 
who  differ,  who  are  redeemed  to  the  service 
of  God,  while  others  live  and  die  in  the  love 
and  service  of  sin,  do  not  make  themselves  to 
differ,  1  Cor.  iv.  7.  It  becomes  the  potsherds 
of  the  earth  to  ascribe  to  their  ]\Iaker  the 
glory  of  his  sovereignty,  and  to  acknowledge, 
that,  if  they  have  a  good  hope,  it  is  because 
it  pleased  the  Lord  to  make  them  his  people 
who  were  once  not  his  people,  Hos.  ii.  23. 
Yet  a  way  of  conceiving  of  the  doctrines  of 
the  divine  sovereignty,  and  of  a  personal  elec- 
tion unto  life,  hasoflen  obtained,  which  secma 
to  have  a  tendency  to  render  the  mind  narrow, 
selfish,  and  partial,  and  to  straiten  the  exer- 
cise of  that  philanthropy  which  the  genius 
and  spirit  of  the  gospel  powerf  ully  inculcate. 


*  Sermon  xvi. 


KER.  XLVIII.] 


THE  SONG  OF  THE  REDEEMED. 


379 


The  best  of  us,  perhaps,  are  more  prone  than 
we  are  aware  of  to  assimilate  tlie  g'reat  God 
to  ourselves,  and  to  frame  our  ideas  of  him 
too  much  according  to  our  own  image.  So 
that  often  much  of  a  man's  natural  disposition 
may  be  observed  in  the  views  he  forms  of  the 
divine  perfections  and  conduct;  as,  on  the 
other  hand,  his  conceptions  of  the  character 
of  God  strengthen  and  confirm  him  in  his 
own  tempers  and  habits.    There  are  persons, 
who  being  persuaded  in  their  own  minds  (we 
would  hope  upon  sure  grounds)  that  they 
themselves  are  of  the  elect,  appear  to  be  lit- 
tle concerned  what  may  become  of  others. 
Their  notions  of  God's  sovereignty,  and  his 
right  to  do  what  he  will  with  his  own,  though 
often  insufficient  to  preserve  them  from  re- 
pining and  impatience  under  the  common 
events  of  human  life,  raise  them  above  all 
doubts  and  difficulties  on  a  subject  which  the 
apostle  speaks  of  as  unsearchable  and  un- 
traceable ;  where  he  acknowledges  depths 
which  he  was  unable  to  fathom,  (Rom.  xi.  33,) 
all  appears  to  them  quite  plain  and  easy ; 
where  he  admires  and  adores,  they  arrogant- 
ly dispute,  and  determine  ex  cathedra,  and 
harshly  censure  all  who  arc  not  so  eagle- 
sighted  as  themselves.    Methinks  they  who 
know  the  worth  of  a  soul,  from  its  vast  capa- 
city for  happiness  and  misery,  and  its  immor- 
tal duration,  cannot  justly  be  blamed  for  al- 
lowing no  limits  to  their  benevolent  wishes 
for  the  salvation  of  mankind,  but  the  will  of 
God,  as  it  is  plainly  made  known  to  us  in  his 
word.    To  this  we  are  to  submit,  not  as  of 
necessity  only,  but  cheerfully,  assured  that 
his  will  is  wise,  holy,  and  good ;  that  the 
Judge  of  all  the  world  will  do  right;  and  to 
wait  for  the  day  when  he  will  condescend  to 
clear  up  every  difficulty,  and  give  us  that  sa- 
tisfaction which,  in  our  present  state  of  igno- 
rance and  weakness,  we  are  incapable  of  re- 
ceiving.   Siiall  mortal  man  be  more  just,  or 
can  he  be  more  merciful  than  God  !    It  is  a 
false  compassion,  founded  in  a  blameable  dis- 
regard of  what  is  due  to  the  glory  of  his  great 
name,  that  prompts  us  to  form  a  wish  that  his 
unerringly  wise  appointments  could  be  other- 
wise than  they  are.    Yet  it  is  a  comfort  to 
think  that  his  mercy,  in  which  he  delights, 
in  which  he  is  peculiarly  said  to  be  rich,  and 
which  is  higher  than  the  heavens,  will,  in  its 
e.Kercise,  far  exceed  the  bounds  which  some 
fallible  mortals  would  peremptorily  assign  to 
it.    We  must  not  indulge  conjecture  and  hy- 
pothesis farther  than  the  scripture  will  war- 
rant; but  while  we  humbly  depend  upon  this 
infallible  light,  we  need  not  be  afraid  to  fol- 
low it,  though  it  should  in  some  particulars, 
lead  us  a  little  beyond  the  outlines  of  some 
long  received,  and  in  the  main  very  valuable 
human  systems  of  divinity. 

I  have  repeatedly  expressed  my  belief,  that 
many  prophecies  respecting  the  spread  and 
glory  of  the  kingdom  of  Messiah  upon  earth 


have  not  yet  received  their  full  accomplish- 
ment, and  that  a  time  is  coming  when  many 
(perhaps  the  greater  part  of  mankind)  of  ail 
nations,  and  people,  and  languages,  shall  know 
the  joyful  sound  of  the  gospel,  and  walk  in 
the  light  of  the  Redeemer's  countenance.  At 
present,  I  would  confine  myself  to  consider 
what  ground  the  scripture  aflfords  us  to  hope 
that  there  are  many  of  every  nation,  people, 
and  tongue,  even  now,  singing  this  song  be- 
fore his  throne. 

The  revelations  vouchsafed  to  the  beloved 
disciple  in  Patmos,  exhibit  a  succession  of 
great  events,  extending  (I  suppose)  from  the 
apostles'  days  to  the  end  of  time.  But  while 
only  the  learned  can  so  much  as  attempt  to 
ascertain  from  history  the  dates  and  facts  to 
which  the  prophecies  already  fulfilled  refer, 
or  to  offer  probable  conjectures  concerning 
the  events  as  yet  future  (in  which  the  most 
judicious  commentators  are  far  from  being 
agreed,)  there  are  passages  interspersed 
which  seem  designed  to  administer  consola- 
tion to  plain  believers,  by  representations  suit- 
ed to  raise  their  thoughts  to  the  state  of  the 
church  triumphant.  Though  they  are  unable 
to  explain  the  particulars  of  what  they  read, 
there  is  a  glory  resulting  from  the  whole, 
which  animates  their  hope  and  awakens 
their  joy.  Of  this  kind  I  think  is  that  vision, 
(Rev.  vii.  9,  ad  Jincm,)  in  which  the  apostle 
saw  the  servants  of  God,  who  were  sealed  in 
their  foreheads,  in  number  a  hundred  and 
forty-four  thousand  ;  and  besides  these  a  great 
multitude  which  no  man  could  number,  of  all 
nations  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues, 
stood  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb, 
clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  ip  their 
hands,  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying, 
"  Salvation  to  our  God,  which  sitteth  upon 
the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamb,"  &c.  I  confess 
myself  unable  to  expound  this  sublime  pas- 
sage, and  to  give  the  full  or  even  the  prin- 
cipal sense  of  it  with  certainty.  But  that  it 
has  some  reference  to  what  is  now  passing 
within  the  vail,  which  hides  the  unseen  world 
from  our  view,  I  cannot  doubt.  I  propose  my 
thoughts  upon  it  with  caution  and  diffidence. 
I  dare  not  speak  with  that  certainty  which  I 
feel  myself  warranted  to  use,  when  I  set  be- 
fore you  from  scripture  the  great  truths  which 
are  essential  to  a  life  of  faith  in  the  Son  of 
God;  yet  I  hope  to  advance  nothing  that  is 
contrary  to  scripture,  or  to  any  deductions 
fairly  and  justly  drawn  from  it. 

Having  premised  this  acknowledgment  of 
my  incompetence  to  decide  positively,  I  ven- 
ture to  say,  that  by  the  hundred  and  forty- 
four  thousand  sealed  in  their  foreheads  (a  de- 
finite for  an  indefinite  number,  which  is  fre- 
quent in  scripture  language,)  I  understand 
those,  who,  living  to  mature  age,  and  where 
the  gospel  is  afforded,  are  enabled  to  make  a 
public  and  visible  profe.ssion  of  religion,  and 
are  marked  as  it  were  in  their  forelieads,  and 


880 


TPIE  SONG  OF 


THE  REDEEMED.  [ser.  xlvhi. 


know  to  whom  they  beloiif'',  by  their  open  and 
habitual  separation  fromtiie  spiritand  customs 
of  the  world  which  lieth  in  wickedness.  And 
the  exceedintr  preat  multitude,  contradistin- 
guished from  these,  I  conceive  to  be  those  who 
are  elsewhere  styled  the  Lord's  hidden  ones ; 
and  that  these  are  a  great  multitude  indeed, 
gathered  by  him,  who  knows  them  that  are 
his,  out  of  all  nations,  and  kiuidreds,  and  peo- 
ple, and  tongues.  I  may  distribute  them  into 
the  following  classes — 

1.  Infants. — I  think  it  at  least  highly  pro- 
bable, that  when  our  Lord  says,  "  Suffer  little 
children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them 
not,  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven," 
(Matt.  xix.  14,)  he  does  not  only  intimate  the 
necessity  of  our  becoming  like  little  children 
in  simplicity,  as  a  qualification  without  which 
(as  he  expressly  declares  in  other  places)  we 
cannot  enter  into  his  kingdom,  but  informs 
us  of  a  fact,  that  the  number  of  infants  who 
are  effectually  redeemed  to  God  by  his  blood, 
so  greatly  exceeds  the  aggregate  number  of 
adult  believers,  that,  comparatively  speaking, 
his  kingdom  may  be  said  to  consist  of  little 
children.  The  apostle  speaks  of  them  as  not 
having  "sinned  atler the  similitude  of  Adam's 
transgression,"  (Rom.  v.  14,)  that  is,  with  the 
consent  of  their  understanding  and  will.  And 
when  he  says,  "  We  must  all  appear  before 
the  judgment  seat  of  Christ,"  he  adds,  "that 
every  man  may  give  an  account  of  what  he 
has  done  in  the  body,  whether  it  be  good  or 
bad,"  2  Cor.  v.  10.  But  children  who  die  in 
their  mfancy  have  not  done  any  thing  in  the 
body,  either  good  or  bad.  It  is  true,  they  are 
by  nature  evil,  and  must,  if  saved,  be  the 
subjects  of  a  supernatural  change.  And 
though  we  cannot  conceive  how  this  change 
is  to  be  wrought,  yet  I  suppose  few  are  so 
rash  as  to  imagine  it  impossible  that  any  in- 
fants can  be  saved.  The  same  power  that 
produces  this  change  in  some,  can  produce  it 
in  all;  and  therefore  I  am  willing  to  believe, 
till  the  scripture  forbids  me,  that  infants  of  all 
nations  and  kindreds,  without  exception,  who 
die  before  they  are  capable  of  sinning  after 
the  similitude  of  Adam's  transgression,  who 
have  done  nothing  in  the  body  of  which  they 
can  give  an  account,  are  included  in  the  elec- 
tion of  grace.  They  are  born  for  a  better 
world  than  this;  they  just  enter  this  state  of 
tribulation;  they  quickly  pass  through  it; 
their  robes  are  washed  white  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb,  and  they  are  admitted,  for  his  sake, 
before  the  throne.  Should  I  be  asked  to  draw 
the  line,  to  assign  the  age  at  which  children 
begin  to  be  accountable  for  actual  sin,  it  would 
give  me  no  pain  to  confess  my  ignorance. — ' 
The  Lord  knoweth. 

2.  A  people  hidden  among  the  most  de- 
generate communities,  civil  or  ecclesiastical, 
that  bear  the  name  of  Christian  ;  where  ig- 
norance and  superstition,  or  errors,  which, 
though  more  refined,  are  no  less  contrary  to  | 


the  gospel,  have  a  prevailing  dominion  and 
influence.  What  can  be  more  dej)lorable,  in 
the  view  of  an  enlightened  and  benevolent 
mind,  than  the  general  state  of  the  Roman 
and  Greek  churches !  where  the  traditions, 
inventions,  and  doctrines  of  men,  a  train  of 
pompous  and  burdensome  ceremonies,  a  de- 
pendence upon  masses,  penance,  and  pilgrim- 
ages, upon  legends  and  fictitious  saints, 
form  the  principal  features  of  the  public  re- 
ligion. Many  nations  are  involved  in  this 
gross  darkness,  but  they  are  not  wholly  des- 
titute of  the  scripture;  some  portions  of  it 
are  interwoven  with  their  authorized  forms 
of  worship ;  and  we  cannot  with  reason  doubt 
but  a  succession  of  individuals  among  them 
have  been  acquainted  with  the  life  and  power 
of  true  godliness,  notwithstanding  the  disad- 
vantages and  prejudices  of  their  education. 
There  are  likewise  amongst  Protestants 
schemes  of  doctrines,  supported  by  learning 
and  by  numbers,  which  are  not  more  conform- 
able to  the  standard  of  the  New  Testament 
than  the  grossest  errors  of  Popery ;  and  yet 
here  and  there  persons  may  be  met  with, 
who,  by  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  en- 
abling them  to  understand  the  scriptures,  are 
made  wiser  than  their  teachers;  and  who, 
though  still  fettered  by  some  mistakes  and 
prejudices,  give  evidence  in  the  main,  that 
their  hopes  are  fixed  upon  the  only  atone- 
ment, that  they  are  redeemed  to  God,  and 
are  partakers  of  that  faith  which  worketh  by 
love,  purifies  the  heart,  and  overcometh  the 
world. 

3.  I  will  go  one  step  farther.  The  infer- 
ences that  have  been  made  by  some  persons 
from  the  apostle  Peter's  words,  that  "  God  is 
no  respecter  of  persons,  but  in  every  nation, 
he  that  feareth  him,  and  worketh  righteous- 
ness, is  accepted  with  him,"  (Acts  x.  34,  35,) 
are,  undoubtedly,  rash  and  unscriptural.  They 
would  conclude  from  thence,  that  it  is  of  lit- 
tle importance  what  people  believe,  provided 
they  are  sincere  in  their  way  ;  that  the  idola- 
trous Heathens,  even  the  most  savage  of 
them,  whose  devotion  is  cruelty,  who  pollute 
their  worship  with  human  blood,  and  live  in 
the  practice  of  vices  disgraceful  to  humanity, 
are  in  a  very  safe  state,  because  they  act,  as 
it  is  supposed,  according  to  their  light.  "But 
if  the  light  which  is  in  them  be  darkness, 
how  great  is  that  darkness !"  Such  a  lax 
candour  as  this  tends  to  make  the  gospel  un- 
necessary ;  if  they  who  have  it  not  are  there- 
fore excusable,  though  they  neither  love  nor 
fear  God,  and  live  in  open  violation  of  the 
law  of  their  nature.  The  declaration,  that 
"  Without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the 
Lord,"  (Heb.  xii.  14,)  holds  universally,  and 
without  a  single  exception.  But  if  we  sup- 
pose a  Heathen,  destitute  of  the  means  of 
grace,  by  which  conversion  is  usually  wrought, 
to  be  brought  to  a  sense  of  his  misery,  of  the 
emptiness  and  vanity  of  worldly  things,  to  a 


SFB.  XLII.J 


THE  CHORUS  OF  ANGELS. 


3S1 


conviction  that  he  cannot  be  happy  without 
the  favour  of  the  great  Lx)rJ  of  the  world,  to 
a  feeling  of  guilt,  and  a  des-ire  of  mercy;  and 
that  though  he  has  no  explicit  knowledge  of 
a  Saviour,  he  directs  the  cry  of  his  heart  to 
the  unknown  Supreme  to  this  purport,  "  Ens 
entium,  miserere  mei.  Father  and  source  of 
beings,  have  mercy  upon  me !" — who  will 
prove  that  such  views  and  desires  can  arise 
in  the  heart  of  a  sinner,  without  the  energy 
of  that  Spirit  which  Jesus  is  exalted  to  be- 
stow ]  Who  will  take  upon  him  to  say,  that 
his  blood  has  not  sufficient  efficacy  to  redeem 
to  God  a  sinner  who  is  thus  disposed,  though 
he  has  never  heard  of  his  name  ?  Or  who  has 
a  warrant  to  affirm,  that  the  supposition  I 
have  made  is,  in  the  nature  of  things,  impos- 
eible  to  be' realized !  But  I  stop — 1  do  not 
often  amuse  you  with  conjecture.  And 
though  for  want  of  express  warrant  from 
scripture,  I  dare  not  give  the  sentiments  I 
have  now  offered,  a  stronger  name  tlian  pro- 
bable, or  conjectural,  I  hope  I  do  not  propose 
them  for  your  amusement.  They  will  prove 
to  your  advantage  and  my  own,  if  they  are 
helpful  to  guard  us  against  a  narrow,  harsh, 
and  dogmatical  spirit;  and  if,  without  abating 
our  reverend  submission  to  the  revealed  will 
of  God,  they  have  a  tendency  to  confirm  our 
views  of  his  goodness,  and  the  power  and 
compassions  of  the  great  Redeemer. 

I   


SERMON  XLIX. 

THE  CHORUS  OF  ANGELS. 

Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to  re- 
ceive power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and 

■i  strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and 
blessing .' — Rev.  v.  12. 

It  was  a  good  report  which  the  queen  of 
Sheba  heard,  in  her  own  land,  of  the  wisdom 
and  glory  of  Solomon.  It  lessened  her  at- 
tachment to  home,  and  prompted  her  to  un- 
dertake a  long  journey  to  visit  this  greater 
kmg,  of  whom  she  had  heard  so  much.  She 
went,  and  she  was  not  disappointed.  Great 
as  the  expectations  were  which  she  had 
formed  from  the  relation  made  her  by  others, 
they  fell  short  of  what  she  saw  and  heard 
herself,  when  she  was  admitted  into  his 
presence.  Good,  likewise,  is  the  report  of 
the  gospel.  It  has  a  powerful  effect  upon 
those  who  receive  it  by  faith.  It  is  abund- 
antly sufficient  to  convince  them  of  the  com- 
parative insignificance  of  all  that  they  most 
admired  and  esteemed  in  this  world.  From 
that  hour  they  become  strangers  and  pil- 
grims upon  earth.  They  set  out,  in  the  way 
which  God  has  prescribed,  in  hopes  of  seeing 
him  who  is  greater  than  Solomon ;  and  the 


report  they  have  heard  of  him  is  their  sub- 
ject, their  song,  and  their  joy,  while  they  are 
on  their  journey,  and  their  great  support, 
under  the  difficulties  they  meet  with  on  the 
road.  What  then  will  it  be  to  see  him  as  he 
is  1  As  yet,  the  one  half  is  not  told  them.  Or 
at  least  they  are  not  yet  capable  of  conceiv- 
ing the  half,  or  the  thousandth  part,  of  what 
they  read  in  the  scripture,  concerning  his 
wisdom,  his  glory,  and  his  grace.  We  weak- 
en, rather  than  enlarge,  the  sense  of  such  a 
passage  as  this,  by  our  feeble  comments.  We 
must  die  before  we  can  understand  it.  To 
the  bulk  of  mankind,  "  Wait  the  great 
teacher  death,"  is  cold,  is  dangerous  advice. 
If  they  are  not  taught  by  the  gospel  while 
they  live,  the  teaching  of  death  will  be  too 
late.  Dreadful  will  be  the  condition  of  those 
who  cannot  be  convinced  of  their  mistakes, 
till  repentance  and  amendment  will  be  im- 
practicable. But  death  will  be  a  great  teacher, 
indeed,  to  a  believer;  he  will  then  know  more 
by  a  glance,  and  in  a  moment,  of  the  happi- 
ness he  is  now  expecting,  than  by  all  he 
could  collect  from  the  inquiry  and  experience 
of  a  long  course  of  years  in  this  world. 

The  scenery  of  this  chapter,  if  attentively 
considered,  is  sufficient  to  snatch  our  thoughts 
from  tlie  little  concernments  of  time,  and  to 
give  us  some  anticipation  of  the  employments 
and  enjoyments  of  heaven.  Come,  all  ye  that 
are  wearied  and  burdened  with  afflictions  and 
temptations,  look  up,  and  for  a  while,  at  least, 
forget  your  sorrows !  The  Lamb  is  upon  his 
throne,  surrounded  by  a  multitude  of  his  re- 
deemed people,  who  once  were  afflicted  and 
burdened  like  yourselves ;  but  now  all  tears 
are  wiped  from  their  eyes.  They  have  a  song 
peculiarly  their  own,  and  are  represented  as 
taking  the  first  and  leading  part  in  worship 
and  praise.  The  angels  cannot  sing  their 
song,  they  were  not  redeemed  to  God  by  his 
blood ;  but  they  are  interested  in  the  subject. 
Their  highest  views  of  the  manifold  wisdom 
of  God  are  derived  from  the  wonders  of  re- 
demption. Therefore  they  join  in  the  chorus, 
"  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to  re- 
ceive power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and 
strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  bless- 
ing." If  you  have  a  humble  hope  of  bearing 
a  part  in  this  immortal  song,  will  you  hang 
down  your  heads  like  a  bulrush,  because  you 
have  the  honour  of  following  your  Lord 
through  many  tribulations  to  his  kingdom  ? 

The  number  of  the  angels  is  expressed 
indefinitely,  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand, 
and  thousands  of  thousands;  myriads,  and 
millions;  to  intimate  to  us,  that,  with  respect 
to  our  capacities  and  conceptions,  they  are 
innumerable.  Their  number  is  known  to  him 
who  telleth  the  number  of  the  stars  and  call- 
eth  them  all  by  their  names,  (Psalm  cxlvii. 
4,)  and  to  him  only.  The  scripture  intimates 
a  diversity  of  ranks  and  orders  among  them. 
Thrones,  dominions,  principalities,  and  pow- 


382 


TIIE  CHORUS  OP  ANGELS. 


[SER.  XLIX. 


ers ;  but  as  to  particulars,  there  is  little  said 
that  iTiig-ht  gratify  our  curiosity.  It  is  enoug  h 
for  us  to  know,  that  the  highest  of  them,  and 
that  all  of  tiiern,  worship  him  who  is  clothed 
in  our  nature.  My  text  expressly  informs  us, 
that  the  object  of  their  worship  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain.  Not  that  the  humanity  of 
Christ,  which  is  but  a  creature,  is  simply  and 
formally,  the  object  of  their  worship;  but 
they  worship  him  who  has  assumed  the  hu- 
man nature  into  personal  union  with  him- 
self; God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  God  in 
Christ.  Though  the  world  censure  or  de- 
spise us  for  honouring  the  Son  as  we  honour 
the  Father,  (John  v.  23,)  we  have  here  a 
good  precedent,  as  we  have  in  many  places 
of  scripture,  the  warrant  of  an  express  com- 
mand. Whether  men  are  pleased  or  not,  we 
will,  we  must,  worship  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain.  To  animate  our  devotion,  let  us  thank- 
fully consider,  Why  he  was  slain,  and  How 
he  was  slain. 

L  Why  he  was  slain. — The  redeemed  say. 
For  us.  "  He  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from 
our  sins  in  his  own  blood,"  Rev.  i.  5.  They 
were  sinners  and  enemies ;  they  were  slaves 
to  sin  and  Satan ;  yet  he  loved  them,  and 
died  to  redeem  them.  It  is  by  virtue  of  his 
blood  and  death  that  they  are  now  before  the 
throne.  Nothing  less  tiian  his  death  could 
have  made  them  duly  sensible  of  their  misery, 
nothing  less  could  have  relieved  them  from  it. 
He  was  lifted  up  upon  the  cross,  that  by  the 
powerful  magnetism  of  his  dying  love,  he 
might,  in  the  hour  of  his  grace,  draw  their 
hearts  to  himself,  John  xii.  82.  This  was  the 
design,  this  was  the  effectof  his  sufferings.  A 
crucified  Saviour,  though  a  stumbling-block  to 
the  self-righteous,  and  foolishness  to  vain  rea- 
soners,  was  to  them  the  power  and  the  wisdom 
of  God  for  salvation.  They  looked  unto  him, 
and  were  enlightened  ;  they  trusted  in  him, 
and  were  not  ashamed.  By  faith  in  his  name, 
they  obtained  peace  with  God,  they  re- 
nounced the  ways  of  sin,  they  warred  the 
good  warfare,  they  overcame  the  world,  and 
were  at  length  made  more  than  conquerors. 
For  his  sake  they  endured  the  cross,  and  de- 
spised the  shame.  They  met  with  bad  treat- 
ment from  the  world,  but  it  was  from  the 
world  that  crucified  him.  While  they  were 
here  their  characters  were  obscured  by  their 
own  imperfections,  and  by  the  misrepresenta- 
tions and  reproaches  of  their  enemies.  But 
now  their  reproach  is  removed,  and  they 
shine,  each  one  like  the  sun,  in  the  kingdom 
of  their  Father,  Matt.  xiii.  43.  What  an  im- 
mense constellation  of  suns  !  This  their  full 
salvation  was  the  joy  set  before  him,  for  the 
sake  of  which  he  became  obedient  unto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross.  And  now  they 
see  him  as  he  is,  they  ascribe  all  their  vic- 
tories and  iionours  to  him,  and  unite  in  one 
song  of  eadless  praise  to  tlie  Lamb  that  was 
slain. 


II.  Their  praises  are  heightened,  when 
they  consider,  How  he  was  slain.  He  did 
not  die  a  natural  death.  He  was  slain.  Nor 
did  he  fall  like  a  hero,  by  an  honourable  wound 
in  the  field  of  battle.  The  impression  which 
the  death  of  the  late  General  Wolfe  made 
upon  the  public,  is  not  yet  quite  forgotten. 
He  conquered  for  us,  but  it  cost  him  his  life. 
But  he  died  honourably,  and  was  lamented  by 
liis  country.  Not  so  the  Lamb  of  God.  He 
died  the  death  of  a  slave,  of  a  malefactor. 
Cruelty,  malice,  and  contempt,  combined  to 
give  his  sufferings  every  possible  aggravation. 
And  after  he  was  slain,  very  few  laid  it  to 
heart.  The  world  went  on  as  it  did  before, 
as  though  nothing  extraordinary  had  happen- 
ed. But  on  this  dark  ground  the  perlt?ction3 
of  God  were  displayed  in  their  fullest  lustre; 
and  they  are  the  perfections  of  the  great  Re- 
deemer, and  therefore  distinctly  ascribed  to 
him  by  the  angels  in  the  words  which  follow 
— "Power  and  wisdom,  and  riches,  and 
strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  bless- 
ing." 

Though  each  of  these  words  have  a  distinct 
sense,  a  nicety  in  defining  them,  and  stating 
their  precise  meaning  is  of  less  importance 
than  to  feel  the  combined  efficacy  of  them  all, 
to  impress  our  hearts  with  sentiments  of  re- 
verence, confidence  and  Jove.  The  fulness 
of  expression  may  teach  us,  that  every  kind 
of  excellence  is  the  indubitable  right  and 
possession  of  the  Lamb  that  was  slain.  He 
is  worthy  to  have  them  all  attributed  to  him 
in  the  most  absolute  sense,  and  consequently 
worthy  of  our  adoration,  dependence,  and ' 
praise. 

1.  Power. — It  is  spoken  once,  yea,  twice 
we  have  heard  the  same,  that  power  belongeth 
unto  God,  Ps.  Ixii.  11.  It  belongeth  to  him 
eminently  and  exclusively.  All  the  power 
of  creatures  is  derived  from  him.  Such  is 
the  power  of  the  Lamb.  He  styles  himself 
0  ir«i.Toxe«T»,^,  the  Omnipotent,  the  Upholder 
and  Possessor  of  all  things.  Rev.  i.  8,  11. 
He  exerciseth  this  power  in  the  human 
nature,  Matt,  xxviii.  18.  He  doth  what 
he  pleaseth  in  the  armies  of  heaven,  and 
among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  (Dan.  iv. 
3-5 ;)  and  none  can  stay  his  band,  or  say  unto 
him.  What  doest  thou?  He  has,  therefore, 
all  sufficiency,  and  uncontrollable  authority, 
for  the  discharge  of  his  office,  as  the  Mediator 
and  head  of  his  church.  The  divine  perfec- 
tions being  infinite,  are  not  distinct  in  them- 
selves, though  tiie  scripture,  in  condescension 
to  our  weakness,  authorizes  us  to  speak  of 
them  as  distinn-uisliable.  God  is  one.  And 
the  power  which  can  preserve  and  govern 
tiie  world,  involves  in  the  idea  of  it  every 
other  excellence,  which  is  separately  men- 
tioned in  this  passage. 

2.  Wisdom. — He  is  the  only  wise  God,  and 
our  Saviour,  Jude  25.  His  knowledge  is  per- 
fect, his  plan  is  perfect.    In  himself  he  is 


SER.  XLIX.1 


THE  CHORUS 


OF  ANGELS. 


383 


essentially  the  wisdom  of  God,  (Prov.  viii.  22,) 
and  he  is  our  wisdom,  1  Cor.  i.  30.  It  is  life 
eternal  to  know  tlie  only  true  God,  (John  xvii. 
3,)  and  therefore  it  is  life  eternal  to  know 
Jesus  Christ  whom  he  hath  sent.  For  he  is 
the  only  way,  and  the  only  door  to  this  know- 
ledge ;  no  one  can  come  unto  God,  or  attain 
to  any  just  conceptions  of  him,  but  in  and  by 
the  Son  of  his  love,  who  so  perfectly  repre- 
sents God  to  us,  is  so  completely  the  bright- 
ness of  his  glory,  and  the  express  image  of 
his  person,  that  whoso  hath  seen  him,  hath 
seen  the  Father,  John  xiv.  9.  By  him  is 
opened  to  us  the  unsearchable  wisdom  of  the 
divine  counsels,  particularly  in  the  great 
work  of  redemption.  "No  one  hath  seen 
God  at  any  time ;  the  only  begotten  Son,  who 
is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath  reveal- 
ed him,"  John  i.  18.  It  is  by  wisdom  com- 
municated from  him,  that  his  people  are  made 
wise  unto  salvation.  Though  there  are  few 
scholars  and  philosophers  among  them,  and 
many  of  them  are  despised  for  their  igno- 
rance and  weakness,  yet  in  truth  they  have 
all  a  good  understanding,  for  they  know  the 
Lord  and  his  will;  they  know  wherein  their 
proper  happiness  consists,  and  how  it  is  to  be 
obtained.  They  are  instructed  how  to  walk 
and  to  please  God,  how  to  bear  afflictions 
with  patience,  and  to  meet  death  with  com- 
posure. This  wisdom  is  far  superior  to  that 
of  the  schools.  But  he  bestows  and  maintains 
it.  The  eyes  of  their  mind  are  opened,  and 
they  see  by  his  light;  but  they  have  no 
light  of  their  own,  or  in  them.selves.  They 
wait  upon  him  for  direction  in  every  diffi- 
culty, for  the  solution  of  every  hard  question 
which  perplexes  their  spirits ;  and  he  makes 
the  crooked  straight,  teaches  them  to  avoid 
the  snares  that  are  laid  for  them,  or  extricates 
them  when  entangled.  Therefore  in  time, 
and  to  eternity,  they  will  admire  and  adore 
his  wisdom. 

3.  Riches. — All  the  stores  of  mercy,  grace, 
and  comfort,  are  in  him,  as  light  in  the  sun, 
or  water  in  the  ocean.  The  apostle,  speak- 
ing of  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  (Eph. 
iii.  8,)  gives  us  the  idea  of  a  mine,  the  height, 
length,  depth,  and  breadth  of  which  cannot 
be  investigated,  nor  the  immense  wealth  it 
contains  exhausted.  Of  this  fulness  the  poor 
are  invited  to  receive  freely,  and  multitudes 
from  age  to  age  have  been  enriched,  and  the 
treasure  is  still  undiminished.  None  are  sent 
away  empty ;  and  when  all  have  been  sup- 
plied, it  will  be  full  as  at  first. 

4.  Strength. — That  energy  and  efficacy  of 
his  power,  by  which  he  accomplishes  his  holy 
purpo.ses.  Who  can  conceive  of  this  ?  How 
just  is  the  psalmist's  reasoning,  "  He  that 
formed  the  eye,  shall  not  he  seel  He  that 
planted  the  ear,  shall  not  he  hear]"  Ps.  xciv. 
9.  So  we  may  say,  How  strong  is  he  from 
whom  all  created  strength  is  derived,  and  be- 
fore whom  the  strength  of  all  creatures,  if 


collected  into  one  effort,  would  be  as  chaff 
before  the  whirlwind  !  The  Lord  of  all  p  iv\  er 
and  might  speaks,  and  it  is  done ;  he  com- 
mandeth  and  it  standeth  fast.  Though  the 
waves  of  the  stormy  sea  toss  themselves,  they 
cannot  prevail;  (Ps.  xciii.  3,  4;)  he  checks 
them  in  the  height  of  their  rage,  setting 
bounds  to  their  violence  which  they  cannot 
pass,  saying,  "Hitherto  shalt  thou  come  and 
no  farther,  and  here  shall  thy  proud  billows 
be  stayed,"  Job  xxxviii.  10,  11.  With  equal 
sovereignty,  certainty,  and  ease,  he  rules  over 
moral  agents.  He  formed  the  heart  of  man, 
and  he  can  fill  it  with  terror  or  with  comfort 
in  a  moment,  in  any  assignable  circumstances. 
He  can  make  it  happy  in  a  dungeon,  (Acts 
xvi.  2.5,)  or  impress  it  with  dismay  and  de- 
spair upon  a  throne,  Dan.  v.  5,  6.  All  hearts 
are  thus  incessantly  under  his  influence.  And 
the  hedsre  of  his  promise  and  protection  sur- 
rounds those  who  trust  in  him,  as  with  moun- 
tains, and  walls  of  brass  and  lire,  impenetra- 
ble to  the  assaults  of  the  powers  of  darkness, 
unless  so  far  as  he,  for  wise  and  holy  ends,  is 
pleased  to  give  permission.  With  the  arm 
of  his  strength  he  upholdeth  them  that  are 
falling,  and  raiseth  up  tliem  that  are  bowed 
down,  (Ps.  cxlv.  14,)  and  is,  in  one  and  the 
same  instant,  a  present  and  inmiediate  help 
in  trouble  to  all  who  call  upon  him,  Ps.  xlvi. 
1.  Therefore  they  that  abide  under  his 
shadow  are  safe ;  they  pass  unhurt  through 
floods  and  flames,  because  their  Redeemer  is 
strong.  And  when,  in  defiance  of  all  their 
enemies  he  has  brought  them  together  in  his 
heavenly  kingdom,  they  will,  with  one  con- 
sent, ascribe  unto  the  Lord  glory  and  strength. 

5.  Honour. — He  is  the  fountain  of  it.  All 
the  honour  of  his  creatures,  and  of  his  people, 
is  from  him;  as  the  sun  beautifies  and  gilds 
the  objects  he  shines  upon,  which,  without 
him  are  opaque  and  obscure.  Because  his  peo- 
ple are  precious  in  his  sight,  they  are  honour- 
able. He  clothes  them  with  the  garments 
of  salvation,  covers  them  with  a  robe  of  righ- 
teousness as  a  bridegroom  decketli  himself 
with  ornaments,  and  as  a  bride  adorneth  her- 
self with  jewels,  Is.  Ixi.  10.  But  who  can 
speak  of  his  own  inherent  honour,  as  God- 
man  and  Mediator!  We  must  wait  till  we 
see  him,  without  a  cloud  or  vail,  receiving 
the  homage  and  adoration  of  angels  and  men. 
For  as  yet  the  one-half  cannot  be  told  us. 
Then,  however,  it  will  be  universally  known, 
that  he  who  possesses  the  fulness  of  wisdom 
and  power,  riches  and  strength,  is  worthy  to 
receive  all  honour.  Ah!  how  different  will 
he  then  appear,  from  that  humble  form  he 
once  assumed,  when,  for  our  sakes,  he  was  a 
man  of  sorrows,  despised,  rejected,  and  nailed 
to  the  ignominious  cross! 

6.  Glory. — The  manifestation  of  God,  that 
by  which  he  is  known  and  magnified,  in  the 
view  of  finite  intelligences:  the  result,  the 
combined  effulgence  of  his  holiness,  grace 


384 


THE  CHORUS  OF  ANGELS. 


[SER,  XUX. 


wisdom,  truth,  and  love:  this  is  his  glory, 
and  this  glory  is  revealed  and  displayed  in 
Christ.  He  is  glorious  in  his  works  of  crea- 
tion and  providence,  but  these  do  not  fully  ex- 
hibit his  ciiaracter.  But  in  the  Lamb  upon 
the  throne  sliines  his  glory,  full-orbed.  And 
all  in  heaven,  and  all  in  earth,  who  behold  it, 
take  up  the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb, 
"Who  is  like  tmto  thee,  O  Lord?  Who  is 
like  unto  thee,  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in 
praises,  doing  wonders ! — Great  and  mar- 
vellous are  thy  works.  Lord  God  Almighty ! 
just  and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou  King  of 
saints!"  Exod.  xv.  11 ;  Rev.  xv.  3. 

7.  Blessing. — He  is  the  author  of  all  bless- 
ings, of  all  the  happiness  and  good  which  his 
people  receive,  and  he  is  the  deserved  object 
of  their  universal  praise.  The  different  senses 
in  which  we  use  the  word  blessing,  taken  to- 
gether, may  express  that  intercourse  or  com- 
munion which  is  between  the  head  and  the 
mystical  members  of  his  body.  He  blesses 
them  etTectually  with  the  light  of  his  counte- 
nance, vv^ith  liberty,  grace,  and  peace.  He 
blesses  them  daily.  His  mercies  are  renewed 
to  them  every  morning.  He  will  bless  them 
eternally.  Blessed  are  the  people  who  have 
this  Lord  for  their  God.  They  can  make 
him  no  suitable  returns,  yet  in  their  way  they 
bless  him.  They  admire,  adore,  and  praise 
him.  They  call  upon  all  the  powers  of  their 
souls  to  bless  him.  They  proclaim  his  good- 
ness, and  that  he  is  worthy  to  receive  the  as- 
cription of  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom, 
and  strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and 
blessing.  In  proportion  to  their  attainments 
in  this  delightful  exercise  of  worship,  love, 
and  gratitude,  they  enjoy  a  heaven  upon 
earth;  and  to  stand  before  him  continually, 
to  behold  his  glory,  to  live  under  the  uncloud- 
ed beams  of  his  favour,  and  to  be  able  to  bless 
and  praise  him  as  they  ought,  without  weari- 
ness, abatement,  interruption,  or  end,  is  what 
they  mean  when  they  speak  of  the  heaven 
they  hope  for  hereafter.  Such  is  the  blessed- 
ness of  those  who  have  already  died  in  the 
Lord.  They  see  his  face,  they  drink  of  the 
rivers  of  pleasure  which  are  at  his  right  hand, 
they  cast  down  their  crowns  before  him,  and 
say,  thou  art  wortliy. — Let  us  not  be  slothful, 
(Heb.  vi.  12,)  but  followers  of  them  who, 
through  faith  and  patience,  have  finished  their 
course,  and  are  entered  into  the  joy  of  their 
Lord. 

Of  all  this  glory  and  honour  the  scripture 
declares  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  be  wor- 
thy. Wisdom,  riches,  and  strength,  are  his. 
His  power  is  infinite,  his  authority  supreme. 
He  is  the  autiior  and  giver  of  all  good.  He 
has  life  in  himself,  and  he  is  the  life  of  all 
that  live ;  the  Lord  and  Head  of  the  church 
and  of  the  universe.  Can  language  express, 
or  can  heart  conceive,  a  higher  ascription 
and  acknowledgment  than  this?  Can  all  this 
be  due  to  a  creature  1  to  one  of  a  derived  I 


and  dependent  character?  Then  surely  the 
scripture  would  have  a  direct  tendency  to 
promote  idolatry.  Far  be  the  thought  from 
us!  The  scripture  teaches  us  the  know- 
ledge of  the  true  God,  and  the  worship  due 
to  him.  Therefore  Messiah,  the  Lamb  that 
was  slain,  is  the  true  God,  the  proper  and 
immediate  object  of  the  worship  of  angels  and 
of  men. 

Let  us  therefore  take  up  a  lamentation 
for  those  who  slight  tlie  glorious  Redeemer, 
and  refuse  him  the  honour  due  to  his  name. 
Their  mistake  should  excite,  not  our  anger 
or  scorn,  but  our  pity  and  prayers.  Are 
there  any  such  amongst  us?  Alas,  my  fel- 
low-sinners, you  know  not  what  you  do ! 
Alas !  you  know  him  not,  nor  do  you  know 
yourselves.  I  am  well  aware  that  a  thou- 
sand arguments  of  mine  will  not  persuade 
you ;  but  I  can  simply  tell  you  what  would 
soon  make  you  at  least  desirous  of  adopting 
our  sentiments  upon  this  subject.  If  he  who 
has  that  power  over  the  heart  which  I  have 
been  speaking  of,  was  pleased  to  give  you 
this  moment  a  sense  of  the  holiness  and  au- 
thority of  God,  and  of  your  conduct  towards 
him  as  his  creatures,  your  strongest  objec- 
tions to  the  high  honours  we  attribute  to  the 
Saviour  would  this  moment  fall  to  the 
ground,  and  you  would  be  immediately  con- 
vinced, that  either  Jesus  Christ  is  the  true 
God  and  eternal  life,  or  that  you  must  perish. 
You  would  no  longer  expect  mercy  but  m  a 
way  perfectly  consonant  with  the  righteous- 
ness and  truth  of  God  declared  in  his  word, 
and  with  the  honour  and  purity  of  his  moral 
government.  This  would  lead  you  to  per- 
ceive the  necessity  of  an  atonement,  and  tha 
insufficiency  of  any  atonement  but  that  which 
the  Lamb  of  God  has  made  by  the  sacrifice  of 
himself,  (Heb.  ix.  26,)  and  that  the  efficacy 
even  of  his  mediation  depends  upon  his  di- 
vine character.  The  scriptural  doctrines  of 
the  depravity  of  man,  the  malignity  of  sin, 
the  eternal  power  and  Godhead  of  the  Sa- 
viour, the  necessity  and  efficacy  of  his  media- 
tion, and  the  inevitable,  extreme,  and  endlesa 
misery  of  those  who  finally  reject  him,  are  so 
closely  connected,  that  if  the  first  be  rightly 
understood,  it  will  open  the  rnuid  to  the  re- 
ception of  the  rest.  But  till  the  first  ba 
known  and  felt,  the  importance  and  certainty 
of  the  others  will  be  suspected,  if  not  openly 
denied. 

Though  the  doctrines  I  have  enumerated 
are,  in  these  sceptical  day.s,  too  generally  dis- 
puted and  contradicted,  I  am  fully  confident 
that  it  is  impossible  to  demonstrate  them  to 
be  false.  Upon  the  lowest  supposition,  there- 
fore, they  possibly  may  be  true ;  and  the 
consequences  depending  upon  them,  if  they 
should  be  found  true  at  last,  are  so  vastly  mo- 
mentous, that  even  the  peradventure,  the  pos- 
sibility of  their  truth,  renders  them  deserving 
of  your  most  serious  consideration.  Trifle 


SEU.  li.] 


THE  UNIVERSAL  CHORUS. 


885 


with  yourselves  nolong-er.  If  they  be  truths, 
they  are  the  truths  of  God.  Upon  the  same 
authority  stands  the  truth  of  that  gracious  pro- 
mise that  he  will  "five  his  Holy  Spirit  to  them 
that  ask  him.  Let  ine  entreat  you  to  make 
the  experiment.  This  is  the  proper  point  to 
betrin  with.  Instead  of  indulging;  reasonings 
and  speculations,  humble  yourselves  before 
tlie  Lord,  and  pray  for  the  light  and  influence 
which  he  has  said  he  will  afford  to  them  wlio 
are  willing  to  be  taught.  Read  the  scripture 
with  deliberation,  and  do  not  labour  to  fortify 
yourselves  against  conviction.  Break  off  from 
those  practices,  which  your  own  consciences 
admonish  you  cannot  be  pleasing  to  him  who 
is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity.  Then 
shall  you  know  if  you  will  sincerely  follow  on 
to  know  the  Lord,  Hos.  vi.  'S.  But  if  not, 
if  yon  will,  in  a  spirit  of  levity,  presume  to 
decide  upon  points  which  you  will  not  allow 
yourselves  seriously  to  examine,  sliould  you 
at  last  perish  in  your  obstinacy  and  unbelief, 
your  ruin  will  be  of  yourselves.  You  liave 
been  faithfully  warned,  and  we  shall  be  clear 
of  your  blood. 


SERMON  L. 

THE  UNIVERSAL  CHORUS. 

{And  every  creature  tohich  is  in  heaven,  and 
on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and 
such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in 
them,  heard  I,  sayine^,)  Blessing,  and  ho- 
nour, and  glory,  and  jmwer,  he  unto  him 
thai  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the 
Lamb  for  ever  and  ever .' — Rev.  v.  13. 

Men  have  generally  agreed  to  dignify  their 
presumptuous  and  arrogant  disquisitions  on 
the  works  and  ways  of  God  with  the  name  of 
wisdom,  though  the  principles  upon  which 
they  proceed,  and  the  conclusions  which  they 
draw  from  them,  are  for  the  most  part  evident 
proofs  of  their  depravity  and  folly.  Instead 
of  admiring  tiie  effects  of  his  wisdom  and 
power  in  the  creation,  they  have  rashly  en- 
deavoured to  investigate  the  manner  of  its 
production.  A  variety  of  hypotheses  have 
been  invented  to  account  for  the  formation  of 
the  world,  and  to  state  the  lavv's  by  which  the 
frame  of  nature  is  governed;  and  these  dif- 
ferent and  inconsistent  accounts  have  been 
defended  with  a  magisterial  tone  of  certain- 
ty, and  an  air  of  demonstration,  by  their  re- 
spective authors,  as  though  they  had  been 
bystanders  and  spectators  when  God  spoke 
all  things  into  being,  and  produced  order  out 
of  confusion  by  the  word  of  his  power. 
They  have,  however,  been  much  more  success- 
ful in  showing  the  absurdity  of  the  schemes 
proposed  by  others,  than  in  reconciling  their 
own  to  the  sober  dictates  of  plain  common 
sense. 

Vol.  H.  3  C 


But  if,  by  indulging  their  speculations  on 
the  creation  of  the  world,  the  causes  of  tlie 
deluge,  and  similar  subjects,  their  employ- 
ment has  been  no  better  than  weaving  spi- 
der's webs,  the  result  of  their  reasoning  on 
morals  has  been  much  worse.  Here  they 
have  with  industry  hatched  cockatrice  eggs ; 
(Isa.  li.x.  5;)  and  their  labours  have  been  not 
only  fallacious,  but  mischievous.  Their  me- 
taphysical researches,  while  they  refuse  the 
guidance  of  revelation,  if  pursued  to  their 
just  consequences,  will  always  lead  into  the 
labyrinths  of  scepticism,  weaken  the  sense  of 
moral  obligation,  rob  the  mind  of  the  most 
powerful  motives  of  right  conduct,  and  of  the 
only  consolations  which  can  afford  it  solid 
support  in  an  hour  of  trouble.  One  insuper- 
able difficulty  which  they  will  undertake  to 
solve,  tiiough  it  does  not  properly  lie  in  their 
way,  is  concerning  the  origin  of  evil.  That 
evil  is  in  the  world,  is  felt  and  confessed  uni- 
versally. The  gospel  points  out  an  effec- 
tual method  of  deliverance  from  it;  but  alas, 
the  simple  and  infallible  remedy  is  neglected, 
and  men  weary  themselves  with  vain  in- 
quiries, 

And  find  no  end,  in  wandering^  mazes  lost. 

The  more  they  reason,  the  more  they  involve 
them.selves  in  uncertainty  and  error,  till  at 
last  they  make  lies  their  refuge,  and  adopt, 
with  implicit  credulity,  as  so  many  undoubted 
axioms,  opinions,  which  are  equally  dis- 
honourable to  God,  and  contradictory  to  truth 
and  experience,  2  Thess.  ii.  11.  Thus  much 
is  certain,  that  by  the  occasion  of  evil,  the 
character  of  God  is  manifested  with  superior 
glory  to  the  view  of  angels  and  men,  who  are 
in  a  state  of  holiness  and  allegiance,  and  a 
higher  accent  is  thereby  given  to  their 
praises ;  for  now  his  justice  and  his  mercy, 
which  could  not  have  been  otherwise  known, 
are  revealed  in  the  strongest  light ;  and  the 
redemption  of  sinners  affords  the  brightest  dis- 
play of  his  wisdom  and  love. 

The  redeemed  are  represented  as  taking 
the  first  part  in  this  sublime  song,  verses  8 — 

10.  The  angels  join  in  the  chorus,  verses 

11,  12,  which  now  becomes  universal.  All 
the  angels,  all  the  saints  upon  the  earth,  in 
the  state  of  the  dead,  or  hades,  whether 
their  bodies  are  buried  under  the  earth,  or  iu 
the  sea,  with  one  heart,  aim  and  voice,  unite 
in  worship  and  praise.  In  the  preceding 
verse.  Blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and 
power,  are  ascribed  unto  the  Lamb;  but  here 
the  ascription  is  unto  Him  that  sitteth  upon 
the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb.  I  shall  not 
add  to  what  I  have  already  observed  to  you 
from  the  words  of  the  doxology.  A  few  re- 
marks, which  offer  from  this  verse  taken  in 
connection  with  the  former,  will  bring  me  to 
a  conclusion  of  the  whole  subject.  And  oh  ! 
for  a  coal  of  fire  from  the  heavenly  altar  to 
warm  your  hearts  and  mine,  that  our  love, 


386 


THE  UNm:RSAL  CHORUS. 


[SER.  I. 


joy,  and  gratitude  may  be  awakened  into 
lively  exercise,  and  that  the  close  of  our  me- 
ditations on  the  Messiah  may  leave  us  deeply 
impressed  with  desires  and  well-grounded 
hopes  of  meeting  ere  long  before  the  throne, 
to  join  with  the  angels  and  the  redeemed  in 
singing  tiie  praise  of  God  and  the  Lamb! 

1.  The  Lord  Jesus  is  not  only  the  Head  of 
the  church  redeemed  from  among  men,  but 
of  the  whole  intelligent  creation  that  is  in 
willing  subjection  to  God.  It  belonged  to 
his  great  design  to  gather  together  in  one, 
(to  reduce  under  one  head,  as  the  Greek  ex- 
pression is,)  even  in  himself,  all  things  that 
are  in  heaven  and  upon  earth,  Eph.  i.  10.  He 
is  the  Lord  and  the  life  both  of  angels  and  of 
men.  Mutability  and  dependence  are  essen- 
tial to  the  state  of  creatures,  however  exalted ; 
and  the  angels  in  glory  owe  their  preservation 
and  confirmation  in  holiness  and  happiness  to 
him.  Hence  they  are  styled  the  elect  angels 
(1  Tim.  V.  21,)  in  distinction  from  those  who 
left  their  first  habitation,  and  sunk  into  sin 
and  misery.  Angels  therefore  constitute  a 
branch  of  that  great  family  which  is  named  of 
him  in  heaven  and  earth.  And  having  made 
peace  by  the  blood  of  his  cross,  he  has  etiected 
a  reconciliation,  not  only  between  God  and 
sinners,  but  also  between  angels  and  men. 
Plow  those  inhabitants  of  light  are  disposed 
to  sinful  men,  considered  as  sinful,  we  may 
learn  from  many  passages  of  scripture.  They 
are  devoted  to  God,  filled  with  zeal  for  his 
honour,  and  wait  but  for  his  command  to  exe- 
cute vengeance  upon  his  enemies.  When 
Herod,  infatuated  by  his  pride,  and  by  the 
flattery  of  the  multitude,  received  their  idola- 
trous compliment  with  complacence,  an  angel 
of  the  Lord  smote  him,  because  he  gave  not 
God  the  glory,  Acts  xii.  23.  The  pestilence 
which  destroyed  the  people  towards  the  end 
of  David's  reign,  was  under  the  direction  of 
an  angel  (2  Sara.  xxiv.  16,  17,)  and  David 
saw  him  with  his  arm  stretched  out  against 
Jerusalem.  And  in  this  prophecy  angels  are 
spoken  of  as  employed  in  pouring  forth  the 
vials  of  wrath  upon  the  earth.  And  still  they 
are  ready,  we  may  believe,  to  avenge  their 
Maker's  cause  upon  the  wicked  when  they  are 
commissioned.  And  if  the  history  of  modern 
times  was  written  by  an  inspired  pen,  and 
events,  as  in  the  scriptures,  were  assigned  to 
their  proper  causes,  perhaps  the  death  of  many 
a  haughty  worm  would  be  recorded  in  words 
to  this  effect — "And  an  angel  of  the  Lord 
smote  him,  because  he  gave  not  God  the 
glory."  But,  viewing  sinners  as  the  subjects 
of  redemption,  the  angels  copy  from  their 
Lord.  They  regard  them  with  benevolence, 
and  rejoice  over  every  one  that  repenteth,  Heb. 
i.  14.  They  willingly  attend  on  them,  and 
assist  them,  in  ways  beyond  our  conception. 
They  esteem  believers  in  Jesus  as  their  fellow- 
eervants,  Rev.  xxiL  9.  We  have  reason  to 
think  that  they  are  present  in  our  worship- 


ping assemblies ;  and,  perhaps,  always  so  pre- 
sent, that  they  could  discover  themselves  to  ui 
in  a  moment,  were  it  consistent  with  the  rulea 
of  the  divine  government  established  in  this 
lower  world,  suited  to  the  state  of  those  who 
are  to  walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight.    Thus  far 
however  diff'ering  in  other  respects,  the  angels 
and  the  redeemed  are  united  and  related  in 
one  common  head,  and  have  fellowship  in 
I  worship  and  service.    When  sinners  are  en- 
'  abled  by  grace  to  renounce  this  world,  they 
\  are  admitted  to  an  honourable  alliance  with  a 
j  better. 

n.  From  hence  w-e  may  form  some  judg- 
I  ment  of  the  true  nature  and  high  honour  of 
1  that  spiritual  worship,  which  is  the  privilege 
j  and  glory  of  the  church  of  God  under  the 
'  gospel-dispensation.    When  we  meet  in  the 
I  name  of  Jesus,  as  his  people,  and  with  a  due 
j  observance  of  his  institutions,  we  come  to  the 
innumerable  company  of  angels,  and  to  the 
general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born, 
j  (Heb.  xii.  22,  28,)  the  first-born  ones  (for  the 
expression  is  plural.)  We  draw  nigh  by  faith 
I  to  the  very  gate  of  heaven,  to  the  holiest  of 
all.    Men  unacquainted  with  spirituality,  are 
soon  weary  even  of  the  form  of  worship,  un- 
less their  minds  are  amused  by  a  splendid 
ceremonial.  The  first  rise  and  subsequent  in- 
crease of  that  pomp  and  pageantry,  which  in 
some  countries  has  quite  obscured  the  simpli- 
city and  beauty  of  gospel-worship,  is  to  be  as- 
cribed to  this  indisposition  of  the  human  mind, 
j  Our  thoughts,  while  we  are  in  a  natural  state, 
are  too  weak  and  wavering,  and  too  gross  to 
\  be  pleased  with  a  worship,  in  vi-hich  there  is 
nothing  suited  to  affect  the  imagination  by 
[  sensible  objects.    And  therefore,  when  men 
think  themselves  wise,  and  profess  to  despise 
the  pageantry  which  captivates  the  vulgar, 
their  wisdom  affords  them  no  real  advantage 
j  if  they  have  nothing  better  to  substitute  in  thp 
room  of  whatthey  reject  as  insignificant.  The 
very  appearance  of  devotion  will  languish 
they  will  grow  remiss,  and  neglect  the  sabbath 
and  public  assemblies,  for  want  of  something 
to  keep  up  their  attention.    We  have  abun- 
dant proof  of  this  in  our  own  land,  and  at 
this  time.    Protestants  pride  themselves  in 
not  being  Papists ;  but,  when  the  Protestant 
religion  is  understood  to  mean  no  more  than 
a  renunciation  of  the  superstitious  ceremonies 
of  the  church  of  Rome,  it  is,  with  respect  to 
individuals,  little,  if  at  all,  better  than  Popery 
itself   Among  us  enlightened  Protestants,  no 
expedient  but  preaching  the  gospel  of  Christ 
will  be  found  suiBcient  to  retain  people  in  a 
stated  observance  of  the  Lord's  day.  But 
true  believers,  who  understand  and  love  the 
gospel,  do  indeed  draw  nigh  to  God ;  and 
they  account  a  day  in  his  courts  better  than 
a  thousand,  (Ps.  Ixxxiv.  10,)  because  they 
can  take  a  part  in  the  songs  of  heaven,  and 
in  spirit  and  in  truth,  worship  him  that  sit- 
teth  upon  the  throne,  and  the  Lamb  who  re- 


SER.  L.] 


THE  UNIVERSAL  CHORUS. 


387 


deemed  them  to  God  by  his  blood.  They 
know  by  happy  experience,  that  his  promise, 
to  be  in  the  midst  of  tliosc  who  assemble  in 
his  name,  is  truth.  Their  worship  is  not  a 
mere  bodily  service,  a  lifeless  form,  a  round 
of  observances,  which  neither  warm  the 
heart,  nor  influence  the  conduct ;  but  they 
are  instructed,  comforted,  and  strengthened, 
by  waitinfj  upon  God.  Their  spiritual  senses 
are  exorcised ;  they  behold  his  glory  in  the 
glass  of  the  gospel,  they  hear  his  voice,  they 
feel  an  impression  of  iiis  power  and  presence, 
they  taste  his  goodness,  and  the  virtue  of 
that  name,  which  is  as  ointment  poured 
forth,  perfumes  their  tempers  and  conversa- 
tion. 

nr.  Though  the  Lamb  is  worthy  of  all 
blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  power, 
there  is  a  distinct  ascription  of  praise  to  Him 
that  sittcth  upon  the  tlirone. 

The  scripture,  which  alone  can  teach  us  to 
form  right  conceptions  of  God,  and  to  worship 
him  acceptably,  guides  us  in  a  medium,  be- 
tween opposite  errors  and  mistakes.  Too 
many  persons,  ignorant  of  their  own  state  as 
sinners,  and  of  the  awful  majesty  and  holiness 
of  the  Most  High,  presume  to  think  of  him, 
to  speak  of  him,  and  in  their  way,  to  speak  to 
him,  without  being  aware  of  the  necessity  of 
a  ^lediator.  But  they  who  are  without  Ciirist, 
vvlio  is  the  only  door  and  way  to  the  Father, 
are  without  God,  atheists  in  the  world,  Eph. 
ii.  There  is  a  mistake  likewise  on  the 
otiier  hand,  when,  though  the  Deity  of  the 
Saviour  be  acknowledged,  yet  what  we  are 
taught  of  the  ineffable  distinction  in  the  God- 
head is  not  duly  attended  to.  It  is  written, 
"In  the  beginning, — the  Word  was  God," 
John  i.  1.  It  is  likewise  written,  "The  Word 
was  witli  God."  This  latter  expression  un- 
doubtedly has  a  meaning  which  though  per- 
fectly consistent,  is  not  coincident  with  the 
former.  The  truth  contained  in  it  is  propos- 
ed, not  to  our  curiosity  as  a  subject  of  specu- 
lation, but  to  our  faith.  I  do  not  attempt  to 
explain  it.  But,  what  God  expressly  declares, 
we  are  bound,  upon  the  principles  of  right 
reason,  to  believe.  For  he  is  Truth,  and  can- 
not deceive  us.  "  There  are  three  that  bear 
record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost,"  1  John  v.  7.  These  three 
ire  frpt|uently  spoken  of  in  the  scripture — to 
each  of  them  a  distinct  part  in  the  economy  of 
lalvation  is  ascribed  ;  to  each  of  them  the  per- 
'ections  and  honours  of  Deity  are  attributed. 
Yet  there  are  not  three  Gods,  but  one.  Con- 
sequently these  three  are  one  God.  This 
doctrine  may  be  above  our  comprehension, 
but  cannot  be  contrary  to  our  reason,  if  it  be 
contained  in  a  revelation  from  God.  If  it  be 
simply  received  upon  the  authority  of  the  re- 
vealer,  it  approves  itself  to  be  true,  for  it  is 
found  to  be  a  key  to  the  whole  scripture, 
which  renders  the  general  sense  and  scope 
everywhere  consistent  and  plain.  They  who 


proudly  reject  it,  and  yet  admit  the  Bible  to 
be  a  divine  revelation,  are  involved  in  ditlicul- 
ties  from  which  all  their  sagacity  and  learning' 
cannot  free  them.  In  vain  they  labour  by 
singular  interpretations,  by  the  minutiai  of 
criticism,  and  by  an  appeal  to  various  readings 
and  ancient  versions,  which,  in  a  few  passages, 
differ  from  the  copies  more  generally  received 
— in  vain  they  endeavour  by  these  refinements 
to  relieve  themseh  es,  when  pressed  by  the  ob- 
vious and  natural  sense  of  a  thousand  texts, 
which  confirm  the  faith  and  hope  of  plain 
christians.  The  gospel  is  designed  for  the 
poor.  But  the  poor  and  unlearned  would  be 
at  a  great  disadvantage,  if  the  scripture  could 
not  be  rightly  understood  without  the  assist- 
ance of  such  learning  and  such  criticism  as 
we  often  see  pressed  into  the  service.  But 
the  Holy  Spirit  graciously  leads  those  who 
pray  for  his  teaching,  into  such  views  of  this 
high  subject  as  are  sufficient  to  comfort  their 
hearts,  and  to  animate  their  obedience.  The 
faith  of  those  who  are  taught  of  God,  is  ex- 
ercised in  their  approaches  to  him  under  two 
different  modifications.  Both  are  scriptural, 
and  therefore  both  are  safe,  and  witnessed  to 
by  his  gracious  acceptance  and  blessing. 

1.  They  come  to  God  by  Christ.  They 
have  access  through  him,  Eph.  ii.  18.  Un- 
worthy to  speak  for  themselves,  they  bow  their 
knees  in  his  name,  Phil.  ii.  10.  Christians 
are  sufficiently  distinguished  and  described  by 
saying,  They  come  to  God  by  him,  Heb.  vii. 
2-5.  They  come  to  God,  they  cannot  live 
without  him  in  the  world,  as  they  once  did. 
They  are  now  conscious  of  wants  and  desires, 
which  only  God  can  satisfy ;  but  they  are  con- 
scious likewise  that  they  aresiimers,  and  there- 
fore they  durst  not  approach  him,  if  they  had 
not  the  invitation  of  his  promise,  and  an  as- 
surance of  an  Advocate  with  the  Father,  1 
John  ii>  2. 

2.  They  come  to  God  in  Christ.  He  is 
the  great  Temple,  in  whom  all  fulness  dwells 
(Col.  i.  19;  ii.  9;)  and  they  are  not  afraid 
of  idolatry,  when  they  worship  and  honour 
the  Son  even  as  the  Father.  This  distinct 
application  to  God,  in  the  person  of  the  Son 
of  his  love,  perhaps  becomes  more  frequent 
and  familiar  as  they  advance  in  the  knov\  ledge 
of  their  Lord  and  Saviour,  2  Peter  iii.  18. 
They  who  seek  to  him  for  deliverance  from 
sin  and  misery,  at  first,  I  believe,  chiefly  con- 
sider him  as  the  Advocate  and  High  Priest, 
who,  by  the  virtue  of  his  atonement,  and  the 
prevalence  of  his  intercession,  is  able  to  save 
to  the  uttermost.  But  when  the  apostle  dis- 
tributes Christians,  according  to  their  growth 
in  grace,  into  the  state  of  babes,  young  men, 
and  fathers  (1  John  ii.  4,)  he  speaks  of  a  more 
distinct  and  appropriate  knowledge  of  him 
who  is  from  the  beginning,  as  the  peculiar 
privilege  and  distiiigui.-^hing  attainment  of 
the  fathers.  He  speaks  of  him  who  is  from 
the  beginning,  so  oflen  that  we  can  be  at  no 


388 


'iHE  UNIVERSAL  CHORUS. 


[SEU.  L. 


loss  to  determine  whom  he  intends  by  the 
expression.  He  applies  it  to  him  who  was  in 
the  beginning  with  God  (John  i.  1,)  and  whom 
ne  and  the  other  apostles  had  heard,  had  seen 
with  their  eyes,  and  touched  with  their  hands, 
1  John  i.  1 — 3.  An  eminent  divine*  points 
out  some  special  seasons  in  the  Christian 
life,  in  whicli  he  thinks  the  peculiar  pres- 
sures of  the  soul  may  obtain  the  most  sensible 
and  immediate  relief,  by  direct  application  to 
the  Saviour.  But  there  are  some  believers 
who  find  themselves  almost  continually  in 
one  or  other  of  the  situations  which  he  marks 
as  occasional.  However  this  may  be,  I  am 
ready  to  take  it  for  granted,  that  they  who 
really  and  cordially  believe  the  Deity  of 
Christ,  do  at  least  at  some  seasons,  and  upon 
some  occasions,  expressly  direct  their  prayers 
to  him.  If  precedents  be  required  to  war- 
rant this  practice,  the  New  Testament  will 
furnish  them  in  abundance.  I  shall  select 
but  a  few.  The  apostle  Paul  bowed  his 
knees  to  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Je- 
sus ;  but  he  often  prayed  to  the  Lord  Jesus ; 
He  prayed  to  him  in  the  temple  (Acts  xxii. 
17 — 21,)  and  when  he  obtained  that  answer, 
"  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee,"  2  Cor.  xii. 
9.  To  him  the  prayer  of  the  apostles  and 
disciples  was  addressed  previous  to  the  lot 
which  was  to  determine  a  successor  to  Judas, 
Acts  i.  24.  And  to  him  Stephen  committed 
his  departing  spirit  (Acts  vii.  59,)  an  act  of 
trust  and  worship  of  the  highest  kind,  and  at 
the  most  solemn  season.  In  short,  it  is  a 
strange  inconsistence,  if  any,  who  acknow- 
ledge his  Deity,  question  the  propriety  of 
praying  to  him.  What  is  it,  more  or  less, 
than  to  question  the  propriety  of  praying  to 
God? 

IV.  This  solemn  worship  and  praise  is  re- 
ferred ultimately  to  him  who  sitteth  upon  the 
throne — to  the  great  and  glorious  God,  thus 
known  and  manifested  in,  and  by,  and  with 
the  Lamb  that  was  slain. 

The  mediatorial  kingdom  of  Christ  will 
have  a  period.  He  will  reign  as  Mediator, 
till  he  has  subdued  all  enemies  under  his  feet, 
and  perfected  his  whole  work.  Then  his 
kingdom  in  this  sense  will  cease ;  he  will  de- 
liver it  up  to  the  Father,  that  God  may  be  all 
in  all,  1  Cor.  xv.  28.  This  passage  is  diffi- 
cult, that  is,  the  subject  is  too  great  for  our 
faculties  in  their  present  state  of  imperfec- 
tion fully  to  comprehend ;  for  the  difficulties 
we  meet  with  in  scripture  are  more  properly 
to  be  ascribed  to  our  ignorance.  The  Son,  as 
man,  is  even  now  subject  to  the  Father :  and 
God  is  undoubtedly  all  in  all,  at  present,  and 
from  everlasting  to  everlasting.  But  his  king- 
dom here  is  to  be  taken  figuratively  for  the 
subjects  of  his  kingdom,  his  people,  whom  he 
received  as  a  trust  and  a  treasure.  These 
he  will  deliver  up,  and  the  form  of  his  ad- 


*  Dr.  Owen,  In  bia  Cbristologla. 


ministration  and  government  over  them  will 
be  changed.  They  will  tlien  have  no  more 
sins  to  confess ;  there  will  be  no  more  dan- 
gers requiring  the  care  and  tenderness  of  a 
Shepherd,  no  enemies  to  be  controlled,  and 
the  ordinances  and  means  of  grace,  accommo- 
dated to  their  wants  and  weakness,  while  in 
this  world,  will  be  no  longer  necessary.  But 
Messiah,  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  will  ever  be 
the  head  and  Lord  of  the  creation,  the  me- 
dium of  communication  of  the  light  and  love 
of  God  to  his  people,  and  God  in  him,  the  ob- 
ject of  their  eternal  adoration  and  praise. 

Then  the  grand,  ultimate,  final  cause  of 
all  the  manifestations  of  God  will  be  com- 
pletely obtained.  The  glory  of  the  great 
Creator  and  Lawgiver,  the  splendour  of  all 
his  perfections  will  for  ever  shine,  without  a 
vail  or  cloud,  and  with  a  brightness  which 
could  not  have  been  known  by  creatures,  had 
not  the  entrance  of  evil  given  occasion  for  a 
display  of  his  wisdom  and  love,  in  over-ruling 
it  to  the  praise  of  his  glorious  grace. 

Thus,  according  to  the  measure  of  my  abi- 
lity and  experience,  I  have  endeavoured  to 
point  out  to  you  the  meaning  and  importance 
of  the  well  chosen  series  of  scriptural  pas- 
sages, which  are  set  to  music  in  the  Oratorio 
of  the  Messiah.  Great  is  the  I^ord  Messiah, 
and  greatly  to  be  praised !  I  have  attempted 
to  set  before  you  a  sketch  of  what  the  scrip- 
ture teaches  us  concerning  his  person,  under- 
takings, and  success, — the  misery  of  those 
whom  he  came  to  save,  the  happine.ss  to  which 
he  raises  them,  and  the  wonderful  plan  and 
progress  of  redeeming  love.  But  who  is 
sufficient  for  these  things  1  Alas!  how  small 
a  portion  of  his  ways  are  we  able  to  trace ! 
But  I  would  be  thankful,  that  the  desire  of 
attempting  this  great  subject  was  put  into 
my  heart,  and  that  having  obtained  help  of 
God,  I  have  been  preserved  and  enabled  to 
finish  my  design.  Imperfect  as  my  execu- 
tion of  it  has  been,  I  cannot  doubt  that  the 
various  topics  I  have  been  led  to  insist  on  are 
the  great  truths  of  God.  For  what  is  pro- 
perly my  own,  the  defects  and  weaknesses 
which  mix  with  my  best  services,  I  entreat 
his  forgiveness,  and  request  your  candour. 
But  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say,  that  the  sub- 
stance of  what  I  have  advanced  deserves  and 
demands  your  most  serious  attention. 

It  is  probable,  that  those  of  my  hearers  who 
admire  this  Oratorio,  and  are  often  present 
when  it  is  performed,  may  think  me  harsh 
and  singular  in  my  opinion,  that  of  all  our 
musical  compositions  this  is  the  most  impro- 
per for  a  public  entertainment.  But  while 
it  continues  to  be  equally  acceptable  whether 
performed  in  a  church  or  in  the  theatre,  and 
while  the  greater  part  of  the  performers  and 
of  the  audience  are  the  same  at  both  places, 
I  can  rate  it  no  higher  than  as  one  of  the 
many  fashionable  amusementa  which  mark 


SER.  Im] 


THE-UNIVERSAL  CHORUS. 


399 


tlie  character  of  this  age  of  dissipation. 
Though  the  subject  be  serious  and  solemn  in 
the  highest  sense,  yea,  for  that  very  reason, 
and  though  the  music  is,  in  a  striking  manner, 
adapted  to  the  subject,  yet,  if  the  for  greater 
part  of  the  people  who  frequent  the  Oratorio, 
are  evidently  unaffected  by  the  Redeemer's 
love,  and  uninfluenced  by  his  commands,  I 
am  afraid  it  is  no  better  than  a  profanation  of 
the  name  and  truths  of  God,  a  crucifying  the 
Son  of  God  afresh.  You  must  judge  for 
yourselves.  If  you  think  differently  from  me, 
you  will  act  accordingly. — Yet  permit  me  to 
hope  and  to  pray,  that  the  next  time  you  hear 
the  Messiah,  God  may  bring  something  that 
you  have  heard  in  the  course  of  these  ser- 
mons, nearly  connected  with  the  peace  and 
welfare  of  your  souls,  effectually  to  your  re- 
membrance. 

I  would  humbly  hope,  that  some  persons, 
who  were  strangers  to  the  power  and  grace 
of  Messiah,  when  I  entered  upon  this  service, 
are  now  desirous  of  seeking  him  with  their 
whole  hearts.  Yes,  I  trust  I  have  not  la- 
boured wholly  in  vain.  The  gospel  is  the  rod 
of  his  strength,  (Psal.  ex.  2,)  which,  when  ac- 
companied by  the  power  of  his  Spirit,  pro- 
duces greater  effects  than  the  wonder-work- 
ing rod  of  Moses.  It  causes  the  blind  to  see, 
the  deaf  to  hear,  and  the  dead  to  live.  A 
faithful  minister  will  account  a  single  instance 
of  success  a  rich  recompense  for  the  labour  of 
a  life.  May  this  joy  be  mine  !  May  the  Lord 
encourage  you  to  go  on  seeking  him  !  Then 
he  will  surely  be  found  of  you.  An  open 
door  is  set  oefore  you,  (Rev.  iii.  8,)  and  if 


you  are  truly  willing  to  enter,  none  shall  be 
able  to  shut  it. 

But  may  I  not  fear,  that  I  am  still  speak- 
ing to  others,  who,  to  this  hour,  have  no  cor- 
dial admiring  thoughts  of  the  great  Saviour? 
Alas !  should  you  die  in  your  present  frame 
of  mind  !  let  me,  once  more,  entreat  you  to 
consider  what  your  situation  and  employment 
will  be,  when  all  his  redeemed  people,  and 
all  his  holy  angels,  shall  join  in  worshipping 
and  praising  him,  in  the  great  day  of  his  ap- 
pearance. 

Unless  you  repent,  lay  down  your  arms, 
and  submit  to  his  golden  sceptre,  your  doom 
is  already  pronounced.  Awful  are  the  words 
of  the  Lord,  by  the  prophet,  and  very  appli- 
cable to  your  case,  if  (which  may  his  mercy 
prevent !)  you  should  die  in  your  sins. 
"Therefore,  thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  be- 
hold my  servants  shall  eat,  but  ye  shall  be 
hungry :  behold  my  servants  shall  drink,  but 
ye  shall  be  thirsty ;  behold  my  servants  shall 
rejoice,  but  ye  shall  be  ashamed  :  behold  my 
servants  shall  sing  for  joy  of  heart,  but  ye 
shall  cry  for  sorrow  of  heart,  and  shall  howl 
for  vexation  of  spirit,"  Isa.  Ixv.  13,  14.  If 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees  were  filled  with 
envy  and  grief  when  the  children  in  the  tem- 
ple sung  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David,  (Matt, 
xxi.  15,)  what  must  be  their  anguish  and  re- 
morse, their  rage  and  despair,  when  the 
whole  creation  shall  join  in  his  praise'!  If 
your  thoughts  of  him  now  are  like  theirs, 
tremble  at  your  danger ;  for  unless  you  re- 
pent, your  lot  must  be  with  them  hereafter. 


OCCASIONAL  SERMONS. 


THE  SUBJECT  AND  TEMPER  OF  THE  GOSPEL-MINISTRY  : 

A  SERMON 

PREACHED  IN  THE  PARISH  CHURCH  OF  ST.  MARY  WOOLNOTH, 
ON  SUNDAY,  DECEMBER,  19,  1779. 
WHEN  THE  AUTHOR  ENTERED  ON  HIS  FIRST  PUBLIC  SERVICE  IN  THAT  CHURCH. 


 Speaking  the  truth 

The  words  in  the  original  have  a  more 
comprehensive  sense  than  in  our  version, 
A/,>,isuovTi;  iv  nya^i-.,.  They  Bxtencl  no  less  to 
conduct  than  to  speech,  and  comprise,  in  one 
short  sentence,  that  combination  of  intejrrity 
and  benevolence,  which  constitute  the  cha- 
racter of  a  true  christian.  But,  as  our  morn- 
ing' service  has  been  already  much  prolong-ed, 
I  mean  not  to  enlarge  at  present  upon  this 
important  subject.  I  propose  my  text  rather 
as  a  kind  of  motto,  to  introduce  a  brief  account 
of  the  feelings,  desires,  and  purposes  of  my 
heart,  on  this  my  first  appearance  before  you. 
The  inhabitants  of  these  parishes,  to  whom  I 
more  immediately  address  myself,  have  a 
right  to  be  informed,  now  the  providence  of 
God  has  placed  me  in  this  city,  and  in  this 
cliurch,  of  the  views  with  which  I  have  un- 
dertaken the  important  trust  lately  committed 
to  me,  and  of  the  manner  and  spirit  in  which 
it  is  my  desire  to  discharge  it.  If  these  in- 
quiries be  upon  any  of  your  minds,  accept  my 
answer  in  the  words  I  have  read :  I  came, 
and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  hope  to  abide 
amongst  you,  "  speaking  the  truth  in  love." 

I  should  be  utterly  unworthy  your  atten- 
tion, I  should  deserve  your  contempt  and  de- 
testation, if,  under  the  solemn  character  of  a 
minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  with  a  professed 
regard  for  his  service  and  the  good  of  souls,  I 
ehould  presume  to  speak  any  thing  amongst 
you,  but  what  I  verily  believe  in  my  con- 
science to  be  the  truth.  The  apostles  were 
ambassadors  for  Clirist,  (2  Cor.  v.  24,)  and 
■we,  however  inferior  in  other  respects,  are  so 
far  concerned  in  this  part  of  their  character, 
as  to  be  equally  bound  to  conform  to  the  in- 
structions of  our  Iiord  and  Master.  The 


in  love. — Ephesians,  iv.  15. 

Bible  is  the  grand  repository  of  the  truths 
which  it  will  be  the  business  and  the  pleasure 
of  my  life  to  set  before  you.  It  is  the  com- 
plete system  of  divine  truth,  to  which  nothing 
can  be  added,  and  from  which  nothmg  can 
be  taken,  (Rev.  xxii.  18,  19,)  with  impunity. 
Every  attempt  to  disguise,  or  soften  any 
branch  of  this  truth,  in  order  to  accommodate 
it  to  the  prevailing  taste  around  us,  either  to 
avoid  the  displeasure,  or  to  court  the  favour 
of  our  fellow-mortals,  must  be  an  ali'ront  to 
the  majesty  of  God,  and  an  act  of  treachery 
to  men.  My  conscience  bears  me  witness, 
that  I  mean  to  speak  the  truth  among  you. 
May  the  grace  of  God  enable  me  always  to 
do  it.  The  principal  branches  of  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  Jesus,  according  to  St.  Paul's  expres- 
sion, are  summarily  contained  in  the  Articles, 
which  I  have  just  now  read  and  given  my 
solemn  assent  to  in  your  hearing.  These  I 
acknowledge  and  adopt  as  a  standard  of  sound 
doctrine,  not  merely  because  they  are  the 
Articles  of  our  Church,  but  because,  upon 
mature  and  repeated  examination,  I  am  per- 
suaded they  are  agreeable  to  the  scriptures. 
I  am  to  enlarge  on  the  declaration  of  the 
scripture  and  of  tiie  Articles  concerning  the 
depravity  of  fallen  man,  the  evil  of  sin,  tlie 
metliod  of  salvation  by  grace  through  faith  in 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  am  to  bear  tes- 
timony to  the  dignity  and  excellency  of  the 
Redeemer's  person  and  characters,  the  suit- 
ableness of  his  ofSces,  the  efficacy  of  his 
blood,  and  obedience  to  death  on  the  behalf 
of  sinners,  and  his  glory  as  Head  of  the 
Church,  and  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth.  I  am 
to  set  before  you  the  characters,  obligylions, 
and  privileges  of  those  who  believe  in  liia 
390 


SUBJECT  AND  TEMPER  OF 


THE  GOSPEL  MINISTRY.  391 


name;  and  to  prove  that  the  doctrines  of  the 
grace  of  God  are  doctrines  according  to  god- 
liness, whicli,  though  they  may  be  a])used  by 
men  of  corrupt  minds,  have  in  themselves, 
when  rightly  understood,  a  direct  and  pow- 
erful tendency  to  enforce  universal  obedience 
to  the  commands  of  God,  and  to  promote  the 
peace  and  welfare  of  civil  society.  I  am  like- 
wise to  warn  all  who  hear  me,  of  th.e  sin  and 
danger  of  rejecting  the  great  salvation  re- 
vealed by  the  gospel.  These  will  be  the  sub- 
jects of  my  ministry ;  and  if  what  I  shall  of- 
fer upon  these  heads  be  agreeable,  not  only 
to  the  Articles  which  I  have  subscribed,  but 
to  the  scriptures,  which  we  all  profess  to  be- 
lieve, it  must  of  course  be  admitted  that  I 
ehall  speak  the  truth. 

But  the  cause  of  truth  itself  may  be  dis- 
credited by  improper  management;  and  there- 
fore the  scripture,  which  furnishes  us  with 
subject-matter  of  our  ministry,  and  teaches 
us  what  we  are  to  say,  is  equally  explicit  as 
to  the  temper  and  spirit  in  which  we  are  to 
speak.  Though  I  had  the  knowledge  of  all 
mysteries,  (1  Cor.  xiii.  1,)  and  the  tongue  of 
an  angel  to  declare  them,  I  could  hope  for 
little  acceptance  or  usefulness,  unless  I  was 
to  speak  in  love.  The  gospel  is  a  declaration 
of  the  astonishing  love  of  God  to  mankind; 
it  exhibits  the  perfect  exemplar  of  love  in  the 
character  of  him,  who,  when  upon  earth  in 
the  form  of  a  servant,  went  about  doing  good, 
(Acts  X.  -SS,)  and  exerted  the  most  unbounded 
benevolence  to  all  around  him.  The  servant 
of  the  Lord,  of  that  meek  and  merciful  Sa- 
viour, who  wept  over  his  avowed  enemies, 
and  prayed  for  his  actual  murderers  while 
nailing  him  to  the  cross,  learns  at  his  Sa- 
viour's feet  to  bear  a  cordial  love  to  all  man- 
kind. Man,  considered  as  the  creature  of 
God,  is  the  noblest  and  most  important  of  his 
works  in  the  visible  creation,  formed  by  him 
who  originally  made  him  for  himself,  with 
such  a  vastness  of  desire,  such  a  capacity  for 
happiness,  as  nothing  less  than  an  infinite 
good  can  satisfy  ;  formed  to  exist  in  an  eter- 
nal unchangeable  state.  And  even  fallen 
man,  though  depraved  and  perverted,  guilty, 
and,  in  his  present  state,  obnoxious  to  eternal 
misery,  is  yet  capable  of  being  restored  to  the 
favour  of  God,  and  renewed  into  his  image, 
of  serving  him  here,  and  being  happy  with 
him  for  ever.  Whoever  therefore  has  tasted 
of  the  love  of  Christ,  and  has  known  by  his 
own  experience  the  need  and  the  worth  of 
redemption,  is  enabled,  yea,  he  is  constrained 
to  love  his  fellow-creatures.  He  loves  them 
at  first  sight :  and,  if  the  providence  of  God 
commits  a  dispensation  of  the  gospel  and  a 
care  of  souls  to  him,  he  will  feel  the  warmest 
emotions  of  friendship  and  tenderness,  while 
lie  beseeches  them  by  the  tender  mercies  of 
God,  (Rom.  xii.  I,)  and  even  whde  he  warns 
them  by  his  terrors,  2  Cor.  v.  IL  Surely  I 
durst  not  address  you  from  this  place,  if  I 


could  not  with  sincerity  at  least,  if  not  with 
equal  warmth,  adopt  the  apostle's  words,  ana 
say,  "  Being  affectionately  desirous  of  you, 
we  are  willing  to  impart  unto  you,  not  the 
gospel  of  God  only,  but  our  own  souls  also 
(were  it  possible,)  because  ye  were  dear  unto 
us,"  1  Thess.  ii.  8. 

This  love  which  my  heart  bears,  I  offer  as 
a  plea  for  that  earnestness  and  importunity 
which  I  must  use.  I  came  not  to  amuse  you 
with  subjects  of  opinion  or  uncertainty,  or 
even  with  truths  of  a  cold,  speculative,  unin- 
teresting nature,  wliich  you  might  receive 
without  benefit,  or  reject  without  detriment ; 
but  to  speak  the  truths  of  God,  truths  of  the 
utmost  importance  to  the  welfare  of  your 
souls  in  time  and  in  eternity.  If  I  love  you, 
therefore,  I  cannot  be  content  with  delivering 
my  message;  my  spirit  mu.st,  and  will  be 
deeply  engaged  for  its  success.  I  cannot  be 
content  with  the  emoluments  annexed  to  my 
olEce — I  seek  not  yours,  but  you,  (2  Cor.  xii. 
14;)  that  you  may  know  the  love  of  Clirist, 
which  jjasseth  knowledge,  (Ephes.  iii.  19;) 
that  you  may  be  delivered  from  the  power 
of  this  evil  world,  ((ial.  i.  4,)  and  that  I  and 
you  may  at  length  stand  accepted  before  the 
throne  of  God;  in  a  word,  that  by  a  blessing 
from  on  high,  accompanying  my  poor  labours, 
I  may  both  save  myself,  and  them  that  hear 
me,  1  Tim.  iv.  16.  These  are  the  aims  and 
ends  which  1  hope  always  to  have  in  view, 
and  therefore  love  will  prompt  me  to  be  faith- 
ful and  earnest. 

Too  often  the  due  reception  of  the  truth  is 
greatly  impeded  by  the  cares,  the  busine.ss, 
or  the  amusements  of  the  world.  We  find 
many  of  our  hearers,  alas !  too  happy,  or  too 
much  engrossed,  to  afford  us  that  attention 
we  have  a  right  to  claim,  considering  the 
weight  of  our  message,  and  the  authority 
under  which  we  speak.  But  God,  in  mercy 
to  the  souls  of  men,  frequently  suits  the  ap- 
pointments of  his  providence,  in  subserviency 
to  the  purposes  of  his  grace.  He  prepares 
for  them  what  they  do  not  desire  for  them- 
selves, seasons  for  leisure,  retirement,  and 
reflection.  This  is  one  gracious  design  of 
the  various  afflictions  of  human  life.  When  he 
visits  with  sickness  or  pain,  crosses  and  disap- 
pointments— when  our  cisterns  are  broken, 
and  our  gourds  wither — when  the  desire  of 
our  eyes  is  taken  away  with  a  stroke,  (Ezek. 
xxiv.  10,)  or  we  meet  with  a  thorn  or  sting, 
where  our  fond  hearts  were  expecting  only 
pleasure — then  perhaps  the  truths  which 
were  heard  with  too  much  indifference  in 
the  hour  of  prosperity,  may  be  more  regard- 
ed. My  love  will  prompt  me  to  be  always 
near  you,  waiting  for  such  seasons,  and  ready 
upon  the  first  intimation  (for  I  mean  not  to  in- 
trude myself,)  to  ofler  my  sympathy,  my  pray- 
ers, my  best  advice.  Though  I  shall  have  but 
little  time  for  visits  of  mere  ceremony ;  to  visit 
you  as  a  minister,  and  to  assist  you  to  the 


392 


^OBJECT  AND  TEMPER  OF  THE  GOSPEL  MINISTRY. 


utmost  of  my  power  in  making  a  right  im- 
provement of  the  providences  of  God,  is  a 
service  which  I  shall  always  owe  you  from 
a  principle  of  duty,  and  which  I  hope  always 
to  be  glad  to  render  from  a  principle  of  love. 

If  the  grace  of  God,  without  which  I  can 
do  nothing,  should  thus  enable  me  to  speak 
tlie  truth  in  love,  may  I  not  hope  for  your  fa- 
vourable attention  1  Would  it  not  imply  an 
unjust  reflection  upon  your  candour,  to  sup- 
pose that  any  of  you  will  be  angry  with  one 
who  only  wishes  to  speak  the  truth  in  love? 
Certainly  I  can  as  yet  have  no  particular  rea- 
son to  expect  an  unkind  return  from  any  in- 
dividual among  you,  because  I  am  a  stranger 
to  you  all.  But  the  scripture  teaches,  what 
experience  and  observation  abundantly  con- 
firm, that  the  doctrines  of  divine  truth  are  so 
mysterious  in  themselves,  and  so  opposite  and 
mortifying  to  the  opinion  mortals  are  prone  to 
entertain  of  their  own  wisdom  and  goodness, 
that  persons  of  very  amiable  characters  in 
common  life,  are  too  often  amongst  the  warm- 
est opposers  of  the  ministers  who  dare  faith- 
fully and  plainly  persevere  in  speaking  the 
truth.  Should  I  have  this  trial  to  meet  with 
from  any  of  you,  still  1  hope  to  speak  the  truth 
in  love,  and  to  remember  that  I  am  a  follower 
of  him  who  only  returned  kindness  for  hard 
usage.  I  hope  to  consider,  that  if  any  oppose, 
it  is  because  they  know  not  what  they  do ;  and 
to  bear  in  mind,  that  1  myself  wasonce  ascorn- 
er  and  despiser  of  the  gospel  which  I  now 
preach  ;  that  I  stand  here  as  a  pattern  of  the 
long  suffering  of  God  ;  and  that  having  ob- 
tained mercy  myself,  I  have  encouragement, 


from  my  own  case,  to  hope  tiiat  the  strongest 
prejudices  may  be  softened  by  the  power  of 
ills  grace. 

Let  me  close  with  one  observation.  The 
transactions  of  this  day,  and  the  consequence 
of  it  will  not  be  soon  forgotten.  They  will 
be  registered  in  the  annals  of  eternity.  As 
surely  as  we  are  now  met  together,  so  surely 
we  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment-seat 
of  Christ,  2  Cor.  x.  10.  Then  1  must  give 
an  account  of  my  ministry,  and  you  of  the 
manner  in  which  you  received  it.  If  I  speak 
the  truth — it  is  at  the  peril  of  my  hearers  to 
treat  it  with  contempt,  or  even  with  neglect. 
But  I  would  hope  better  things,  even  that  the 
Lord,  the  Holy  Spirit,  will  prepare  our  hearts 
to  receive  with  meekness  that  engrafted 
word,  which  is  able  to  save  our  souls,  James 
i.  11. 

I  only  add  my  earnest  request  for  a  fre- 
quent and  fervent  remembrance  in  your 
prayers,  that  the  Father  of  mercies,  the  God 
of  all  wisdom,  may  so  influence  my  spirit,  that 
no  part  of  my  conduct  may  be  unsuitable  to 
what  I  have  at  this  time  professed.  That  speak- 
ing the  truth  in  love,  and  commending  it  by  a 
conversation  becoming  the  gospel,  (Phil.  i.  17,) 
my  labours  and  my  life  may  be  acceptable  and 
serviceable  among  you.  I  trust  that  I,  on  my 
part,  shall  not  cease  to  pray,  that  his  blessing 
may  rest  upon  you,  upon  your  persons,  your 
families,  and  upon  all  your  concerns;  and 
more  especially  for  the  welfare  and  comfort 
of  your  souls — that  he  may  guide  you  by  his 
counsel  through  this  life,  and  afterwards  re- 
ceive you  |o  his  glory,  Psalm  Lxxiii.  24. 


THE  GUILT  AND  DANGER  OF  SUCH  A  NATION  AS  THIS , 

A  SERMON 

PREACHED  IN  THE  PARISH  CHURCH  OF  ST.  MARY  WOOLNOTH, 

ON  WEDNESDAY,  FEBRUARY  21,  1781. 

THE  DAY  APPOINTED  FOR  A  GENERAL  FAST. 


Shall  Inot  visit  for  these  things,  saith  the  Lord  ?  And  shall  not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  such 
a  nation  as  this'/— Jeremiah  v.  29. 


Thhee  times  (Jer.  v.  9 ;  ix.  9,)  the  Lord  God 
repeats  by  his  prophet  this  alarming  ques- 
tion. Their  ingratitude  and  obstinacy  were 
BO  notorious,  their  sins  so  enormous  and  ag- 
gravated, the  sentence  denounced  against 
them,  however  severe,  was  so  undeniably 
just,  that  partial  as  they  were  to  themselves, 
God  is  pleased  to  appeal  to  their  own  con- 
sciences, and  to  make  them  judges  in  their 
own  cause ;  inviting  or  rather  challenging 
them  to  offer  any  plea,  why  his  forbearance 
and  patience,  which  they  had  so  long  despised, 
should  be  still  aft'orded  them. 

But  the  form  of  the  qviestion  will  not  per- 
mit us  to  confine  the  application  to  Israel  or 
Judah.  The  words  are  not,  "  On  this  nation" 
particularly,  but  "On  such  a  nation  as  this." 
The  Lord,  the  Governor  of  the  earth,  has  pro- 
vided in  the  history  of  one  nation,  a  lesson  of 
instruction  and  warning  to  every  nation  under 
the  sun  ;  and  the  nearer  the  state  and  spirit 
of  any  peopl  e  resemble  the  state  and  character 
of  Judah,  when  Jeremiah  prophesied  among 
them,  the  more  reason  they  have  to  tremble 
under  the  apprehension  of  the  same  or  simi- 
lar judgments. 

God  brought  Israel  out  of  Egypt  with  an 
outstretched  arm,  divided  the  Red  Sea  before 
them,  led  them  into  the  wilderness  by  a 
cloud  and  pillar  of  fire,  fed  them  with  man- 
na, and  gave  them  water  from  the  rock. 
He  planted  them  in  a  good  land,  and  though 
they  often  sinned  and  were  often  punished, 
they  were  distinguished  by  n\any  tokens  of 
his  presence  and  effects  of  his  goodness, 
above  any  other  nation.  In  the  time  of  Solo- 
mon they  possessed  the  height  of  human 
prosperity,  but  they  soon  rebelled  and  in- 
volved themselves  in  increasing  troubles. 
And,  though  the  efforts  and  examples  of 
Vol.   IL  3D 


Hezekiah  and  Josiah  produced  a  temporary 
reformation,  and  procured  a  temporary  re- 
spite, they  went  on,  upon  the  whole,  from  bad 
to  worse,  till  the  measure  of  their  iniquity 
being  filled  up,  and  the  season  of  God's  long 
suffering  at  an  end,  he  directed  the  march  of 
Nebuchadnezzar  against  them,  who,  because 
he  was  the  appointed  instrument  of  divine 
vengeance,  could  not  fail  of  success.  The 
temple  and  city  of  Jerusalem  were  burnt,  the 
land  desolated,  the  greater  part  of  the  inha- 
bitants destroyed,  and  the  survivors  led  cap- 
tives into  a  far  distant  land. 

We  likewise  are  a  highly  favoured  people, 
and  have  long  enjoyed  privileges  which  excite 
the  admiration  and  envy  of  surrounding  na- 
tions; and  we  are  a  sinful,  ungrateful  people ; 
so  that  when  we  comprare  the  blessings  and 
mercies  we  have  received  from  the  Lord, 
with  our  conduct  towards  him,  it  is  to  be 
feared  we  are  no  less  concerned  with  the 
question  in  my  text  than  Israel  was  of  old. 
This  is  the  point  I  propose  to  illustrate,  as 
suitable  to  the  design  for  which  we  are  at 
this  time  professedly  assembled. 

Though  the  occasion  will  require  me  to 
take  some  notice  of  our  public  aftairs,  I  mean 
not  to  amuse  you  with  what  is  usually  called 
a  political  discourse.  The  Bible  is  my  sys- 
tem of  politics.  There  I  read,  that  the  Lord 
reigns;  (Psal.  xcvii.  1 ;)  that  he  doeth  what  he 
pleaseth  in  the  armies  of  heaven,  and  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth;  (Dan.  iv.  3-5;) 
that  no  wisdom,  understanding,  counsel,  or 
power,  can  prevail  without  his  blessmg; 
(Prov.  xi.  .30  ;)  that  as  righteousness  exalteth 
a  nation,  so  sin  is  the  reproach,  and  will  even 
totally  be  the  ruin  of  any  people,  Prov.  xiv. 
34.  From  these  and  other  maxims  of  a  like 
import,  I  am  learning  to  be  still,  and  to  know 
393 


394 


THE  GUILT  AND  DANGER 


that  he  is  God.  My  part,  as  a  minister  of  the 
gospel  of  peace,  is  not  to  inflame,  but,  if  pos- 
sible, to  soothe  and  sweeten  the  spirits  of  my 
hearers ;  to  withdraw  their  attention  from  the 
instrumental  and  apparent  causes  of  the  ca- 
lamities we  feel  or  fear,  and  to  fix  it  upon  sin, 
as  the  original  and  proper  cause  of  every 
other  evil.  As  a  peaceful  and  a  loyal  subject, 
I  profess  and  inculcate  obedience  to  the  laws 
of  my  country,  to  which  I  conceive  myself 
bound  by  the  authority  of  God's  command, 
and  by  gratitude  for  the  civil  and  religious 
liberty  1  possess.  For  the  rest,  political  dis- 
quisitions, except  immediately  connected 
with  scriptural  principles,  appear  to  me  im- 
proper for  the  pulpit  at  all  times,  and  more 
especially  unseasonable  and  indecent  on  a 
day  of  public  humiliation.  I  hope  we  are 
now  met,  not  to  accuse  others,  but  to  confess 
our  own  sins — not  to  justify  ourselves,  but 
to  plead  for  mercy. 

May  it  please  God,  therefore,  by  the  influ- 
ence of  his  Holy  Spirit,  to  impress  the  con- 
sciences of  all  present,  and  to  make  us  atten- 
tive to  our  own  immediate  concerns,  while  I 
endeavour, 

I.  Briefly  to  delineate  the  state  of  the  na- 
tion ;  or  to  show  you  what  a  nation  this  is. 

n.  To  consider  in  what  manner  the  righ- 
teous Judge  and  Governor  of  the  earth  might 
justly  avenge  himself  of  such  a  nation  as  this. 

III.  To  inquire,  whether  there  be  any 
hope  that  such  a  nation  as  this,  can  yet  escape 
the  impending  ruin  with  which  it  is  threaten- 
ed !  and  if  there  be,  in  what  way  this  mercy 
is  to  be  sought  and  expected  1 

I.  In  order  to  estimate  the  state  of  the  na- 
tion, we  must  attend  to  two  views,  which, 
when  contrasted,  illustrate  each  other,  and  in 
their  combination  constitute  our  national  clia- 
racter,  and  discriminate  it,  not  only  from  that 
of  every  nation  around  us,  but  from  all  the 
kingdoms  recorded  in  the  history  of  past  ages, 
— I  mean  our  national  privileges,  and  our  na- 
tional sins. 

With  regard  to  the  first  head, — the  pecu- 
liar privileges  which,  by  the  favour  of  Divine 
Providence,  we  have  enjoyed  as  a  people,  I 
must  be  brief.  A  full  detail  of  them  would 
require  a  volume.  Though  the  island  of 
Great  Britain  exhibits  but  a  small  spot  upon 
a  map  of  the  globe,  it  makes  a  splendid  ap- 
pearance in  the  history  of  mankind,  and  has 
for  a  Ions  space  of  time  been  signally  under 
the  protection  of  God,  and  the  seat  of  peace, 
liberty,  and  truth.  When  Christendom  had 
groaned  for  ages  under  the  night  of  Papal 
superstition,  the  first  light  of  Reformation 
dawned  amongst  us  by  the  preaching  and 
writings  of  Wickliff.  From  that  time  we 
have  possessed  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel, 
and  God  has  had  a  succession  of  witnesses  in 
our  land  ;  they  have  been  at  difl^erent  periotls 
exposed  to  suffering,  and  many  of  them  were 
called  to  seal  their  testimony  with  their  blood, 


but  they  could  neither  be  intimidated  nor  ex- 
tirpated. In  Luther's  time,  when  the  pillars 
of  Popery  were  more  publicly  and  generally 
shaken,  we  were  among  the  first  who  were 
animated  and  enabled  to  shake  off  the  yoke 
of  Rome ;  and  God  has  often  since  remark- 
ably interposed  to  preserve  us  from  being 
brought  into  that  bondage  a  second  time. 
The  spirit  of  persecution,  under  various  forms, 
has  again  and  again  attempted  to  resume  its 
power,  but  has  been  as  often  restrained  and 
defeated.  Civil  commotions  likewise  stand 
upon  record  in  our  annals,  and  our  forefathers 
have  felt  miseries  of  which  we  can  form  but 
a  very  imperfect  idea.  But  they  suffered  and 
struggled  for  us.  The  event  of  every  contest 
and  revolution  contributed  gradually  to  estab- 
lish that  happy  basis  of  government  which 
we  call  The  British  Constitution  ;  and  to- 
gether with  these  advances  in  favour  of  li- 
berty, an  increase  of  commerce,  wealth,  and 
dominion,  has  been  afforded  us.  From  that 
distinguished  ajra,  the  Revolution,  and  more 
especially  since  the  accession  of  the  present 
Royal  Family,  we  have  enjoyed  such  an  un- 
interrupted series  of  peace  and  prosperity, 
as  cannot  be  paralleled  in  the  history  of  any 
nation  wo  have  heard  of,  not  excepting  even 
that  of  Israel.  I  call  our  peace  uninterrupt- 
ed ;  for  the  efforts  of  rebellion  in  the  reigns 
of  our  two  last  kings,  were  so  speedily  crush- 
ed, and  were  productive  of  so  few  calamities, 
except  to  the  unhappy  aggressors,  tiiat  they 
are  chiefly  to  be  noticed  as  instances  of  the 
goodness  of  the  Lord,  vvlio,  ncjtwithstanding 
we  were  then  a  sinful  people,  was  pleased  to 
fight  our  battles,  and  put  our  enemies  tc 
shame.  I  call  it  uninterrupted,  for  though 
we  have  been  engaged  as  principals  in  sev- 
eral foreign  wars,  and  the  storm  fell  with 
dreadful  weight  upon  other  countries,  we  at 
home  knew  little  of  the  war  but  from  the  pub- 
lic prints,  which  usually,  after  tiie  first  or 
second  year  were  filled  with  accounts  of  the 
successes  and  victories  which  the  Lord  of 
hosts  (alas,  by  how  few  was  he  acknow- 
ledged !)  gave  to  our  fleets  and  armies. — 
When  the  last  war  terminated,  we  were  at 
the  height  of  national  honour  and  power. 
Our  arms  were  victorious,  and  our  flags  tri- 
umphant wherever  our  operations  had  been 
directed  in  the  most  distant  and  opposite  parts 
of  the  globe.  What  an  accession  of  empire 
and  riches  did  we  then  acquire,  while  we 
were  sitting  (if  I  may  so  speak)  under  our 
vines  and  fig-trees  undisturbed :  and  while 
a  considerable  part  of  Germany,  rather  invol- 
ved, than  properly  interested  in  our  disputes, 
was  almost  desolated  by  fire  and  sword  !  And 
notwithstanding  our  increasing  provocations, 
every  succeeding  year  has  afforded  signal 
proofs,  that  though  the  Lord  is  displeased 
with  us,  he  has  not  yet  forsaken  us.  If  in 
some  instances  he  has  justly  disappointed  our 
expectations,  he  has  in  others  appeared  no 


OF  SUCH  A  NATION  AS  THIS. 


395 


less  remarkably  in  our  favour,  defeating-  the 
designs  of  our  enemies,  protecting-  our  com- 
merce, and  afibrding-  us  in  general  more  plen- 
tiful harvests  at  home,  since  the  war  has  ren- 
dered supplies  from  abroad  more  precarious 
and  difficult.  Add  to  our  internal  peace, 
wealth  and  plenty,  the  inviolable  immunity 
both  of  persons  and  property,  in  which  we 
arc  preserved  by  the  spirit  and  administration 
of  our  laws ;  and  that  unrestramed  liberty 
which  people  of  all  sentiments  and  denomi- 
nations possess  and  exercise,  of  worshipping 
God  in  the  way  they  think  most  agreeable  to 
his  will.  Must  not  a  due  consideration  of 
these  things  constrain  us  to  say,  He  hath  not 
dealt  so  with  any  nation  ! 

What  could  the  Lord  have  done  more  for 
his  vineyard  !  Isa.  v.  4.  How  could  he  have 
laid  a  people  under  stronger  obligations  to 
his  service  !  What  returns  might  he  not 
expect  from  such  a  nation  as  this  !  But  alas ! 
we  have  requited  him  evil  for  good  !  Such  a 
nation  as  tiiis  is  very  imperfectly  described 
by  an  enumeration  of  privileges.  I  have  a 
more  painful  task  now  to  attend  to;  I  should 
enumerate  (were  it  possible)  our  national  sins. 
It  is  but  a  sketch  I  can  offer  upon  this  immense 
and  awful  subject.  But  enough  is  obvious, 
and  at  hand,  to  make  us  tremble,  if  we  re.o-ard 
the  scripture,  and  do  in  our  hearts  believe 
that  there  is  a  God  that  governs  the  earth, 
(Psal.  Iviii.  11.)  I  wish  you  to  keep  in  mind, 
as  I  proceed,  the  slight  view  I  have  given 
of  the  favours  God  has  bestowed  upon  us. 
The  recollection  of  his  mercies  is  necessary 
to  give  a  proper  sense  of  the  colouring  and 
aggravation  of  our  sins.  It  is  often  pleaded, 
that,  sinful  as  we  are,  we  are  not  more  de- 
praved in  morals  and  practice  than  the  inhab- 
itants of  France  or  Italy,  or  the  other  nations 
of  Europe.  I  much  question  the  truth  of  this 
plea.  I  am  afraid  that,  in  some  instances  at 
least,  we  are  more  corrupt  and  profligate  than 
any  nation  now  existing.  But  admitting  that 
France  or  Italy  equal,  or  even  exceed  us  in 
open  and  positive  wickedness,  if  they  fall 
short  of  us  in  advantages  for  knowing  the  will 
of  God,  if  they  are  not  equally  enriched  by 
the  bounties  of  his  providence,  if  he  has  not 
so  signally  appeared  on  their  behalf  as  he  has 
on  ours,  their  sins,  however  enormous  or  nu- 
merous, are  not  attended  with  equal  aggra- 
vations; we  must  fix  upon  a  nation  (if  such 
could  be  found)  that  is  upon  a  par  with  us  in 
the  blessings  of  gospel-light,  of  civil  and  re- 
ligious liberty,  before  we  can  properly  form  a 
comparison,  or  have  any  just  reason  for  sup- 
posing that  our  sins  are  not  greater  than 
theirs. 

The  magnitude  of  our  national  debt  is  a 
frequent  topic  of  conversation.  We  have  in- 
deed but  an  indistinct  idea  of  a  number  not 
very  fir  short  of  two  hundred  millions,  yet  we 
can  form  some  conception  of  it.  But  our  na- 
tional debt  of  sin  is  beyond  all  the  rules  and 


powers  of  arithmetical  computation.  The 
holiness,  authority,  and  goodness  of  God 
(which  are  infinite)  afford  the  only  proper 
measures  by  -which  to  judge  of  tiie  horrid,  evil 
of  the  sins  committed  against  him. 

The  sin  of  a  nation  is  properly  the  aggre- 
gate or  sum-total  of  all  the  sins  committed  by 
every  individual  residing  in  that  nation.  But 
those  may  be  emphatically  called  national 
sins  which,  by  their  notoriety,  frequency,  or 
circumstances,  contribute  to  mark  the  cha- 
racter of  one  nation,  as  distinct  from  another. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  some  species  of  sins 
amongst  us  have  not  yet  become  national. 
They  are  rather  exotics,  not  perlectly  fami- 
liarized to  the  soil,  or  prevalent  in  every  part 
of  the  land.  I  shall  confine  myself  to  a  few 
of  the  particulars  which  are  more  directly 
characteristic  of  this  nation,  and  at  this  time. 

1.  The  maxims  and  usage  generally  preva- 
lent among  a  people,  if  contrary  to  the  rule 
of  God's  word,  are  national  sins.  If  custom- 
ary, they  are  national ;  if  inconsistent  with 
the  precepts  of  scripture,  they  must  be  sinful. 
A  woe  is  denounced  (Isa.  v.  20,)  against  those 
who  call  evil  good,  and  good  evil ;  but  this 
dreadful  abuse  of  language,  sentiment,  and 
conouct,  can  only  be  avoided  by  making  the 
inspired  writings  the  standard  of  our  judg- 
ment. In  a  land  that  bears  the  name  of  Chris- 
tian, adultery  is  deemed  gallantry;  murder,  in 
some  cases,  is  a  point  of  honour ;  avarice  is 
prudence ;  profuseness  wears  the  mask  of  gen- 
erosity ;  and  dissipation  is  considered  as  inno- 
cent amusement.  On  the  other  hand,  meek- 
ness is  accounted  meanness  of  spirit,  and 
grace  is  branded  w  ith  the  opprobrious  names 
of  melancholy  and  enthusiasm.  Habituated 
from  our  infancy  to  the  effects  of  these  pre- 
possessions, and  more  or  less  under  their  in- 
fluence, very  few  of  us  are  duly  sensible  how 
utterly  repugnant  the  spirit  and  temper  of 
the  world  around  us  is  to  the  genius  and 
spirit  of  the  Christianity  we  profess.  It  would, 
I  think,  a])pear  in  a  much  more  striking  light 
to  an  intelligent  and  unbiassed  observer,  who, 
upon  hearing  that  Great  Britain  was  favour- 
ed with  the  knowledge  of  the  true  religion, 
should  visit  us  from  some  very  remote  coun- 
try with  a  view  of  sharing  in  our  advantage. 
If  I  could  make  the  tour  of  the  kingdom  with 
such  a  stranger,  and  siiow  him  what  is  trans- 
acting in  the  busy  and  in  the  gay  world,  in 
city,  court,  and  country ;  if  I  could  describe 
to  him  the  persons  he  would  see  at  our  thea- 
tres and  public  places,  at  Newmarket,  at  con- 
tested elections,  and  explain  the  motives  and 
aims  which  .bring  them  together;  if  I  could 
introduce  him  into  the  families  of  the  great, 
the  reputed  wise,  and  the  wealthy, — from 
these  data,  together  with  the  ignorance  and 
licentiousness  of  the  populace,  which  must 
urtavoidably  engage  his  notice  wherever  he 
went,  I  apprehend  he  would  not  be  long  at  a 
loss  to  form  a  tolerable  judgment  of  our  na- 


896 


THE  GUILT  AND  DANGER 


tional  character.  And  if  after  this  survey, 
he  were  attentively  to  read  the  New  Testa- 
ment, I  think  he  must  allow,  that,  adinittintj 
it  was  a  revelation  from  God,  our  national 
character  was  neither  more  nor  less  than  the 
union  and  combination  of  our  national  sins. 
He  could  not  but  perceive,  that  infidelity, 
pride,  sensuality,  greediness  of  gain,  strangely 
coupled  with  thoughtless  profusion,  contempt 
of  God,  and  a  daring  opposition  to  his  will, 
constitute  the  leading  features  of  our  portrait 
as  a  nation. 

2.  If  there  be  sins,  which,  though  not  ex- 
pressly enjoined,  are  authorized,  and  to  peo- 
ple who  regard  man  more  tlian  God,  rendered 
in  a  manner  necessary  by  the  sanction  of  the 
egislature,  these,  and  especially  in  a  free 
country,  may  be  deemed  national  sins.  Here 
I  feel  myself  embarrassed.  As  a  private 
member  of  society,  full  of  respect  and  reve- 
rence for  tlie  authority  to  which,  by  the  pro- 
vidence and  will  of  God,  I  owe  a  willing  and 
thankful  subjection,  I  could  wish  to  be  en- 
tirely silent.  But  I  likewise  bear  another 
character.  As  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  I 
stand  here  before  a  higher  Master.  In  his 
service  I  am  commanded  to  be  bold  and  faith- 
ful, and  I  dare  not,  in  conscience,  especially 
at  such  a  time  and  on  such  an  occasion  as 
this,  wholly  suppress  my  sentiments.  But  I 
wish  to  speak  with  all  the  tenderness  and 
delicacy  tlie  subject  will  admit. 

In  this  land  of  liberty  the  measures  of 
government  and  of  parliament  are  canvassed 
with  great  freedom,  often  indeed  witli  a  very 
offensive  intemperance  and  indecency.  It  is, 
however,  one  important  privilege  of  our  happy 
constitution,  that  British  subjects  have  a  right 
of  presenting  respectful  petitions  either  to  the 
throne  or  to  the  senate,  when  such  measures 
are  in  contemplation  as  are  apprehended  may 
prove  detrimental  to  the  interests  of  the  na- 
tion or  of  individuals :  a  right,  which,  upon 
the  ground  of  real  or  pretended  grievances, 
has  been  abundantly  exercised  of  late  years. 
But  it  is  long  since  tlie  honour  of  God  and 
the  interests  of  true  religion  have  been  the 
objects  of  an  address  or  petition  from  any 
corporate  body  in  the  kingdom.  This  indif- 
ference of  all  parties  to  the  cause  of  God, 
when  all  are  so  attentive  and  feeling  in  cases 
where  they  think  their  own  temporal  con- 
cerns affected,  warrants  one  to  consider  the 
acts  of  the  legislature,  while  no  alteration  is 
desired  by  those  on  whom  they  are  binding, 
as  the  acts  of  the  whole  nation.  Even  tlie 
edicts  of  an  arbitrary  prince,  whose  will  sup- 
plies the  place  of  law,  might  involve  a  nation 
in  guilt,  if  he  enjoined  what  was  contrary  to 
the  commands  of  God,  and  they  through  fear 
obeyed  him.  Much  more  then  may  laws,  made 
by  the  representatives  of  a  free  people,  be 
considered  as  acts  of  the  community,  if  they 
excite  no  constitutional  endeavour  for  relief 

I  am  far  from  supposing  that  any  of  our 


laws  now  in  force  were  formed  with  an  in- 
1  tention  of  promoting  sin.  But  some  of  them, 
'through  the  prevailing  depravation  of  morals 
]  amongst  us,  do  it  eventually.  For  instance. 
I  the  Test  and  Corporation  acts,  which  require 
every  person  who  has  a  post  under  govern- 
ment, or  a  commission  in  the  army  or  navy, 
to  qualify  himself  for  his  office  by  receiving 
the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  would 
occasion  no  sin,  if  men  were  generally  in- 
fluenced by  the  fear  of  God,  or  even  by  a  prin- 
ciple of  integrity.  They  would  then  rather 
decline  places  of  honour  or  profit,  than  ac- 
cept them  upon  such  terms,  if  they  were  con- 
scious that  their  sentiments  or  conduct  were 
repugnant  to  the  design  of  that  institution. 
But  as  the  case  stands  at  present,  while  gain 
is  preferred  to  godliness,  and  the  love  of  dis- 
tinction or  lucre  is  stronger  than  the  dictates 
of  conscience,  we  frequently  see  professed 
infidels  and  notorious  libertines  approach  the 
Lord's  table  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  pros- 
tituting the  most  solemn  ordinance  of  Chris- 
tianity to  their  ambition  or  interest.  The 
great  number  and  variety  of  appointments 
civil  and  military,  which  cannot  be  legally 
possessed  without  this  qualification,  render 
the  enormity  almost  as  common  as  it  is  hein- 
ous. If  the  Lord  be  a  God  of  knowledge,  he 
cannot  be  deceived.  If  he  be  a  God  of  truth 
and  holiness,  he  will  not  be  mocked.  I  am 
afraid  we  have  been  long  guilty  of  a  con- 
temptuous profanation  of  the  body  and  blood 
of  Christ. 

The  multiplicity  of  oaths,  which  are  inter- 
woven into  almost  every  branch  of  public 
business,  involves  thousands  in  the  habitual 
guilt  of  perjury,  which  perhaps  may  emi- 
nently be  styled  our  national  sin.  Many  of 
them  it  is  true,  do  not  necessarily  lead  to  sin, 
because  honest  and  conscientious  men  may, 
and  do  strictly  observe  them ;  but  it  is  to  be 
feared,  the  greater  number  deliberately  and 
customarily  violate  these  solemn  obligations, 
and  take  them  as  often  as  imposed,  without 
hesitation,  and  without  any  design  of  com- 
plying with  them.  Not  a  few  of  these  oatha 
are  either  so  worded  or  so  circumstanced, 
that  it  is  morally  impossible  to  i'ulfil  them ; 
and  if  a  person  was  even  to  attempt  it,  he 
would  be  thought  a  busy-body  or  a  fool.  Yet 
they  must  be  tendered,  and  must  be  taken  as 
a  matter  of  form,  when  nothing  more  is  ex- 
pected or  purposed  on  either  side.  The  num- 
her  of  church-wardens  and  constables  who 
are  yearly  sworn,  is  very  great;  and  as  these 
offices  are  chiefly  held  by  rotation,  in  the 
course  of  a  few  years,  they  take  in  a  con- 
siderable part  of  the  middling  people  in  the 
kingdom.  How  many  or  how  few  of  them 
act  up  to  the  letter  and  the  spirit  of  the  oaths 
tliey  have  taken,  will  be  known  in  the  day 
when  the  secrets  of  all  hearts  shall  be  re- 
vealed. But  it  is  now  evident,  that,  while 
some,  like  sheep,  tread  without  thought  in 


OF  SUCH  A  NATION  AS  THIS. 


397 


the  path  of  custom,  content  to  forswear  tliem- 
selves  because  others  have  done  so  before 
them ;  and  while  some  are  hardy  enoutrh  to 
trifle  with  God  and  man  for  profit,  the  laws 
which  enjoin  and  multiply  oaths  do  thereby 
furnish  and  multiply  temptations  to  the  sin 
of  perjury.  To  this  source  we  may  ascribe 
much  of  that  profligacy  and  contempt  of  re- 
ligion, which  we  now  are  called  to  mourn 
over.  The  frequency  of  oaths,  the  irreverent 
manner  in  which  they  are  administered,  and 
the  impunity  with  which  they  are  broken, 
have  greatly  contributed  to  weaken  the  sense 
of  every  moral  obligation,  and  to  spread 
a  dissolute  and  daring  spirit  through  the 
land. 

Where  the  laws  have  expressly  interposed 
to  enforce  the  commands  of  God,  if  they  are 
eufl^ered  by  general  consent  to  lie  dormant, 
and  are  not  carried  into  execution,  the  enor- 
mities which  flow  from  such  connivance, 
come  under  the  denomination  of  national  sins. 
The  profanation  of  the  Lord's  day,  drunken- 
ness, profane  swearing,  are  contrary,  not  only 
to  the  precepts  of  scripture,  but  to  the  laws 
of  the  land ;  and  yet  they  could  hardly  be 
more  prevalent  though  there  were  no  statutes 
in  force  against  them.  As  these  evils  are 
not  apparently  detrimental  to  the  revenue  or 
to  commerce,  they  are  seldom  taken  notice 
of,  except  when  connected  with  some  act  of 
trespass  or  injury  to  individuals.  Very  few 
magistrates  are  concerned  to  enforce  the  ob- 
servation of  these  laws ;  and  if  private  per- 
sons sometimes  attempt  it  by  information, 
they  meet  but  little  success,  they  obtain  but 
little  thanks.  The  arts  of  pleading,  the  mi- 
nutiae and  niceties  of  forms  are  employed  to 
entangle  and  discourage  them,  and  to  screen 
ofFender.s.  Their  endeavours  are  usually 
treated  as  officious  and  impertinent,  and  they 
are  stigmatized  with  the  invidious  name  of 
informers.  In  their  own  cause  they  are  al- 
lowed to  be  active  ;  but  a  man  must  have  a 
good  share  of  resolution,  or  rather  of  divine 
grace,  who  can  withstand  the  reproach  and 
scorn  he  will  bring  upon  himself,  if  he  dare 
to  be  active  in  the  cause  of  God. 

My  subject,  alas !  is  almost  boundless ! 
But  our  time  prescribes  limits  to  my  discourse. 
I  must,  however,  hint  my  apprehension,  that 
acts  of  oppression  and  violence,  in  some  parts 
(at  least)  of  our  widely-extended  settlements, 
have  contributed  to  enhance  and  aggravate 
our  national  sin.  If  the  welfare  and  the  lives 
of  thousands  have  been  sacrificed  to  the  in- 
terest of  the  few ;  if  the  ravages  of  cruelty 
and  avarice,  though  notorious  and  undeniable, 
have  met  with  no  public  censure  or  punish- 
ment, may  we  not  expect  that  God  himself 
will  avenge  the  oppressed,  and  plead  their 
cause,  not  only  against  their  actual  oppres- 
sors, but.  against  the  community  that  refused 
to  hear  their  cries  and  redress  their  wrongs  1 

I  am  pained  likewise  to  observe  how  little 


the  calamities  of  war  and  the  shedding  of 
blood  are  laid  to  heart.  War,  when  most  ne- 
cessary and  unavoidable,  is  a  dreadful  evil ; 
one  of  the  most  severe  scourges  witii  which 
the  great  God  visits  a  sinful  world.  Brt,  be- 
cause we,  through  his  mercy,  know  no  more 
of  it  at  home  than  by  what  we  hear  of  the 
sufferings  of  others;  to  their  sufferings,  if  we 
account  them  enemies,  the  heartsof  many  are 
unfeeling  as  a  stone.  They  contemplate  with 
composure  and  apparent  satisfaction,  not  only 
the  horrors  of  a  field  of  battle,  but  the  devas- 
tations, flames,  rapes,  and  murders,  which  too 
often  mark  the  progress  of  conquest,  or  the 
retreat  of  disappointed  rage.  May  the  Lord 
God  keep  such  miseries  far  from  us !  May  we 
never  have  to  say,  As  we  have  heard,  so  we 
have  seen.  But  there  is  a  temper  and  spirit 
too  prevalent  among  us,  which  calls  for  hu- 
miliation— a  thirst  of  revenge,  an  eagerness 
for  war,  as  affording  opportunity  for  pillage 
and  plunder,  and  an  indifference  to  the  dis- 
tresses of  our  fellow-creatures,  more  answer- 
able to  the  idea  we  form  of  the  savages  in 
America,  than  to  that  of  a  civilized  and  chris- 
tian people. 

If  we  consider  the  nation  with  a  more  par- 
ticular respect  to  the  profession  of  religion 
amongst  us,  the  prospect  is  equally  dark. 
Though  the  Articles  and  Liturgy,  which  are 
still  retained  as  a  public  standard,  express  the 
doctrines  and  spirit  of  the  Reformation,  the 
truths  upon  which  they  are  founded  are  sunk 
into  disrepute.  They  are  heard  from  few  pul- 
pits, they  are  to  be  met  with  in  few  books  of 
modern  divinity.  The  ministers  who  have 
courage  to  preach  agreeably  to  their  required 
subscriptions  are  discountenanced  and  slight- 
ed, if  not  openly  opposed.  In  a  word,  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus, 
is  little  known  amongst  us,  and  where  it  is 
published,  is  rejected  by  a  great  majority  of 
every  rank.  Yet,  by  the  mercy  of  God,  it 
has  been  considerably  revived  and  spread 
amongst  us  of  late  years,  and  (I  hope)  is  still 
spreading.  There  is  a  remnant  amongst  us 
who  sigh  and  mourn  for  the  abominations  of 
the  times,  and  have  an  humble  and  awful 
sense  of  the  judgments  of  God  declared 
against  sin.  They  see  black  clouds  gather- 
ing apace  around  us,  and  their  hearts  trem- 
ble at  the  apprehension  of  what  he  may  justly 
inflict  upon  such  a  nation  as  this.  But  even 
among  the  people  of  different  denominations 
who  profess  the  truth,  there  is  much  to  be 
lamented.  Alas!  what  sinful  conformity  to 
the  world !  what  coldness  and  indifference 
where  we  ought  to  be  warm,  and  what  un- 
christian heat  and  fierceness  in  enforcing  or 
exploding  lesser  difl^erences  in  sentiment  or 
in  modes  of  worship!  May  we  not  fear, 
lest,  for  the  abatement  of  christian  love,  the 
violence  of  party  spirit,  and  the  abuse  of  re- 
ligious liberty,  the  Lord  should  visit  his  pro- 
fessing people  with  a  rod,  even  though  he 


398 


THE  GUILT  AND  DANGER 


were  still  to  exercise  patience  towards  the 
nation  at  large ! 

Let  us  then,  having'  premised  this  brief, 
but  awful  delineation  of  our  present  state, 
proceed  to  consider, 

II.  Wiiat  we  have  just  reason  to  expect, 
if  the  Lord  should  speak  to  us  in  his  dis- 
pleasure, and  avenge  himself  of  such  a  na- 
tion as  this !  Two  obvious  topics  offer  them- 
selves to  assist  our  inquiries. 

1.  What  we  learn  from  scripture,  and  from 
general  history,  of  God's  usual  methods  in 
the  government  of  the  world.  lie  avenged 
himself  on  the  old  world,  by  a  deluge;  on 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  by  fire  from  heaven. 
Where  are  now  the  mighty  empires  which 
once  extended  over  a  great  part  of  the  earth  ! 
The  Assyrian,  Persian,  Macedonian,  and  Ro- 
man governments,  arose  and  perished  in  suc- 
cession. What  were  Cyrus,  Alexander,  and 
other  conquerors,  whose  victories  decided  the 
fate  of  nations,  but  instruments  of  divine 
vengeance  ]  The  sins  of  the  people  against 
whom  they  went,  and  a  secret  commission 
from  the  Lord  of  hosts,  directed  their  march, 
and  insured  their  success.  He  has  appointed 
a  day  when  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righ- 
teousness, but  the  award  of  that  final  tribunal 
will  be  personal  to  each  one  according  to  his 
works.  Communities,  as  such,  in  their  col- 
lective capacity,  are  visited  and  judged  in  the 
present  life.  And  in  this  respect,  the  scrip- 
ture considers  nations  as  individuals:  each 
having  an  infancy,  growth,  maturity,  and  de- 
clension. Every  succeeding  generation  ac- 
cumulates the  stock  of  national  sin,  and  there 
is  a  measure  of  iniquity  which  determines 
the  period  of  kingdoms.  Till  this  measure  is 
filled  up,  the  patience  of  God  waits  for  them, 
but  then  patience  gives  way  to  vengeance. 

Such  has  been  his  uniform  procedure  from 
the  earliest  times,  of  which  either  sacred  or 
profane  history  affords  us  any  information : 
and  undoubtedly  a  day  will  come  when  the 
prosperity  of  this  nation  will  cease.  May  it 
be  at  a  yet  very  distant  period !  But  there 
are  alarming  symptoms  of  decay  already 
visible  upon  us.  When  God  is  exceedingly 
displeased  with  a  people,  it  is  not  necessary, 
in  order  to  their  punishment,  that  he  should 
bury  them  alive  by  an  earthquake,  or  destroy 
them  by  lightning.  If  he  only  leave  them 
to  themselves,  witlidraw  his  blessing  from 
their  counsels,  and  his  restraint  from  their 
passions,  their  ruin  follows  of  course ;  accord- 
ing to  the  necessary  order  and  connection  of 
causes  and  effects.  The  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem affords  a  striking  proof  and  illustration 
of  this  remark.  Our  Saviour  foretold,  that 
the  calamities  of  that  siege  would  be  greater 
and  more  aggravated  than  had  ever  been 
known  from  the  creation ;  and  infidels  must 
confess,  that  the  relation  of  Josephus,  who 
was  an  eye-witness  of  that  catastrophe,  ex- 
hibits such  scenes  of  distress  as  cannot  be 


paralleled  in  any  other  history.  Yet  the  Ro- 
man armies,  which  were  led  on  by  an  invisi- 
ble hand  to  accompli-sh  the  prediction,  were 
not  headed  by  a  Nero,  or  a  Caligula,  whose 
savage  disposition  and  thirst  of  blood  might 
have  prompted  them  to  unrelenting  slaugh- 
ter; but  by  Titus,  who,  for  his  singular  mo- 
deration and  clemency,  obtained  the  title  of 
DclicicB  Imrnani  gemris,  the  friend  and  de- 
light of  mankind.  He  desired  not  their  de- 
struction; he  entreated  them  to  have  pity  on 
themselves ;  but  in  vain  :  they  were  judicial- 
ly infatuated,  and  devoted  to  ruin.  If  God 
gives  up  a  people  to  the  way  of  their  own 
hearts,  they  will,  they  must  perish.  When 
a  general  corruption  of  morals  takes  place, 
when  private  interest  extinguishes  all  sense 
of  public  virtue,  when  a  profligate  and  venal 
spirit  has  infected  every  rank  and  order  of 
the  state,  when  presumptuous  security  and 
dissipation  increase  in  proportion  as  danger 
approaches  ;  when,  after  repeated  disappoint- 
ments, contempt  of  God,  and  vain  confidence 
in  imagined  resources  of  their  own,  grow 
bolder  and  stronger, — then  there  is  reason  to 
fear,  that  the  sentence  is  already  gone  forth, 
and  that  the  execution  of  it  is  at  hand. 

2.  The  progress  of  our  public  affairs  for 
some  years  past,  too  evidently  confirms  these 
general  principles,  brings  the  application 
home  to  ourselves,  and  loudly  warns  us  what 
we  are  yet  to  expect,  if  we  persist  in  hard- 
ening ourselves  against  the  Lord.  How  ra- 
pid the  change  we  have  seen  !  From  wliat 
small  beginnings  to  what  extensive  conse- 
quences! The  cloud  which  now  overspreads 
the  heavens  with  blackness,  was  not  long 
since  no  larger  than  a  man's  hand.  I  sup- 
pose none  who  were  actively  concerned  in 
our  public  commotions  during  their  early 
stage,  had  the  least  apprehension  that  things 
would  have  proceeded  to  such  calamitous  and 
diffusive  extremities.  But  sin  abounded,  and 
the  Lord  was  displeased.  Thus  we  may 
easily  account  for  every  mistake  and  mis- 
carriage, for  the  first  rise,  and  the  long  con- 
tinuance of  the  war.  The  connection  be- 
tween us  and  the  Americans  was  too  nearly 
founded  in  rehition,  too  closely  cemented  by 
mutual  interest,  to  be  so  suddenly  broken,  if 
their  sins  and  ours  had  not  concurred  in  ope- 
ration to  bring  distress  both  upon  them  and  us. 
Atler  a  great  expense  of  treasure  and  blood, 
instead  of  the  re-union  we  hoped  for,  we  have 
been  successively  involved  in  war  with 
France,  Spain,  and  Holland.  And  it  is  pos- 
sible that  every  power  in  Europe,  cither  is, 
or  soon  will  be,  openly  or  secretly  against  us. 
Nor  can  I  omit,  upon  this  occasion,  the  un- 
precedented violence  of  the  late  dreadful 
hurricanes  in  the  West  Indies.  Though 
infidels  and  petty  reasoners  will  doubtlesa 
labour  to  persuade  themselves  that^hey  pro- 
ceeded merely  from  natural  causes,  chris- 
tians, I  trust,  will  acknowledge  the  voice  of 


OF  SUCH  A  NATION  AS  THIS. 


399 


God  speakinof,  and  speaking  to  us  out  of  the 
whii-lwind.  It  is  true,  he  spoke  by  them  to 
our  enemies  likewise,  for  they  likewise  are 
sinners.  May  both  they  and  we  be  humbled 
before  him,  and  learn,  that  as  sin  instigates 
and  arms  us  to  destroy  each  other,  so  when 
he  is  pleased  to  take  the  work  into  his  own 
hands,  he  can  strike  such  a  blow,  as  shall  for 
the  time  suspend  our  feeble  hostilities,  and 
by  involving  us  in  a  common  calamity,  make 
us,  notwithstanding  our  enmity,  the  objects 
of  mutual  commiseration.  "The  Lord's  hand 
is  lifted  up,"  Isa.  xxvi.  11.  This  part  of  an 
ancient  prophecy  is  fulfilled  in  our  view:  the 
ne.\t  clause,  "They  will  not  see,"  is,  alas! 
fulfilled  likewise,  by  the  amazing  insensibil- 
ity and  infatuation  which  still  prevails  among 
us.  It  follows,  "  But  they  shall  see."  What 
still  greater  evils  may  overtake  us,  before 
this  clause  also  is  accomplished  to  the  glory 
of  God,  and  our  due  humiliation,  who  can 
say  !  Alas  !  who  that  loves  his  country,  but 
must  tremble  at  the  prospects  of  the  judg- 
ments yrt  impending  over  us,  if  he  should 
still  proceed  to  plead  his  own  cause,  till  he  is 
fully  avenged  on  such  a  nation  as  this ! — 
To  relieve  my  thoughts,  I  gladly  hasten  to 
inquire, 

III.  Whether  there  be  any  hope  that  such 
a  nation  as  this  may  yet  escape  deserved 
ruin ;  and  if  there  be,  in  what  way  this 
mercy  is  to  be  sought,  and  expected  !  I  con- 
fess [  have  little  hopes  of  it,  but  upon  one  or 
otiier  of  the  following  suppositions. 

1.  If  the  Lord  be  graciously  pleased  to 
succeed  the  professed  design  of  this  day's 
service,  and  to  put  forth  that  power  which 
accompanied  his  message  by  Jonah  to  Ni- 
neveh, so  that  a  general  spirit  of  repentance 
and  humiliation  may  spread  throughout  the 
land — If  he  bow  the  hearts  of  both  rulers  and 
people,  to  confess  and  forsake  those  sins 
which  have  awakened  his  displeasure — If  the 
laws  which  concern  his  honour,  will,  and 
worship,  be  speedily  and  impartially  enforced ; 
and  profimeness  and  immorality  discounte- 
nanced and  suppressed — If,  instead  of  trust- 
ing in  fleets  and  armies,  we  acknowledge  the 
Lord  of  iiosls,  and  look  up  to  him  for  a  bless- 
ing— If  men  fearing  God  and  hating  covet- 
ousness,  (Exodus  xviii.  21,)  are  raised  up  to 
assist  in  our  councils,  and  to  stand  forth  in 
their  country's  cause ;  men  who  will  rely  on 
his  guidance  and  protection,  and  disdain  the 
little  arts  and  intrigues  on  which  alone  short- 
siglited  politicians  depend  for  the  success  of 
their  measures — should  I  live  to  see  such  a 
happy  internal  change,  I  should  hope,  that 
notwithstanding  our  great  provocations,  the 
Lord,  whose  mercies  are  infinite,  would  be 
yet  entreated  for  us ;  that  he  would  turn  from 
the  fierceness  of  his  anger,  maintain  our 
tranquillity  at  home,  and,  by  his  wisdom  and 
his  influence  over  the  hearts  of  men,  put  an 


honourable  and  satisfactory  end  to  the  un- 
happy war  in  which  we  are  engaged. 

2.  However  the  bulk  of  the  nation  may 
determine,  if  the  remnant  who  know  his 
name,  and  have  tasted  of  his  love,  should  be 
deeply  impressed  with  a  concern  for  his  glory, 
and  forsaking  their  little  animosities  and 
party-interests,  should  unite  in  application  to 
the  throne  of  grace,  and  be  found  in  those 
duties  and  practices  which  their  profession  of 
the  gospel,  and  the  state  of  things  around 
them  require,  there  is  yet  hope.  For  the 
prayers  of  God's  people  have  a  powerful 
efficacy.  The  holy  and  benevolent  importu- 
nity of  Ahraham  would  have  prevailed  in 
favour  even  of  Sodom,  if  ten  righteous  per- 
sons had  been  found  in  it.  Gen.  xviii.  When 
Sennacherib  invaded  Judea,  had  overrun  the 
greatest  part  of  the  country,  and  thought 
Jerusalem  would  be  an  easy  conquest,  Heze- 
kiah,  though  he  took  such  precautions  as  pru- 
dence suggested,  did  not  defeat  him  by  arms, 
(Isa.  xxxvii.)  but  by  prayer.  In  the  prayers 
of  true  believers  is  our  best  visible  resource. 
These  are  the  chariots  and  horsemen  of  Is- 
rael. United  prayer,  humiliation  of  heart, 
a  mourning  for  sin  in  secret,  and  a  faithful 
testimony  against  it  in  public,  will  more  es- 
sentially contribute  to  the  safety  and  welfare 
of  the  nation,  than  all  our  military  prepara- 
tions without  them.  We  boast  of  our  navy, 
and  it  has  oiten  proved,  by  the  blessing  of  God, 
our  bulwark;  but  how  easily  can  he  who 
walketh  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind,  dash  the 
best  appointed  fleet  to  pieces  ao-ainst  the 
rocks,  or  sink  it  like  lead  in  the  mighty 
waters  !  We  boast  of  our  troops;  but  he  can 
easily  cut  them  off"  with  sickness,  give  them  up 
to  a  spirit  of  discord,  or  impress  them  with  a 
sudden  terror,  so  that  the  stoutest  heart  shall 
tremble,  and  the  mighty  warriors  turn  pale  and 
drop  their  weapons!  A  thousand  unforeseen 
events  and  contingencies  are  always  at  his 
disposal,  to  blast  and  disappoint  the  best  con- 
certed enterprises ;  for  that  the  race  is  not 
necessarily  sure  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle 
to  the  strong,  is  not  only  asserted  in  the 
scripture,  but  confirmed  by  the  experience 
and  observation  of  all  ages,  Psfilm  xxxiii. 
16,  17;  Ecclesia.stes  ix.  11.  But  his  people 
are  precious  in  his  sight,  and  their  prayers 
he  will  hear.  Unknown  and  unnoticed  as 
they  are  in  the  world,  he  highly  values  them. 
He  has  redeemed  them  by  his  blood.  He  in- 
habits them  by  his  Spirit.  He  has  prepared 
heaven  for  them,  and  the  earth  itself  is  con- 
tinued for  their  sakes,  and  shall  be  destroyed 
when  they  are  all  removed  from  it.  They 
are  the  light,  the  salt,  the  strength,  and  the 
safety  of  the  nations  among  which  they  are 
dispersed.  Matt.  v.  13,  14.  Except  the  Lord 
of  hosts  had  left  a  small  remnant  of  these 
among  us,  we  should  long  ago  have  been  as 
Sodom,  and  made  like  unto  Gomorrah,  Isa.  i. 


400 


THE  GUILT  AND  DANGER 


9.  To  his  attention  to  their  prayers  and  con- 
cerns, I  doubt  not  the  preservation  of  this 
city  at  the  time  of  the  late  horrible  riots  may 
be  ascribed.  I  wish  I  could  now  recal  to 
your  minds  the  emotions  which  some  of  you 
then  felt,  when  your  countenances  bore  a 
strong  impression  of  your  inward  anxiety. 
Those  terrors  came  upon  you  unexpectedly, 
and  though  they  are  forgotten  by  too  many, 
scenes  equally  distressing  may  present  them- 
selves before  you  are  aware.  O  may  he  in 
mercy  animate  this  remnant,  now  to  stand  in 
the  breach  as  one  man,  and  to  wrestle  for  a 
sinful  land  !  Then  we  may  at  least  arise  to 
the  hope  of  the  Ninevites,  Who  can  tell  but 
the  Lord  may  turn  from  his  fierce  anger,  that 
we  perish  not !  Jonah,  iii.  9. 

Let  me  now  close  with  an  address, 
1.  To  such  of  you  in  this  assembly  as  fear 
the  Lord.  A  part  of  you  are  poor  and  afflict- 
ed people,  and  by  your  obscure  situation  in 
life,  are  precluded  from  a  very  distinct 
knowledge  of  the  causes,  the  present  effects, 
and  possible  consequences  of  the  war.  You 
live  in  a  happy  ignorance  of  what  passes  in 
the  world,  and  take  no  part  in  the  disputes 
which,  in  many  places,  ensnare  and  embitter 
the  spirits  even  of  professors  of  the  gospel. 
Your  principles  inspire  you  with  sentiments 
of  duty  to  government,  with  the  love  of 
peace,  and  with  a  just  sense  of  the  value  of 
your  privileges,  civil  and  religious.  But 
though  you  are  poor,  and  can  serve  your 
country  in  no  other  way,  you  may  serve  it 
effectually  by  your  prayers.  You  have  ac- 
cess to  the  throne  of  grace.  Intercede  there- 
fore for  a  land  that  lieth  in  wickedness,  be 
concerned  for  the  honour  of  his  name,  for 
the  blindness  and  misery  around  you.  It  may 
be  the  Lord  will  be  entreated  of  you,  and  for 
your  sakes,  and  for  the  sake  of  such  as  you, 
command  the  destroying  angel  to  slay  his 
hand. 

Those  of  you  who  have  better  opportunity 
of  knowing  the  state  of  our  public  affairs, 
have  likewise  a  more  extensive  sphere  of 
service.  You  will,  I  hope,  improve  your  in- 
fluence in  your  families  and  connections,  and 
by  your  advice  and  example,  endeavour  to 
awaken  all  with  whom  you  converse  to  join 
in  promoting  the  design  of  this  day's  service. 
I  call  upon  all  who  have  ears  to  hear,  and 
eyes  to  see  the  voice  and  the  hand  of  the  Lord, 
the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  young  and  the 
aged,  to  be  faithful,  circumspect,  and  zealous 
in  your  several  stations. 

Should  wrath  be  decreed,  and  there  be  no 
remedy,  at  least  you  shall  prevail  for  your- 
selves. You  shall  know  that  the  Lord  whom 
you  serve  is  a  strong-hold  in  the  day  of  trou- 
ble, and  is  mindful  of  them  who  put  their 
trust  in  him.  You  can  hardly  be  too  much 
alarmed  for  the  nation,  but  for  yourselves  you 
have  no  just  cause  of  fear.  We  are  commis- 


sioned to  say  to  the  righteous.  It  shall  be 
well  with  him,  Isa.  iii.  10.  The  Saviour,  to 
whom  you  have  fled  for  refuge  has  all  power 
in  heaven  and  earth.  He  will  keep  you  as 
the  apple  of  his  eye,  and  hide  you  under  the 
shadow  of  his  wings.  He  can  screen  you 
from  evil,  though  thousands  and  ten  thou- 
sands should  suffer  and  fall  around  you.  Or 
if  he  appoints  you  a  share  in  suffering,  he 
will  be  with  you  to  support  and  comfort  you, 
and  to  sanctify  all  your  troubles.  His  word 
to  you  is.  When  you  hear  of  wars  and  ru- 
mours of  wars,  see  that  ye  be  not  troubled, 
Matthew  xxiv.  6.  Fear  not  them  who,  at 
the  most,  can  but  kill  the  body.  The  light 
of  his  countenance  is  sufficient  to  cheer  you 
in  the  darkest  hour,  and  your  best  interest, 
your  everlasting  inheritance  is  safe  beyond 
the  reach  of  enemies,  in  a  kingdom,  (iiow 
unlike  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth !)  which 
cannot  be  shaken,  Hebrews  xii.  28.  Your 
life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God ;  and  when 
Christ,  who  is  our  life,  shall  appear,  then 
shall  you  also  appear  with  him  in  glory.  Col. 
iii.  3,  4.  Thither  neither  sin  nor  sorrow  shall 
be  able  to  follow  you.  Then  your  sun  shall 
go  down  no  more,  and  the  days  of  your 
mourning  shall  be  ended.  In  patience  there- 
fore possess  your  souls.  Be  not  moved  by 
appearances,  but  remember  all  your  concerns 
are  in  the  hands  of  him  wiio  loved  you,  and 
gave  himself  for  you.  Let  those  wlio  know 
him  not,  tremble  when  he  ariseth  to  judg- 
ment, and  to  shake  terribly  the  earth ;  but  do 
you  sanctify  the  Lord  God  in  your  hearts, 
make  him  your  fear  and  your  dread,  and  he 
shall  be  to  you  for  a  sanctuary,  (Isaiah,  viii. 
13,  14 ;)  and  in  a  little  time  he  will  come  to 
receive  you  to  himself,  and  to  wipe  all  tears 
from  your  eyes. 

2.  But  what  can  I  say  to  the  rest  of  the 
congregation  1  Though  they  are  all  met  in  the 
same  place,  and  outwardly  engaged  in  the 
same  service,  so  that,  to  the  eye  of  man,  we 
may  appear  as  one  people,  animated  with  one 
and  the  same  desires,  the  eye  of  the  Searcher 
of  hearts  sees  and  notices  a  real  and  im- 
portant distinction  amongst  us.  He  draws, 
with  infallible  certainty,  the  line  of  separa- 
tion. He  knows  who  are  truly  on  his  side, 
whose  hearts  are  tender,  (2  Chron.  xxxiv. 
27,)  who  are  afraid  of  his  judgments,  and 
are  mourning  for  their  own  sins,  and  the 
sins  of  the  nation :  and  he  knows  and  sees 
that  too  many  here  have  neither  his  fear  nor 
his  love  abiding  in  them.  You  may  comply 
with  an  outward  form,  and  abstain  from  a 
meal,  but  you  neither  abstain  from  sin,  nor 
desire  to  do  so.  To-day  you  look  serious,  and 
by  your  presence  seem  to  assent  to  the  con- 
fessions which  have  been  made,  and  the 
prayers  which  have  been  offered  in  your 
hearing.  To-morrow,  I  fear,  will  show  that 
all  your  semblance  of  seriousness  was  but 


OF  SUCH  A  NATION  AS  THIS. 


401 


"hypocrisy :  and  that  tho«<jh  you  drew  nigh 
to  God  with  yovir  lips,  (Mark  viii.  6,)  your 
hearts  were  far  from  him.  But  bo  not  de- 
ceived, God  will  not  be  mocked.  You  have 
contributed  largely  to  swell  the  measure  of 
our  national  sin ;  herein  you  have  been  liearty 
and  persevering.  Do  not  think  that  the  lip- 
service  of  a  single  day  will  make  any  altera- 
tion either  in  your  state  or  in  your  guilt. 
Rather  that  pretended  humiliation,  by  which 
you  act  towards  God  as  if  you  thought  he 
was  altogether  such  a  one  as  yourselves, 
(Ps.  1.  21,)  is  an  aggravation  of  your  wick- 
edness, and  no  better  than  affronting  him  to 
his  face.  Yet  I  am  glad  of  an  opportunity 
of  speaking  to  you.  Oh,  that  I  could  prevail 
on  you  to  seek  him  in  earnest  while  he  is  to 
be  found  !  You  cannot  serve,  or  love,  or  trust 
him,  unless  you  be  born  again.  But  Jesus 
is  exalted  to  produce  tliis  cliange  in  the  heart 
of  a  sinner,  by  the  power  of  his  Holy  Spirit, 
and  to  give  faith,  repentance,  and  remission 
of  sins.  Could  I  convince  you  of  this,  the 
rest  would  be  easy.  Then,  feeling  your 
wants  and  misery,  you  would  ask  mercy  of 
him ;  and  asking  you  would  surely  receive ; 
for  he  has  said,  Him  that  cometh  unto  me,  I 


will  in  nowise  cast  out,  John  vi.  37.  O  Lord, 
do  thou  convince  them  by  tliine  own  power ! 
Open  the  blind  eyes,  unstop  the  deaf  ears, 
and  turn  the  stony  heart  into  flesh. 

Till  this  be  done  you  are  neither  fit  to  live, 
nor  fit  to  die.  What  will  you  do  in  a  day 
of  public  calamity,  should  you  live  to  see  it, 
if  you  sliould  be  despoiled  of  your  earthly 
comforts,  and  have  no  share  in  the  consolation 
of  the  gospel !  But  should  the  Lord  answer 
prayer  and  prolong  our  national  prosperity, 
still  you  must  be  ruined  unless  you  are  saved 
by  grace.  For  what  will  you  do  in  the  hour 
of  death  ?  This  is  inevitable,  and  may,  for 
ought  you  know,  be  very  near.  If  I  could 
assure  you  of  peace  and  wealth  for  the  term 
of  a  long  life,  still  without  the  peace  of  God, 
and  an  interest  in  the  unsearchable  riches 
of  Christ,  you  must  be  miserable  at  the  last, 
and  lie  down  in  sorrow. 

But  oh  that  we  may  rather  with  one  con- 
sent search  and  try  our  ways,  and  turn  to  the 
Lord  from  whom  we  have  so  greatly  revolt- 
ed !  To  us,  indeed,  belong  shame  and  con- 
fusion of  face,  but  to  the  Lord  our  God  belong 
mercies  and  forgiveness,  though  we  have  re- 
belled against  him. 


VoL.IL 


SE 


A  SERMON 


PREACHED  IN  THE  PARISH  CHURCH  OF  ST.  PAUL'S,  DEPTFORD, 

ON  SUNDAY,  MAY  7,  1786, 
ON  THE  LAMENTED  OCCASION  OF  THE  DEATH  OF 

RICHARD  CONYERS,  L.  L.  D. 

LATE  RECTOR  OF  THAT  PARISH. 

So,  being  affectionately  desirous  of  you,  we  were  willing  to  have  imparted  unto  you, 
not  the  gospel  of  God  only,  but  also  our  ow7i  souls,  because  ye  were  dear  unto  us. — 
1  Thess.  ii.  8. 


An  active  undaunted  zeal  in  the  service 
of  God,  and  a  peculiar  tenderness  of  affection 
tovi^ards  his  people,  were  happily  and  emi- 
nently combined  in  the  character  of  St.  Paul. 
The  latter  appears  in  none  of  his  writings  to 
greater  advantage  than  in  this  Epistle,  and 
particularly  in  this  chapter.  He  had  been 
made  very  useful  to  the  Thessalonians,  and 
was  greatly  beloved  by  them.  Many  of  them 
had  received  the  gospel  which  he  preached, 
not  in  word  only,  but  in  power ;  and  were 
effectually  turned,  by  grace,  from  dead  idols, 
to  serve  the  living  and  the  true  God,  1 
Thess.  i.  5 — 9.  They  likewise  were  very 
dear  to  him;  and  being  now  at  a  distance 
from  them,  he  writes  to  confirm  their  faith 
and  hope,  to  animate  and  direct  their  con- 
duct. And  he  takes  many  occasions  of  re- 
minding them,  of  the  peculiar  regard  he  had 
borne  them  from  the  first,  and  how  near  they 
Btill  were  to  his  heart;  that  his  love  for  them, 
which  had  sweetened  all  his  labours  and 
sufferings  when  he  was  among  them,  made 
him  still  solicitous  for  their  welfare,  and  en- 
abled him  to  rejoice  on  their  account,  while 
he  was  suffering  bonds  and  imprisonment  at 
Rome. 

The  verse  T  have  read  is  one  passage,  out 
of  many  in  the  New  Testament,  where  our 
translation  does  not  fully  come  up  to  the  spi- 
rit and  beauty  of  the  original.  Not  that  it  is 
unfaithful  or  faulty;  it  is  chiefly  owing  to 
the  difference  of  the  languages.  I  believe 
we  have  no  single  word  in  the  English 
tongue,  to  express  the  energy  of  the  Greek 
term  .A<i<eo(Kivo<,  which  he  uses  in  the  begin- 


ning of  the  verse;  and  therefore  our  transla- 
tors have  employed  two,  "  Being  affection- 
ately desirous  of  you."  It  denotes  a  desire 
connected  with  the  finest  and  most  tender 
feelings  of  the  heart;  not  like  the  degrading 
selfish  desire  of  the  miser  for  gold ;  but 
such  an  emotion  (according  to  his  own  beau- 
tiful illustration  in  the  preceding  verse)  as 
that  with  which  the  nurse,  the  mother  while 
a  nurse,  contemplates  her  own  child.  Being 
thus  disposed  towards  you,  "  we  were  will- 
ing"— but  the  Greek  ivSzy-xf^sv  is  more  em- 
phatical.  We  esteemed  it  our  pleasure,  our 
joy,  the  very  height  of  our  wishes,  "  to  im- 
part unto  you  the  gospel  of  God,"  to  put  you 
into  our  own  place,  to  communicate  to  you, 
by  the  gospel,  all  that  comfort  and  strength, 
and  joyful  hope,  which  we  have  received 
from  it  ourselves.  Yea,  further,  to  have 
imparted  to  you  our  own  souls  also ;  that  is, 
to  devote  our  whole  strength,  time,  and 
study,  to  this  very  end,  to  spend  and  be 
spent  for  you,  and  to  be  ready  to  seal  our 
testimony  with  our  blood,  if  this  were  need- 
ful to  your  establishment,  "  because  ye  are 
dear"  («>-«»ri,T<i.,)  exceedingly  dear  unto  us. 
The  same  word  is  used  (for  the  language  of 
mortals  will  not  afford  a  stronger,)  Matt.  iii. 
17.  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son." 

When  I  thought  of  preaching  to  3'ou  this 
day,  and  of  mingling  my  tears  with  yours,  the 
occasion  suggested  the  choice  I  have  made 
of  a  text;  and  the  countenances  of  many 
of  you  convince  me  that  I  have  not  made 
an  improper  choice.  Another  congregation 
might  have  been  led,  from  what  I  have  al- 
402 


ON  THE  DEATH  OP  DR.  CONYERS. 


403 


ready  said,  to  sympathize  with  the  Thessa- 
lonians,  in  what  thoy  must  have  felt  when 
they  were  deprived  of  such  a  minister  and 
friend ;  but  your  minds  are  engag-ed  by  a  sense 
of  your  own  loss.  You  have  reason.  You 
acknowledge  and  feel,  that  if  I  wished  (as  I 
certainly  did)  to  select  a  text  which  migfht, 
■while  you  heard  it,  strongly  impress  your 
minds  with  the  idea  of  my  dear  friend,  your 
late  pastor,  and  recal  to  your  remembrance, 
his  principles,  actions,  motives,  and  aims, 
how  he  spoke,  and  how  he  lived  among  you, 
I  could  hardly  have  found  a  passage  in  the 
whole  scripture  more  directly  suited  to  my 
purpose.  I  believe  no  minister  in  the  present 
age,  nor  perhaps  in  any  past  age,  since  the 
apostle's  days,  could  have  a  better  warrant 
than  Dr.  Conyers,  to  adopt  these  words  of 
St.  Paul  as  expressive  of  his  own  spirit  and 
character.  He  had  a  very  tender  affection  for 
you  :  It  was  his  earnest  desire,  and  his  great 
delight,  to  impart  unto  you  the  gospel  of  God, 
because  you  were  dear  to  him :  and  it  maybe 
said  of  him  with  peculiar  propriety,  that  in 
tliis  service  of  love,  lie  imparted  to  you  his 
own  soul,  or  life  also.  You  have  not  forgot- 
ten, surely  you  never  can  forget,  the  very 
solemn  and  affecting  manner  in  which  his 
ministry  among  you  closed.  Whether,  while 
he  was  reading  the  apostle's  farewell  dis- 
course to  the  elders  of  the  church  of  Ephesus, 
(Acts  XX.  18 — 35,)  which  occurred  in  the  se- 
cond lesson  for  the  day,  he  had  a  presage  that 
you  would  see  his  face  no  more,  we  know  not. 
Had  he  been  certain  of  it,  he  could  not  have 
taken  your  consciences  more  earnestly  to 
witness,  that  he  was  clear  of  your  blood,  and 
that  he  had  not  shunned  to  declare  unto  you 
the  whole  coun-sel  of  God.  However,  the 
event  proved,  that  you  then  saw  and  heard 
him  for  the  last  time.  His  strength  and  life 
were  prolonged  to  finish  his  discourse,  and 
to  pronounce  over  you  his  parting  blessing, 
which  he  had  scarcely  finished, before  lie  was 
called  home  to  his  Master's  joy.  "  Blessed  is 
that  .servant,  whom  his  Lord,  when  he  cometh, 
sliall  find  so  doing,"  Luke  xii.  43. 

In  considering  the  grounds  of  the  apostle's 
love  to  the  Thessalonians,  and  the  proofs 
which  he  gave  of  it,  the  subject  will  fre- 
quently lead  me  to  bear  a  testimony  to  the 
graci!  of  God,  vouchsafed  to  your  late  minis- 
ter, of  whom  we  may  truly  say,  he  was  a  fol- 
lower of  St.  Paul,  as  Paul  also  was  of  Christ, 
1  Cor.  xi.  1. 

I.  The  first  gromid,  the  original  cause  of 
the  apostle's  love  to  the  brethren,  was  the 
love  of  Christ  His  unwearied  endeavours, 
in  the  midst  of  the  hardships  and  dangers 
which  awaited  him  in  every  place,  to  pro- 
mote the  happiness  of  mankind,  made  liim 
■■appear  to  many  who  were  unacquainted  with 
the  motives  of  his  conduct,  as  though  he  were 
beside  himself  The  apology  he  offered  was, 
the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us,  2  Cor.  v. 


14.  Till  he  knew  the  Lord,  he  acted  very 
differently.  While  he  was  under  the  power 
of  prejudice  and  ignorance,  he  verily  thought 
that  he  ought  to  do  many  things  against  the 
name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  (Acts  ix.  1;  xxvi. 
9,)  and  therefore  breathed  out  threaten ings 
and  slaughter  against  his  people.  But  .Jesus 
whom  he  persecuted  appeared  to  him  in  his 
way  to  Damascus,  convinced  him  of  his  sin, 
v6uchsafed  him  pardon,  and  commissioned 
him  to  preach  the  faith  which  he  had  labour- 
ed to  destroy,  Gal.  i.  23.  From  tliat  time  he 
esteemed  himself  a  chief  sinner,  (1  Tim.  i  15, 
16,)  and  because  much  had  been  forgiven  him, 
he  loved  much.  He  devoted  his  whole  future 
life  to  proclaim  the  glory  and  g  race  of  his  Sa- 
viour, and  to  propose  himself  as  a  pattern  of 
his  long-suffering  and  mercy  to  all  around 
him,  that  they  likewise  might  believe  and  be 
saved.  He  was  conscious  of  his  Saviour's 
Just  right  to  reign  in  every  heart.  And  they 
who,  by  receiving  the  gospel  which  he 
preached,  entered  into  his  views,  and  loved 
the  Lord  whom  he  loved,  instantly  became 
dear  to  him  for  his  Lord''sKike,  wiiether  they 
were  Jews  or  Gentiles,  rich  or  poor,  bond  or 
free.  It  is  probable,  that  all  who  are  con- 
vinced and  enlightened  by  tiie  Holy  Spirit, 
having  a  clearer  knowledge  of  the  nature, 
number,  and  aggravation  of  their  own  sins, 
than  they  can  possibly  have  of  tiiose  of  any 
other  person,  account  themselves  among  the 
chief  of  sinners,  though  many  of  them  may 
have  been  preserved  from  gross  enormities. 
I  never  heard  that  your  minister  was  in- 
fluenced, like  Saul  of  Tarsus,  by  a  bitter 
persecuting  spirit;  and  I  believe  his  beha- 
viour was  moral  and  exemplary  from  his 
youth.  When  he  entered  upon  his  ministry 
at  his  beloved  Helmsley,  in  Yorkshire,  he 
found  the  place  ignorant  and  dissolute  to  a 
proverb.  At  this  early  period  of  life,  he  feared 
God,  and  he  hated  wickedness.  With  much 
zeal  and  diligence  he  attempted  the  reforma- 
tion of  his  parish,  which  was  of  great  extent, 
and  divided  into  several  hamlets.  He  preach- 
ed frequently  in  them  all.  He  encouraged  his 
imrishioners  to  come  to  his  house.  He  dis- 
tributed them  into  little  companies,  that  he 
might  instruct  them  with  more  convenience; 
he  met  them  in  rotation  by  appointment.  In 
this  manner,  long  before  he  fully  understood 
that  gospel  of  God  which  of  late  years  he  so 
successfiilly  imparted  to  you,  I  have  been  as- 
sured that  lie  often  preached  or  exhorted  pub- 
licly, or  more  privately,  twenty  times  in  a 
week.  These  labours  were  not  in  vain:  a 
great,  visible,  and  almost  universal  reforma- 
tion took  place.  About  the  time  I  am  speak- 
ing of,  a  clergyman  in  his  neighbourhood 
made  very  honourable  mention  of  Dr.  Con^ 
yerSj'^in  a  letter  to  the  Society  tor  Promoting 
Christian  Knowledge,  (which  I  have  seen  in 
print,)  as  perhaps  the  most  exemplary,  in- 
defatigable, and  successful  parochial  niiniti  er 


401  ON  THE  DEATH 

in  the  kingtlom  ;  yet  in  llie  midst  of  applause 
and  apparent  success,  he  was  far  from  being 
satisfied  with  himself  He  did  what  he  could  : 
he  did  more  tlian  most  others;  but  he  felt 
there  was  something  still  wanting,  though 
for  a  tiine  he  lincw  not  what;  but  he  was  de- 
sirous to  know:  he  studied  the  scriptures,  and 
he  prayed  to  the  Father  of  lights.  They  who 
thus  seek  shall  surely  find.  Important  con- 
sequences often  follow  from  a  sudden  involun- 
tary turn  of  thought.  One  day  an  expres- 
sion of  St.  Paul's,  "  the  unsearchable  riches 
of  Christ,"  (Ephes.  iii.  8,)  engaged  his  atten- 
tion. He  had  often  read  the  passage,  but 
never  noticed  the  word  unsearchable  before. 
The  gospel,  in  his  view  of  it,  had  appeared 
plain,  and  within  his  comprehension;  buttiie 
apostle  spoke  of  it  as  containing  something 
that  was  unsearchable.  A  conclusion  there- 
fore forced  itself  upon  him,  that  the  idea  he 
had  hitherto  affixed  to  the  word  ^os^c/,  could 
not  be  the  same  with  that  of  the  apostle. 
From  tiiis  beginning  he  was  soon  led  to  per- 
ceive, that  his  whole  scheme  was  essentially 
defective,  that  his  people,  however  outwardly 
reformed,  were  not  converted. — He  now  felt 
himself  a  sinner,  and  felt  his  need  of  faith  in 
a  Saviour,  in  a  manner  he  had  never  done 
before.  Thus  he  was  brought  with  the  apos- 
tle, to  account  his  former  gain  but  loss  :  the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ  opened  to  his 
mind,  he  received  power  to  believe,  his  per- 
ple.xities  were  removed,  and  he  rejoiced  with 
joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.  He  pre- 
sently told  his  people,  with  that  amiable  sim- 
plicity which  so  strongly  marked  his  charac- 
ter, that  though  he  had  endeavoured  to  show 
them  the  way  of  salvation,  he  had  misled 
them  ;  tliat  what  both  he  and  they  had  been 
building  was  not  upon  the  right  foundation. 
He  from  that  time  preached  Jesus  Christ,  and 
him  crucified,  (1  Cor.  ii.  2.  i.  30,)  as  the  only 
ground  of  hope  for  sinners,  and  the  only  source 
from  whence  they  could  derive  wisdom,  righ- 
teousness, sanctification,  and  redemption.  The 
Lord  so  blessed  his  word,  that  the  greater  part 
of  the  people  who  were  most  attached  to  him 
soon  adopted  his  views,  and  many  more  were 
successively  added  to  them.  This  change  in 
his  sentiments  and  manner  of  preaching, 
though  it  added  efficacy  to  his  moral  instruc- 
tions, and  endeared  him  to  his  people  at  home, 
lost  him  much  of  that  high  estimation  in  which 
he  had  been  held  abroad.  But  he  knew  the 
gospel  of  God  too  well  to  be  ashamed  of  it : 
whatever  disgrace  he  suffered  in  such  a  cause, 
he  could  bear  with  patience.  He  loved  his 
people  and  was  beloved  by  them ;  and  their 
advance  in  comfort  and  holiness  made  him 
ample  compensation  for  the  unkindness  of 
ose  who  knew  not  what  they  did.  And 
us,  when  the  providence  of  God  removed 
him  hither,  the  constraining  love  of  Christ, 
which  had  long  been  the  great  principle  of 
his  conduct,  disposed  him  to  love  you  before 


OF  DR.  CONYERS. 

he  saw  you ;  and  he  came  among  you  with 
an  earnest  desire  to  impart  unto  you  the  gos- 
pel of  God,  and  his  own  soul  also,  because 
from  the  moment  that  he  accepted  the  charge 
over  you,  he  was  affectionately  desirous  of 
you. 

The  regard  of  the  apostle  to  the  Thessalo- 
nians  was  undoubtedly  heightened  in  propor- 
tion as  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  give  him 
seals  to  his  ministry  among  them.  And  the 
like  cause  had  the  like  effect  here.  The  mu- 
tual affection  that  subsists  between  a  faithful 
minister  and  those  to  whom  the  Lord  makes 
him  useful,  is  of  a  peculiar  kind,  and  not 
easily  described.  I  trust  he  looked  upon 
many  of  you  with  joy,  as  his  crown  and 
glory  in  the  day  of  Christ,  (1  Thess.  ii.  19; 
and  you,  I  doubt  not,  looked  on  him  with 
respect  and  gratitude,  as  the  instrument  of 
God  in  saving  your  souls,  in  calling  you  out 
of  darkness  into  marvellous  light.  What  were 
some  of  you  doing,  and  whither  were  you  go- 
ing, when  God  sent  you,  by  him,  the  word  of 
salvation  ?  And  what  a  happy  change  have  you 
since  experienced  !  You  were  then  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins,  without  Christ,  and  there- 
fore without  hope,  and  without  God  in  the 
world,  Ephes.  ii.  1, 12,  13.  ^ut  now  you,  who 
were  some  time  afar  off,  are  made  nigh  by  the 
blood  of  Christ.  Now  being  freed  from  the 
slavery  of  sin,  you  have  your  fruit  unto  holi- 
ness, and  the  end  everlasting  life,  Rom.  vi. 
22.  You  have  now  access  to  God,  commu- 
nion with  him,  an  interest  in  his  promises, 
and  a  good  hope  through  grace  that  though 
your  minister  be  taken  from  you,  he  who  by 
him  began  a  good  work  in  you,  will  perform 
it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ,  Phil.  i.  6. 
Let  this  thought  moderate  your  grief  You 
will  see  the  face  of  your  minister  no  more 
here ;  but  you  will  meet  him  again,  ere  long, 
before  tiie  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb. 
Then  all  tears  will  be  for  ever  wiped  away. 

Again,  during  the  apostle's  continuance 
with  the  Thessalonians,  he  and  they  had  en- 
joyed precious  seasons  of  worship  together, 
and  of  mutual  communion  with  God,  in  the 
ordinances  of  his  appointment.  Wherever 
two  or  three  are  met  in  the  Lord's  name, 
(Matt,  xviii.  20,)  he  is  mindful  of  his  promise, 
and  does  manifest  himself  unto  them  as  he 
does  not  unto  the  world,  (John  xiv.  22 ;)  and 
these  tastes  of  his  loving  kindness  wonder- 
fully soften,  spiritualize,  and  enlarge  their 
affections,  and  knit  them  closer  and  closer 
together  in  love.  And  though  that  power  and 
unction  from  on  high,  which  makes  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  gospel  truly  delightful,  and  aa 
hour  so  employed  preferable  to  a  thousand 
of  the  world's  hours,  (Psal.  Ixxxiv.  10,)  does 
not  altogether  depend  upon  the  gifts,  or  even 
upon  the  grace  of  the  minister;  yet  it  is 
doubtless  a  singular  and  high  privilege, 
to  be  under  the  care  of  a  wise  and  tender 
shepherd,  of  one  who  in  the  school  of  expe- 


ON  THE  DEATH 

riencc  has  acquired  tlie  tongue  of  the  lea  rncfl, 
(fsa.  1.  4,)  who  knows  how  to  adapt  himself 
to  tiie  occasions  of  the  people,  to  give  every 
one  their  proper  portion,  to  obviate  their 
doubts,  relieve  their  fears,  point  out  their 
dangers,  and  to  speak  a  word  in  season  to 
them  that  are  weary  Be  thankful  that  you 
were  long-  favoured  with  such  an  able  minis- 
ter of  the  New  Testament.  As  a  public 
preaclier,  he  may  perhaps  have  left  some 
equals  behind  him.  But  he  had  at  Dept- 
ford,  as  formerly  at  Hclmsley,  stated  seasons, 
when  he  expounded  the  scriptures  to  a  smal- 
ler auditory  in  his  house,  or  within  his  own 
premises.  He  supposed  that  on  these  occa- 
sions few  persons  were  present  but  those 
wlio  either  possessed  the  peace  of  the  gospel, 
or  were  sincerely  seeking  it.  The  simplicity 
and  meekness  of  wisdom  with  which,  as  a 
father  among  his  children,  lie  exhorted,  com- 
forted, and  instructed  these  his  more  select 
hearers,  seemed  peculiar  to  himself.  In  this 
branch  of  his  ministerial  office  I  always 
thought  him  unequalled  and  inimitable.  How 
often  have  many  of  you  had  reason  to  say, 
at  such  seasons,  "  Did  not  our  hearts  burn 
witiiin  us,  while  he  talked  with  us,  and  while 
he  opened  to  us  the  scriptures?"  Luke  .xxiv. 
32.  And  the  great  attention  with  which  he 
was  heard,  and  the  proofs  he  saw  that  his 
labours  were  not  in  vain,  rendered  him  still 
more  affectionately  desirous  towards  you. 

For,  lastly,  as  one  great  reason  why  the 
apostle  loved  the  Thessalonians  was,  that 
tliey  were  not  only  hearers,  but  doers  of  the 
word,  and  he  could  speak  of  them  with  plea- 
sure, and  propose  them  to  others  as  examples 
of  the  efficacy  and  tendency  of  the  gospel 
which  he  preached,  (1  Thess.  i.  8,  9 ;)  so  I 
trust,  yea  I  know,  that  some  of  you  were  ex- 
ceedingly dear  to  your  late  minister  on  this 
account,  also.  He  could  say  of  you  and  to 
you,  "  Now  we  live,  if  ye  stand  fast  in  the 
Lord,"  1  Thess.  iii.  8.  He  had  no  greater 
jny  than  to  see  his  children  walk  in  the  truth, 
(:3  .John  4,)  and  demonstrate  by  their  conduct, 
that  the  gospel  which  they  professed  was  a 
doctrine  according  to  godliness.  Those  of  you 
who  gave  him  tliis  pleasure,  may,  now  he  is 
gone,  praise  God  for  the  grace  which  enabled 
you  to  administer  to  tiie  comfort  of  one  who 
BO  tenderly  watched  over  your  souls.  He  was 
proportionably  affected  with  pungent  grief, 
when  any  whom  he  loved  acted  unsuitably  to 
their  profession,  though  they,  perhaps,  seldom 
knew  what  their  unfaithfulness  cost  him. 
In  liis  preaching  he  bore  a  strenuous  and 
faithful  testimony  against  every  evil,  not 
only  against  gross  sins,  but  against  every 
deviation,  whether  in  temper  or  practice, 
from  the  spirit  and  rule  of  the  gospel.  But 
there  was  something  in  his  natural  disposi- 
tion which  made  it  difficult  for  him  to  expos- 
tulate plainly  and  strongly  in  private. — In 
private,  he  could  not  easily  reprove.    But  he 


OF  DR.  CONYERS.  40.5 

could  mourn,  ho  could  wear  out  the  day  with- 
out pleasure,  and  the  nigiit  without  rest,  in 
bemoaning  those  who  had  neither  compassion 
for  him  nor  for  themselves.  I  can  affirm  this 
of  him,  from  instances  which  have  como  to 
my  own  knowledge.  Perhaps  some  person 
present  may  think.  Surely  the  preacher  has 
heard  of  me,  and  means  to  point  me  out  to 
the  notice  of  the  congregation.  No ;  it  is  your 
own  conscience  points  you  out;  I  know  you 
not.  But  is  it  so,  indeed,  that  you  broke  your 
minister's  rest,  and  added  to  his  troubles 
by  your  miscarriages  ?  You  do  well  to  weep : 
may  God  give  you  repentance  not  to  be  re- 
pented of!  2  Cor.  vii.  10.  Will  not  his  la- 
mented and  sudden  death  recal  to  your  re- 
membrance how  earnestly  he  warned  you, 
and  pleaded  with  you,  while  he  was  living, 
and  rouse  you  from  that  dangerous  security 
into  which  you  have  been  seduced  by  the  dc- 
ceitfulness  of  sin  ? 

II.  I  have,  in  a  great  measure,  anticipated 
what  I  purposed  to  mention  under  a  second 
head — the  proofs  which  he  gave,  that  the  af- 
fection he  professed  for  his  people  was  cordial 
and  sincere.  But  tlie  subject  is  not  exhaust- 
ed: St.  Paul  evidenced  his  love  to  the  Thes- 
salonians by  imparting  to  them  the  gospel  of 
God,  and  by  his  unwearied  zeal  and  diligence 
in  their  service,  in  defiance  of  the  difficulties 
and  obstacles  which  alvvays  attended  his  la- 
bours. By  the  strong  expression,  that  he  was 
ready  to  impart  unto  them  his  own  soul  also, 
he  intimates  both  the  energy  of  his  address, 
and  his  fixed  determination  to  venture  every 
consequence  in  their  service. 

In  another  place,  the  apostle,  speaking  of 
the  doctrine  which  he  preached,  says,  "ac- 
cording to  my  gospel,"  Rom.  ii.  IG.  It  was 
not  a  point  of  speculation  with  him  :  he  pos- 
sessed it.  He  had  experienced  the  power  of 
it ;  it  was  the  spring  of  his  conduct,  the  source 
of  his  comfort,  and  was  therefore  properly  his 
own.  Here  ho  styles  it  the  "  gospel  of  God," 
perhaps  to  distingui-sh  it  from  a  pretended 
gospel,  such  as  the  Galatians  received  from 
false  teachers,  which  he  calls  "another  gos- 
pel," (Gal.  i.  6,  7,)  and  which  was  indeed  not 
the  gospel.  The  true  gospel  is  of  God.  It 
is  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God, 
1  Tim.  i.  11.  From  whence  we  infer  its 
certainty,  authority,  and  importance.  It  is 
worthy  of  all  acceptation  :  it  is  able  to  make 
us  wise  unto  salvation,  if  cordially  embraced, 
(2  Tim.  iii.  15 ;)  and  to  neglect  it,  is  to  re- 
fuse life,  to  choose  death,  to  resolve  to  be 
miserable,  and  to  affront  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  God.  When  Paul  preached  this 
gospel  at  Thessalonica,  it  awakened  the  spi- 
rit of  envy,  opposition,  and  clamour,  in  many 
who  believed  not ;  but  they  who  received  it, 
experienced  it  to  be  the  power  of  God,  to  the 
salvation  of  their  souls. 

This  gospel  your  late  minister  preached 
among  you,  and,  I  trust,  effectually  imparted 


406 


ON  THE  DEATH 


OF  DR.  CONYERS. 


to  many  of  you,  as  an  instrument  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  He  owed  all  his  success,  and  you  de- 
rive all  the  liofht  and  comfort  you  obtained 
under  his  instruction,  to  the  doctrine  which 
he  delivered.  It  cannot  with  reason  be  ex- 
pected, that  God  will  afford  the  seal  of  his 
blessinnf  to  any  scheme  of  doctrine  but  his 
own  truth.  A  preacher  may  be  of  a  good 
character  in  civil  life,  and  diligent  in  his 
office,  and  he  may  have  some  success  in  sup- 
pressing outward  wickedness,  though  he  does 
not  preach  the  gospel  of  God ;  but  he  will  not 
reach  the  hearts  of  his  people,  wean  them 
from  their  secret  sins,  and  win  them  to  the 
love  and  practice  of  universal  holiness,  unless 
he  preaches  St  Paul's  gospel.  I  hope  this 
congregation  Ims  been  better  taught,  than  to 
receive  every  thing  indiscriminateh'  for 
truth  because  it  is  spoken  from  a  pulpit. 
You  have  the  scriptures  in  your  hands,  and 
by  this  standard  you  are  warranted,  yea, 
commanded,  to  try  the  spirits,  (1  John  iv.  1,) 
because  many  false  prophets  and  pretended 
teachers  are  abroad  in  the  world  :  however, 
I  will  take  the  liberty  to  remind  you  of  some 
plain  and  sure  marks  by  which  you  will  be 
able  to  distinguish  a  faithful  minister  of  the 
true  gospel. 

He  will  preach  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  and 
propose  him  as  the  only  foundation  of  a  sin- 
ner's hope,  the  only  object  of  faith,  the  way, 
the  truth,  and  the  life.  He  will  endeavour  to 
convince  you  of  your  need  of  mercy,  and 
then  direct  vour  thoughts  to  the  atonement 
which  Christ  made  for  sin,  by  his  bloody 
death  upon  the  cross.  He  will  give  you  no 
encouragement  to  think  you  can  do  any 
thing  well-pleasinj'  to  God  till  you  your- 
selves are  first  made  acceptable  in  the  be- 
loved ;  nor  until  his  love  is  the  motive  of 
your  obedience,  and  your  dependance  is 
fixed  upon  the  promised  communications  of 
strength  and  grace  from  his  fulness. 

By  a  manifestation  of  the  truth,  he  will 
commend  himself  to  your  consciences  in  the 
sight  of  God,  2  Cor.  iv.  2.  He  will  not  a- 
mnse  you  with  the  discussion  of  some  cu- 
rious point,  in  which  you  have  little  imme- 
diate interest,  or  some  cold  general  com- 
mon-place subject  Many  sermons,  ingeni- 
ous in  their  kind,  may  be  compared  to  a 
letter  put  into  the  post-office  without  a  di- 
rection. It  is  addressed  to  nobody,  it  is  own- 1 
ed  by  nobody ;  and  if  a  hundred  people  were 
to  read  it,  not  one  of  them  would  think  him- 
self concerned  in  the  contents.  But  the 
word  of  the  gospel,  when  faithfully  dispen- 
sed, searches  the  heart,  (Heb.  iv.  12,)  and 
tries  the  reins.  Y'ou  will  wonder  that  the 
preacher,  who  perhaps  is  a  stranger  to  you, 
can  so  exactly  suit  himself  to  your  case. 
He  will  sometimes  brmg  to  your  remem- 
brance what  you  have  done  or  said,  or  even 
what  you  have  only  thought,  and  which, 
possibly,  you  had  forgotten.    So  that  if  you  | 


'  are  going  on  in  your  sins,  or  are  vailed  under 
a  cloak  of  hypocrisy,  you  wili  be  ready  to 
start,  and  think  he  is  about  to  e.vpwse  you 
publicly.  Or  if  you  are  a  mourner  in  Zion, 
distressed  with  fear  and  temptation,  beset 
with  trouble,  and  know  not  which  way  to 
turn,  that  tongue  of  tlie  learned,  which  he 
has  acquired  in  the  school  of  experience, 
will  frequently  lead  him,  while  speaking 
from  his  own  feelings,  to  meet  you  with  a 
word  in  season,  so  exactly  suited  to  your 
case,  that  if  you  had  told  him  the  state  ot 
your  mind,  and  every  particular  of  your 
situation  beforehand,  he  could  not  have  de- 
scribed them  better.  Such  is  the  corresjwnd- 
ence  between  the  word  of  God  and  the  heart 
of  man ;  and  such  is  the  similarity  of  the 
workings  of  the  human  heart  in  similar  cir- 
cumstances, that  the  preacher  who  is  enlight- 
ened by  the  scripture,  and  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
while  he  does  little  more  than  relate  the 
exercises  of  his  own  mind,  appears  to  many 
of  his  hearers  to  express  their  hopes  and 
fears,  their  joys  and  sorrows,  better  than 
they  could  have  expressed  them  to  him. 
Thus  it  is  that  the  secrets  of  the  heart  are 
made  manifest  (1  Cor.  xiv.  2.5,)  by  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel.  All  other  preaching, 
compared  with  this,  is  lifeless,  distant  and 
unaffecting,  little  more  tlian  declamation ; 
but  the  words  of  a  scribe  (Matt.  xiii.  .")2,) 
well  instructed  in  the  mysteries  of  the  king- 
dom of  God,  come  home  to  our  own  business 
and  bosoms,  and  constrain  many  to  say,  with 
the  woman  of  Samaria,  "Come  and  see  a  man 
which  told  me  all  things  that  ever  I  did," 
John  iv.  29. 

A  true  servant  of  God  in  the  gospel  may 
likewise  be  known,  at  least  in  the  place 
where  he  resides,  or  statedly  labours,  by  a 
certain  mixed  kind  of  character,  which  he 
will  receive  from  public  report  The  general 
tenor  of  his  conduct  will  be  such,  that  the 
feeble  attempts  of  slander  to  vilify  him,  will 
be  gradually  suppressed,  and  they  who 
would  speak  evil  of  him,  be  put  to  shamo 
and  to  silence,  by  his  good  conversation  in 
Christ,  1  Pet.  iii.  16.  But  though  his  be- 
haviour be  unimpeachable  and  exemplary, 
his  principles  will  be  misunderstood  and 
misrepresented ;  and  by  different  persons 
(sometimes  by  the  same  persons,)  very  dif- 
ferent and  inconsistent  things  will  be  laid 
to  his  charge.  He  will  often  be  deemed  ri- 
gid, precise,  uncharitable,  enjoining  a  strict- 
ness in  life  and  manners  to  the  extreme ;  so 
that  to  adopt  his  views,  and  to  follow^  his 
rules,  a  person  must  bid  farewell  to  com- 
fort, and  almost  renounce  society;  while  in 
the  same  day,  and  almost  in  the  same  breath, 
he  will  be  represented  as  preaching  doc- 
trines which,  if  generally  received,  would 
be  unfavourable  to  good  morals,  and  promote 
licentiousness.  For  the  natural  heart  has 
a  dislike  equally  to  the  grace  and  to  the 


ON  THE  DEATH  OF  DR.  CONYERS. 


holiness  of  the  g^ospel.  Salvation  by  faith 
in  the  blood  6f  Jesus  is  tliought  too  easy, 
and  affbrdinjj  too  much  encouragement  to 
the  unworthy  ;  and  the  simple  grateful  obe- 
dience which  characterizes  those  who  seek 
salvation  in  this  way,  and  in  no  other,  is 
thought  too  strict  and  scrupulous,  and  carry- 
ing of  things  a  great  deal  too  far.  They 
who  are  of  the  world,  who  speak  to  the 
world,  and  whom  the  world  is  willing  to 
liear,  give  no  otfence,  and  therefore  no  cla- 
mour is  excited  against  them ;  but  a  faith- 
ful minister  will  not  be  exposed  to  the  woe 
(Luke  vi.  26,)  denounced  against  those  of 
whom  all  men  speak  favourably.  His  in- 
firmities and  mistakes  (for  he  is  not  perfect) 
will  be  eagerly  noticed  and  exaggerated ; 
and  if  no  just  fault  can  be  found,  he  must 
at  least  expect  to  be  spoken  of  as  an  en- 
thusiast, or  branded  by  some  name  to  which 
ignorance  and  prejudice  have  affixed  a  con- 
tumelious sense. 

Such  a  one  was  your  late  minister.  Like 
the  apostle,  he  laboured  to  impart  to  his 
hearers  the  gospel  of  God :  like  him,  he  was 
vmmoved  by  the  opposition  of  those  who 
knew  not  what  they  did,  and  ready  to  en- 
dure all  things  for  the  elect's  sake,  that 
they  miglit  be  saved,  2  Tim.  ii.  10.  He 
loved  you,  and  was  willing  to  impart  to  you 
his  own  soul  also.  His  spirit  was  willing; 
he  did  much,  and  wished  he  could  have 
done  more. 

It  was  indeed  a  surprise  to  many  who 
were  not  intimately  acquainted  with  him, 
that  he  did  no  more.  And  it  may  be  thought 
by  some  persons,  that  as,  by  his  counte- 
nance, he  seemed  to  enjoy  a  tolerable  share  of 
■  health,  his  public  services  were  hardly  an- 
swerable to  the  zeal  of  a  man  who  was 
ready  to  pour  out  his  very  life  for  the  good 
of  souls.  He  preached  but  once  a  week  in 
fais  parish  church ;  and  no  arguments,  per- 
suasions, or  entreaties,  could  prevail  on  him 
to  enter  any  pulpit  but  his  own.  Even  when 
he  has  been  expressly  nominated  by  his  dio- 
cesan to  preach  in  another  church,  he  has 
declined  the  service,  and  disappointed  crowd- 
ed auditories  who  wLshcd  to  hear  him.  The 
benefits  of  his  singular  abilities  were  there- 
fore confined  to  his  own  congregations.  And 
it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty,  and  but 
seldom,  that  his  most  intimate  friends  could 
engage  him  to  lead  in  family-worship,  where 
he  has  been  occasionally  present.  I  have 
frequently  mentioned  to  him  my  concern 
that  the  sphere  of  his  usefulness  should  be 
so  much  limited ;  and  he  lamented  it  himself; 
but  his  hindrance  was  constitutional  and  in- 
vincible. He  had  a  continued  hurry  and 
flutter  upon  his  spirits,  the  effects  of  which 
were  unaccountable  to  those  who  knew  not 
the  cause.  Taken  in  different  views,  he 
might  be  considered  as  very  happy  or  very 
uncomfortable  at  the  same  instant.    In  the 


most  important  sense,  he  was  a  happy  man. 
He  had  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  enjoyed  much  of  the  light  of 
his  countenance,  and  had  no  perplexing 
doubts  respecting  either  his  acceptance  in 
the  Beloved,  or  his  perseverance  in  grace. 
Yet,  through  the  agitation  of  iiis  spirits,  he 
spent  his  days,  and  almost  every  hour,  in 
trepidation  and  alarm.  The  slightest  inci- 
dents were  sufficient  to  fill  him  with  fears, 
which,  though  he  knew  to  be  groundless, 
he  could  not  overcome.  But  upon  no  oc- 
casions did  he  suffer  more  from  these  pain- 
ful feelings,  than  when  he  had  public  preach- 
ing in  prospect.  When  he  met  his  people 
at  home,  he  usually  found  pleasure  and 
liberty,  unless  he  observed  some  new  faces. 
But  the  sight  of  a  stranger,  especially  if  he 
knew  or  suspected  him  to  be  a  minister, 
would  sometimes  distress  him  greatly,  and 
almost  disable  him  from  speaking.  It  may 
seem  very  extraordinary,  that  a  man  of  the 
first  abilities  as  a  preacher,  highly  respect- 
ed, and  honoured  with  eminent  usefulness, 
should  be  intimidated  by  the  presence  of 
those  who  were  much  his  inferiors.  But 
such  was  his  burden,  which  neither  reflec- 
tion nor  resolution  could  remove.  What  he 
often  suffered  before  he  ascended  this  pulpit, 
and  when  he  looked  round  upon  a  large  con- 
gregation, and  knew  not  how  many  such 
persons  as  he  was  afraid  of  might  be  among 
them,  gave  him  a  right  to  say,  in  a  singular 
sense,  that  in  imparting  the  g'ospel  of  God 
to  you,  he  imparted  his  own  soul  also.  Per- 
haps there  have  been  martyrs,  who  approach- 
ed the  rack  or  the  stake  with  less  distress- 
ing sensations,  than  he  has  frequently  felt 
when  about  to  enter  upon  his  otherwise  de- 
lightful work.  Yet,  because  you  were  the 
people  of  his  immediate  charge,  and  dear  to 
him,  he  seldom  declined  your  service  on  the 
forenoon  of  the  Lord's  day,  if  he  was  well. 
But  this,  I  believe,  was  the  reason,  that  at 
other  times,  instead  of  preaching  in  the 
church,  he  confined  himself  to  a  place  where 
few,  comparatively,  could  attend  him.  I  do 
not  know,  that  while  he  lived  at  Deptford, 
he  ever  preached  publicly  in  this  neighbour- 
hood, excepting  once,  when  he  accepted  an 
appointment  to  preach  at  the  archdeacons' 
Visitation  at  Dartford.  But  he  kept  his  in- 
tention a  secret  in  his  own  breast;  and  did 
not  mention  it  to  his  nearest  friends ;  lest  a 
multitude  should  be  drawn  to  hear  him.  And 
he  told  me  himself,  that  from  the  hour  he 
stood  engaged,  which  was  several  weeks  be- 
fore the  time,  he  could  scarcely  think  of 
any  thing  else ;  and  that  when  the  day  ar- 
rived, his  spirits  were  so  greatly  agitated, 
that  for  some  minutes  after  he  was  in  the 
pulpit,  he  was  deprived  of  his  eye-sight. 
But  the  Lord  whom  he  served,  supported 
him ;  and  he  was,  upon  the  whole,  carried 
comfortably  through  the  service. 


408 


ON  THE  DEATH 


OF  DR.  CONYERS. 


If  we  speak  of  death  as  the  moment  of 
separation  between  soul  and  bo<ly,  he  was 
not  afraid  of  it ;  for  he  knew  whom  he  be- 
lieved ;  and  that  to  depart  and  be  with  his 
Lord,  was  (^n-i^^a,  ,<xx).3w  xf^.a-^-ov)  unspeakably 
preferable  to  any  thin;^  that  could  be  enjoy- 
ed in  the  present  life,  Phil.  i.  23.  But 
though  not  afraid  of  death,  he  was  often  afraid 
of  dying.  His  apprehensions  of  the  possible 
forerunners  and  concomitants  of  adying  hour, 
frquently  made  a  painful  impression  upon  his 
spirits.  Upon  this  account,  they  who  loved 
him,  have  reason  to  be  reconciled  to  the 
suddenness  of  his  removal.  His  was  an  hon- 
ourable dismission  indeed  !  The  messen<rer 
that  called  him  home,  found  him  actually 
and  actively  employed  in  his  Master's  ser- 
vice, with  his  loins  girded  up,  and  his  lamp 
burning,  Luke  xii.  35.  It  was  likewise  a 
gracious  condescension  to  his  infirmity,  and 
saved  him  from  an  experience  of  any  of  those 
conflicts,  which  he  could  seldom  think  of 
without  anxiety,  and  a  degree  of  anguish. 

Upon  the  whole,  I  may  say  of  Dr.  Conyers, 
■without  just  fear  of  contradiction,  he  was  a 
burning  and  a  shining  light,  John  v.  3.3. 
Many  of  you  rejoiced  in  his  light ;  and  now, 
the  imn  who  cared  for  your  souls,  who  vvas 
the  minister  of  God  to  you  for  good,  is  taken 
from  you,  your  sorrow  is  propwrtionable.  Yet, 
if  you  truly  entered  into  his  views,  you  are 
not  destitute.  The  Saviour  whom  lie  preach- 
ed, and  in  whom  ye  have  believed,  is  still  with 
you.  The  stream  at  which  you  have  often 
drank,  and  found  refreshment,  is  dried  up ; 
but  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  from  whence 
it  was  derived,  is  always  full,  and  always  flow- 
ing. Wlioever  dies,  Jesus  lives;  the  residue 
of  the  Spirit  is  with  him,  and  he  is  at  no  loss 
for  means  to  communicate  his  blessings  to 
those  who  wait  upon  him :  yea,  under  his 
management,  even  losses  prove  gains,  and 
apparent  hindrances  work  to  the  help  and 
furtherance  of  faith.    Be  thankful  that  you 


were  so  long  favoured  with  such  a  minister ' 
and  rejoice  that  though  you  "can  see  him  no 
more  in  this  world,  you  shall  meet  him  again 
in  tiie  world  of  light.  In  the  meantime  (need 
I  say)  respect  and  honour  his  memory ;  and 
the  most  effectual  manner  by  which  you  can 
show  your  regard  to  him,  will  be,  by  vvalking 
as  he  walked,  and  maintaining  a  conversation 
becoming  the  gospel,  (Phil.  i.  27,)  which  he 
so  affectionately  and  faithfully  imparted  to 
you. 

But  there  are,  I  fear,  amongst  you,  those 
who  accounted  the  joyful  sound  of  the  gospel, 
which  he  proclaimed,  a  burden ;  have  been 
wearied  by  his  earnest  endeavours  to  pluck 
you  as  brands  from  the  burning,  and  have- 
often  wished  to  be  freed  from  his  import,unity. 
Now  you  have  your  wishes.  Your  faithful 
monitor  is  removed.  He  will  alarm  your 
consciences,  he  will  offend  your  pride  no 
more.  But  if,  after  slighting  his  labours  of 
love  while  he  lived,  you  remain  likewi.se  un- 
affected by  his  death,  you  are  much  more  to 
be  pitied  than  those  who  lament  his  removal. 
Alas  !  when  numbers  in  different  and  distant 
places,  who  never  saw  you,  are  concerned  for 
you,  will  you  not  yet  be  concerned  for  your- 
selves] Tremble,  lest  you  should  have  cause 
to  say,  "  the  harvest  is  past,  the  summer  is 
ended,  but  we  are  not  saved  I"  Jer.  viii.  20. 
You  have  had  your  opportunity,  a  day  of 
grace,  in  which  the  things  pertaining  to  your 
peace  have  been  set  before  you.  The  Lord 
forbid  that  the  following  words  should  be  ap- 
plicable to  you :  "  bat  now  they  are  hidden 
from  your  eyes !"  Luke  xix.  42.  The  Sa- 
viour, whom  you  have  too  long  slighted,  is 
now  once  more  preached  to  you.  He  is  still 
upon  a  throne  of  grace,  able  and  willing  to 
save  to  the  uttermost  all  who  come  unto 
God  by  him.  But  hereafter  he  will  appear  on 
a  throne  of  judgment,  taking  vengeance  on 
them  that  know  not  God,  and  obey  not  his 
gospel,  2  Thess.  i.  8. 


THE  BEST  WISDOM; 


A  SERMON 

PREACHED  IN  THE  PARISH  CHURCH  OF  ST.  MARY  WOOLNOTH, 

ON  WEDNESDAY,  NOVEMBER  21,  1787. 

THE  DAY  OF  THE  ANNUAL  MEETING  OF  THE  SOCIETY  FOR  PROMOTING  RELIGIOUS 
KNOWLEDGE  AMOxN'G  THE  POOR. 


 He  that  toinneth  soui 

Onl\  he,  who  redeemed  the  soul  by  his 
blood,  is  able  effectually  to  win  it  to  himself. 
The  work  is  his,  and  they  who  know  him  will 
render  the  praise  to  him  alone.  But  in  this 
respect,  as  in  many  others,  there  is  an  ana- 
logy between  the  natural  and  the  moral  world. 
In  both,  he  displays  his  power  and  executes 
his  purposes  by  an  instituted  course  of  means 
and  instruments.  In  both,  he  often  so  con- 
ceals his  operations  under  the  vail  of  second 
causes,  that  to  a  common  and  inattentive  eye, 
he  seems  to  do  nothing,  when  in  reality  he 
does  all.  The  manna  with  which  he  fed  Is- 
rael in  the  wilderness,  though  more  imme- 
diately and  visibly,  was  not  more  certainly 
the  effect  and  proof  of  his  providence  and 
goodness,  than  the  bread  by  which  we  live. 
It  is  he  who  giveth  the  earth  virtue  to  pro- 
duce corn  ;  (Psalms  civ.  14  ;)  the  discretion 
of  the  hu.-ibandinan  who  prepareth  the  ground 
and  soweth  the  seed  is  from  him;  (Is.  xxviii. 
24 — 29;)  and  the  influence  of  the  sun  and 
the  rain,  so  necessary  to  ripen  the  grain,  and 
to  clothe  the  fields  with  plenty  in  the  season 
of  harvest,  (Matt.  v.  43,)  is  the  influence  of 
him  who  worketh  all  in  all.  In  this  process, 
the  blessing  wliich  secures  the  desired  event, 
is  wiiolly  from  the  Lord,  though  the  labour  of 
man  and  the  use  of  means  are  indispensable, 
jbecause  his  appointment  has  made  them  so. 

Thus  in  the  great  concern  of  winning  souls, 
though  God,  whose  thoughts  and  ways  are  as 
far  above  ours,  as  the  heavens  are  liigher  than 
the  earth,  may,  sometimes,  as  in  the  instance 
of  tiie  apostle  Paul,  (Acts  ix.  G,)  affect  and 
win  the  heart  by  an  immediate  and  instanta- 
neous exertion  of  his  yrower;  yet  this  is  not 
his  ordinary  method.  Though  fallen,  we  are 
still  rational  creatures,  and  he  is  pleased  to 
treat  us  as  such    lie  proposes  considera- 

VoL.  n.  3  F 


Is  is  wise. — Proverbs,  xi.  30. 

tions  and  motives  in  his  holy  word,  which 
though  ineffectual,  considered  merely  as 
means,  and  without  the  concurrence  of  hia 
agency,  yet  have,  in  their  own  nature,  a  mo- 
ral tendency  and  suitableness  to  awaken  our 
attention,  and  to  convince  us  of  our  sin  and 
misery,  and  to  recal  us  to  our  original  state 
of  dej)endence  upon  his  goodness,  and  obe- 
dience to  his  will.  Fortiieproof  of  tliis  I  may 
appeal  to  tiie  consciences  of  many  persons : 
the  force  of  trutli  has  compelled  them  to 
tremble,  like  Felix,  and  perliaps,  like  Herod, 
to  do  many  things  ;  and  though  their  depra- 
vity has  been  too  obstinate  to  yield  to  convic- 
tion, they  have  understood  and  felt  enough, 
to  leave  them  without  excuse. 

The  Lord  God  usually  employs  those  whom 
he  has  already  won  and  subdued  by  his  grace, 
as  instruments  of  winning  others ;  and  there 
are  none  of  his  people,  however  weak  their 
capacities,  or  however  low  their  situations  in 
life,  but  may  hope  for  a  share  in  this  honour, 
if  they  are  faithful  to  the  light  he  has  given 
them,  and  live  according  to  the  rule  of  his 
word. — But  he  has  instituted  the  office  of  the 
gospel-ministry  with  a  more  especial  view  to 
this  important  service. 

The  proposition  in  the  text  is  simple  and 
plain  ;  and  the  principal  division  of  my  sub- 
ject is  suggested  by  the  appearance  of  our 
present  assembly.  I  never  had  an  opportunity 
before  of  preaching  to  so  many  of  my  brethren 
in  the  ministry,  and  perhaps  I  never  may 
again.  And  at  my  time  of  life,  it  becomes 
me,  whenever  I  stand  in  tlie  pulpit,  to  con- 
sider seriously,  that  it  is,  at  least,  possible,  it 
may  be  the  last  time,  and  that  you,  to  whom 
I  am  now  about  to  speak,  may  see  my  face  no 
more.  Were  I  even  sure  of  this,  how  could 
I  more  properly  close  my  public  services, 
400 


410 


THE  BEST  WISDOM. 


than  by  aiming  with  my  latest  breath,  to  im- 
press upon  you,  my  friends  and  brethren,  this 
weighty  aphorism,  "  He  that  winneth  souls  is 
wise?"  May  it  be  written  upon  my  own 
heart  while  I  live !  may  it  be  written  upon 
all  our  hearts !  Let  the  scholar,  the  philoso- 
pher, the  politician,  settle  their  several  claims 
to  wisdom  among  themselves;  but  may  this 
wisdom  be  ours.  The  man  that  winneth  souls 
is  truly  and  emphatically  wise. 

I  shall,  in  the  first  place,  point  out  the  prin- 
cipal acknowledged  characteristics  of  wisdom, 
and  show,  that  they  are  all  exemplified  in  the 
spirit  and  conduct  of  the  minister  who  is  duly 
qualified  for  the  service  of  winning  souls.  I 
do  not  say  that  all  faithful  ministers  are  in- 
fluenced by  tills  wisdom  in  the  same  degree; 
but  unless  it  has  an  habitual  and  prevailing 
influence  on  the  plans  and  practice  of  a  pub- 
lic teacher,  we  need  not  wonder  if  he  be  nei- 
ther faithful  nor  useful.  My  chief  design  is 
to  elucidate  and  confirm  this  first  point;  but 
towards  the  close  of  my  discourse,  I  shall,  se- 
condly, address  myself  to  private  christians, 
and  remind  you  of  your  common  interest  with 
us  in  this  concern,  and  the  advantages  and 
opportunities  you  have  of  showing  yourselves 
wise,  by  contributing  your  endeavours  to  pro- 
mote the  great  design  of  winning  souls. 

I.  The  minister  who  winneth  souls  is 
wise. 

1.  Wisdom  is  discovered  in  the  choice  of 
a  fit  and  valuable  end.  If  a  man  has  great 
talents  and  abilities,  we  do  not  account  him 
wise,  unless  he  employs  them  properly ;  a 
life  whiled  away  in  low  and  trivial  pursuits, 
implies  a  want  of  wisdom.  But  he  who  aims 
at  winning  souls,  proposes  an  end  which  well 
deserves  his  application,  and  will,  so  far  as 
he  succeeds,  richly  compensate  him  for  all 
that  he  can  do  or  suffer  in  so  good  a  cause.  The 
grand  object  of  his  life,  in  subordination  to 
the  will  and  glory  of  God,  is  the  recovery  of 
souls.  We  often  use  the  word  win,  in  a  sense 
which  the  Hebrew  term  suggests ;  as  to  win 
a  battle  or  a  fortress.  The  soul,  in  its  fallen 
state,  separated  and  alienated  from  God,  is, 
by  his  righteous  permission,  under  the  power 
of  Satan,  who  rules  in  it  as  a  strong  one  armed 
in  his  own  house  or  castle,  Luke  xi.  21 ;  Eph. 
ii.  2.  Were  the  effects  of  this  bondage  con- 
fined to  the  present  life,  an  attempt  to  free 
the  soul  from  that  misery,  mischief,  and  mad- 
ness, with  which  the  world  is  filled,  would 
be  honourable  and  important.  But  God,  who 
formed  the  soul  originally  for  himself,  has 
given  it  such  a  vast  capacity,  that  nothing 
short  of  himself  can  satisfy  its  desires ;  and 
it  is  likewise,  by  his  constitution,  immortal. 
This  capacity  of  being  exquisitely  happy  or 
miserable,  and  that  for  ever,  renders  the  soul 
so  valuable  in  the  judgment  of  its  Creator, 
that  he  gave  the  Son  of  his  love  to  redeem  it 
from  sin  and  misery,  by  his  obedience  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross.    By  this 


adorable  method  of  adjusting  the  demands  of 
his  justice  and  the  honour  of  his  government, 
to  the  purposes  of  his  mercy,  his  wisdom  and 
glory  are  more  eminently  discovered  to  his 
intelligent  creatures,  than  by  all  his  other 
works.  If  the  only  wise  God  commends  to  us 
his  gracious  design  of  recovering  souls  from 
the  dominion  of  Satan,  and  of  winning  them 
to  himself,  as  the  highest  instance  of  his  wis- 
dom and  goodness:  then,  certainly,  he  who 
proposes  it  as  the  great  end  of  his  life,  that 
by  serving  God  in  the  ministry,  he  may  be  an 
instrument  of  winning  souls,  is  truly  wise,  so 
far  as  concerns  his  leading  aim  and  object. 

2.  Wisdom  directs  us  likewise  to  a  con- 
sideration and  choice  of  means  proper  to  the 
attainment  of  a  proposed  end.  To  attempt 
what  is  impracticable,  however  desirable  it 
might  be  thought,  upon  a  supposition  that  it 
could  be  accomplished,  is  a  mark,  not  of  wis- 
dom, but  of  folly.  A  man,  without  being 
chargeable  with  rashness,  may  undertake  to 
move  a  stone  of  several  tons  weight,  and  even 
to  raise  it,  if  needful,  to  the  top  of  a  tower; 
or  to  force  open  the  strongest  gate  of  a  castle ; 
but  then  the  application  of  mechanical  pow- 
ers would  be  necessary.  If  he  were  unac- 
quainted with  these,  or  disdained  to  employ 
them ;  if,  witliout  estimating  or  considering 
the  resistance  to  be  overcome,  and  relying 
solely  on  his  personal  strength,  he  should  at- 
tempt to  move  the  enormous  stone  with  his 
hands,  or  to  burst  the  gates  of  brass  and  bars 
of  iron  asunder  with  his  feet,  his  utmost  ef- 
forts must  issue  in  weariness  and  disappoint- 
ment, and  no  one  v/ould  think  him  wise.  The 
experience  of  ages  has  demonstrated  all  en- 
deavours to  win  souls,  to  free  them  from  pre- 
judice, to  reclaim  them  from  the  love  and 
practice  of  sin,  by  the  mere  force  of  human 
arguments  and  moral  suasion,  to  be  equally 
chimerical  and  unsuccessful.  The  heathen 
moralists  laboured  much  in  this  way,  but  they 
laboured  in  vain.  Some  of  them  felt  and  ac- 
knowledged that  human  nature  was  depraved; 
but  not  knowing  the  root,  nor  the  extent,  nor 
the  proper  remedy  of  the  disorders  they  wish- 
ed to  cure,  their  best  sentiments,  however 
specious  in  theory,  made  little  more  hnpres- 
sion  upon  the  hearts  of  their  admirers,  or  even 
upon  their  own,  than  the  falling  snow  makes 
upon  a  rock.  If  the  ancient  sages  could  do 
but  little,  the  modern  philosophers,  as  they 
choose  to  be  called,  have  done,  if  possible,  still 
less.  What  a  poet  observed  of  the  former, 
is,  at  least  equally,  applicable  to  the  latter : 
Virtus  laudfitur  el  algel.  Virtue  is  defined, 
described,  recommended,  and  praised,  but 
wickedness  and  folly  rapidly  increase  under 
their  instructions ;  and  while  in  their  pomp- 
ous declamations  they  propose  liberty  to 
others,  (1  Pet.  ii.  19,)  they  are  themselves 
the  servants,  the  slaves  of  corruption.  The 
gospel  of  Christ,  the  glorious  gospel  of  the 
blessed  God,  (1  Tim.  i.  11,)  is  the  only  ef- 


THE  BEST  WISDOM, 


411 


fectual  mean  for  reforniinnr  mankind.  To  the 
man  who  possesses,  and  knows  the  use  of  this 
grand,  this  wonderful  machine,  if  I  may  be 
allowed  the  comparison,  what  is  otherwise 
impracticable  becomes  easy.  The  gospel 
removes  difficulties  insuperable  to  human 
power.  It  causes  the  blind  to  see,  the  deaf 
to  hear,  (Isa.  x.xxv.  8;  Matt.  xi.  5;)  it  softens 
the  heart  of  stone,  and  raises  the  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sin  to  a  life  of  righteousness. 
No  force,  but  that  of  the  gospel,  is  sufficient 
to  remove  the  mountainous  load  of  guilt  from 
an  awakened  conscience,  to  calm  the  violence 
of  tumultuous  passions,  to  raise  an  earthly 
soul  from  grovelling  in  the  mire  of  sensuality 
or  avarice,  to  a  spiritual  and  divine  life,  a  life 
of  communion  witli  God.  No  system  but  the 
gospel  can  communicate  motives,  encourage- 
ments, and  prospects,  sufficient  to  withstand 
and  counteract  all  the  snares  and  temptations 
with  which  the  spirit  of  this  world,  by  its 
frowns  or  its  smiles,  will  endeavour,  either 
to  intimidate  or  to  bribe  us  from  the  path  of 
duty.  But  the  gospel,  rightly  understood  and 
cordially  embraced,  will  inspire  the  slothful 
with  energy,  and  the  fearful  with  courage. 
It  will  make  the  miser  generous,  melt  the 
churl  into  kindness,  tame  the  raging  tiger  in 
the  breast,  and  in  a  word,  expand  the  narrow 
selfish  heart,  and  fill  it  with  a  spirit  of  love  to 
Gofl,  cheerful  unreserved  obedience  to  his 
will  and  benevolence  to  mankind. 

I  shall  not  trespass  upon  your  time,  by  de- 
lineating at  large  my  idea  of  the  gospel.  Yet 
it  may  be  proper  to  mention  three  points, 
whicli,  in  my  judgment,  are  essential  to  it. 

The  first  respects  the  character  of  Jesus 
the  Saviour  :  That  he  is  very  God,  and  very 
man,  God  manifest  in  the  flesh :  that  in  the 
beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was 
with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God  :  that  this 
divine  Word  assumed  our  nature  into  a  per- 
sonal union  with  himself,  lived  and  died  in 
behalf  of  sinners,  and  now  reigns  upon  the 
throne  of  glory,  overall,  God  blessed  for  ever, 
(1  Tim.  iii.  16  ;  John  i.  1, 14  :)  that  he  is  the 
proper  object  of  our  worship,  supreme  love, 
trust  and  adoration:  that  it  is  he  on  whom 
the  eyes  and  expectation  of  sinners,  sensible 
of  their  wants  and  miseries,  are  fixed,  and 
out  of  whose  fulness  they  all  receive  life, 
strength,  comfort,  and  grace,  to  help  in  time 
of  need,  Psalm  xxxiv.  5;  Jolm  i.  16.  This 
doctrine  is  the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth, 
1  Tim.  iii.  15.  They  who  have  a  right  sense 
of  the  guilt  and  power  of  sin,  of  the  holiness 
and  maje.sty  of  God,  and  of  the  hosts  of  ene- 
mies combined  against  their  peace,  must  sink 
into  despair,  unless  supported  by  the  know- 
ledge of  an  Almighty  Omnipresent  Saviour, 
who  is  always  near,  a  very  present  help  in 
trouble,  and  who  can  discern  the  thoughts  of 
the  heart,  (Rev.  ii.  23;)  for  often  their  most 
trying  and  dangerous  exigences  are  beyond 
tlie  reach  of  a  creature's  eye.  Whatever 


they  thought  of  him  before,  when  they  know 
themselves,  they  cannot  entrust  their  souls  to 
the  power,  or  care,  or  compassion  of  a  crea- 
ture ;  and  therefore  rejoice  that  they  are  war- 
ranted and  encouraged  to  commend  them- 
selves to  him,  as  to  a  faitliful  creator,  1  Pet. 
iv.  19. 

The  second  grand  peculiarity  of  the  gospel 
is  the  doctrine  of  an  atonement :  That  Christ 
in  his  state  of  humiliation,  by  his  obedience 
unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross,  made 
a  full,  proper,  and  perfect  satisfaction  for  sin 
(Phil.  ii.  8 ;)  that  is,  his  sufferings  unto  death, 
the  torments  which  he  endured  in  his  body, 
and  the  agonies  of  his  soul,  inconceivable  to 
us  but  by  their  effects  (his  bloody  sweat  in 
the  garden,  and  his  astonishing  complaint 
upon  the  cross,  that  God  had  forsaken  him,) 
exhibited  a  striking  and  solemn  proof  to  the 
world,  to  the  universe,  no  less  to  angels  than 
to  men,  that  God,  in  affording  mercy  to  sin- 
ners, still  shows  his  inflexible  displeasure 
against  sin,  and  makes  no  relaxation  in  the 
awful  demands  of  his  holiness,  justice,  and 
truth.  A  substitution  capable  of  manifesting 
the  justice  of  God  in  the  highest  exercise  of 
his  mercy,  that  he  might  appear  just  in  justi- 
fying the  ungodly,  (Rom.  iv.  5,)  was  of  such 
vast  importance  to  the  honour  of  God's  cha- 
racter and  government,  that  if  it  could  have 
been  effected  by  any  inferior  means,  Christ 
died  in  vain,  Galat.  ii.  21.  The  interposition 
of  a  mere  creature,  even  if  voluntary,  (but 
what  creature  would  dare  to  draw  upon  him- 
self the  displeasure  of  God  due  to  the  sins  of 
men  !)  could  not  have  displayed  the  full-orbed 
glory  of  all  the  divine  perfections,  as  it  now 
shines  forth  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ, 
2  Cor.  iv.  6.  None  in  heaven  or  in  earth  were 
able  or  worthy  to  interpose.  Therefore  the 
Son  said,  "  Lo  I  come!"  He  himself,  hia 
ownsclf,  bore  our  sins  in  his  own  body  upon 
the  tree,  (1  Pet.  ii.  24 :)  he  who  knew  no  sin, 
was  made  sin  for  us,  that  we  might  be  made 
the  righteousness  of  God  in  him,  2Cor.  v.  21. 

There  is  a  third  point,  which  is  peculiar  to 
the  religion  of  the  Bible,  and  which  discrimi- 
nates it  from  all  religious  systems  of  human 
institution.  There  are  few  of  these  but  con- 
tain some  important  truths.  In  general,  they 
inculcate  a  degree  of  attention  to  the  practice 
of  social  virtues.  But  no  other  system  ever 
proposed  to  all  persons,  and  as  a  general  truth, 
the  necessity  and  certainty  of  supernatural 
influence  and  agency  ;  an  agency,  which, 
from  the  greatness  of  its  effect,  and  the  uni- 
versality of  its  proposal  (being  promised  to  all 
without  exception  wlio  desire  it,)  must  be 
divine.  The  bodies  of  believers  arc  the  tem- 
ples of  the  Holy  Ghost,  (1  Cor.  vi.  19,)  that 
God  dwelleth  in  them  by  his  Spirit,  that  they 
have  received  the  Spirit  of  (iod,  that  they  are 
led  by  the  Spirit,  walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  have 
communion  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  (Rom.  viii. 
4 ;  Galat.  v.  18,  25 ;  1  Cor.  xiii.  14  these 


412 


THE  BEST  WISDOM. 


trutiis  arc  either  expressed  or  strongly  im-  ] 
plied  in  almost  every  page  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament. 

The  gospel  then  is  a  message  from  God. 
It  stains  tlie  pride  of  human  glory,  and  with- 
out regarding  the  petty  distinctions  which 
obtain  amongst  men  with  respect  to  charac- 
ter or  ranl<,  it  treats  them  all  as  sinners  in 
the  sight  of  God,  and  under  the  power  of  de- 
pravity strengthened  by  habit.  As  such,  it 
points  them  to  a  Saviour;  it  invites  and  en- 
joins them  to  apply  to  him,  to  submit  to  him, 
and  to  put  their  whole  trust  in  him ;  to  re- 
nounce all  pleas  of  their  own,  and  to  plead 
his  name  and  his  atonement  for  their  pardon 
and  acceptance ;  and  promises  to  all  who 
tlius  plead,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  will 
visit  them,  dwell  in  them,  and  abide  with 
them,  to  enable  them  by  his  gracious  in- 
fluence, both  to  will  and  to  do  according  to 
his  good  pleasure. 

I  omit  other  particulars,  nor  shall  I  at  pre- 
sent attempt  to  prove  these,  farther  than  by 
an  appeal  to  observation  and  experience.  I 
trust,  my  brethren,  we  all  desire  to  win  souls. 
It  is  a  good  desire,  it  is  a  noble,  a  glorious 
ambition.  I  hope  we  are  likewise  apprised 
of  the  nature  of  the  undertaking,  and  are  too 
wise  to  attempt  it,  or  to  expect  success,  by 
any  power  or  exertion  of  our  own,  unless  we 
faithfully  and  humbly  make  use  of  the  instru- 
ment wliich  God  has  appointed  for  the  pur- 
pose. This  instrument  is  the  gospel-message, 
the  principal  parts  of  which  I  liave  stated  to 
you.  This  is  the  rod  of  God's  strength, 
which,  like  the  wonder-working  rod  of  Moses, 
when  held  up  in  his  name,  though  wielded 
by  a  feeble  arm,  can  perform  miracles.  And 
I  will  venture  to  affirm,  without  iiesitation, 
and  without  exception,  that  no  man,  what- 
ever his  abilities  and  qualifications  maybe  in 
in  other  respects,  though  he  had  the  zeal  of 
a  martyr  and  the  powers  of  an  angel,  will  be 
able  to  force  the  strong-holds  of  Satan,  to  cast 
down  the  lofty  imaginations  of  men,  and  win 
souls  to  holiness  and  happiness,  without  it. 
But  if  he  be  called  and  taught  of  God  to  preach 
this  gospel,  he  will  do  great  things ;  he  will 
be  honoured  and  successful:  lie  will  win 
souls ;  he  will  be  numbered  among  the  wise. 

Let  us  appeal  to  facts.  The  apostle  Paul 
was  eminently  successful  in  winning  souls. 
He  planted  churches  in  many  different  and 
distant  parts  of  the  Roman  empire.  Where- 
ever  he  went,  power  from  on  high  accompa- 
nied his  word,  and  made  it  effectual,  accord- 
ing to  the  commission  he  had  received  from 
the  Lord,  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  blinded 
Heathens,  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to 
light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God, 
Acts  xxvi.  18.  Can  we  propose  a  better  e.x- 
ample  for  our  imitation  ]  Would  we  know  the 
subject-matter  of  that  preaching  which  pro- 
duced such  extensive  and  salutary  effects  ] 
He  gives  us  full  information.    He  preached 


Christ  crucified  ;  Christ  the  wisdom  and  pow- 
er of  God,  (1  Cor.  i.  23,  24  ;)  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ,  (Ephes.  iii.  8 ;)  Christ  the 
Man  who  shall  judge  tlit  quick  and  dead, 
(Acts  xvii.  31 ;  xxvi.  28 ;)  Christ  as  God,  who 
purchased  the  church  witii  his  own  blood.  A& 
a  wise  master-builder,  he  laid  this  foundation, 
and  declared,  that  other  foundation  can  no 
man  lay,  1  Cor.  iii.  10, 11.  He  preached  the 
atonement,  that  Christ  made  peace  by  the 
blood  of  his  cross,  died  for  us  while  sinners, 
and  that  we  are  justified  by  his  blood.  Col.  i. 
20.  He  preached  the  agency  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  as  absolutely  necessary  and  powerfully 
efficacious,  and  ascribes  that  operation  by 
which  Christ  in  his  true  character  is  re- 
vealed to  tlie  heart,  to  the  same  power 
which  commanded  light  to  sliine  out  of  dark- 
ness, in  the  beginning,  2  Cor.  iv.  6.  These 
truths  were  the  weapons  of  his  warfare, 
2  Cor.  X.  4.  He  went  forth  conquering  and 
to  conquer,  not  by  the  enticing  words  of  man's 
wisdom,  but  in  the  spirit  of  demonstration 
and  power. 

I  need  not  tell  this  auditory  what  were  the 
doctrines  which  shook  the  pillars  and  founda- 
tions of  Popery  at  the  Reformation,  and  dif- 
fused a  knowledge  and  practice  becoming  the 
profession  of  Christianity,  among  many  na. 
tions  which  had  been  long  involved  in  tba 
darkness  of  ignorance,  superstition,  and  wick- 
edness. In  our  own  land,  it  was  not  very  lotij^ 
before  the  principles  of  the  Reformation  vvf-r< 
severely  discountenanced.  Particularly  in 
the  reign  of  Charles  II.  they  were  opposed  by 
methods  which  the  good  providence  of  God 
at  length  effectually  restrained,  by  favouring 
us  with  a  succession  of  Princes  of  the  House 
of  Hanover.  If  the  lives  and  conduct  of 
those  who  endured  fines,  stripes,  imprison- 
ment, and  death  for  conscience  sake,  be  com- 
pared with  the  spirit  and  temper  of  those  who 
inflicted  or  approved  them,  I  think  a  candid 
and  attentive  inquirer  will  be  at  no  loss  to 
determine  on  which  side  the  advantage  lay, 
in  point  of  real  religion  and  sound  morality. 

The  spirit  of  our  present  excellent  consti- 
tution and  government  allows  us  a  degree  of 
religious  liberty  unknown  to  our  forefathers, 
for  which  we  cannot  be  sufficiently  thankful ; 
and  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation  and  of 
the  apostles  are  still  preached.  Nor  have  we 
reason  to  fear  that  sanguinary  laws,  and  the 
iron  hand  of  arbitrary  power,  will  be  em- 
ployed to  silence  us.  Yet  the  doctrines 
themselves  are  far  from  being  generally  ac- 
ceptable. The  spirit  of  opposition  is  awake, 
and  active  as  formerly,  though  the  method  of 
its  attack  is  varied.  But  great  is  the  truth, 
and  will  prevail.  It  has  triumphed  over  vio- 
lence and  rage;  it  is  equally  superior  to  the 
arts  of  subtilty  and  refinement.  We  are 
not  afraid  to  repeat  the  apostle's  challenge : 
"  Who  is  he  that  overcometh  the  world,  but 
he  that  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of 


THE  BEST  WISDOM. 


413 


Go'J  V  1  John  V.  5.  Which  is  the  scheme 
of  religion  in  the  present  day,  which  produ- 
ces the  most  conscientious  reverence  to  the 
lioly  name  of  the  Lord  our  God,  the  most 
liabitual  and  devout  observance  of  his  holy 
day,  and  of  family-worship  !  What  kind  of 
preaching'  evidences  itself  to  be  a  doctrine  ac- 
cordiniT  to  ijodliness,  by  the  most  numerous 
and  notorious  instances  of  persons  reclaimed 
by  it  from  habits  of  grross  licentiousness,  and 
effectually  tauijht  to  fear  the  Lord  and  depart 
from  evil !  What  are  those  principles,  which 
by  experience,  are  found  most  suitable  and 
most  powerful  to  support  the  soul  under  the 
pressure  of  g;reat  afflictions,  or  upon  the  near 
approach  of  death  !  I  know  there  are  peo- 
ple under  afflictions,  who,  like  Pharaoh, 
harden  themselves  yet  more;  who  value 
themselves  upon  a  proud  stoical  resolution, 
and  deem  it  a  weakness  to  complain. 
But  christian  fortitude  is  a  very  different 
thinjr.  It  is  the  temper  of  a  humble  pardon- 
ed sinner,  who  has  entrusted  himself  and  his 
all  to  the  Saviour,  and,  believing  that  he  con- 
descends to  direct  all  his  concerns,  submits 
to  his  appointments,  not  by  constraint,  but 
willing-ly,  sensible  that  the  wisdom  and  love 
of  him  in  whom  he  confides  will  choose  bet- 
ter for  him  than  he  could  possibly  choose  lor 
himself  I  know,  or  have  read,  that  the 
American  Indians,  when  put  to  death  by  tlieir 
enemies,  in  the  midst  of  the  most  excruciat- 
ing' tortures  that  cruelty  can  invent,  will 
sing'  their  war-songs,  and  insult  their  tor- 
mentors, without  uttering  a  crroan  or  shed- 
ding a  tear;  and  I  have  likewise  read  of 
philosopliers,  who,  to  confirm  their  admirers 
in  a  persuasion  that  infidelity  had  freed  tiiem 
from  all  fear  of  death  or  its  consequences, 
have  jested  in  their  dying  hours.  What  a 
contrast  to  these  is  the  relation  we  have  of 
the  death  of  Stephen,  who  with  the  utmost 
composure,  committed  his  departing  spirit 
into  the  hands  of  his  Saviour,  whom  he  saw 
ready  to  receive  him,  and  employed  his 
latest  breath  in  prayer  for  his  murderers! 
Acts  vii.  55 — 69.  When  a  believer  in  Jesus 
is  about  to  die,  he  does  not  express  the  fiend- 
like phrenzy  of  a  savage,  or  the  ill-timed 
levity  of  a  bufKjon  ;  he  is  serious  and  recol- 
lected. Conscious  of  his  unworthiness,  but 
knowing  whom  he  has  believed,  he  rejoices 
with  a  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,  1 
Pet.  i.  8.  There  is  often  a  dignity  and 
energy  in  the  language  of  plain  people  in 
dying  circumstances,  far  superior  to  what 
might  be  expected  from  their  former  habits 
of  life :  they  seem  to  have  new  ideas  and 
new  faculties ;  heaven  opened  to  them,  and 
opened  in  them,  while  yet  in  the  body.  Ig- 
norant and  profane  persons,  who  are  some- 
times spectators  of  such  scenes,  have  been 
astonished  at  effects  which,  though  they  could 
not  account  for,  have  for  the  moment  secretly 
extorted  from  them  the  wish  of  Balaam, 


"  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and 
let  my  last  end  be  like  his,"  Num.  xxiii.  10. 
By  those  effects  on  the  lives  and  deaths  of 
those  who  cordially  receive  it,  the  gospel 
which  we  preach,  the  doctrine  uf  the  cross, 
approves  itself  to  be  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation,  the  sure  and  only  mean  of^winnin» 
souls  to  his  favour  and  image. 

If  I  have  taken  up  too  much  of  your  time 
with  this  second  particular,  let  the  importance 
of  it,  and  the  state  of  religion  amongst  us, 
plead  my  excuse.  Thus  far  we  have  ad- 
vanced— If  it  be  wisdom  to  aim  at  a  great 
design,  and  to  adopt  the  most  fit  and  proper 
means  for  the  accomplishment,  the  man  my 
text  speaks  of  is  wise.  His  end  is  great — to 
win  souls.  The  mean  he  employs  is  the  gos- 
pel, which  God  has  revealed  and  instituted 
for  this  very  purpose,  and  with  which  his 
power  and  blessing  are  surely  connected  by 
promise. 

3.  Yet  the  knowledge  of  a  worthy  end,  and 
of  the  means  by  which  it  may  be  attained,  is 
not  sufficient  to  denominate  a  man  wise.  If 
he  be  truly  wise,  and  his  object  of  great  im- 
portance, he  will  not  suffer  himself  to  be 
easily  diverted  from  it,  but  will  rather  hold 
and  manage  every  inferior  concernment  in  a 
due  subservience  and  subordination  to  his 
main  point.  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  when  a  child, 
might  possibly  have  amused  himself,  as  ma- 
ny other  children  have  done,  by  blowing  up 
bubbles  in  soapy  water  with  a  pipe.  But  it 
was  not  a  childish  amusement  in  the  hands 
of  this  sublime  genius,  when  he  applied  it, 
among  other  experiments,  to  discover  and 
establish  that  theory  of  light  and  colours,  by 
which,  in  his  admirable  System  of  Optics, 
he  enlightened  the  world.  But  if  we  speak 
strictly,  the  most  important  employments  and 
discoveries  of  which  mankind  are  capable,  if 
directed  no  higher  than  to  the  concerns  of 
the  present  life,  are  trivial  and  worthless  as 
the  sports  of  children,  or  the  wretched 
amusements  of  lunatics,  to  an  immortal,  who 
is  soon,  very  soon,  to  pass  unto  the  unseen 
world,  to  appear  before  the  judgment-seat  of 
God,  and  to  be  fixed,  according  to  his  righ- 
teous award,  in  a  state  of  endless  happiness 
or  misery.  The  desire  of  pleasing.  God, 
and  of  doing  all  to  his  glory,  which  should 
be  the  ultimate  end  of  a  rational  creature, 
and  will  be,  if  he  feels  his  dependence  and 
his  obligations,  this,  like  the  fiibled  philoso- 
pher's stone,  turns  every  tiling  into  gold, 
sanctifies  the  most  common  actions  of  life 
which  belong  to  the  situation  in  which  Di- 
vine Providence  has  placed  us,  and  gives 
them  a  sublimity  and  dignity.  Consecrated 
by  this  intention,  they  become  acts  of  devo- 
tion. They  have  a  very  low  idea  of  religion 
who  confine  it  to  what  we  usually  mean  by 
devotional  exercises.  The  truly  religious 
man  does  indeed  bow  his  knees  in  secret  be- 
fore the  Most  High  God,  he  ^^refully  con- 


414  THE  BEST 

suits  his  holy  word,  he  waits  upon  him  in 
his  public  ordinances.  In  these  ways  he  de- 
rives fresh  supplies  from  the  fountain  of  wis- 
dom and  irracf,  and  his  strength  is  renewed. 
But  he  does  not  leave  liis  religfion  in  the 
closet  or  the  church ;  it  abideth  in  him,  is 
the  govej^ning  springr  of  his  whole  conduct, 
and  according  to  the  degree  of  liis  attainment 
in  faith  and  love,  and  allowing  for  the  un- 
avoidable abstractions  incidental  to  our 
frames  (^which  are  too  weak  and  limited  to 
be  able  to  fix  our  attention  closely  upon 
many  things  at  once,)  whether  he  be  upon 
the  throne  or  the  bench,  upon  the  parade  or 
the  exchange ;  whether  he  be  called  to  serve 
God  in  a  public  capacity,  or  in  private  life, 
whether  he  be  in  a  state  of  affluence,  or  earns 
his  honest  broad  by  sweeping  the  streets — in 
every  station  and  situation,  he  is  a  servant  of 
God,  from  morning  to  night:  and  these  very 
different  services  are  all  equally  acceptable  to 
him,  who  seeth  not  as  man  seelh,  and  estimates 
them,  not  by  their  comparative  importance  in 
our  view,  but  according  to  the  principle  of 
love  by  which  they  are  performed,  and  the 
Bublime  end  to  which  they  are  directed. 

But  we,  my  brethren,  who  are  ministers 
of  the  gospel,  have  this  great  advantage  (if 
indeed  we  improve  it,)  that  our  particular 
calling  as  members  of  society,  coincides  witli 
our  general  calling  as  christians.  The  per- 
son who  serves  God  in  a  secular  calling,  may, 
as  1  liave  observed,  be  equally  acceptable  to 
God,-  because  equally  devoted  to  his  will ; 
but  his  advantages  and  opportunities  for  win- 
ning souls  are  not  equal  to  ours.  It  is  our 
professed  and  appropriate  business;  and  we 
are  freed  from  the  incumbrances  of  worldly 
business,  that  we  may  give  our  whole  at- 
tention to  this  very  thing.  Acts  vi.  4 ;  1  Tim. 
iv.  15,  16.  If  we  are  wise,  we  shall  watch 
and  pray  against  being  impeded  by  any  stu- 
dies and  pursuits  which  have  not  an  evi- 
dent tendency  to  promote  our  success  in 
winning  souls.  You  have  probably  heard 
what  is  related  of  the  address  of  whale-fish- 
ers, when  the  whale,  irritated  by  the  wounds 
he  has  received,  attacks  their  boats.  It  is 
said  they  have  a  tub  in  readiness  to  throw 
into  the  sea,  and  that  while  the  whale  furi- 
ously encounters  the  tub,  the  boat  has  time 
to  escape.  Wiiether  this  be  fact  or  not, 
methinks  it  may  suggest  a  useful  lesson  to 
us:  Many  things  not  criminal  in  themselves, 
will  prove  so  to  us,  if  we  suffer  them,  by 
engrossing  too  much  of  our  time  and  thoughts, 
to  divert  us  from  our  principal  object.  It 
may  be  wrong,  it  may  be  commendable,  for 
a  minister  to  possess  some  general  know- 
ledge of  philosophy,  history,  criticism,  and 
other  branches  of  literature,  or  of  the  con- 
troversies which  have  disturbed  the  peace 
of  the  Church.  Bnt  perimns  in  licitis.  An 
over-attachment  to  these  studies,  though  less 
ecaadalous,  d#y  prove  little  less  hurtful  to 


WISDOM. 

our  ministry  than  the  love  of  pleasure,  or 
the  love  of  money.  He  who  is  duly  sensible 
of  the  importance  and  difficulty  of  winning 
souls,  will  find  but  little  leisure  for  sorting 
shells  or  butterflies,  for  studying  grammati- 
cal niceties,  for  poring  over  manuscripts 
scarcely  legible,  for  decyphering  ancient  in- 
scriptions, or  entangling  himself  in  the  dry 
uninteresting  thickets  of  controversy.  He 
will  be  careful  lest  avocations  of  this  kind 
sliould  prove  like  the  tubs  I  have  mentioned, 
amusements  to  divert  his  attention  from  the 
state  of  souls  around  him,  who  are  in  danger 
of  perishing  in  ignorance  and  sin.  We  are 
set  as  watchmen  to  sound  the  alarm,  to  warn 
the  wicked  of  their  evil  ways,  to  direct  in- 
quirers into  tiie  paths  of  peace,  to  point  out 
the  snares  and  temptations  to  which  they  are 
exposed,  to  exhort  and  charge  those  who  pro- 
fess the  truth,  that  they  walk  worthy  of  God 
who  has  called  them  to  his  kingdom  and 
glory ;  in  a  word,  to  use  our  best  endeavours 
publicly,  and  from  house  to  house,  (Acts  xx. 
10;  2  Tim.  iv.  2,)  in  season  and  out  of  season, 
to  build  up  our  hearers  in  their  most  holy 
faith.  We  are  to  give  an  account  of  the  ta- 
lents, opportunities,  and  souls  entrusted  to  us, 
and  we  should  tremble  at  the  thought  of  being 
then  obliged  to  confess,  "  while  thy  servant 
was  busy  here  and  there,  the  man  was  gone," 
1  Kings  XX.  40.  If  such  an  eminent  man  of 
God  as  archbishop  Usher,  though  possessed 
of  the  faith  and  hope  of  the  gospel,  found 
cause,  when  reviewing  his  past  life  on  his 
dying  bed,  to  cry  out  repeatedly  and  earnest- 
ly, "  Lord,  forgive  my  sins  of  omission  I"  how 
jealous  ought  we  to  be  of  ourselves  !  It  be- 
hoves us  to  use  the  language  of  Nehemiah, 
to  many  proposals  and  pursuits  which  our  in- 
clinations may  plead  for,  "  I  am  doing  a  great 
work  so  that  I  cannot  come  down.  Why 
should  the  work  cease,  while  I  leave  it  and 
come  down  to  you  1"  Neh.  vi.  3.  Seldom  is 
any  man  remarkably  successful  and  eminent 
in  arts  or  sciences,  in  the  acquisition  ot 
wealth  or  power,  who  does  not  resolutely 
deny  himself  in  other  respects,  and  make 
every  secondary  point  give  place,  so  far  as  it 
stands  in  competition  with  his  leading  and 
favourite  object.  Such  a  determined  resolu- 
tion, to  follow  the  avowed  design  of  our  call- 
ing as  the  one  thing,  in  comparison  with 
which  every  thing  else  is  to  be  undervalued 
and  neglected,  if  likely  to  hinder  us,  is  essen- 
tial to  that  wisdom  which  alone  can  qualify 
us  for  winnings  souls. 

4.  This  wisdom  implies  fortitude  also.  If 
we  engage  in  this  work  without  counting  the 
cost,  and  without  being  apprised  of  the  diffi- 
culties and  snares  to  winch  it  may  expose  us ; 
or  if  we  cannot,  in  some  measure,  say  with 
the  apostle.  None  of  these  things  move  me 
(Acts  XX.  23,)  we  shall  probably  be  soon  dis- 
couraged. What  should  we  think  of  a  states- 
man, who,  having  formed  a  wise  and  noble 


THE  BEST  WISDOM. 


415 


plan  for  the  benefit  of  a  kingdom,  and  having 
the  means  nocossary  to  accomplish  it  within 
his  power,  should  bo  deterred  from  carrying- 
it  into  execution,  tiiough  it  was  approved  by 
all  competent  judges,  merely  because  he 
could  not  bear  to  be  misunderstood,  or  misre- 
presented, by  the  very  lowest  of  the  people, 
or  by  tlie  children  who  play  in  the  street  ? 
His  want  of  spirit,  upon  such  a  supposition, 
would  doubtless  be  esteemed  a  want  of  wis- 
dom. But  this  is  a  faint  representation  of  our 
folly,  if,  believing  ourselves  to  be  the  servants 
of  God,  being  convinced,  as  we  say,  of  the 
wortli  and  danger  of  souls,  and  knowing  that 
the  gospel  of  God,  committed  to  our  trust 
(1  Thess.  ii.  4,)  is  the  only  possible  mean  of 
their  recovery  ;  a  regard  to  the  fear  or  favour 
of  men  should  prevail-  on  us  to  suppress  or 
soften  our  message,  and  to  accommodate  our- 
selves to  their  taste,  instead  of  conforming  to 
our  instructions,  lest  we  should  displease 
them.  Would  an  eartlily  king  bear  with  an 
ambassador  who  was  guilty  of  such  timid 
treachery  !  We  cannot,  my  brethren,  think 
too  humbly  of  ourselves,  but  we  may  magnify 
our  office,  and  we  ought.  In  this  sense  at 
least,  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  (2  Cor. 
V.  20,)  that  the  message  we  are  to  deliver,  is 
not  ours,  but  his  by  whom  we  are  sent.  We 
are  not  answerable  for  the  success,  but  we  are 
under  the  strongest  obligations  to  be  faithful. 
And  he  whose  we  are,  and  whom  we  serve, 
is  well  able  to  support  us.  Let  us  not  fear  the 
reproach  of  men,  nor  be  afraid  of  their  re- 
vilings,  Isa.  li.  7.  In  the  sight  of  our  Lord 
God,  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  collected,  are 
less  than  nothing,  and  vanity,  inconsiderable 
as  the  drop  that  falls  unperceived  from  the 
buck(;t,orthe  dust(I&a.  xl.  1.5,)  which  cleaves 
to  the  scales  without  affecting  the  balance. 
The  apostles  were  wise  to  win  souls.  They 
tried  the  spiritof  the  world  before  us,  and  were 
de.s:)  s.^d  and  insulted  by  it.  They  were  ac- 
counti.'d  the  ofTscouring  and  filth  of  all  things, 
and  suffered  much  shame  for  their  Lord's 
sake;  (1  Cor.  iv.  18;  Acts  v.  41;)  but  they  es- 
teemed shame,  in  such  a  cause,  their  highest 
honour.  Jesus  endured  the  cross,  and  des- 
pised the  shame  for  them  and  for  us.  He 
was  buffeted,  spit  on,  treated  as  a  madman, 
a  demoniac,  and  laughed  to  scorn.  Let  us 
go  forth  bearing  his  reproach,  in  meekness 
of  wisdom  ;  instructing  those  who  oppose,  not 
rendering  railing  for  railing,  but  pitying  and 
praying  for  them  :  but  let  us  be  firm  and  un- 
moved, and  not  hesitate  to  speak  the  truth 
in  love,  whether  they  will  hear,  or  whether 
they  will  forbear.  We  shall  not  speak  wholly 
in  vain ;  and  to  be  instrumental  in  saving  one 
soul  from  death,  is  an  honour  sufficient  to 
compensate  for  all  the  slights  and  contempt 
we  can  meet  with  from  an  unkind  world.  It 
is,  indeed,  our  duty  to  study  to  find  out  ac- 
ceptable word.s,  to  endeavour  to  please  men 
for  their  edification,  and  to  be  careful  not  to 


add  to  the  unavoidable  offence  of  the  gospel, 
by  debasing  our  zeal  witii  the  unhallowed 
fire  of  an  angry  spirit :  but  we  degrade  our 
character,  if  we  appear  too  solicitous  to  con- 
ciliate the  good  opinion  of  men,  or  to  depend 
upon  their  favour.  The  Lord  who  employs 
us,  will  take  care  of  us  ;  and  to  live  in  a  spirit 
of  unreserved  dependence  upon  him,  will 
raise  us  to  a  noble  independence  with  respect 
to  creatures.  All  hearts  are  in  his  hands. 
He  will  protect  our  persons  and  characters, 
supply  our  wants,  control  our  enemie.s,  and 
raise  us  friends,  so  far  as  he  sees  it  needful, 
without  any  solicitude  on  our  parts,  if  we 
can  but  put  our  trust  in  him.  Such  are  the 
principles  of  Christian  fortitude.  He  who  is 
wise  to  win  souls,  loves  his  fellow-creatures, 
but  he  cannot  fear  them,  because  he  fears  the 
Lord.  He  will  neither  provoke  nor  dread 
their  frowns,  nor  will  he  meanly  court  their 
smiles.  He  knows  that  if  they  receive  his 
message,  they  will  love  him  for  the  truth's 
sake,  and  he  neither  expects  nor  desires  their 
fiivour  upon  other  terms.  By  the  cross  of 
Christ  he  is  crucified  to  the  world,  (Gal.  iv. 
14,)  and  the  world  to  him.  He  has  chosen 
his  side.  He  will  serve  the  Lord,  (Joshua 
xxiv.  25,)  and  he  will  use  his  utmost  influ- 
ence to  prevail  on  others  to  serve  him  like- 
wise ;  so  far  as  he  succeeds,  he  feels  a  joy  su- 
perior to  the  joy  of  harvest,  or  of  those  who 
divide  the  spoil,  Isa.  ix.  3.  When  he  cannot 
succeed,  he  is  grieved,  but  not  disconcerted; 
and,  for  the  most  part,  his  calm  but  steadfast 
perseverance  in  well-doing,  will  gradually 
establish  his  character,  stop  the  mouth  of  ca- 
lumny, and  extort  a  reverence  to  his  person, 
even  from  those  who  cannot  bear  his  doctrine. 

5.  I  shall  mention  but  one  particular  more, 
which,  though  experience  shows  to  be  not  so 
absolutely  necessary  as  those  which  I  have 
already  specified,  because,  in  fact,  it  has  been 
too  little  regarded  by  many  who  have  been 
wise  to  win  souls,  yet  is  certainly  a  branch 
of  that  wisdom,  which,  as  ministers,  we  ought 
incessantly  to  ask  of  God — I  mean  a  due  at- 
tention to  the  importance  of  union  among 
those  who  are  engaged  in  the  same  cause. 
A  great  stress  has  indeed  been  often  laid 
upon  uniformity  of  sentiment  and  modes  of 
worship  ;  but  this,  in  the  present  state  of  hu- 
man nature,  can  no  more  be  effected  either 
by  force  or  persuasion,  than  men  can  be  forced 
or  persuaded  to  a  uniformity  of  stature  or 
complexion;  and  if  it  were  practicable,  it 
might  prove  of  little  value.  The  form  of 
religion  may  be  strenuously  contended  for  by 
those  who  are  strangers  to  the  power  of  it ; 
but  the  best  form  we  can  conceive,  if  destitute 
of  power,  is  lifeless,  like  the  body  without  the 
soul.  The  true  unity  of  spirit  is  derived  from 
the  things  in  which  those  who  are  taught  and 
born  of  God  agree,  and  should  not  be  affected 
by  those  in  which  they  differ.  The  church 
of  Christ,  collectively  considered,  is  an  army; 


416 


THE  BEST  WISDOM. 


they  serve  under  one  Prince,  have  one  com- 
mon interest,  and  are  opposed  by  the  same 
enemies.  This  army  is  kept  up,  and  the 
places  of  those  who  are  daily  removed  to  the 
church  triumphant,  supplied  entirely  by  those 
who  arc  rescued  and  won  from  the  power  of 
the  enemy,  which  is  chiefly  effected  by  the 
gospel-ministry.  This  consideration  should 
remind  ministers,  that  it  is  highly  improper 
(I  might  use  a  stronger  expression)  to  waste 
much  of  their  time  and  talents,  which  ought 
to  be  employed  against  the  common  foe,  in 
opposing  those,  who,  though  they  cannot  ex- 
actly agree  with  them  in  every  smaller  point, 
are  perfectly  agreed,  and  ready  to  concur 
with  them,  in  promoting  their  principal 
design.  A  wise  statesman,  who  has  a  point 
much  at  heart  which  he  cannot  carry  with- 
out assistance,  will  gladly  accept  of  help  from 
persons  of  all  parties  on  whom  he  can  prevail 
to  join  with  him,  and  will  not,  at  such  a  crisis, 
preclude  himself  from  this  advantage,  by  an 
unseasonable  discussion  of  more  minute  con- 
cerns, in  which  he  knows  they  must,  and 
will  be  against  him.  When  I  see  ministers 
of  acknowledged  piety,  and  respectable  abili- 
ties, very  busy  in  defending  or  confuting  the 
smaller  differences,  which  already  too  much 
separate  those  who  ought  to  be  of  one  heart 
and  one  mind,  though,  while  they  are  all  falli- 
ble, they  cannot  be  exactly  of  one  judgment; 
though  I  give  them  credit  for  their  good  inten- 
tion. I  cannot  but  lament  the  misapplication  of 
their  zeal,  which,  if  directed  into  another  chan- 
nel, would  probably  make  them  much  more 
successful  in  winning  souls.  Let  us  sound 
an  alarm  in  the  enemy's  camp,  but  not  in  our 
own  !  I  have  somewhere  met  with  a  passage 
of  ancient  history,  the  substance  of  which, 
though  my  recollection  of  it  is  but  imperfect, 
I  will  relate,  because  I  think  it  very  appli- 
cable to  this  part  of  my  subject.  It  is  an  ac- 
count of  two  large  bodies  of  forces  which  fell 
in  with  each  other  in  a  dark  night.  A  battle 
immediately  ensued.  The  attack  and  resist- 
ance were  supported  with  equal  spirit.  The 
contest  was  fierce  and  bloody.  Great  was 
the  slaughter  on  both  sides,  and  on  both  sides 
they  were  on  the  point  of  claiming  the  vic- 
tory ;  when  the  day  broke,  and  as  the  light 
advanced,  they  soon  perceived  to  their  asto- 
nishment and  grief,  that  owing  to  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night,  they  had  been  fighting,  not 
with  enemies,  as  they  had  supposed,  but  with 
friends  and  allies ;  they  had  been  doing  their 
enemies'  work,  and  weakening  the  cause 
they  wished  to  support.  The  expectation  of 
each  party  to  conquer  the  other,  was  founded 
upon  the  losses  the  opponent  had  su.stained ; 
and  this  was  what  proportionably  aggravated 
their  lamentation  and  distress,  when  they  had 
sufficient  light  to  show  them  the  mischief 
they  had  done.  Ah !  my  friends,  if  shame  be 
compatible  with  the  heavenly  state,  as  per- 
haps in  a  sense  it  may  (for  believers,  when  | 


most  happy  here,  are  most  sensibly  ashamed 
of  tliemsclves,)  shall  we  not,  even  then,  be 
ashamed  to  think  how  often,  in  this  dark 
world,  we  mistook  our  friends  for  foes,  and 
that,  while  we  thought  we  were  fighting  for 
the  cause  of  God  and  truth,  we  were  wound- 
ing and  worrying  the  people  whom  he  loved, 
and  perhaps  indulging  our  own  narrow,  self- 
ish party  prejudices,  under  the  semblance  of 
zeal  for  his  glory  ! 

II.  I  hope  what  I  have  hitherto  offered, 
though  more  directly  addressed  to  ministers, 
may  not  be  altogether  uninteresting  or  un- 
useful  to  the  rest  of  my  auditory;  but  you 
who  are  not  in  the  ministry,  if  you  have  tasted 
that  the  Lord  is  gracious,  have  a  desire,  in 
common  with  us,  to  win  souls.  And  there  is 
not  only  ample  room  and  scope  for  your  en- 
deavours, in  concert  with  ours,  but  without 
concurrence  on  your  parts,  we  can  expect  but 
little  success.  You,  likewise,  if  animated 
by  the  wisdom  which  is  from  above,  even 
those  of  you  who  are  in  the  most  confined 
situations,  may  be  greatly  instrumental  in 
winning  souls. 

1.  By  your  example. — If  you  walk  agree- 
ably to  your  profession,  blameless  and  harm- 
less as  the  children  of  God,  shining  as  lights 
in  the  world,  Phil.  ii.  15.  When  we  preach 
a  free  salvation  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  they, 
who  know  no  better,  misrepresent  our  doc- 
trine, as  being  unfavourable  to  the  practice  of 
morality,  supposing  that  by  the  stress  we  lay 
upon  faith  in  his  atonement,  as  the  only  solid 
ground  of  hope  for  acceptance  with  God,  we 
encourage  men  to  expect  to  be  saved  at  last 
whether  they  obey  his  commandments  or  not. 
We  endeavour  to  convince  them  of  their  mis- 
take, and  to  prove,  that  as  without  faith  it  is 
impossible  to  please  God,  (Heb.  xi.  6,)  so  it 
is  no  less  impossible  for  any  person  to  possess 
true  faith,  without  earnestly  endeavouring  to 
please  and  obey  him  in  all  things,  from  prin- 
ciples of  love  and  gratitude.  The  proof  of 
this  is  easy  to  those  who  understand  the  scrip- 
tures, and  acknowledge  their  divine  authority. 
But  many,  yea,  most  people,  are  more  likely 
to  be  convinced  by  what  they  observe  of  you, 
than  by  what  they  hear  from  us.  We  assure 
them  that  our  gospel  teaches  those  who  receive 
it,  to  renounce  all  ungodliness  and  worldly 
lusts,  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly; 
(Tit.  ii.  12 ;)  to  be  temperate  in  prosperity, 
patient  under  affliction  ;  to  fill  up  their  seve- 
ral relations  in  life,  with  integrity  and  dili- 
gence ;  to  be  cheerfully  submissive  to  the 
will  of  God  under  all  changes ;  to  be  meek, 
gentle,  and  benevolent,  forbearing  and  for- 
giving: in  a  word,  to  do,  in  all  cases,  to 
others,  as  we  would  they  should  do  unto  us, 
I\Iatt.  vii.  12.  Happy  for  us,  if  when  we 
look  round  upon  our  hearers,  we  can  with 
confidence  say,  "  Ye  are  our  epistles,  known 
and  read  of  all  men,"  2  Cor.  iii.  2.  If  any 
ask  us  concerning  the  tendency  of  our  doc- 


THE  BEST  WISDOM. 


417 


trines,  shall  we  send  them  to  you,  that  they 
may  notice,  not  only  your  serious  and  con- 
stant attendance  upon  public  worship,  but 
the  good  order  of  your  families,  your  be- 
Iiaviour  as  husbands  or  wives,  parents  or 
children,  masters  or  servants,  your  punctu- 
ality in  business,  and  to  all  your  engag-e- 
roeuts  and  promises,  and  the  tenderness  you 
discover  to  the  characters  and  concerns  of 
your  neiirhbours .'  Shall  we  send  them  to 
you,  when  you  are  in  trouble,  when  you  are 
visited  with  sickness  and  stronrr  pain,  or 
when  the  desire  of  your  eyes  is  taken  away 
with  a  stroke  (Ezek.  xxiv.  16,)  that  they 
may  see  with  their  own  eyes  and  be  satisiied 
that  you  have  neither  followed  cunninirly 
devised  fables,  nor  contented  yourselves  with 
mere  lifeless  notions  of  the  truth  ;  but  that 
your  relig-ion  is  real  and  powerful,  and  not 
only  inspires  you  with  a  good  hope  respect- 
injT  a  future  state,  but  is  the  source  of  your 
comfort,  and  the  sprinsr  of  your  conduct  in 
the  present  life !  may  we  venture,  my 
friends,  to  make  tiiis  appeal  7  then  undoubt- 
edly you  are  wise  to  win  souls.  A  pro- 
fession like  yours  cannot  be  without  an  in- 
fluence within  your  own  circle.  Do  any 
persons,  who  know  your  whole  deportment, 
affect  to  scorn  or  pity  you  !  if  they  treat  you 
as  hypocrites,  they  are  hypocrites  themselves, 
they  are  contradicted  by  their  own  conscien- 
ces. I  will  not  say  they  love  you,  but  be  as- 
sured they  secretly  reverence  you.  It  is  only 
t!ie  triflinar  half-professor,  who  hears  the  gos- 
]<'A  and  talks  about  it,  but  dishonours  it  by 
h's  practice,  whom  the  world  really  despise. 
And  who  can  blame  them  for  despising  such 
characters  ?  But  alas  for  those  who,  by  thus 
causing  the  ways  of  truth  to  be  evil  spoken 
of,  lay  stumbling-blocks  before  the  blind,  Lev. 
xix.  14. 

The  effects  of  a  consistent  conversation 
becoming  the  gospel  in  those  who  profess  it, 
were  remarkably  exemplified  in  the  first 
Christian  church  at  Jerusalem.  They  were 
inarently  like  sheep  without  a  shepherd, 
iieep  in  the  midst  of  wolves.  They  were 
r-i!rrounded  by  the  very  people  who  had 
lately  murdered  their  Lord.  But  the  holi- 
ness, love,  joy,  peace,  union  and  simplicity, 
which  animated  their  conduct,  impressed  an 
awe  upon  the  beholders,  so  that  no  poor  pre- 
tender durst  presume  to  join  them;  (Acts  v. 
13;)  and  though  divested  of  all  outward  ad- 
vantages and  support,  the  people  were  con- 
strained to  magnify  them.  Were  this  spirit 
more  general  amongst  us,  I  believe  it  would 
be  more  effectual  to  stop  the  mouths  of  gain- 
eayers,  and  to  silence  the  cavils  of  infidels, 
than  all  our  books  and  sermons.  And  the 
twelve  apostles,  were  they  now  living 
amongst  us,  would  probably  preach  to  little 
purpose,  unless  a  measure  of  this  spirit  were 
discoverable  in  their  professed  admirers. 

2.  By  your  prayers. — You  are  not  called 

Vol.  II.  3  G 


to  preacli  the  gospel,  but  in  this  way,  you 
may  greatly  assist  those  wlioare.  Brethren, 
pray  tor  us.  Our  work  is  great;  the  ditfi- 
culties  we  have  to  surmount,  the  snares  and 
temptations  which  surround  us,  and  our  in- 
firmities, arc  many.  Who  is  sufficient  for 
these  things !  The  apostle  Paul,  distin- 
guished as  he  was  by  the  eminence  of  his 
grace,  experience,  and  services,  set  a  higli 
value  upon  the  prayers  of  God's  people. 
Hear  how  lie  pleads  with  tiiem,  with  an 
earnestness,  like  that  of  a  needy  beggar  re- 
questing alms:  "  I  beseech  you  brethren,  for 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  and  for  the 
love  of  the  Spirit,  that  you  strive  together  in 
your  prayers  to  God  for  inc,"  Rom.  xv.  30. 
And  pray,  "That  the  word  of  the  Ix)rd  may 
have  free  course,  may  run  and  be  glorified," 
2  Thess.  iii.  1.  The  Lord  has  promised  to 
do  great  things  for  his  people,  but  he  has  said, 
that;  he  will  be  inquired  of  by  them,  to  do  it 
for  them,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  37.  Prize,  and  im- 
prove, your  great  privilege  of  access  to  the 
throne  of  grace,  by  which  every  believer  in 
Jesus,  like  Israel  of  old,  has  power  with  God 
and  with  man.  In  answer  to  effectual  fer- 
vent prayer,  the  army  of  Sennacherib  was 
destroyed  in  a  night,  (Isa.  xxxvii.  21,  36,) 
and  Peter  was  delivered  from  a  strong  prison 
and  from  the  malice  of  Herod,  Acts  .\ii.  5, 
12.  Th"  efficacy  of  prayer  is  still  the  same. 
If  the  Lord  were  pleased  to  pour  out  a  spirit 
of  prayer  and  supplication  upon  his  people, 
we  should  find  our  public  ordinances  more 
lively  and  more  fruitful.  We  should  then 
hope  to  be  more  successful  in  winning  souls, 
and  you  might  justly  claim  a  principal  share 
in  tlie  comfort  and  honour  of  seeing  that 
good  work  prosper,  to  the  success  of  which, 
your  prayers  would  largely  contribute.  Next 
to  the  immediate  assistance  and  consolations 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  nothing  encourages  a 
faithful  minister  so  much,  as  when  he  thinks 
he  can  perceive  that,  while  he  is  speaking, 
his  hearers  are  drawing  down  a  blessing 
upon  his  words,  by  their  prayers:  it  adds 
wings  to  his  zeal,  gives  him  a  double  im- 
pression upon  his  own  heart,  of  tiie  weight 
and  importance  of  the  truths  he  delivers;  and 
enables  him  to  dispense  them  with  a  double 
impression,  of  demonstration  and  power,  upon 
the  hearts  of  others. 

3.  By  affording  your  countenance  and  as- 
sistance, according  to  the  ability  the  Lord 
has  given  you,  to  promote  every  prudent 
and  well  directed  scheme  which  is  set  on  foot 
for  tlie  more  effectual  spreading  of  that 
knowledge  which  is  necessary  in  order  to 
win  souls,  from  the  dominion  of  sin,  to  the 
service  of  God.  Among  these  there  are  few 
if  any,  which  I  can  more  warrantably  com- 
mend to  your  attention,  than  the  laudable 
and  benevolent  object  of  the  Society  for  pro- 
moting Religious  Knowledge  among  the 
Poor, — an  institution,  which  it  has  pleased 


418 


THE  BEST  WISDOM. 


God  signally  to  prosper,  both  by  the  large  in- 
crease of  their  iund  from  year  to  year,  and 
the  many  instances  of  the  known  happy  ef- 
fects which  liave  followed  the  perusal  of  the 
books  they  have  distributed.  Many  more 
instances,  as  yet  unknown  to  us,  we  trust 
will  be  manifested  in  the  great  day,  when 
the  Lord  shall  appear  in  glory.  Though 
the  beginning  of  this  Society  was  small, 
they  have,  since  the  year  1750,  when  it  was 
first  formed,  distributed  more  than  four  hun- 
dred thousand  books,  upwards  of  one  hundred 
and  five  thousand  of  which  were  Bibles  and 
New  Testaments ;  the  rest  were  small  and 
plain  books,  well  adapted  to  the  capacities 
and  circumstances  of  those  who  have,  mostly, 
but  a  confined  education,  and  who  have  not 
much  time  for  reading.  The  number  of  books 
bestowed  annually  has  been  on  the  increase 
from  year  to  year.  In  the  course  of  the  last 
year,  according  to  the  printed  account,  the 
number  of  all  the  different  books  was  fifteen 
thousand  five  hundred  and  eighty.  How 
much  these  donations  may  have  multiplied 
the  means  of  religious  knowledge  among 
people  otherwise  destitute,  in  these  king- 
doms, in  our  Plantations,  and  in  America, 
who  can  say,  who  can  even  conjecture  !  And 
we  hope,  by  the  benefactionsof  this  year,  the 
Society  will  be  able  to  do  more  the  following 
year  than  in  any  former. 

People  who  are  in  danger  of  perishing  for 
lack  of  knowledge,  are  still  very  numerous. 
The  much  which  has  been  done,  is  little  com- 
pared with  what  the  Society  might  yet  do 
were  their  resources  equal  to  their  wishes.  I 
trust  my  request,  that  you  will  strengthen 
their  hands  at  this  time,  will  not  be  in  vain; 
and  that  the  brief  account  I  have  given  you 
of  their  design  and  progress,  will  render  far- 
ther solicitation  needless.  To  bespeak  the 
benevolence  of  my  stated  congregation,  when 
a  collection  is  proposed,  I  seldom  do  more 
than  inform  them  of  the  occasion,  and  that  it 
has  my  good  wishes.  After  the  repeated 
proofs  I  have  had  of  their  generosity,  I 
need  do  no  more.  Nor  will  I  suppose  that  it 
is  necessary  to  use  any  farther  arguments  to 
prevail  with  you. 

There  may  be  some  persons  present,  who 
will  kindly  assist  us  in  procuring  the  means 
of  religious  knowledge  for  others,  who  are, 
hitherto,  unacquainted  with  the  power  and  the 
comforts  of  religion  themselves.  May  the 
good  Lord  now  awaken  their  desires  to  ob- 
tain the  one  thing  needful,  the  pearl  of  great 
price  !  That  knowledge  which  is  necessary 
for  the  poor  is  equally  so  for  you,  whatever 
your  situation  in  life  may  be.  Will  you 
pity  others,  and  not  feel  a  concern  for  your 
own  case  ]  You  may  deserve  thanks  from  us 
for  your  ready  assistance  in  this  good  work, 


and  yet  your  heart  may  be  in  a  state  of  aliena- 
tion from  God  ;  you  may  have  amiable  quali- 
fications, which  entitle  you  to  the  esteem  of 
your  fellow-creatures,  as  you  are  memberiB 
of  society,  and  be  at  the  same  time  destitute 
of  the  faith  and  hope  of  the  gospel.  Per- 
mit me,  before  we  pajt,  to  offer  one  considera- 
tion to  your  serious  thoughts.  We  read  that 
eight  persons  only  were  saved  in  the  ark, 
(1  Pet.  iii.  20,)  and  only  four  of  these,  Noah 
and  his  three  sons,  were  men.  Considering 
the  large  dimensions  of  the  ark,  I  think  we 
may  take  it  for  granted,  that  Noah  and  his 
sons  did  not  build  it  without  assistance ;  and 
there  were  no  men  to  assist  them  in  escaping 
from  the  flood,  but  such  as  afterwards  perish- 
ed in  it.  What  an  awful  case!  To  afford  their 
help  to  build  an  ark  for  the  preservation  of 
others,  and  then  to  remain  out  of  the  ark 
themselves,  until  the  flood  came  and  swept 
them  all  away.  There  is  a  day  of  wrath 
approaching.  It  will  burn  like  an  oven ;  it 
will  ravage  like  a  flood.  The  gospel  points 
out  a  refuge.  The  believer  in  Jesus  Christ, 
like  Noah  in  the  ark,  is  in  perfect  safety; 
he  is  already  delivered  from  condemnation, 
and  shall  stand  before  the  Lord  in  humble 
confidence,  when  lie  shall  come  to  judge  the 
world.  Your  concurrence  in  this  charitable 
design  of  distributing  Bibles  among  the  poor, 
that  they  may  be  timely  warned  to  flee  from 
the  wrath  to  come  is  commendable: — thus 
you  assist  in  preparing  an  ark  for  them ;  the 
very  book  or  books  which  your  money  will 
purchase,  may  be  blessed  to  the  saving  of 
souls,  and  consequently  you  may  be  the  in- 
strument. Can  you  bear  the  thouglit  of  be- 
ing instrumental  to  the  salvation  of  others, 
and  to  lose  your  own  soul,  and  be  yourself  a 
cast-away  at  last,  after  all  the  means  and  op- 
portunites  you  have  been  favoured  with,  af- 
ter all  the  warnings  and  calls  you  have  had, 
after  all  the  good  you  may  have  done  as  a  mem- 
ber of  society "!  Alas !  is  it  possible  that  you 
can  believe  there  is  a  flood  coming,  and  that 
an  ark  is  prepared,  and  not  flee,  instantly 
flee,  for  refuge  to  the  hope  set  before  you  1 
O  may  the  Lord  make  you  truly  wise,  and 
effectually  win  your  soul  to  himself! 

Brethren,  the  wisdom  spoken  of  in  my  text 
is  very  different  from  the  wisdom  of  this 
world,  which  knows  not  God.  But  the 
scripture  cannot  be  broken ;  let  us  therefore 
abide  by  the  sure  decision  of  that  word  which 
cannot  deceive  or  disappoint  us.  They  are 
truly  wise,  who  are  wise  to  win  souls;  and 
though  they  may  be  now  obscured  by  mis- 
representations and  reproaches,  they  shall 
shine,  ere  long,  as  the  brightness  of  the  fir- 
mament, and  they  that  turn  many  to  righ- 
teousness, as  tlie  stars  for  ever  and  ever, 
Dan.  xiL  13. 


THE  GREAT  ADVENT ; 

A  SERMON 

PREACHED  IN  THE  'PARISH  CHURCH  OF  ST.  MARY  WOOLNOTH, 

ON  THURSDAY,  APRIL  23,  1789. 
THE  DAY  OF  GENERAL  THANICSGIVING  FOR  THE  KING'S  HAPPY  RECOVERY. 


For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven  ivith  a  shottt,  with  the  voice  of  the  arch- 
angel, and  with  the  trump  of  God :  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first  ;  then  we 
which  are  alive  and  remain,  shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to 
meet  the  Lord  in  the  air:  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord. — 1  Thess.  iv.  16,  17. 


Our  beloved  king'  is  now  on  his  way, 
amidst  the  acclamations  of  an  affectionate 
people,  to  St.  Paul's  Cathedral :  there  he 
will,  this  day,  make  his  public  acknowledg- 
ment to  God,  who  heard  his  prayer  in  the 
time  of  his  trouble.  It  will  be  a  joyful  sight 
to  thousands ;  and,  perhaps,  there  is  not  a 
person  in  this  assembly  who  has  not  felt  a 
desire  to  be  one  of  the  spectators.  But  I  am 
glad  to  meet  you  here.  Many  of  you,  I 
doubt  not,  earnestly  and  repeatedly  prayed 
for  the  recovery  of  our  gracious  Sovereign ; 
and  you  judge  with  me,  that  the  most  pro- 
per expression  of  our  gratitude  and  joy,  is  to 
unit^  in  rendering  praise  to  God  upon  the 
very  spot  where  we  have  often  presented  our 
united  prayers.  And  I  infer,  from  the  large- 
ness of  the  congregation,  that  few  who  sta- 
tedly worship  with  us  are  now  absent,  those 
excepted,  who,  residing  in  or  near  the  line 
of  procession,  could  not  attend  with  proprie- 
ty, nor  perhaps  with  safety. 

If  he  in  whose  name  we  are  met  shall  be 
pleased  (as  his  word  encourages  us  to  hope) 
to  favour  us  with  the  influence  of  his  Holy 
Spirit,  and  to  enable  us,  in  the  exercise  of 
that  faith  which  gives  subsistence  and  evi- 
dence to  things  as  yet  future  and  unseen,  to 
realize  the  subject  of  my  text  to  our  minds, 
we  shall  have  no  reason  to  regret  our  coming 
together  upon  this  occasion. 

The  immediate  design  of  the  apostle,  in 
these  words,  is  to  comfort  believers  under  a 
trial,  which  some  of  you,  perhaps,  feel  at  this 
hour,  and  to  which  any  of  us  may  be  called 
sooner  than  we  are  aware,  the  removal  of  our 
christian  friends  or  relatives,  with  whom  we 
have  often  taken  sweet  counsel,  to  a  better 
world.    Such  a  stroke,  whenever  it  takes 


place,  will  awaken  painful  sensations,  which 
he  who  knows  our  frame  does  not  condemn. 
The  tendency  of  the  gospel  is  to  moderate  and 
regulate,  but  not  to  stifle  or  eradicate  the 
feelings  of  humanity.  We  may  sorrow,  but 
provision  is  made  that  we  should  not  sorrow 
like  those  who  have  no  hope;  "Blessed  are 
thft  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord,"  Rev.  xiv.  13. 
It  is  but  a  temporary  separation;  we  shall  see 
them  again  to  unspeakable  advantage.  "For 
if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again, 
even  so  they  also  that  sleep  in  Jesus  shall 
God  bring  with  him."  The  change  of  ex- 
pression here  is  observable,  Jesus  died. 
Death  to  him,  was  death  indeed;  death  in  all 
its  horrors;  but  he  died  for  his  people,  to 
disarm  death  of  its  sting,  to  throw  a  light 
upon  the  dark  passage  to  the  grave,  and  to 
open  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  all  believers. 
For  now  they  that  believe  in  him  shall  never 
die,  John  xi.  26.  He  so  dispels  their  fears, 
and  enlivens  their  hopes,  that  to  them  death 
is  no  more  than  a  sleep;  they  sleep  in  Jesus 
and  are  ble.ssed.  And  when  ho  who  is  their 
life  shall  appear,  as  he  certainly  will,  and 
every  eye  shall  see  him,  they  also  shall  ap- 
pear with  him  in  glory.  Col.  iii.  4.  "For  the 
Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven, 
with  the  voice  of  the  archangel  and  the 
trump  of  God:  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall 
rise  first." 

But  I  think  I  am  warranted  to  consider 
the  text  in  a  more  general  view,  and  to  ac- 
commodate it  to  the  happy  event  which  de- 
mands our  especial  thankfulness  and  praise 
on  this  day.  Let  our  thoughts  rise  from  the 
King's  splendid,  though  solemn  procession 
to  St.  Paul's,  to  contemplate  that  great  ad- 
vent of  the  King  of  kings,  the  idea  of  which 
419 


420 


THE  GREAT  ADVENT. 


filled  and  firod  the  npostle's  thoug-hts,  Rev. 
i.  7.  Behold  !  ho  conieth  in  the  clouds  !  He 
Cometh  in  his  own  glory,  in  the  glory  of  his 
Father,- with  all  his  angels,  and  with  all  his 
saints !    Matt.  xxv.  81 ;  1  Thess.  iii.  12. 

If  I  attempt  to  illustrate  the  procession  (so 
to  speak)  of  that  great  day,  for  which  all 
other  days  were  made,  hy  the  most  striking 
circumstances  of  the  present  day,  it  will,  in- 
deed, be  comparing  great  things  with  small. 
In  some  respects  comparison  will  utterly  fail, 
and  I  must  have  recourse  to  contrast.  For 
what  proportion  can  there  be  between  finite 
and  infinite,  between  the  most  important  con- 
cerns of  time,  and  those  of  eternity] 

Let  us,  however,  aim  to  fix  our  feeble  con- 
ceptions upon  the  Personage  whose  approach 
is  here  announced  ;  upon  the  manner  of  his 
coming;  upon  his  train  of  attendants,  and 
upon  the  final  event  of  his  appearance,  with 
which  the  scene  will  close. 

The  Lord  himself  shall  descend. — At  an- 
other time,  if  both  houses  of  parliament,  the 
judges,  the  foreign  ministers,  the  principal 
part  of  the  nobility,  and  persons  of  distinction 
in  the  nation,  were  to  assemble  in  St.  Paul's, 
their  presence  would  form  a  grand  and  affect- 
ing spectacle.  But  upon  this  occasion,  though 
they  should  be  all  there,  if  the  King  was  not 
seen  among  them,  it  is  probable  they  would  be 
all  in  a  manner  overlooked,  and  disappoint- 
ment and  anxiety  would  mark  the  counte- 
nance of  every  beholder.  But  it  is  more  than 
probable,  it  is  absolutely  certain,  that  if  all 
the  glories  of  the  invisible  world  were  to  open 
upon  the  view  of  those  who  feel  their  obliga- 
tions to  the  great  Redeemer,  they  could  not  be 
completely  happy,  unless  they  were  permit- 
ted to  behold  his  glory.  He  has  stipulated  on 
their  behalf,  "  Father,  I  will  that  they  whom 
thou  hast  given  me,  should  be  with  me  where 
I  am ;"  (John  xvii.  24 ;)  and  by  his  grace,  he 
qualifies  them  for  their  high  privilege,  so  that 
even  now  they  can  say,  "  Whom  have  I  in 
heaven  but  thee  !  and  there  is  none  on  earth 
that  I  desire  besides  thee,"  Psalm  Ixxiii.  25. 
Jesus  is  the  light,  the  life,  the  sun  of  the 
Boul  that  knows  him,  according  to  the  revela- 
tion given  in  the  scriptures  of  his  petson, 
offices,  and  grace.  And,  as  the  most  magni- 
'ficent  palace  would  be  but  a  dungeon,  if  it 
had  no  apertures  to  admit  the  light,  so  the 
whole  creation  would  be  dark  and  dreary  to 
his  people,  were  it  possible  that  they  could 
be  excluded  from  his  presence. 

In  this  life,  they  can  know  but  little  of  the 
particulars  of  that  happiness  which  God  has 
prepared  for  them  that  love  him ;  but  in  ge- 
neral they  know,  and  this  suffices  them,  that 
they  shall  see  him  as  he  is,  (1  John  iii.  2,) 
and  shall  be  like  him,  and  with  him.  They 
love  him  unseen ;  and,  while  he  is  yet  absent 
from  them,  the  expectation,  founded  upon 
his  own  gracious  promise,  that  he  will  short- 
ly descend  himself,  to  receive  them,  and  to 


avow  them  for  his  own,  before  the  assembled 
world,  is  the  food  and  joy  of  their  hearts, 
which  soothes  their  sorrows,  and  animates 
them  under  evei-y  difficulty  they  are  exposed 
to,  at  present,  for  his  sake. 

Oh!  the  solemnity,  the  terrors,  and  the 
glories  of  that  approaching  day !  Then,  they 
who  have  slighted  his  mercy,  and  abused  his 
patience  and  forbearance,  will  tremble.  Then 
many  whom  the  world  has  admired  or  envied ; 
many  of  "  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the 
great  men,  and  the  chief  captains  and  the 
mighty  men,  shall  call  (alas  !  in  vain)  to  the 
rocks  and  mountains  to  fall  on  them,  and 
hide  them  from  his  presence,"  Rev.  vi.  15, 
16.  But  they  who  love  him,  and  long  for 
his  appearance,  will  say,  "Lo!  this  is  our 
God,  we  have  waited  for  him ;  we  will  be 
glad  and  rejoice  in  his  salvation,"  Isa.  xxv. 
9.  May  we,  my  brethren,  have  grace  "  to 
use  all  diligence,  that  we  may  be  found  of 
him  in  peace,  without  spot,  and  blameless," 
2  Pet.  iii.  14. 

Should  we  be  asked.  Why  does  every  face 
express  an  air  of  satisfaction  to-day  1  Why 
is  the  feeling  of  our  own  personal  trials  in  a 
degree  suspended  1  Why  does  the  public 
appearance  of  the  King  diffuse  so  general  a 
joy  among  his  loyal  subjects?  We  can  give 
a  ready  answer ;  We  love  our  King.  Few 
of  us,  indeed,  are  personally  known  to  him. 
The  blessing  of  being  under  a  good  King, 
can  only  be  known  to  the  bulk  of  a  nation, 
by  the  influence  of  his  administration  upon 
the  public  welfare.  This  influence  we  have 
felt.  It  is  true,  we  were  too  little  sensible 
of  it,  too  little  thankful  for  it,  until  an  alarm- 
ing dispensation  awakened  our  fears,  lest  we 
should  lose  the  privileges  we  had  not  suf- 
ficiently prized ;  but  then  each  man  would 
remind  himself,  how  highly  favoured  we  had 
been,  as  a  people,  for  many  years,  under  his 
government ;  then,  we  understood  our  great 
obligations  to  the  King,  as  the  minister  of 
God  to  us  for  good.  We  were  sitting  peace- 
ably under  our  own  vines  and  fig-trees  high- 
ly distinguished  among  the  nations  by  our 
civil  and  religious  liberty,  our  prosperity  at 
home,  and  our  reputation  abroad.  The  news 
of  the  King's  illness,  therefore,  not  only 
awakened  our  apprehensions,  but  revived  our 
gratitude;  and  from  the  same  principle,  we 
now  rejoice  in  his  recovery. 

Again,  because  we  loved  him,  we  sympa- 
thized with  him.  We  were  afflicted  by  his 
affliction.  We  not  only  considered  him  as  a 
King,  but  we  felt  for  him  as  a  man,  a  hus- 
band, and  a  father.  Such  an  instance  of  the 
dependent,  precarious  state  of  human  life ; 
such  a  proof,  that  no  rank  or  situation  is  ex- 
empted from  a  share  in  the  calamities  which 
sin  has  brought  into  the  world,  impressed  ua 
with  compassion,  blended  with  awe.  And 
not  our  compassion  only,  but  our  prayers 
were  engaged  for  the  King,  the  Queen,  and 


THE  GREAT  ADVENT. 


421 


Royal  Family.  I  am  persuaded  many  pec- 
sons  could  scarcely  have  prayed  more  ear- 
nestly had  it  been  tlieir  own  private  and 
domestic  concern.  Our  prayers  have  been 
heard,  and  sig-nally  answered,  therefore  we 
rejoice  and  give  thanks  to-day.  We  wisli 
not  to  detract  from  the  skill  of  physicians, 
they  have  been  employed,  and  owned  as  in- 
struments of  the  merciful  will  of  God;  but 
we  ascribe  tiie  praise  for  a  recovery,  so  little 
hoped  for,  and  so  critically  seasonable,  to 
him  who  raiseth  the  dead,  who  speaks  and  it 
is  done. 

And  we  rejoice  in  expectation.  Indeed  in 
this  view  we  may,  and  should,  "rejoice  with 
trembling,"  Ps.  ii.  11.  How  much  may  de- 
pend upon  this  single,  this  precious  life,  we 
know  not;  neither  do  we  know  what  might 
have  been  the  consequences,  if  the  rumour, 
at  which  we  once  shuddered,  and  which,  for 
some  hours,  was  generally  believed,  that 
God  had  taken  him  from  us,  had  proved  true. 

Let  us  praise  God,  who  has  preserved  us 
from  knowing  them.  But  the  manner  in 
whicii  we  have  been  relieved  encourages  us 
both  to  prav  and  to  hope,  that  our  King  is  an 
object  of  God's  especial  care,  and  that  he 
will  live  (long  may  he  live  !)  to  communicate 
still  greater  benefits  to  the  nation,  as  the 
patron  of  true  religion,  the  guardian  of  our 
constitution,  and  an  exemplar  of  piety  and 
virtue  to  his  subjects.  That  God  may  give 
him  to  reign  in  the  hearts  of  an  enlightened, 
free,  and  affectionate  people,  and  not  to  per- 
mit any  device  or  weapon  formed  against 
him,  to  pro.sper. 

For  similar  reasons,  but  vastly  superior  in 
importance,  even  as  the  heavens  are  higher 
than  the  earth,  we  rejoice  in  the  assurance 
and  prospect,  that  the  Lord  himself  will  de- 
scend. He  is  the  good  Shepherd,  who  laid 
down  his  life  for  the  sheep,  (John  .x.  11 ;)  and, 
therefore,  they  who  know  his  name,  and  trust 
in  him  for  salvation,  are  bound  to  him  by  the 
strongest  ties  of  attachment  and  gratitude. 
They  admire  his  condescension  and  his  love. 
To  his  mediation  and  care  they  are  indebted 
for  their  life  and  hopes.  They  remember 
what  they  were  doing,  and  how  carelessly 
they  were  sporting  in  the  path  that  leadeth 
to  destruction,  when  he  first  stopped  them, 
turned  them,  and  led  them  into  his  fold.  He 
is,  even  now,  their  sun  and  shield,  their  wis- 
dom and  strength ;  on  him  they  cast  their 
cares,  from  him  they  receive  their  supplies; 
therefore  they  love  him,  though  unseen,  (2 
Pet.  i.  8 ;)  and  rejoice  in  the  hope  of  his  ap- 
pearance. 

They  know  that  he  who  will  descend  to 
receive  them,  was  once  a  man  of  sorrows, 
and  a  companion  of  grief  And  though  this 
too  little  affected  them  in  the  time  of  their 
ignorance,  it  has  been  otherwise  since  they 
Iiave  derived  life  from  his  death,  and  healing 
from  his  wounds.    They  have  sympathized 


with  him  in  the  agonies  which  he  endured 
in  Gethsemane,  and  upcn  Mount  Golgotha. 
They  remember  tiiat  iiis  face  was  defiled 
with  spitting,  his  head  crowned  with  tliorns, 
his  back  torn  by  scourges,  liis  hands  and  I'eet 
pierced  with  spikes;  that  he  made  his  soul 
an  offering  for  their  sins,  and  was  crucified 
ihc  their  sakes.  Thus  he  loved  them,  and 
gave  himself  for  them.  Gal.  ii.  10.  Thus  he 
delivered  them  from  approaching  wrath ;  and 
this  love  has  won  their  hearts.  And  they 
are  waiting  for  his  return  from  heaven,  (1 
Thess.  i.  8;)  that  wfien  they  shall  see  him 
as  he  is,  with  all  his  angels,  and  with  all  his 
saints,  they  may  join  in  nobler  strains  than 
they  can  at  present  reach,  in  songs  of  praise 
to  him  who  redeemed  them  to  God  by  his 
own  blood. 

But  though  they  have  much  to  praise  him 
for  in  this  life,  they  have  much  more  to  ex- 
pect when  he  shall  descend.  Their  privi- 
leges are  great,  while  here.  They  are  already 
delivered  from  guilt  and  condemnation,  they 
have  access  by  him  to  a  throne  of  grace,  they 
have  fellowsiiip  with  him  by  faith,  and  joys 
which  a  stranger  intermeddles  not  with — 
but  it  does  not  yet  appear  what  they  shall  be, 
1  John  iii.  2.  They  are  still  in  a  state  of 
warfare  and  trial ;  they  are  exposed  to  many 
troubles,  to  reproach,  opposition,  and  tempta- 
tion ;  they  are  still  straitened  and  hindered, 
in  their  best  attempts  and  desires,  by  an  in- 
dwelling principle  of  evil.  They  are  sowing 
in  tears,  (Ps.  cxxvi.  .5,)  but  when  their  Lord 
shall  descend,  they  expect  to  reap  with  joy. 
He  is  coming  to  wipe  away  all  their  tears, 
and  then  they  are  assured  they  shall  weep  no 
more.  The  days  of  tlieir  mourning  shall 
cease  for  ever.  He  has  prepared  for  them  a 
kingdom,  "  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that 
fadeth  not  away,"  1  Pet.  i.  4.  In  that  king- 
dom they  shall  shine  forth,  each  like  the  sun 
in  the  firmament  (Matt.  xiii.  43,)  an  immense 
constellation  of  snns ! 

The  manner  in  which  the  Lord  will  de- 
scend can  be  but  faintly  illustrated  by  any 
circumstances  borrowed  from  the  pomp  of 
this  day.  When  the  King  enters  St.  Paul's, 
his  arrival  will  be  announced  by  the  voice  of 
the  multitude,  the  discharge  of  cannon,  and 
the  deep-mouthed  organ.  But  what  are  these 
when  compared  with  the  voice  of  the  Arch- 
angel, the  shout  of  all  who  love  his  appear- 
ance, and  that  trump  of  God,  which  will 
shake  the  creation,  and  raise  the  dead  !  Per- 
haps by  the  word  Archangf-l,  in  this  connec- 
tion, we  may  understand,  the  Lord  of  angels, 
the  King  himself  "He  shall  call  to  the 
heaven  from  above,  and  to  the  earth,  that  he 
may  judge  his  people,"  Ps.  1.  4.  The  hour 
Cometh,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice 
of  the  Son  of  God,"  John  v.  25.  The  shmit 
seems  a  military  term.  By  a  shout  soldiers 
encourage  each  other  in  the  onset  to  battle ; 
and  there  is  a  triumphant  shout  of  victory 


422 


THE  GREAT  ADVENT. 


when  the  enemy  is  utterly  defeated.  Such 
will  be  the  shout  when  the  Lord  shall  de- 
sccMid — His  soldiers,  who,  fighting'  in  his 
cause,  have  often  endured  hardship,  and  have 
Bonietimes  lost  a  skirmish,  shall,  on  the  g'reat 
day  of  decision,  in  the  final  event  of  the  war, 
Btand  forth  more  than  conquerors,  through 
him  that  loved  them,  Rom.  viii.  87.  Their 
shout  shall  proclaim  his  praise:  for  they  got 
not  the  victory  by  their  own  sword,  neither 
did  their  own  arm  save  them,  Ps.  xliv.  <3. 
The  Lord  leads  them  on,  teaches  them  to 
fight,  clothes  them  with  complete  armour, 
and  supplies  them  with  strength.  He  liim- 
self  subdues  their  foes — and  when  he  shall 
descend  with  glory,  he  will  terminate  the 
contest.  His  people  will  then  utter  a  univer- 
sal shout,  and  shall  hear  the  noise  of  war  no 
more. 

When  tlie  Lord  descended  upon  Mount 
Sinai,  the  trumpet  of  God  was  heard  ex- 
ceeding loud,  (Exod.  xix.  16 — 19;)  it  waxed 
louder  and  louder,  the  people  trembled,  and 
Moses  spoke.  Tlie  apostle  records  his  words. 
Even  Moses,  the  favoured  servant  of  God, 
said,  "  I  exceedingly  fear  and  quake,"  Heb. 
xii.  21.  But  the  sound  of  the  last  trump, 
when  the  Lord  shall  descend  again,  will  be 
much  louder,  and  the  effects  much  more  im- 
portant and  extensive.  It  will  be  heard,  not 
only  in  tlie  neighbourhood  of  one  mountain, 
but  from  east  to  west,  from  pole  to  pole ;  not 
only  by  the  living,  but  by  the  dead;  by  all 
who  ever  lived. 

Tlien,  at  his  great  command,  they  that 
dwell  in  the  dust  shall  awake.  Is.  xxvi.  19. 
The  earth  and  the  sea  shall  deliver  up  their 
dead.  There  will  be  a  resurrection  both  of 
the  just  and  the  unjust.  Some  shall  arise 
"  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and 
everlasting  contempt,"  Dan.  xii.  2. 

The  joy,  this  day,  for  the  recovery  and  ap- 
pearance of  our  King,  is  general,  I  hope 
universal.  I  hope  there  are  few  persons  in 
the  kingdom  who  do  not  cordially  siiare  in  it. 
However,  if  contrary  sensations  do  exist,  they 
are  suppressed  and  concealed.  But  the  great 
King  has  borne  with  many  avowed  enemies, 
and  with  many  traitors  disguised  under  the 
profession  of  his  name  from  age  to  age.  He 
will  not  bear  with  them  always.  He  knows 
them  all,  and  ni>t  one  of  them  can  escape  his 
notice.  To  them  the  language  of  the  trump 
will  be.  Arise,  and  come  to  judgment !  My 
heart  is  pained  to  think,  that  possibly,  some 
of  this  description  may  be  now  present  in 
our  assembly.  Yet  I  am  glad  you  are  here, 
that  I  may  warn  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath 
to  come.  What  a  dreadful  day  will  it  be, 
when  you,  if  unhumbled,  unpardoned,  un- 
sanctified,  as  you  now  are,  shall  be  compelled 
to  stand  before  his  tribunal !  For  we  are  as- 
sured, that  when  he  returns  to  bless  his  will- 
ing people,  he  will  summon  his  enemies,  who 
would  not  that  he  should  reign  over  them, 


Luke  xix.  27.  He  will  place  them  at  his 
left  hand,  and  denounce  that  awful  sentence 
upon  them,  "  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  ever- 
lasting fire,"  Matt.  xxv.  41.  As  yet  he  is 
upon  a  mercy-seat.  Oh  !  seek  him  wliile  he 
may  be  found ;  call  upon  him  wliile  he  is 
near!  Isa.  Iv.  6.  There  is  forgiveness  with 
him.  Humble  yourselves  before  him,  and 
entreat  for  mercy.  Entreat  him  to  show  you 
who  he  is,  and  what  he  has  done  for  sinners ; 
that  you  may  believe  and  be  saved.  Other- 
wise you  must  stand  before  his  judgment- 
seat.    Then  his  wrath  will  burn  like  fire. 

But  it  is  of  tlie  dead  in  Christ,  I  am  chiefly 
to  speak.  These  shall  rise  first,  and  together 
with  those  his  servants  who  sliall  be  living 
at  his  coming,  shall  be  caught  up  to  meet 
him  in  the  air.  There  are  expressions  in 
scripture  which  intimate,  that  the  servants 
of  the  Lord  Christ,  shall  have  the  honour  of 
being  in  some  manner  beyond  our  feeble  ap- 
prehension, assessors  with  their  Lord  in  tlie 
day  of  judgment,  Luke  xxii.  30 ;  1  Cor.  vi. 
3.  They  will  witness  and  approve  his  pro- 
ceedings. In  this  state  of  infirmity,  it  be- 
comes them,  and  is  their  duty,  to  pity  and 
pray  for  tiic  wicked ;  and  to  use  all  tlieir  in- 
fluence to  persuade  them  to  pity  themselves, 
to  forsake  their  evil  ways,  that  they  may 
live.  But  in  the  great  and  terrible  day,  when 
the  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell,  tlie 
righteous  will  be  so  perfectly  impressed  with 
the  justice  and  holiness  of  the  sentence  of 
condemnation,  that  they  will  not  hesitate  to 
say,  "Amen — So  let  all  thine  enemies  perisli, 
O  Lord  !"    Judges  v.  31. 

But  the  apostle,  using  the  language  of  pro- 
phecy, which  speaks  of  the  (iiture  as  though 
it  were  actually  present,  says  farther,  "Then 
we  that  are  alive,  and  remain,  shall  be  caught 
up  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air."  Not,  as  I 
apprehend,  that  he  expected  to  be  living  when 
the  Lord  shall  descend  ;  by  the  word  we,  he 
expresses  his  joint  relation  with  the  many 
members,  which  constitute  the  one  body,  of 
which  the  Lord  Christ  is  the  head.  Of  these, 
there  will  be  some  living  when  he  sliall  ap- 
pear. And  of  these  he  says  elsewhere,  "  We 
shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  chang- 
ed; in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye, 
at  the  last  trump,"  1  Cor.  xv.  52. — They 
will  not  suffer  that  separation  of  soul  and 
body  which  we  call  death.  But  as  mortal 
flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kiu/dom 
of  God,  he  will  change  tlieir  vile  bodies,  ac- 
cording to  the  pattern  of  his  glorious  body, 
(Phil.  iii.  21,)  and  they,  like  Enoch  and 
Elijah  of  old,  shall  ascend,  together  with 
those  who  are  raised  from  the  dead,  to  meet 
him  in  the  air. 

These  will  constitute  his  train.  The  re- 
deemed from  the  earth;  they  who  lived  and 
died  in  the  faith  of  his  name,  through  a  course 
of  successive  generations ;  and  they  who 
shall  be  alive  at  his  coming,  shall  be  all  col 


THE  GREAT  ADVENT. 


423 


lected  together,  and  prepared  to  welcome 
him. 

Of  the  numbers  who  will  rejoice  to  see 
the  King  to  day,  many,  though  loyal  subjects, 
will  only  behold  him  at  a  distance;  and  the 
far  gr(>ater  part  of  his  people  will  not  behold 
him  at  all.    Few  but  the  nobility  and  prin- 
cipal persons  can  gain  admission  into  the 
church ;  though  the  crowds  in  the  street 
win  participate  in  the  general  satisfaction. 
Could  we  suppose,  that  instead  of  the  com- 
mon people,  the  streets  were  filled,  and  the 
windows  lined  by  the  great,  that  all  the 
sovereigns,  potentates,  and  illustrious  person- 
ages in  Europe,  were  assembled  to  be  spec- 
tators of  the  joyful  event  which  now  calls 
for  our  thanksgivings;  splendid  as  the  con- 
course might  appear  in  the  eyes  of  men,  they 
would  be  unspeakably  inferior,  in  rank  and 
dignity,  to  those  who  shall  meet  the  Lord. 
Not  one  of  his  people  will  be  absent;  and 
however  poor  and  unnoticed  many  of  them 
once  were,  they  will  then,  every  one,  be  i 
greater  than  tbe  kings  of  the  earth.  They 
will  all  claim  the  title,  and  the  claim  will  be 
allowed,  of  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Lord 
Almighty,  2  Cor.  vi.  18.    They  will  all  pos- : 
sess  that  honour  which  cometh  of  God  only,  j 
John  V.  44.    The  glorious  company  of  apos- : 
ties,  the  goodly  fellowship  of  propiiets,  the  ' 
noble  army  of  martyrs,  will  march  in  the  ] 
procession ;  and  besides  these,  an  exceeding  ' 
great  multitude  which  no  man  can  number, 
whose  exultation  and  happiness  are  but  im- 1 
perfectly  represented  to  us  by  images  bor- ! 
rowed  from  the  things  which  are  deemed  1 
most  valuable  and  honourable  amongst  men.  | 
They  are  said  (Rev.  iv.  10 ;  vii.  9,)  to  be 
clothed  with  white  robes,  to  have  crowns  ] 
upon  their  heads,  to  be  furnished  with  harps, 
and  to  bear  palms  (the  emblem  of  victory)  in 
their  hands. 

"  Fear  not,  little  flock,  it  is  your  Father's 
good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom," 
Luke  xii.  32.  May  grace  preserve  you 
from  being  ashamed  of  your  Lord  now,  and 
you  will  not  be  ashamed  of  him  nor  will  he 
be  ashamed  of  you,  when  he  shall  come  to 
judge  the  world.  Matt.  x.  32 ;  Mark.  viii. 
"38. 

When  all  mankind  shall  be  ranged  before 
this  great  Judge,  he  will  own  and  vindicate 
his  people  in  the  presence  of  assembled 
worlds,  and  pass  an  irrevocable  sentence  of 
exclusion  and  condemnation  upon  his  ene- 
mies; and  then,  he  will  say  to  those  on  his 
right  hand,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Fa- 
ther, inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you," 
(Matt.  XXV.  34,)  then,  lie  will  present  them 
before  the  presence  of  his  glory,  vvitii  exceed- 
ing joy;  (Jude24;)  then  time  shall  be  no 
more;  (Rev.  x.  C ;)  they  will  no  longer  mea- 
sure tlieir  existence  by  the  revolutions  of  the 
sun  and  the  moon  ;  they  will  enter  upon  an 
eternal  state.    With  this  event  the  apostle 


closes  the  description  in  my  text.  Here  he 
stops;  the  rest  is  too  great  for  language  to 
express,  or  thought  to  conceive.  He  can 
only  say,  "  and  so  we  shall  for  ever  be  with 
the  Lord."  Who  can  expound  this  sentence  1 
We  must  leave  this  world,  and  be  admitted 
into  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light,  be- 
fore we  can  fully  understand  the  import  of 
these  lew  words. 

We  shall  bo  with  the  Lord. — There  is  no 
doubt,  that  if  tlie  power  of  our  King  was 
equal  to  the  benevolence  of  his  heart,  h9 
would  willingly  make  all  who  shall  see  him 
to-day,  yea,  all  his  subjects,  in  every  part  of 
his  dominions,  completely  happy.  But  can 
he  take  them  ail  with  him  to  court ?  Can  he 
treat  them  all  as  his  own  children  1  Can  he 
invest  them  all  with  dignities  and  possessions 
equal  to  the  largest  desires  of  their  hearts  1 
Could  we,  for  a  moment,  conceive  it  possible 
for  an  earthly  king  to  do  thus,  still  it  would 
afford  but  a  very  faint  illustration  of  our  sub- 
ject. The  highest  effects  of  his  favour  would 
be  precarious  and  transient,  contined  to  the 
term  of  a  short  life,  and  in  their  nature,  in- 
capable of  answering  the  instinctive  appetite 
of  the  soul  of  man,  formed  for  immortality, 
and  endued  with  a  capacity  for  good,  which 
nothing  less  than  being  with  the  Lord  can 
satisfy. 

When  Peter  saw  his  Saviour  transfigured 
upon  the  mount,  a  glance  of  his  glory  instant- 
ly fixed  and  filled  his  mind.  He  forgot  all 
inferior  attachments,  and  said,  "  It  is  good  to 
be  here,"  Matt.  xvii.  4.  He  would  have 
been  glad  to  build  tabernacles  upon  the  mount, 
and  to  return  to  the  world  no  more.  He 
knew  not  indeed  what  he  said ;  there  was 
much  for  him  yet  to  do  and  to  suffer  for  his 
Master :  but  he  well  knew  why  he  said  it ; 
and  all  who  are  partakers  of  the  grace  of  God 
are  like  minded  with  Peter.  And  though  at 
present  they  walk  by  faith,  and  not  by  sight, 
(2  Cor.  V.  7,)  tliey  are  sometimes  favoured 
with  seasons  of  refreshment,  with  golden 
hours,  when  according  to  his  gracious  promise 
he  manifests  himself  unto  tiioin,  as  he  does 
not  unto  the  world,  (John  xiv.  22,)  and  causes 
his  goodness  to  pass  before  them ;  then,  for 
the  time,  they  are  rai.sed  above  both  the  cares 
and  the  comforts  of  this  world,  and  could  be 
glad  to  remain  with  him.  But,  like  Peter, 
they  must  return  to  fill  up  the  duties  of  their 
situation  in  life,  till  his  appointed  hour  of 
dismission.  However,  these  foretastes  con- 
vince them,  that  they  cannot  be  properly 
happy  till  they  are  with  him  in  his  kingdom, 
where  nothing  will  conceal  him  for  a  moment 
from  their  view. 

Their  nearest  approaches  to  him  now,  are 
likewise  subject  to  abatements.  Something 
from  within  or  from  v.  itliuut  still  occurs  to 
interrupt,  and  too  often  to  suspend  their  joys. 
Their  communion  with  him  is  indistinct, 
through  the  medium  of  ordinances,  and  a 


424 


THE  GREAT  ADVENT. 


vail  of  flesh  and  blood.  This  vail  hinders 
tliem,  not  only  as  it  is  polluted,  but  as  it  is 
weak,  and  subject  to  many  infirmities.  We 
cannot  see  him,  as  yet,  and  live,  Exod.  xxxiii. 
21).  If  he  did  not  accommodate  the  disco- 
veries of  himself  to  the  frailty  of  our  nature, 
we  should  be  overpowered.  The  beloved 
disciple  had  often  conversed  familiarly  with 
his  Lord,  and  reclined  on  his  bosoin,  during- 
his  state  of  humiliation :  but  when  he  ap- 
peared in  the  isle  of  Patmos,  though  his  ma- 
jesty was  attempered  with  mildness  and  love, 
and  his  design  was  to  honour  and  comfort 
him,  he  says,  "  When  I  saw  him,  I  fell  at  his 
feet  as  dead,"  Rev.  i.  17. 

Further,  pain,  indisposition,  and  trouble, 
often  distract  their  attention,  or  detain  them 
from  the  opportunities  in  which  he  has  pro- 
mised to  meet  his  people.  They  are  glad 
when  it  is  said  unto  them,  "  Let  us  go  up  to 
the  house  of  the  Lord;"  (Ps.  cxxii.  1  ;)  but 
they  are  frequently  shut  up,  and  cannot 
come  forth;  (Ps.  Ix.Nxviii.  8;)  and  though  he 
supports  them  under  all  their  afflictions,  yet 
it  is  no  small  trial  to  be  confined  from  his 
ordinances.  But  when  they  shall  meet  their 
Lord  in  the  air,  they  will  be  freed  from 
every  defect,  defilement,  and  impediment. 
They  will  see  iiim  as  he  is,  without  any  in- 
terposing vail  or  cloud.  They  will  be  out  of 
the  reach  of  sin,  temptation,  pain,  and  grief 
They  are  blessed  now,  though  often  called 
to  mourn,  because  they  will  then  be  comfort- 
ed. Matt.  V.  3. 

Ag-ain,  we  shall  be  for  ever  with  the  Lord. 
— O  that  word  for  ever !  even  to  be  with  the 
Lord,  and  to  possess  a  happiness  commen- 
Burate  to  the  utmost  grasp  of  our  capacity;  if 
it  were  only  for  a  month,  or  a  year,  or  an  age, 
or  a  thousand  ages — the  thought  that  this 
happiness  must  at  length  have  an  end,  how- 
ever distant  the  termination  might  be,  would 
cast  a  damp  upon  the  whole  enjoyment. 
But  to  know  that  the  happine.ss  is  eternal, 
that  they  who  are  once  with  the  Lord  shall 
be  with  him  for  ever ;  this  is,  if  I  may  so 
speak,  the  Heaven  of  Heaven  itself  Such 
honour  awaits  all  the  saints :  for  thus  hath 
the  Amen,  the  faithful  and  true  Witness, 
already'  declared :  "  Him  that  overcometh, 
will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  house  of  my  God, 
and  he  shall  go  no  more  out,"  Rev.  iii.  12. 
"Thy  sun  shall  no  more  g-o  down,  neither 
shall  thy  moon  withdraw  itself;  for  the  Lord 
shall  be  thine  everlasting  light,  and  the  days 
of  thy  mourning  shall  be  ended,"  Isa.  Ix.  20. 

I  hope  I  have  not  digressed  from  the  de- 
si^  of  this  day,  by  attempting  to  lead  your 
thoughts  to  the  day  of  the  Lord.  I  have 
availed  myself  of  every  occasion,  which  my 
views  of  the  text  have  suggested,  to  impress 
upon  your  hearts  and  my  own,  a  sense  of  the 
very  great  mercy  which  God,  in  answer  to 
prayer,  has  bestowed  upon  us,  by  restoring 
health  to  the  King,  and  enabling  him  to  pay 


his  public  acknowledgment  to  the  Most  High, 
and  to  revisit  his  affectionate  people.  But 
never  are  our  temporal  mercies  so  sweet,  so 
valuable,  nor  so  likely  to  be  permanent,  as 
when  they  are  thankfully  contemplated  in 
immediate  connexion  with  the  hand  of  him 
by  whom  kings  reign,  and  who  doth  what 
pleaseth  him,  in  the  armies  of  heaven,  and 
among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  Dan.  iv. 
25.  Nay,  to  us,  who  are  soon  to  pass  into 
an  eternal  state,  the  most  important  concerns 
of  nations  and  kingdoms  are  in  reality  trivial 
as  the  sports  of  children,  unless  we  can  ac- 
knowledge, trace,  approve,  and  admire,  the 
great  and  ultimate  designs  of  God,  to  which 
all  the  revolutions  that  take  place  in  human 
affairs  are  subordinate  and  subservient.  His 
wise,  and  holy  providence  ruleth  over  all ; 
and  every  movement  has  either  a  more  re- 
mote or  a  more  direct  tendency  to  bring  for- 
ward the  glories  of  that  day,  when  the  Lord 
himself  shall  descend  to  receive  his  own  peo- 
ple, and  to  execute  vengeance  upon  his  ad- 
versaries. 

Knowing  to  whom  I  am  preaching,  I  have 
not  thought  it  necessary  to  offer  proof,  thai 
the  God  who  has  restored  health  to  the  King, 
and  happiness  to  the  kingdom,  is  he  to  whom 
my  text  refers :  he  of  whom  we  say,  in  our 
public  Liturgy,  "  We  believe  that  thou  shalt 
come  to  be  our  judge."  It  is  the  Lord  Jesua 
Christ,  the  eternal  Word,  the  Son  of  God,  the 
Saviour  of  sinners.  We  rest  in  his  own  de- 
claration, unmoved  by  all  the  cavils  of  those 
who,  alas !  know  him  not,  that  all  things  arc 
delivered  unto  him,  all  power  committed  to 
him,  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  Matt.  si.  27; 
xxviii.  IS.  How  else  could  we  trust  to  him 
for  the  expiation  of  our  sins,  and  the  salvation 
of  our  souls;  guilty  and  helpless  as  we  are  in 
ourselves,  and  conscious  of  the  snares,  diffi- 
culties, dangers,  and  enemies  to  which  we  are 
exposed  !  The  Lord  reigneth,  Ps.  xcix.  1. 
He  is  King  of  saints.  King  of  the  nations, 
King  and  Lord  of  the  universe.  The  govern- 
ment is  upon  his  shoulders,  Isa.  Lx.  6.  This 
God  is  the  God  we  adore,  and  we  now  aim  to 
imitate  the  songs  of  those  with  whom  we 
shortly  hope  to  join ;  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain,  to  receive  power,  and  riches, 
and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honour,  and 
glory,  and  blessing,"  Rev.  v.  12. 

While  I  exhort  you  to  rejoice,  and  join 
with  you  in  rejoicing,  for  the  late  instance  of 
his  goodness  to  the  King,  to  the  nation,  and 
to  ourselves,  I  feel  the  highest  pleasure  in  the 
thought,  that  I  see  many  around  me,  (O 
that  I  could  hope  the  same  of  you  all!)  to 
whom  I  may  warrantably  say,  rejoice  on  these 
accounts,  but  rather,  especially,  and  above 
all,  "Rejoice  that  your  names  are  written  in 
heaven,"  (Luke  x.  20,)  and  that  -the  Lord 
whom  you  love,  who  now  guides  you  by  hi3 
counsel,  will  shortly  descend  to  receive  yoa 
to  his  glory,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  24, 


(  425  ) 


A  HYMN  OF  THANKSGIVING  FOR  THE  KING'S  HAPPY  RECOVERY. 


Man  can  seldom  prize  the  blessings 
Whicli  our  gracious  God  bestows, 
In  tlie  moment  of  possessing, 
Or  return  the  praise  he  owes  : 
But  with  other  eyes  he  views  them 
In  affliction's  threat'ning  days ; 
Wlien  he  fears  lest  he  should  lose  them. 
Then  he  trembles,  weeps  and  prays. 

II. 

Comets,  or  eclipses  wake  him. 
For  a  moment  fix  his  eye, 
Hurricanes,  or  earthquakes  shake  him, 
And  extort  an  anxious  cry; 
While  the  sun,  with  gentle  motion. 
Spreading  blessings  through  the  year, 
Causes  no  devout  emotion. 
Neither  gratitude  nor  fear. 

III. 

God  in  mercy  to  this  nation. 
Has  afforded  us  a  King, 
Whose  benign  administration, 
Cheer'd  us  like  the  sun  in  spring. 


Truth  and  liberty  were  nourished. 
By  his  mild  auspicious  rays : 
Thus  in  peace,  the  kingdom  flourished ; 
But  our  hearts  forgot  to  praise. 

IV. 

When  a  dark  eclipse  succeeded, 
Fear  a  thousand  ills  surmised  ; 
Then  we  felt  how  much  we  needed 
What  we  had  too  little  prized : 
Then  we  prayed,  and  since  have  proved. 
Fervent  prayer  is  not  in  vain : 
Prayer  the  dark  eclipse  removed. 
And  our  sun  shines  bright  again. 

V. 

Lord  !  to  thee,  the  great  Physician, 
We  our  hearts  and  voices  raise ! 
Thou  didst  answer  our  petition, 
Now  accept  our  humble  praise  ! 
Bless  our  King,  Almighty  Saviour! 
May  he  long  the  sceptre  wield. 
For  our  good  and  with  thy  favour. 
Thou  his  Wisdom,  Strength,  and  Shield. 


Vol.  II. 


3H 


THE  IMMINENT  DANGER  AND  ONLY  SURE  RESOURCE  OF  THIS  NATION  ; 

A  SERMON 

PREACHED  IN  THE  PARISH  CHURCH  OF  ST.  MARY  WOOLNOTH, 
ON  FRIDAY,  FEBRUARY  28,  1794. 

THE  DAY  APPOINTED  FOR  A  GENERAL  FAST. 


Who  can  tell  if  God  will  turn  and  repent,  and  turn  away  from  his  fierce  anger,  that  we 

perish  not. — Jonah  iii.  9. 


How  great  is  the  power  of  God  over  the 
hearts  of  men  !  Nineveh  was  the  capital  of  a 
powerful  empire.  The  inhabitants  were  hea- 
thens. The  many  prophets  who,  during'  a 
lonsr  series  of  years,  had  spoken  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  to  his  professed  people  of  Judah 
and  Israel,  had  sywken  almost  in  vain.  The 
messeng-ers  were  often  mocked,  and  their 
message  despised.  The  inhabitants  of  Nine- 
veh, it  is  probable,  had  never  seen  a  true 
prophet  till  Jonah  was  sent  to  them.  If  they 
had  reasoned  on  his  prediction,  they  might 
have  thought  it  very  improbable,  that  a  great 
city,  the  head  of  a  great  kingdom,  and  in  a 
time  of  peace,  could  be  in  danger  of  an  over- 
throw within  forty  days.  But  it  is  said,  inverse 
5,  "  They  believed  God."  The  awful  denun- 
ciation made  a  general,  a  universal  impres- 
sion. The  king-  arose  from  his  throne,  laid 
aside  his  robes,  covered  himself  with  sack- 
cloth, and  sat  in  ashes.  A  sudden  cessation, 
of  business  and  of  pleasure,  took  place ;  he 
proclaimed  a  strict  fast,  the  rigour  of  which 
was  extended  even  to  the  cattle.  His  sub- 
jects readily  complied,  and  unanimously  con- 
curred in  crying  for  mercy,  though  they 
had  no  encouragement  but  a  peradventure  : 
"  Who  can  tell  if  God  will  turn  and  repent, 
and  turn  away  from  his  fierce  anger,  that 
we  perish  not  V 

It  appears  from  this,  and  other  passages  of 
scripture,  that  the  most  express  declarations 
of  God's  displeasure  against  sinners,  still  af- 
ford ground  and  room  for  repentance.  Thus 
in  the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel;  (chap,  xxxiii.  14, 
15  ;)  "When  I  say  unto  the  wicked.  Thou 
shalt  surely  die  ;  if  he  turn  from  his  sin,  and 
do  that  which  is  lawful  and  right,  he  shall 
surely  live,  he  shall  not  die  :"  and  again,  in 
the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  (chap,  xviii.  7,  8,) , 


"  At  what  instant  I  shall  speak  concerning'  a 
nation,  and  concerning  a  kingdom  to  destroy 
it;  if  that  nation  against  whom  I  have  pro- 
nounced, turn  from  their  evil,  I  will  repent 
of  the  evil  that  I  thought  to  do  unto  them." 
The  Lord  God  speaks  to  us  by  his  word,  in 
plain  and  popular  language.  He  condescends 
to  our  feeble  apprehensions.  God  cannot  re- 
pent, he  is  of  one  mind,  who  can  turn  him  ] 
Numb,  xxiii.  19;  Job  xxiii.  1.'3.  Yet  when 
afHictive  providences  lead  men  to  a  sense  of 
their  sins,  to  an  acknowledgement  of  their 
demerits,  and  excite  a  spirit  of  humiliation, 
repentance  and  prayer,  he  often  mercifully 
changes  his  dispensations,  and  averts  from 
them  the  impending  evil.  Such  was  the  ef- 
fect of  Jonah's  message  to  the  Ninevites. 
The  people  humbled  themselves,  and  repen- 
ted of  their  wickedness ;  and  God  suspended 
the  execution  of  the  sentence  which  he  had 
pronounced  against  them. 

J\ly  brethren,  may  we  not  fear,  that  the 
men  of  Nineveh  will  rise  up  in  judgment 
against  us,  (Matt.  xii.  41,)  and  condemn  us, 
if  we  do  not  imitate  their  example,  and  hum- 
ble ourselves  before  God?  They  repented  at 
the  preaching  of  Jonah,  and  immediately,  on 
their  first  hearing  him  :  and  they  sought  for 
mercy  upon  a  peradventure,  when  they  could 
say  no  more  than.  Who  can  tell,  whether 
there  may  be  the  least  room  to  hope  for  it, 
after  what  the  prophet  has  so  solemnly  de- 
clared 7 

God  does  not  speak  to  us  by  the  audible 
voice  of  an  inspired  prophet,  nor  is  it  neces- 
sary. We  know,  or  may  know  from  his 
written  word,  that  it  shall  be  well  with  the 
righteous,  and  ill  with  the  wicked.  Is.  lii.  10, 
iL  The  appearance  of  an  angel  iVom  heaven 
could  add  nothing  to  the  certainty  of  the  de- 
426 


THE  IMMINENT  DANGER,  &c. 


427 


clarations  ho  has  already  put  into  our  hands. 
He  has  likewise  raised  up,  and  perpetuated 
a  succession  of  his  ministers,  to  enforce  the 
warnings  he  has  given  us  in  the  scripture  ; 
to  remind  us  of  our  sins,  and  the  sure  and 
dreadful  consequences,  if  we  persist  in  them. 
Nor  are  we  left  at  an  uncertainty  as  to  the 
event,  if  we  humbly  confess  them,  and  im- 
plore forgiveness,  in  the  way  which  he  has 
prescribed.  The  gospel,  the  glorious  gospel 
of  the  blessed  God,  is  preached  unto  us. 
Jesus  Christ,  as  crucified,  is  set  forth  among 
us.  Gal.  iii.  1.  His  blood  cleanseth  from  all 
sin ;  (1  John  i.  7;)  and  they  who  believe  in 
him  are  freed  from  condemnation,  and  com- 
pletely justified,  Rom.  viii.  1;  Acts  xiii.  39. 
They  have  also  free  access  to  a  throne  of 
grace,  and  like  Israel  they  have  power  by 
prayer  to  prevail  with  God  and  with  man. 
Gen.  xxxii.  28.  And  shall  it  be  said  of  any 
of  us,  that  the  Lord  gave  us  space  to  repent, 
and  invited  us  to  repentance,  and  we  repented 
not !  Rev.  ii.  21.    May  his  mercy  forbid  it ! 

He  now  speaks  to  us  by  his  providence. 
His  judgments  are  abroad  in  the  earth ;  and 
it  behoves'  us  to  learn  righteousness.  His 
hand  is  lifted  up,  and  if  any  are  so  careless, 
or  obstinate,  that  they  will  not  see,  yet  sooner 
or  later,  they  must,  they  shall  see,  Isa.  xxvi. 
9,  11.  The  great  God  has  a  controversy 
\vith  the  potsherds  of  the  earth.  The  point 
to  be  decided  between  him,  and  many  abroad, 
and,  I  fear,  too  many  at  home  is,  whether 
he  be  the  governor  of  the  earth  or  nof!  His 
own  people,  to  whom  his  rfame  and  glory  are 
dear,  will  hold  all  inferior  concernments  in 
subordination  to  this.  If  there  be  no  other 
alternative,  misery  and  havoc  must  spread, 
men  must  perish  by  millions,  yea,  the  frame 
of  nature  must  be  dissolved,  rather  than  God 
bo  dishonoured  and  defied  with  impunity. 
But  he  will  surely  plead  and  gain  his  own 
cause;  and  either  in  a  way  of  judgment  or 
of  mercy  all  men  shall  know,  that  he  is  the 
Lord.  I  believe  there  is  no  expression  in  the 
Old  Testament  so  frequently  repeated  as 
this.  Ye,  or  They  shall  know  that  I  am  the 
Lord,  "  Hath  he  said  it,  and  shall  he  not 
make  it  good  !"  Ezekiel  passim. 

The  rivers  of  human  blood,  and  all  the  ca- 
lamities and  horror  which  overspread  a  great 
part  of  the  continent,  the  distant  report  of 
which  is  sufficient  to  make  our  ears  tingle, 
are  all  to  be  ascribed  to  this  cause.  God  is 
not  acknowledged,  yea,  in  some  places,  he 
has  been  formally  disowned  and  renounced. 
Therefore  men  are  left  to  themselves,  their 
furious  passions  are  unchained,  and  they  are 
given  up,  without  restraint,  to  the  way  of 
their  own  hearts.  A  more  dreadful  judg- 
ment than  this  cannot  be  inflicted  on  this 
Bide  of  hell. 

And  tiiough  we  are  still  favoured  with 
peace  at  home,  the  dreadful  storm  is  at  no 
great  distance ;  it  seems  moving  our  way. 


and  we  have  reason  to  fear  it  may  burst  upon 
us.  But  I  would  be  thankful  for  the  appoint- 
ment of  this  day ;  for  I  should  think  the  pros- 
pect dark  indeed,  if  I  did  not  rely  on  the 
Lord's  gracious  attention  to  the  united  pray- 
ers of  those  who  fear  and  trust  him,  and  who 
know  it  is  equally  easy  to  him  either  to  save 
or  to  destroy,  by  many  or  by  few,  1  Sam. 
xiv.  6.  Our  fleets  and  armies  may  be  well 
appointed  and  well  commanded  ;  but  without 
his  blessing  upon  our  councils  and  enter- 
prises, they  will  be  unable  to  defend  us.  He 
can  take  wisdom  from  the  wise,  and  courage 
from  the  bold,  in  the  moment  when  they  are 
most  needful.  He  can  disable  our  forces  by 
sickness  or  dissension.  And  by  his  mighty 
wind,  he  can  dash  our  ships  to  pieces  against 
the  rocks,  against  each  other,  or  sink  them 
as  lead  in  the  mighty  waters.  Who  is  he 
that  saith,  and  it  cometh  to  pass,  if  the  Lord 
commandeth  not !  Lam.  iii.  37. 

Our  Lord  and  Saviour,  when  speaking  of 
the  eighteen  upon  whom  the  tower  of  Siloam 
fell  and  slew  them,  said  to  the  Jews,  "  Think 
ye  that  these  men  were  sinners  above  all 
that  dwelt  in  Jerusalem,  because  they  suf- 
fered such  things'!  I  tell  you,  Nay:  but  ex- 
cept you  repent  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish," 
Luke  xiii.  4.  May  the  application  of  these 
words  sink  deeply  into  our  hearts!  It  will 
not  become  us  to  say,  either  to  God  or  man, 
that  we  have  indeed  sinned,  but  there  are 
greater  sinners  than  ourselves.  It  is  true 
the  French  Convention,  and  many  others  who 
are  infatuated  by  the  same  spirit,  have  ex- 
ceeded the  ordinary  standard  of  human  im- 
piety and  cruelty.  But  I  hope  there  are  mul- 
titudes in  that  nation,  who,  though  they  are 
overawed  by  the  oppressors,  and  dare  not 
speak  their  sentiments,  yet  are  mourning  in 
secrecy  and  silence  for  the  abominations 
which  they  cannot  prevent.  But  the  French 
have  not  sinned  against  such  advantages  as 
we  possess.  They  were  long  the  slaves  of  ar- 
bitrary power,  and  the  dupes  of  superstition, 
and  of  late  they  have  been  the  dupes  of  mad- 
men, assuming  the  name  of  philosophers. 
We,  on  the  contrary,  were  born  and  educated 
in  a  land  distinguished  from  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  by  the  eminent  degree  in  which 
we  enjoy  civil  and  religious  liberty,  and  the 
light  of  gospel  truth.  These  privileges  ex- 
ceedingly aggravate  our  sins  ;  and  no  just 
comparison,  in  this  respect,  can  be  formed 
between  us  and  other  nations,  until  we  can 
find  a  people  who  have  been  equally  favoured, 
and  for  an  equal  space  of  time,  by  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  and  have  likewise  equalled  us 
in  disobedience  and  ingratitude. 

The  most  dreadful  enormities  committed 
in  France,  are  no  more  than  specimens  of 
what  human  depravity  is  capable,  when  cir- 
cumstances admit  of  its  full  exertion,  and 
when  the  usual  boundaries  and  restrictions 
necessary  to  the  peace  and  welfare  of  civil 


428 


THE  IMMINENT  DANGER  AND  ONLY 


society  are  judicially  removed.  The  influ- 
ence of  daring-  infidelity  and  proflig'ate  exam- 
ple, aided  by  the  peculiar  stale  of  their  public 
affairs,  have  broken,  in  many  mstances,  the 
strongest  ties  of  social  and  relative  life,  and 
extinijfuished  the  common  feelings  of  hu- 
manity. 

Yet  the  unhappy  French,  though  our  in- 
veterate enemies,  are  not  the  proper  objects 
of  our  hatred  or  our  scorn,  but  rather  of  our 
pity.  They  know  not  what  they  do.  Let 
us  pray  for  them.  Who  can  tell  but  God,  to 
whom  all  things  are  possible,  and  whose 
mercies  are  higher  than  the  heavens,  may 
give  them  also  repentance  ?  And  let  us  pray 
for  ourselves,  that  we  may  be  instructed  and 
warned  by  their  history  ;  for  by  nature,  we 
are  no  better  than  they. 

I.  But  it  is  time  to  attend  more  immedi- 
ately to  our  own  concerns.  The  professed 
purpose  of  our  meeting  to-day,  is  to  humble 
ourselves  before  Almighty  God,  and  to  send 
up  our  prayers  and  supplications  to  the  Di- 
vine Majesty,  for  obtaining  pardon  of  our 
sins,  and  for  averting  those  heavy  judgments 
which  our  manifold  provocations  have  most 
justly  deserved,  and  imploring  his  blessing 
and  assistance  on  the  arms  of  his  Majesty  by 
sea  and  land,  and  for  restoring  and  perpetu- 
ating peace,  safety,  and  prosperity  to  himself 
and  to  his  kingdoms.*  I  hope  these  expres- 
sions accord  with  the  language  and  desire 
of  our  hearts.  m 

And  now — O  for  a  glance  of  what  Isaiah 
saw,  and  has  described,  in  chap.  vi. !  O  that 
we,  by  the  power  of  that  faith  which  is  the 
evidence  of  things  unseen,  could  behold  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  filling  this  house;  that  we 
could  realize  the  presence,  and  the  attitude 
of  their  attendant  angels  !  They  cover  their 
faces  and  their  feet  with  their  wings,  as 
overpowered  by  the  beams  of  his  majesty, 
and  conscious,  if  not  of  defilement  like  us, 
yet  of  unavoidable  inability  as  creatures,  to 
render  him  the  whole  of  that  praise  and 
homage  which  are  justly  due  to  him.  O  that 
by  faith,  we  could  enter  into  the  spirit  of 
their  ascription.  Holy,  lioly,  holy  is  the  Lord 
of  Hosts,  the  whole  earth  is  filled  with  his 
glory  !  If  we  were  all  thus  aflected,  as  the 
prophet  was,  surely  each  one  for  himself 
would  adopt  the  prophet's  language.  Or  if 
a  comfortable  hope  in  the  gospel  prevented 
us  from  crying  out.  Wo  is  me,  I  am  undone  ! 
— we  should  at  least  say  (the  Hebrew  word 
might  be  so  rendered,)  I  am  silenced,  I  am 
struck  dumb  !  I  am  overwhelmed  with  con- 
fusion and  shame  ;  for  lama  man  of  unclean 
lips  myself,  and  I  dwell  in  the  midst  of  a 
people  of  unclean  lips,  for  mine  eyes  have 
seen  the  King,  the  Lord  of  hosts. 

If  we  have  a  degree  of  this  impression,  we 
shall  not  be  at  leisure  to  perplex  ourselves 


*  Title-page  of  the  appointed  form  of  piayer. 


concerning  men  or  measures,  the  second 
causes,  or  immediate  instruments  of  our  ca- 
lamities. The  evil  of  sin  contrasted  with  the 
holiness  and  glory  of  God,  will  engross  our 
thoughts.  And  we  shall  ascribe  all  the  trou- 
bles we  either  feel  or  fear,  to  our  own  sins, 
and  the  sins  of  those  among  whom  we  dwell. 

1.  Let  us  first  look  at  home.  I  am  a  man  of 
unclean  lips.  I  am  a  sinner.  This  confession 
suits  us  all,  and  is  readily  made  by  all  who 
know  themselves.  A  person  approaching 
London  from  the  neighbouring  hills,  usually 
sees  it  obscured  by  a  clnud  of  smoke.  This 
cloud  is  the  aggregate  of  the  smoke,  to  which 
every  house  furnishes  its  respective  quota. 
It  is  no  unfit  emblem  of  the  sin  and  the 
misery  which  abound  in  this  great  metropo- 
lis. The  Lord  said  of  the  Amorites,  at  a 
certain  period.  Their  iniquity  is  not  yet  full: 
(Gen.  XV.  16;)  I  hope  the  measure  of  our 
iniquity  is  not  yet  full ;  but  it  is  filling  every 
day,  and  we  are  all  daily  contributing  to  fill 
it.  True  believers,  though  by  grace  delivered 
from  the  reigning  power  of  sin,  (Rom.  vi.  14,) 
are  still  sinners.  Ir.  many  things  we  ofTend 
all,  in  thought,  vord,  and  deed.  We  are 
now  called  upon  to  humble  ourselves  before 
God,  for  the  sins  of  our  ignorance,  and  for 
the  more  aggravated  sins  we  have  committed 
against  light,  and  experience — for  those  per- 
sonal sins,  the  record  of  which  is  only  known 
to  God  and  our  own  consciences — for  the  de- 
fects and  defilements  of  our  best  services^ — 
for  our  great  and  manifold  failures  in  the 
discharge  of  our  relative  duties,  as  parents, 
children,  husbands,  wives,  masters,  or  ser- 
vants, and  as  members  of  the  community. 
Our  dulness  in  the  ways  of  God,  our  alertness 
in  the  pursuit  of  our  own  will  and  way  ;  our 
indifference  to  what  concerns  his  glory,  com- 
pared with  the  quickness  of  our  apprehen- 
sions when  our  own  temporal  interests  are 
affected, — are  so  many  proofs  of  our  ingrati- 
tude and  depravity.  The  sins  of  the  Lord's 
own  people  are  so  many,  and  so  heightened 
by  the  consideration  of  his  known  goodness, 
that  if  he  was  to  enter  into  judgment  with 
them  only,  they  could  offer  no  other  plea 
than  that  which  he  has  mercifully  provided 
for  them  ;  "  If  thou.  Lord,  shouldst  mark 
iniquity,  O  Lord,  who  could  stand  !  butt,}iere 
is  forgiveness  with  thee,  that  thou  mayst  be 
feared,"  Ps.  cxxx.  3,  4. 

2.  It  is  easy  to  declaim  against  the  wicked- 
ness of  the  times.  But  only  they  who  are 
duly  affected  with  the  multitude  and  magni- 
tude of  their  own  sins,  can  be  competent 
judges  of  what  the  prophet  meant,  or  felt, 
when  he  said,  I  dwell  in  the  midst  of  a  peo- 
ple of  unclean  lips.  We  ought  to  be  no  less 
concerned  (though  in  a  different  manner)  for 
the  sins  ofthose  among  whom  we  dwell,  than 
for  our  own.  We  shall  be  so,  if  with  the  eyes 
of  our  mind,  we  behold  the  King,  the  Lord 
of  hosts ;  because  his  glory,  which  should  be 


SURE  RESOURCE  OF  THIS  NATION. 


429 


the  clearest  object  to  our  hearts,  is  dishon- 
oured by  tlicai. 

I  think  this  nation  may  be  considered  as  the 
Israel  of  the  New  Testament,  both  with  re- 
spect of  his  (J'oodness  to  us,  and  our  perverse 
returns  to  him. — He  has  been  pleased  to  se- 
lect us,  as  a  peculiar  people,  and  to  show 
amongst  us,  such  instances  of  his  protection, 
his  favour,  his  ^race,  and  his  patience,  as  can- 
not be  paralleled  in  the  annals  of  any  other 
nation. 

We  have  no  certain  account  when  the 
name  of  Jesus  the  Saviour  was  first  known 
in  this  island;  it  was  probably  at  an  early 
period  of  the  Christian  sera.  But  we  do 
know,  that  after  the  long  dark  night  of 
superstition  and  ignorance  which  covered 
Christendom  for  many  ages,  the  dawn  of  re- 
turning gospel  light  was  first  seen  amongst 
us.  From  the  time  of  WicklifF,  the  morning- 
star  of  the  Reformation,  the  true  gospel  has 
been  known,  preached,  received,  and  per- 
petuated to  this  day.  There  have  been  times 
when  they  who  loved  this  gospel  have  suf- 
fered for  it.  They  were  preserved  faithful, 
in  defiance  of  stripes,  fines,  imprisonment, 
and  death  itself.  But  those  times  are  past. 
We  enjoy  not  only  light,  but  liberty,  and  the 
rights  of  conscience  and  private  judgment, 
in  a  degree  till  of  late  unknown. 

We  have  likewise  been  long  favoured  with 
peace,  though  often  principals  in  wars,  which 
have  been  very  calamitous,  both  to  our  ene- 
mies, and  to  the  nations  which  have  taken 
part  in  our  affairs.  Our  intestine  broils  at 
different  times  have  contributed  to  form  and 
establish  our  present  happy  constitution.  We 
breathe  the  air  of  civil  liberty.  Our  insular 
situation,  and  naval  force,  by  the  blessing  of 
God,  have  preserved  us  from  foreign  inva- 
sions ;  and  when  such  have  been  attempted, 
the  winds  and  seas  have  often  fought  our 
battles.  Our  wide-spreading  and  flourish- 
ing commerce  has  raised  us  to  a  pitch  of 
opulence,  which  excites  the  admiration  and 
envy  of  otiier  nations. — Great  Britain  and 
Ireland  appear  but  as  small  spots  upon  a 
globe  or  map ;  but  our  interests  and  influence 
extend,  in  every  direction,  to  the  uttermost 
parts  of  the  earth. 

Will  not  the  Lord's  words  to  Israel  apply 
with  equal  propriety  to  us  1  What  could  have 
been  done  to  my  vmeyard.  that  I  have  not 
done  1  Wherefore,  when  I  looked  for  grapes, 
brought  it  forth  wild  grapes?  Isa.  v.  4. 

How  is  the  blessed  gospel  improved  among 
us!  This  would  be  a  heavy  day  to  me,  if  I 
did  not  believe,  and  know,  that  there  are 
those  among  our  various  denominations,  who 
prize  and  adorn  it.  If  these  could  be  all  as- 
sembled in  one  place,  I  hope  they  would  be 
found  a  very  considerable  number :  and  for 
their  sakes,  and  in  answer  to  their  prayers,  I 
humbly  trust  that  mercy  will  still  be  afforded 
to  us.   But  compared  with  the  multitudes 


who  reject,  despise,  or  dishonour  it,  I  fear 
they  are  very  few.  Too  many  hate  it  vvith 
a  bitter  hatred,  and  e.xert  all  their  influence 
to  oppose  and  suppress  it.  The  great  doc- 
trines of  the  Reformation  are  treated  with 
contempt ;  and  both  they  who  preach,  and 
they  who  espouse  them,  are  considered  as 
visionaries  or  hypocrites,  knaves  or  fools. 
The  gospel  of  God  is  shunned  as  a  pestilence, 
or  complained  of  as  a  burden,  almost  where- 
ever  it  is  known. 

Wisdom  is  indeed  justified  of  all  her  chil- 
dren, Luke  vii.  35.  The  gospel  is  the  power 
of  God  to  the  salvation  of  them  that  believe, 
Rom.  i.  16.  It  recalls  them  from  error,  from 
wickedness,  and  from  misery,  guides  their 
feet  into  the  ways  of  peace,  and  teaches  them 
to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in 
the  world,  Titus  ii.  12.  But  in  the  number 
of  those  who  profess  to  receive  it,  there  are 
too  many  who  confirm  and  increase  the  pre- 
judices of  those  who  speak  against  what  they 
know  not. — Alas!  what  extravagant  opin- 
ions, what  fierce  dissensions,  what  loose  con- 
versations, what  open  offences,  may  be  found 
amongst  many  who  would  be  thought  profes- 
sors of  that  gospel  which  only  breathes  the 
spirit  of  holiness,  love,  and  peace! 

What  then  must  be  the  stale  of  those  who 
avowedly  live  without  God  in  the  world  !  I 
need  not  enlarge  upon  this  painful  subject, 
which  forces  itself  upon  the  mind,  if  we  only 
walk  the  streets,  or  look  into  the  newspapers. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  inform  my  hearers  that 
infidelity,licentiousness,  perjury,  profaneness, 
the  neglect  and  contempt  of  God's  sabbaths, 
and  worship,  abound.  The  laws  of  God,  and 
the  laws  of  the  land,  so  far  as  their  object  is 
to  enforce  the  observance  of  his  commands, 
are  openly  and  customarily  violated  in  every 
rank  of  life.  In  a  day  when  the  Lord  of 
hosts  calls  to  weeping  and  mourning,  thought- 
less security,  dissipation,  and  riot,  are  the 
characteristics  of  our  national  spirit.  Is.  xxii. 
12,  VS.  The  loss  of  public  spirit,  and  that 
impatience  of  subordination,  so  generally  ob- 
servable, so  widely  diff'u.sed,  which  are  the 
consequences  of  our  sins  against  God,  are,  in 
themselves,  moral  causes  sufficient  to  ruin 
the  nation,  unless  his  mercy  interposes  in  our 
behalf. 

I  should  be  inexcusable,  considering  the 
share  I  have  formerly  had  in  that  unhappy 
business,  if,  upon  this  occasion,  I  should  omit 
to  mention  the  African  slave-trade.  I  do  not 
rank  this  amongst  our  national  sins ;  because 
I  hope  and  believe,  a  very  great  majority  of 
the  nation,  earnestly  long  for  its  suppression. 
But,  hitherto,  petty  and  partial  interests  pre- 
vail against  the  voice  of  justice,  humanity, 
and  truth.  This  enormity,  however,  is  not 
sufficiently  laid  to  heart,  [f  you  are  justly 
shocked  by  what  you  hear  of  the  cruelties 
practised  in  France,  you  would  perhaps  be 
shocked  much  more,  if  you  could  fully  con- 


430 


THE  IMMINENT  DANGER  AND  ONLY 


ceive  of  the  evils  and  miseries  inseparable 
from  this  traffic,  which,  I  apprehend,  not 
from  hearsay,  but  from  my  own  observation, 
are  equal  in  atrocity,  and  perhaps  superior 
in  number,  in  the  course  of  a  single  year,  to 
any  or  all  the  worst  actions  which  have  been 
known  in  France  since  the  commencement 
of  their  revolution.  There  is  a  cry  of  blood 
against  us;  a  cry  accumulated  by  the  acces- 
sion of  fresh  victims,  of  tliousands,  of  scores 
of  thousands,  I  had  almost  said  of  hundreds 
of  thousands,  from  year  to  year. 

It  is  but  a  brief  and  faint  outline  I  have  at- 
tempted to  give  of  the  present  state  of  this 
nation,  in  the  sight  of  Almighty  God,  and  of 
the  sins  for  which  we  are  this  day  assembled 
to  humble  ourselves  before  him. 

II.  Have  we  not  therefore  cause  to  say, 
with  the  Ninevites,  Who  can  tell ! — Is  it  not 
a  perad venture!  Is  there  more  than  a  possi- 
bility, that  we  may  yet  obtain  mercy  1 

If  our  sins  are  no  less  numerous,  no  less  of 
a  scarlet  dye,  than  those  of  other  nations,  and 
exceedingly  aggravated  beyond  theirs,  by 
being  committed  against  clearer  liglit,  and 
the  distinguished  advantages  we  have  long 
enjoyed:  if  we  have  not  only  transgressed  the 
laws  of  God  in  common  with  others,  but 
daringly  trampled  upon  the  gracious  tenders 
of  his  forgiveness,  which  he  has  long  con- 
tinued to  propose  to  us,  with  a  frequency  and 
energy  almost  peculiar  to  ourselves :  if  all 
the  day  long  he  has  stretched  out  his  hands 
to  a  disobedient  and  gainsaying  people,  (Rom. 
X.  21,)  and,  hitherto,  almost  in  vain:  if  nei- 
ther the  tokens  of  his  displeasure,  nor  the 
declarations  of  his  love,  have  made  a  suita- 
ble impression  upon  our  minds, — who  can 
tell  if  he  will  yet  be  entreated!  May  we 
not  fear,  lest  he  should  say.  My  Spirit  shall 
strive  with  them  no  more  :  They  are  joined 
to  tiieir  idols,  let  them  alone :  Hosea,  iv.  17. 
When  you  spread  forth  your  hands,  I  will 
hide  my  face  from  you ;  when  you  make  many 
prayers,  I  will  not  hear  !  Isa.  i.  1.5. 

Where  are  now  the  mighty  empires,  which 
were  once  thought  rooted  and  established  as 
the  everlasting  mountains'!  They  have  dis- 
appeared like  the  mists  upon  the  mountain- 
tops.  Nothing  of  them  remains  but  tlieir 
names.  They  perished,  and  their  memorials 
have  almost  perished  with  them,  Ps.  ix.  6. 
The  patience  of  God  bore  with  them  tor  a 
time,  and  until  the  purposes  for  which  he 
raised  them  up  were  answered;  but  when 
the  measure  of  their  iniquity  was  full,  they 
passed  away,  and  were  dispersed,  like  foam 
upon  the  waters.  What  security  have  we 
from  such  a  catastrophe!  Or  what  could 
we  answer,  if  God  should  put  that  question 
to  us,  "  Shall  not  I  visit  for  these  things ! 
Shall  not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  such  a  na- 
tion as  this!"  Jer.  v.  9. 

Where  are  now  the  churches  which  once 
flourished  in  Greece,  and  in  the  Lesser  Asia  I 


I  When  the  apostle  Paul  WTote  to  the  former, 
;  and  when  our  Lord  indited  his  epistles  to  the 
'  latter,  most  of  them  were  in  a  prosperous 
state.  If  there  ever  was  a  time  when  the 
commendations  given  to  them  were  applica- 
ble to  professors  of  the  gospel  in  our  land,  I 
fear  we  can  hardly  claim  them  at  present. 
Can  it  be  justly  said  of  us,  that  our  faith  and 
love  are  every  where  spoken  of,  and  that  we 
are  examples  to  all  that  believe!  That  our 
works,  and  service,  and  faith,  and  patience, 
are  known,  and  the  last  to  be  more  than  the 
first!  Rom.  i.  8;  1  Thess.  i.  7;  Rev.  ii.  19. 
Or  rather,  may  it  not  be  said  of  too  many, 
that  while  they  profess  to  believe  in  God,  in 
works  they  deny  him  !  Titus  i.  16. — That 
they  are  neither  hot  nor  cold — That  they 
have  a  name  to  live,  and  are  dead — That 
they  have  at  least  forgotten  their  first  love? 
Rev.  iii.  1,  1.5;  ii.  4.  When  these  defects 
and  declensions  began  to  prevail  in  the  first 
churches,  the  Lord  admonished  and  warned 
them;  but  instead  of  watching  and  repent- 
ing, they  gradually  became  more  and  more 
remiss.  At  length  their  glory  departed,  and 
their  candlesticks  were  removed  out  of  their 
places.  Many  regions  which  once  rejoiced 
in  the  light  of  the  gospel,  have  been  long 
overspread  with  Mahomedan  darkness;  and 
the  inhabitants  are  wretched,  ignorant  slaves. 

Let  us  not  trust  in  outward  privileges,  nor 
rest  in  a  form  of  godliness  destitute  of  the 
power.  It  will  be  in  vain  to  say.  The  temple 
of  the  Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord  are  we, 
(Jer.  vii.  4,)  if  the  Lord  of  the  temple  should 
depart  from  us.  When  the  Israelites  were 
afraid  of  the  Philistines,  they  carried  the 
ark  of  the  Lord  with  them  to  battle.  But 
God  disappointed  their  vain  confidence.  He 
delivered  the  ark  of  his  glory  into  the  hands 
of  their  enemies;  (1  Sam.  iv.  .5,  11;)  to 
teach  them,  and  to  teach  us,  that  formal  hy- 
pocritical worshippers  have  no  good  ground 
to  hope  for  his  protection. 

Alas !  then,  who  can  tell ! — Appearances 
are  very  dark  at  present.  Besides  what  we 
may  expect  or  fear  from  the  rage  and  mad- 
ness of  our  foreign  enemies,  we  have  much 
to  apprehend  at  home.  A  spirit  of  discord 
has  gone  forth.  Jeshurun  has  waxed  fat, 
and  kicked,  Deut.  xxxiii.  15.  Many  Britons 
seem  weary  of  liberty,  peace,  and  order. 
Our  happy  constitution,  our  mild  government, 
our  many  privileges,  admired  by  other  na- 
tions, are  despised  and  depreciated  amongst 
ourselves :  and  that  not  only  by  the  thought- 
less Eind  licentious,  by  those  who,  having 
little  to  lose,  may  promise  themselves  a  pos- 
sibility of  gain,  in  a  time  of  disturbance  and 
confusion ;  but  they  are  abetted  and  instigated 
by  persons  of  sense,  character,  and  even  of 
religion.  I  should  be  quite  at  a  loss  to  account 
for  this,  if  I  did  not  consider  it  as  a  token  of 
the  Lord's  displeasure.  When  he  witlidraws 
his  blessing,  no  union  can  long  subsist. 


SURE  RESOURCE  OF  THIS  NATION. 


431 


"  Because  thou  scrvedst  not  the  Lord  thy 
God,  with  joyfulness,  and  with  gladness  of 
heart,  for  the  abundance  of  all  things;  there- 
fore shalt  thou  serve  thine  enemies,  whom 
the  Lord  shall  send  against  thee,  in  hunger, 
and  in  thirst,  and  in  nakedness  and  in  the 
want  of  all  things,"  Deut.  xxviii.  47,  48. 
These  words  of  Moses  to  rebellious  Israel 
emphatically  describe  the  former  and  the  pre- 
sent state  of  many  of  the  French  nation, 
who  have  been  despoiled,  insulted,  and  glad 
if  they  could  escape  (great  numbers  could 
not  so  escape)  with  the  loss  of  their  all,  and 
at  the  peril  of  their  lives,  to  a  more  hospita- 
ble shore.  May  their  sufferings  remind  us  of 
our  deserts  !  Who  can  tell  if  the  Lord  may 
yet  be  merciful  unto  us,  and  exempt  us  from 
similar  calamities ! 

III.  But  though  we  have  much  cause  to 
mourn  for  our  sins,  and  humbly  to  deprecate 
deserved  judgments,  let  us  not  despond.  The 
Lord  our  God  is  a  merciful  God  !  Who  can 
tell  but  he  may  repent,  and  turn  from  the 
fierceness  of  his  anger,  that  we  perish  not  1 
If  the  professed  business  of  this  day  be  not 
confined  to  a  day,  but  if,  by  his  blessing  it 
may  produce  repentance  not  to  be  repented 
of,  then  I  am  warranted  to  tell  you,  from  his 
word,  that  there  is  yet  hope.  You  that  trem- 
ble for  the  ark,  for  the  cause  of  God,  whose 
eyes  afi'ect  your  hearts,  who  grieve  for  sin, 
and  for  the  miseries  which  sin  has  multiplied 
upon  the  earth,  take  courage.  Let  the  hearts 
of  the  wicked  shake,  like  the  leaves  of  the 
trees  when  agitated  by  a  storm ;  (Isa.  vii.  2;) 
but  be  not  you  like  them.  The  Lord  God  is 
your  refuge  and  strength,  your  resting  place, 
and  your  hiding  place;  under  the  shadow  of 
his  wings  you  shall  be  safe,  Ps.  xlvi.  1 ;  xc. 
1 ;  cxix.  114. 

1.  He  who  loved  you,  and  died  for  your 
sins,  is  the  Lord  of  glory.  All  power  in  hea- 
ven and  in  earth  is  committed  unto  him, 
Matt,  xxviii.  18.  The  Lord  reigneth,  let 
the  earth  be  never  so  unquiet.  Ps.  xcix.  1. 
All  creatures  are  instruments  of  his  will. 
The  wrath  of  man,  so  far  as  it  is  permitted 
to  act,  shall  praise  him,  shall  be  made  sub- 
servient to  the  accomplishment  of  his  great 
designs;  and  the  remainder  of  that  wrath, 
all  their  projected  violence,  which  does  not 
coincide  with  his  wise  and  comprehensive 
plan,  he  will  restrain,  Ps.  Ixxvi.  10.  In  vain 
they  rage,  and  fret,  and  threaten.  They  act 
under  a  secret  commission,  and  can  do  no 
more  than  he  permits  them.  If  they  attempt 
it,  he  has  a  hook  and  a  bridle  in  their  mouths, 
2  Kings  xix.  28.  When  the  enemies  would 
come  in  like  a  flood,  he  can  lift  up  a  standard 
against  them,  Is.  lix.  19.  As  he  has  set 
bounds  and  bars  to  the  tempestuous  sea,  be- 
yond which  it  cannot  pass,  saying.  Hitherto 
shalt  thou  come  and  no  farther,  and  here 
ehall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed ;  (Job  xxxviiL 


10,  11;)  so,  with  equal  ease,  he  can  still  the 
madness  of  the  people,  Ps.  Ixv.  7. 

You  do  well  to  mourn  for  the  sins  and 
miseries  of  those  who  know  him  not.  But  if 
you  make  him  your  fear  and  your  dread,  he 
will  be  a  sanctuary  to  you,  and  keep  your 
hearts  in  peace,  though  the  earth  be  removed, 
and  the  mountains  cast  into  the  midst  of  the 
sea,  Is.  viii.  13,  14.  Ps.  xlvi.  2. 

2.  Your  part  and  mine,  is  to  watch  and 
pray. — Let  us  pray  for  ourselves,  that  we 
may  be  found  waiting,  with  our  loins  girded 
up,  and  our  lamps  burning,  (Mark  xiii.  35; 
XIV.  38,)  that  we  may  be  prepared  to  meet 
his  will  in  every  event.  Let  us  pray  for  the 
peace  of  Jerusalem,  for  his  church,  which  ia 
dear  to  him,  as  the  pupil  of  his  eye,  for  the 
spread  of  his  gospel,  and  the  extension  of 
his  kingdom,  till  his  great  name  be  known 
and  adored  from  the  rising  to  the  setting  of 
the  sun,  and  the  whole  earth  shall  be  filled 
with  his  glory,  Mai.  i.  11.  Many  splendid 
prophecies  are  yet  unfulfilled :  and  he  ia 
now  bringing  forward  their  accomplishment. 
Light  would  undoubtedly  arise  out  of  this 
darkness.  Let  us  earnestly  pray  for  a  bless- 
ing from  on  high,  upon  our  beloved  King  and 
his  family,  upon  the  counsels  of  government 
and  parliament,  and  upon  all  subordinate  au- 
thority in  church  and  state — that  we  may 
lead  quiet  and  peaceable  lives  in  all  godli- 
ness and  honesty,  that  religion  and  good  order 
may  be  established,  and  iniquity  be  put  to 
shame  and  silence.  Thus  we  may  uope  to 
be  secured,  by  the  sure,  though  secret  mark 
of  divine  protection,  Ezek.  ix.  4.  The  Lord 
will  be  our  shield,  though  many  should  sufl'er 
or  fall  around  us.  The  very  hairs  of  our 
heads  are  numbered,  Matt.  x.  30.  Or  if,  for 
the  manifestation  of  our  faith,  and  the  power 
of  his  grace,  he  should  permit  us  to  share  in 
common  calamities,  we  may  rely  upon  him 
to  afford  us  strength  according  to  our  day, 
Deut.  xxxiii.  25.  He  is  always  near  to  his 
people,  a  very  present  help  in  the  time  of 
trouble;  and  he  can  make  the  season  of  their 
greatest  tribulations,  the  season  of  their 
sweetest  consolations,  2  Cor.  i.  5. 

3.  And  let  us  pray  in  faith.  Let  us  re- 
member what  great  things  the  Lord  has  done 
in  answer  to  prayer.  When  sin  had  given 
Sennacherib  rapid  success  in  his  invasion  of 
Judah,  he  did  not  know  that  he  was  no  more 
than  an  axe  or  a  saw  in  the  hand  of  God,  Isa. 
X.  15;  xxxvii.  14 — 36.  He  ascribed  his  vic- 
tories to  his  own  prowess,  and  thought  him- 
self equally  sure  of  Jerusalem.  But  Heze- 
kiah  defeated  him  upon  his  knees.  He  spread 
his  blasphemous  letter  before  the  Lord  in  the 
temple,  and  prayed,  and  the  Assyrian  army 
melted  away  like  snow.  When  Peter  was 
shut  up,  and  chained  in  prison,  the  chains 
fell  from  his  hands,  the  locks  and  bolts  gave 
way,  and  the  iron  gate  opened,  while  the 


432 


THE  IMMINENT  DANGER,  &c. 


church  was  united  in  earnest  prayer  for  his 
deliverance,  Acts  xii.  5 — 13. 

And  as  we  have  heard,  so  have  we  seen. 
God  has  signally  answered  the  prayers  of  his 
people,  in  our  own  time.  Mucii  prayer,  both 
public  and  private,  was  offered  for  our  be- 
loved King,  during  his  late  illness ;  and  how 
wonderful,  how  sudden,  how  seasonable  was 
liis  recovery  !  Surely  this  was  the  finger  of 
God  !  When  he  thus  removed  our  apprehen- 
sions, we  were  like  them  that  dream.  Psalm 
cxxvi.  1. 

I  believe  prayer  was  no  less  efficacious,  to- 
wards the  end  of  the  year  1792.  I  know 
many  people  treated  the  idea  of  danger  at 
that  time  as  chimerical,  because  the  Lord 
was  pleased  to  avert  it.  But  I  hope  we  have 
not  quite  forgotten  the  language  we  heard, 
and  the  persons  we  daily  met  with  in  the 
street,  the  many  daring  cabals  which  were 
held  in  this  city,  and  the  threatenings  which 
were  written  in  large  characters  upon  the 
walls  of  our  houses,  at  almost  every  corner. 
But  the  hearts  of  men  were  turned  like  the 
tide  in  the  critical  moment.  Then  I  think 
the  interposition  of  the  Lord  was  evident! 
Then  we  had  a  repeated  proof  that  he  hears 
and  answers  prayer ! 

The  present  likewise  is  a  very  important 
crisis.  All  that  is  dear  to  us  as  men,  as  Bri- 
tons, as  Christians,  is  threatened.  Our  ene- 
mies are  inveterate  and  enraged.  Our  sins 
testify  against  us.  But  if  we  humble  our- 
selves before  God,  forsake  our  sins,  and  unite 
in  supplications  for  mercy,  who  can  tell  but 
he  may  be  entreated  to  give  us  that  help 
which  it  would  be  in  vain  to  expect  from 
man  ^  yea,  we  have  encouragement  to  hope 
that  he  will  be  for  us,  (Rom.  viii.  31,)  and 
then  none  can  prevail  against  us.  But  with- 
out his  blessing  our  most  powerful  efforts, 
and  best  concerted  undertakings  cannot  suc- 
ceed. 

You,  who  have  access  to  the  tiirone  of 
grace,  whose  hearts  are  concerned  for  the 
glory  of  God,  and  who  lament  not  only  the 
temporal  calamities  attendant  upon  war,  but 
the  many  thousands  of  souls  who  are  yearly 
precipitated  by  it  into  an  eternal,  unchange- 
able state, — you,  I  trust,  will  show  your- 


selves true  friends  to  your  country,  by  beai- 
ing  your  testimony,  and  exerting  your  in- 
fluence against  sin,  the  procuring  cause  of 
all  our  sorrows,  and,  by  standing  in  the 
breach,  and  pleading  with  God  for  mercy,  in 
behalf  of  yourselves,  and  of  the  nation.  If 
ten  persons,  thus  disposed,  had  been  found 
even  in  Sodom,  it  would  have  escaped  de- 
struction. Gen.  xviii.  32. 

IV.  There  may  be  some  persons  in  this 
assembly,  who  are  little  concerned  for  their 
own  sins,  and  are  of  course  incapable  of 
taking  a  proper  part  in  the  service  of  the 
day.  Yet  I  am  glad  that  you  are  here;  I 
pity  you,  I  warn  you.  If  you  should  live  to 
see  a  time  of  public  distress,  what  will  you 
do?  To  whom  will  you  look,  or  whither  will 
you  flee  for  help?  All  that  is  dear  to  you 
may  be  torn  from  you,  or  you  from  it. — Or, 
if  it  please  God  to  prolong  our  tranquillity, 
you  are  liable  to  many  heavy  calamities  in 
private  life.  And  if  you  should  be  exempted 
from  these,  death  is  inevitable,  and  may  be 
near.  My  heart  wishes  you  the  possession 
of  those  principles  which  would  support  you 
in  all  the  changes  of  life,  and  make  your  dy- 
ing pillow  comfortable.  Are  you  unwilling 
to  be  happy  1  or  can  you  be  happy  too  soon  1 
Many  persons  are  now  looking  upon  you, 
who  once  were  as  you  are  now.  And  I  doubt 
not,  they  are  praying  that  you  may  be  as  they 
now  are.  Try  to  pray  for  yourself ;  our  God 
is  assuredly  in  the  midst  of  us.  His  gracious 
ear  is  attentive  to  every  supplicant.  Seek 
him  while  he  is  to  be  found.  Jesus  died  for 
sinners,  and  he  has  said.  Him  that  cometh  to 
me  I  will  in  nowise  cast  out,  John  vi.  37. 
He  is  likewise  the  author  of  that  faith,  by 
which  alone  you  can  come  rightly  to  him. 
If  you  ask  it  of  him,  he  will  give  it  you  ;  if 
you  seek  it  in  the  means  of  his  appomtment, 
you  shall  assuredly  find.  Matt.  vii.  7.  If 
you  refuse  this,  there  remaineth  no  other  sa- 
crifice for  sin,  Heb.  x.  22,  27.  If  you  are 
not  saved  by  faith  in  his  blood,  you  are  lost 
for  ever.  O  kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry, 
and  you  perish  from  the  way,  if  his  wrath 
be  kindled,  yea  but  a  little.  Blessed  are 
all  they  that  put  their  trust  in  him,  Psalm 
ii.  12. 


MOTIVES  TO  HUMILIATION  AND  PRAISE; 

A  SERMON 

PREACHED  IN  THE  PARISH  CHURCH  OP  ST.  MARY  WOOLNOTH, 
ON  TUESDAY,  DECEMBER  19,  1797. 
THE  DAY  OF  GENERAL  THANKSGIVING  TO  ALMIGHTY  GOD  FOR  OUR  LATE  NAVAL  VICTORIES. 


HoiD  shall  I  give  thee  up,  Ephraim?  How  shall  I  deliver  thee,  Israel?  Hoiv  shall  I  make 
thee  as  Admah  ?  How  shall  J  set  thee  as  Zebmm  ?  My  heart  is  turned  within  me,  my 
repentings  are  kindled  together.  I  will  not  execute  the  fierceness  of  mine  anger,  I  will 
not  return  to  destroy  Ephraim  ;  for  I  am  God,  and  not  man,  the  Holy  One  in  the  midst 
of  thee. — Hosea  xi.  8, 9. 


The  most  High  God,  in  the  revelation  of 
his  will  to  men,  adapts  liis  language  to  the 
weakness  of  our  conceptions'.  Heavenly 
truths  are  represented  by  images  taken  from 
earthly  things,  John  iii.  12.  The  metaphors 
of  eyes  and  hands  are  used  in  the  scriptures 
to  raise  our  thoughts  to  some  due  apprehen- 
sion of  his  infinite  knowledge,  his  omnipre- 
sence, and  his  almighty  power,  1  Pet.  iii.  12 ; 
Ps.  Lxxxix.  13.  He  is  likewise  spoken  of,  as 
deliberating,  repenting,  rejoicing,  and  griev- 
ing; yet  we  are  sure  that  passions  like  those 
of  which  we  are  conscious  in  ourselves,  can- 
not in  strict  propriety  be  ascribed  to  the  holy 
and  ble.^sed  God.  No  attentive  and  serious 
mind  can  be  misled  by  this  figurative  analo- 
gy. We  learn  from  the  same  scriptures  of 
truth,  that  God  is  sovereign  ;  that  with  him 
there  is  no  variableness,  nor  shadow  of  turn- 
ing, (James  i.  17,)  that  his  counsel  shall 
stand,  and  he  will  do  all  his  pleasure,  (Is. 
xlvi.  10;)  and  that  all  his  works  are  perfect- 
ly known  to  liim,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  Acts  XV.  18.  The  more  familiar  modes 
of  expression  are  designed  to  teach  us,  not 
what  he  is  in  himself,  but  how  it  becomes  us 
sinful  creatures  to  be  afl^ected  towards  him. 

Thus,  though  the  purpose  of  God  concern- 
ing Israel  was  fixed  and  unalterable,  yet,  to 
impress  us  with  a  sense  of  his  inflexible  dis- 
pleasure against  sin,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
leave  open  the  door  of  hope  and  encourage- 
ment for  penitent  sinners,  we  read  of  a  de- 
bate, as  it  were,  between  his  justice  and  his 
mercy.  Justice  demanded  that  Israel  should 
be  given  up,  delivered  up  to  vengeance,  to 
such  a  destruction  as  that  by  which  God 
Vol.  II.  3  I 


overthrew  the  cities  in  the  plain  of  Jericho, 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  Admah  and  Zeboim, 
Dent.  xxix.  But  Mercy  interposed,  plead- 
ed for  a  respite,  and  prevailed.  O  Ephraim, 
O  Israel,  justice  calls  aloud  for  vengeance, 
but  how  shall  I,  how  can  I  give  thee  up? 
No,  I  cannot,  I  will  not,  my  heart  is  turned 
within  me,  my  repentings  are  kindled. 

Two  reasons  are  assigned,  in  his  pathetic 
expostulation,  why  he  would  still  exercise 
long-suffering  towards  those  who  so  justly 
deserved  to  |)erish :  1.  I  am  God,  and  not 
man.  The  patience  of  man,  or  of  any  mere 
creature,  would  have  been  overcome  long 
ago  by  the  perverseness  of  Israel;  but  he 
who  made  them,  and  he  only,  was  able  to 
bear  with  them  still.  2.  I  am  the  Holy  One 
in  the  midst  of  thee.  In  that  dark  and  de- 
generate day,  when  the  bulk  of  the  nation 
was  in  a  state  of  revolt  and  rebellion,  there 
were  a  hidden  remnant  who  feared  and  wor- 
shipped the  Lord,  and  who  mourned  for  the 
abominations  which  they  could  not  prevent, 
Ezek.  ix.  4,  6.  Of  these  the  Lord  was  mind- 
ful, and  for  the  sake  of  these,  deserved  judg- 
ments were  suspended  from  falling  upon  the 
rest. 

The  people  of  Israel  were  for  a  time  in  a 
state  of  hard  bondage,  and  were  severely  op- 
pressed in  Egypt.  The  Lord  brought  them 
out  from  thence  with  a  mighty  hand,  and  a 
stretched-out  arm.  He  afterwards  drowned 
Pharaoh  and  his  host  in  the  Red  Sea  ;  but  he 
led  Israel  safely  through  the  deep  as  upon 
dry  land.  In  the  barren  wilderness  he  fed 
them  with  manna,  and  brought  them  water 
out  of  the  rock.  In  the  pathless  wilderness 
433 


MOTIVES  TO  HUMILIATION  AND  PRAISE. 


he  guided  tlieni,  by  a  cloud  in  the  day,  and 
by  a  tire  in  the  night.  He  fought  their  bat- 
tles, subdued  their  enemies,  and  put  them  in 
possession  of  the  land  he  had  promised  to 
their  forefathers.  They  were  a  people  wlioni 
the  Most  High  selected  for  himself,  as  his 
peculiar  treasure,  Ps.  cxx.xv.  4.  He  was 
their  God  and  tlieir  King.  They  were  the 
qply  people  svho  were  at  that  time  favoured 
•with  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  and 
how  to  worship  him  acceptably.  He  gave 
them  his  laws  and  ordinances.  He  resided 
among  them,  and  honoured  them  with  a  visi- 
ble token  of  his  presence  in  the  tabernacle, 
and  afterwards  in  the  temple.  They  were 
likewise  under  an  especial  care  of  his  provi- 
dence. The  frnitfulness  of  their  land  did 
not  depend  upon  the  climate,  but  the  early 
and  the  latter  rain  returned  regularly  at  the 
stated  seasons,  by  his  appointment ;  and 
when,  in  obedience  to  his  commands,  all  their 
males  from  the  most  distant  parts  went  up 
three  timea  in  a  year  to  Jerusalem,  and  left 
their  borders  destitute  of  human  defence,  God 
so  impressed  the  surrounding  nations  with 
awe,  that,  though  hostile  in  their  dispositions, 
they  never  availed  themselves  of  that  seem- 
ingly favourable  opportunity  for  invading 
them,  E.xod.  x.xxiv.  24.  Under  the  reign  of 
Solomon,  they  enjoyed  preace,  plenty,  pros- 
perity, and  wealth,  in  a  degree  till  then  un- 
known among  tiie  nations  of  the  earth. 

What  returns  did  Israel  make  to  the  Lord 
for  all  these  benefits  !  The  history  of  their 
conduct  is  little  more  than  the  recital  of  a 
long  series  of  ungrateful  murmurings,  diso- 
bedience, and  rebellion.  They  resisted  his 
will,  broke  his  commandments,  mingled  with 
the  iieathen,  and  learned  their  ways.  They 
repeatedly  forsook  the  Lord  God  of  their 
fathers,  worshipped  dumb  idols,  and  practised 
all  the  abominations  of  the  nations  which  the 
Lord  had  cast  out  before  them.  Their  sins 
often  brought  calamities  upon  them.  The 
Lord  gave  them  up  unto  the  hands  of  their 
enemies ;  they  suffered  by  the  sword,  by  pes- 
tilence and  by  famine.  When  he  slew  them, 
then  they  sought  him ;  and  when  they  sought 
him,  he  was  entreated  of  them,  Ps.  Lxxviii. 
34.  He  delivered  them  out  of  their  afflic- 
tions ;  but  they  soon  forgot  his  goodness,  and 
returned  to  their  evil  ways.  He  sent  many 
of  his  servants  in  succession,  to  admonish 
and  warn  them  ;  but  they  despised  his  words, 
they  mocked  his  messengers,  and  misused  his 
prophets,  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  16. 

Can  we  wonder,  if  justice  demanded  the 
utter  extirpation  and  ruin  of  a  people  so 
liighly  favoured,  so  well  instructed,  so  otlen 
chastised  and  delivered,  and  yet  so  incorrigi- 
bly ungrateful,  daring,  and  obstinate  !  Is  it 
not  rather  wonderful  to  hear  the  Lord  ex- 
pressing a  reluctance  to  execute  the  sentence 
BO  justly  deserved,  and  saying  of  such  a  peo- 
ple, How  shall  I  give  thee  up  1 


But  can  we  read  the  history  of  Israel 
without  remarking  how  strongly  it  resembles 
our  own  !  Have  we  not  been  equally  distin- 
guished from  the  nations  around  us,  by  spi- 
ritual and  temporal  blessings,  and  by  our 
gross  misimprovement  of  them !  We  are 
assembled  this  day  to  join  in  public  thanks- 
givings for  public  mercies,  but  we  have  great 
cause  for  public  humiliation  likewise.  We 
have  much  reason  to  rejoice  in  the  goodness 
of  the  Lord ;  but  we  have  reason  to  temper 
our  joy  with  trembling  (Ps.  ii.  11,)  when  we 
compare  the  state  of  things  around  us,  with 
that  of  Ephraim  and  Judah  in  the  days  of  the 
prophet  llosea. 

While  too  many  persons  lose  their  time 
and  temper  in  political  and  party  disputes', 
and  refer  all  the  calamities  we  either  feel  or 
fear  to  instruments  and  second  causes,  let  us 
acknowledge  that  the  Lord  God  omnipotent 
reigneth  I  Rev.  xix.  6.  Let  us  consider  sin 
as  the  procuring  cause  of  all  our  troubles. 
Let  ns  recognize  his  hand  in  them,  and  con- 
fess that,  in  all  the  distress  he  has  brought 
upon  us,  he  has  not  dealt  with  us  as  our  ini- 
quities deserve.  May  our  hearts  be  suitably 
affected,  while  I  attempt  a  brief  sketch  of  the 
abounding  evils  and  abominations  prevalent 
amongst  us,  which  might  justly  provoke  the 
Lord  to  sweep  this  land,  so  long  the  land  of 
peace  and  libertj',  with  the  besom  of  destruc- 
tion !  and  then  we  shall  be  prepared  to  praise 
him  for  those  merciful  and  signal  interposi- 
tions of  his  providence,  which  afford  us  some 
ground  to  hope,  that,  notwithstanding  all  our 
provocations,  he  will  not  yet  give  us  up. 

I.  Offences  of  the  same  kind  may  be 
heightened  and  aggravated  by  circumstances. 
Thus  an  insult  oflered  to  a  benefactor,  a  pa- 
rent, or  a  king,  is  deemed  more  grievous  than 
if  the  person  oflended  was  in  all  respects  an 
equal.    In  this  sense,  I  fear  the  sins  of  Greai 
Britain  are  of  a  deeper  dye  than  those  of  any 
nation  in  Europe  ;  because  they  are  commit- 
ted against  greater  advantages  and  privileges 
than  any  other  people  have  enjoyed.  May 
not  the  Lord  appeal  to  ourselves,  as  to  Israel 
of  old.  What  could  have  been  done  more  to 
'  my  vineyard,  that  I  have  not  done  !  Is.  v.  4. 
After  the  black  night  of  Popish  darkness,  in 
I  which  Christendom  had  been  for  ages  in- 
S  volved,  Wickliff,  the  morning-star  and  bar- 
I  binger  of  the  Reformation,  arose  in  our  bor- 
I  ders.   From  his  time,  we  have  been  favoured 
I  with  a- succession  of  preachers  of  tlie  gospel, 
I  and  of  witnesses  to  its  truth  and  power.  Not 
a  few  of  these  sealed  their  profession  with 
1  their  blood ;  and  a  much  greater  number 
■  suffered  in  the  same  cause,  by  fines,  stripes, 
banishment,  and  imprisonment.    But  since 
the  Revolution,  and  especially  since  the  ac- 
cession of  King  George  I.  to  the  throne,  th« 
spirit  of  persecution  has  been  greatly  re- 
pressed and  chained  up.    We  are  not  now 
called  to  resist  unto  blood.   Nor  is  there  any 


MOTIVES  TO  HUMILIATION  AND  PRAISE. 


435 


Prolestant  country  where  relig'ious  liberty  is 
so  universally  enjoyed,  and  with  so  little  re- 
straint, as  in  the  dominions  of  Great  Britain. 

O  rortunati  niinium,  sua  si  bona  norint! 

Our  constitution,  the  basis  and  bulwark  of 
our  civil  liberty,  is  the  admiration  or  envy  of 
our  surrounding  neighbours.  It  cost  our 
forefathers  many  struwo-les  to  bring  forward 
and  esitablish  this  national  blessing  ;  but  we 
have  enjoyed  it  so  long,  and  so  quietly,  that 
we  seem  almost  to  forget  its  value,  how  it 
was  obtained,  or  how  only  it  can  be  pre- 
served 1  Wo  be  to  us,  if  God  should  succeed 
the  desires  and  endeavours  of  those  who  are 
disposed  to  exchange  it  for  licentiousness  I 
Add  to  this  our  public  prosperity. — While 
we  have  been  principals  in  many  wars,  which 
have  spread  devastation  and  misery  far  and 
wide  abroad,  we  have  had  uninterrupted 
peace  at  home ;  and  know  so  little  of  the  ca- 
lamities of  war,  that  were  it  not  for  the  in- 
crease of  taxes,  it  is  probable  we  should  not 
be  soon  weary  of  hearing  of  battles,  and  the 
slaughter  of  thousands,  provided  victory  de- 
clared on  our  side.  Our  arms  and  our  com- 
merce have,  almost  like  the  ocean,  encom- 
passed the  habitable  globe,  and  we  are  be- 
come the  grand  mart  and  emporium  of  the 
earth. 

But  what  have  been  our  returns  to  the 
Lord  for  all  his  goodness!  May  he  not  say  of 
MS,  as  of  Israel,  I  have  nourished  and  brought 
up  children,  and  they  have  rebelled  against 
me !  Isa.  i.  2.  I  attempt  not  to  explain  the 
Hnfullilled  prophecies  in  the  Apocalypse,  but 
the  first,  second,  and  third  chapters  of  the 
prophecy  of  Isaiah  are  so  obviously  applica- 
ble to  the  present  state  of  these  kingdoms, 
that  we  need  look  no  further  to  perceive 
both  our  sin  and  our  danger.  May  the  Lord 
soften  our  hearts  for  our  own  sins,  the  sins 
of  professors  of  the  gospel,  and  those  national 
sins  which  strongly  mark  oar  character  as  a 
people ! 

I.  The  true  Christian  sees  much  cause  of 
humiliation  in  himself  Though  he  cannot 
bat  take  .sorrowful  notice  of  what  passes 
around  him,  he  is  more  ready  to  scrutinize 
and  blame  his  own  misconduct,  than  that  of 
other  men.  He  confesses  that  his  best  is  de- 
fective and  defiled.  Though  he  exercises 
himself  to  maintain  a  conscience  void  of  of- 
fence, and  dares  appeal  to  the  Lord  for  the 
smcerity  of  his  aims,  he  owns  that  in  every 
t'hing  he  comes  short.  His  obligations  to  the 
Redeemer  are  immense,  and  his  sensations 
of  gratitude,  and  exertions  in  his  service,  are 
vastly  disproportionate  to  them  :  yet  having 
accepted  the  atonement,  and  resting  his  hope 
cf  salvation  upon  Jesus,  though  his  imperfec- 
tions humble  him,  they  do  not  discourage 
hi'.n.  But  he  acknowledges,  that  if  justice 
were  strict  to  mark  what  is  amiss,  his  own 
sins  are  so  many  and  so  great,  that  he  could 


have  no  right  to  coin[)lain,  thoniih  ho  had  a 
large  share  of  tlio  iieavicst  calainilios  inci- 
dent to  this  mortal  life.  They  who  are  thus 
minded  are  the  chariots  and  horsemen  of  the 
land  in  wiiich  they  live.  They  sigh  and 
mourn  for  their  own  sins,  and  tiie  evils  which 
they  cannot  prevent.  They  have  little  thanka 
from  the  blind,  careless,  ungodly  uiany  around 
them.  They  are  rather  scorned  and  de- 
spised for  their  singularity,  and  unfashionable 
preciseness  ;  but  if  this  nation  be  spared  trom 
destruction,  it  will  be  for  their  sakes,  and  lijr 
the  attention  with  which  God  regards  their 
prayers.  If  we  had  no  such  persons  amongst 
us,  our  fleets  and  armies  would  prove  but  a 
poor  and  precarious  defence.  But  I  trust 
their  number  is  not  small.  They  are  dis- 
persed up  and  down  throughout  the  kingdom, 
and  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  which  preserves 
us  from  total  putrefaction. 

2.  By  professors,  we  mean,  those  who  as- 
sent to  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  gospel, 
and  usually  attend  where  it  is  preached.  I 
know  this  distinction  is  deemed  invidious. 
We  are  sometimes  asked — Why  do  you  ap- 
propriate the  term  gospel  to  your.--'elves !  Do 
not  all  ministers  preach  the  gospel?  Most 
certainly  not.  The  doctrines  from  many  pul- 
pits are  contrary,  yea,  contradictory.  They 
cannot  be  all  right.  Yea,  the  doctrines  from 
too  many  pulpits  in  our  established  church 
contradict  the  Articles  and  the  Liturgy, 
which  the  preachers  have  solemnly  sub- 
scribed. The  Articles  and  Liturgy  bear  ex- 
press testimony  to  the  universal  and  total 
depravity  of  human  nature,  the  Deity  and 
atonement  of  the  Saviour,  the  necessity  of 
regeneration,  a  new  birth,  and  a  new  life  of 
sanctification,  and  of  the  abiding  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  to  awaken  sinners, 
to  produce  faith,  and  to  instruct,  comfort,  and 
establish  those  who  believe.  These  points 
are  essential  to  the  scheme  of  the  gospel,  as 
it  is  set  before  us  by  the  evangelists  and 
apostles.  They  who  espouse  them  are  called 
professors — a  title  which  includes  all  tliose 
whom  I  have  already  mentioned,  but  is  ex- 
tended to  many  more,  or  at  least  is  assumed 
by  them.  Happy  indeed  would  it  be,  if  all 
who  seem  to  agree  in  principles,  were  united 
in  love  among  themselves,  and  cxliibited  in 
the  sight  of  men,  in  their  tempers,  practice, 
and  pursuits,  a  conversation  becoming  the 
gospel  they  profess.  But  in  the  days  of  tlie 
apostles  there  were  lliose  who,  vviiile  they 
professed  to  believe  in  God,  denied  him  by 
their  works,  who  were  enemies  to  the 
cross  of  Christ,  and  caused  the  good  way  to 
be  evil  spoken  of  Phil.  iii.  1;^;  Titus  i.  16. 
We  lament,  more  than  wonder,  that  it  should 
be  so  now  :  for  human  nature  is  the  same  in 
all  ages ;  and  even  among  tho.se  of  whom  we 
hope  better — contentions,  divisions,  the  heat 
of  party-zeal,  the  coldness  of  brotherly  love, 
and  a  blameable  conformity  to  the  spirit  and 


,38 


MOTIVES  TO  HUMILIATION  AND  PRAILE. 


.customs  of  the  world,  are  but  too  visible. 
Tlie  sins  of  professors  alone,  if  duly  consi- 
dered, iiiiglit  make  us  apprehensive  that 
judg'monl  is  oven  at  the  doors. 

3.  There  are  likewise  sins  so  generally 
prevalent,  so  familiar  and  habitual  in  every 
rank  of  life,  that  they  may  properly  be  called 
national ;  because,  either  by  their  nature  or 
their  frequency,  they  mark  and  disting-uish 
our  public  morals.  To  enumerate  these, 
would  be  a  painful  and  arduous  task :  but 
)ny  subject  requires  me  to  notice  some  of  the 
most  prominent  and  notorious. 

(1.)  Infidelity. — Though  the  sophistry  and 
machinations  of  the  philosophers  in  France, 
and  of  those  who  style  themselves  the  Iltu- 
minati  in  Germany,  have  more  or  less  infect- 
ed tlie  whole  of  Christendom  with  their  scep- 
tical and  dangerous  sentiments,  so  that  we 
hold  them  in  common  with  many  other  na- 
tions, and  though  we  have  not  like  the  un- 
happy French,  openly  and  avowedly  re- 
nounced the  government  of  God;  yet  I  fear 
that  the  worst  kind  of  infidelity  (which  is 
still  rapidly  spreading  through  the  land)  is 
already  become  one  of  our  national  sins. 
Formerly,  most  of  our  freethinkers  assumed 
the  more  modest  name  of  deists ;  and  though 
they  rejected  the  scriptures,  they  professed 
a  regard  to  what  they  called  natural  religion  ; 
they  wrote  likewise  chiefly  for  men  like 
themselves,  of  a  speculative  and  inquisitive 
turn,  and  did  not  appear  much  concerned  to 
proselyte  the  common  people :  they  seemed 
*o  allow  that  the  principles  of  Christianity, 
though  not  necessary  to  persons  of  their  sa- 
gacity, might  be  useful  to  preserve  the  peace 
and  order  of  society,  and  to  keep  the  vulgar 
within  some  bounds  of  good  government  and 
subordination.  I  have  myself  known  those 
who,  upon  tliis  ground,  regularly,  or  at  least 
frequently,  attended  public  worship ;  not  that 
they  desired  or  expected  any  benefit  from  it, 
but  to  set  a  good  example  to  their  wives, 
children,  and  servants,  whom  they  thought 
either  not  competent  to  understand  their 
•  nore  sublime  discoveries,  or  not  fit  to  be  en- 
i.rusted  with  them.  These  champions  like- 
vise  went  forth  singly  to  the  combat;  but 
<iow  there  is  a  strong  compacted  confederacy 
against  all  religion,  both  name  and  thing. 
Neither  the  mortal  nor  the  immortal  deists 
are  much  thought  of  at  present.  Philoso- 
phers have  pushed  their  inquiries  far  beyond 
the  narrow  views  of  the  deists,  and  proclaim 
themselves  to  be  atheists.  They  tell  us,  that 
either  there  is  no  God,  or  that  he  does  not 
take  cognizance  of  human  affairs.  To  relieve 
the  consciences  of  men  from  those  foreboding 
fears  of  a  future  judgment  which  are  not 
easily  separable  from  guilt,  they  boldly  affirm 
death  to  be  an  eternal  sleep.  Though  these 
and  similar  dreadful  tenets,  have  not  obtained 
the  publicity  and  authority  with  us  which 
thev  have  in  France  they  have  spread  like  a 


contagion  through  the  kingdom.  Multitudes 
in  every  degree  of  life,  from  the  noble  to  the 
peasant,  liave  adopted  them. 

Not  that  I  ascribe  the  progress  of  infidelity 
chiefly  to  Thomas  Paine,  or  to  writers  of  a 
superior  class  in  the  same  line ;  but  they  have 
brought  it  more  into  view.  Long  before  the 
modern  philosophers  were  born,  the  fool  had 
said  in  his  heart,  there  is  no  God,  Ps.  xiv.  1. 
Infidelity  is  congenial  to  human  nature.  In- 
fidel writings,  like  the  touch  of  Ithuriel's 
spear,  have  disclosed  what  for  a  time,  was 
hidden  or  disguised.  The  spirits  of  many 
were  prepared.  They  were  infidels  before, 
though  for  want  of  attention  they  scarce- 
ly knew  it,  or  for  want  of  boldness  were 
afraid  to  own  it.  The  effects  are  evident. 
Witli  many  people  of  fashion,  infidelity  is 
fashionable.  Their  dependents  and  servants 
imbibe  their  sentiments,  and,  so  far  as  their 
ability  reaches,  imitate  their  practice.  Every 
class  of  society  downwards,  tradesmen,  por- 
ters, labourers,  and  hostlers,  are  no  less 
pleased  with  thinking  and  acting  without 
control,  than  their  superiors.  Thus  the 
bonds  of  society  are  weakened ;  vice,  idle- 
ness, impatience,  murmuring,  and  insubordi- 
nation are  seen,  wherever  we  turn  our  eyes. 
When  will  these  things  end  ?  When  men 
agree  to  cast  off  the  fear  of  God,  they  will 
seldom  long  accord  in  any  thing  else.  Man, 
in  his  natural  state,  is  a  wild  creature ;  but 
while  his  conscience  is  not  quite  hardened, 
while  he  acknowledges  a  God,  and  e.xpects  a 
future  state  and  a  day  of  judgment,  though 
he  commits  many  evils,  he  is  restrained  from 
committing  many  more,  and  greater,  to  which 
his  corrupt  propensities  would  otherwise  in- 
cline him,  and  from  which  he  would  not  be 
deterred  by  mere  human  laws  and  penalties. 
Such  a  sinner  may  be  compared  to  a  lion  in 
the  Tower:  but  an  infidel  is  a  lion  in  the 
street. 

(2.)  The  great  neglect  of  the  obligations 
of  religion,  amongst  those  who  have  not  ex- 
plicitly cast  off  all  regard  to  it,  is  a  national 
sin.  If  a  stranger  from  some  remote  part  of 
the  world,  who  understood  our  language, 
was  to  see  and  hear  all  that  passes  at  a  con- 
tested election,  at  our  cockpits,  gaming- 
houses, race-grounds,  boxing-matches,  and 
many  other  promiscuous  assemblies,  what 
judgment  could  he  form  of  our  religion  ?  Or 
could  he  readily  believe  tliat  we  had  any  ? 
And  yet  we  could  not  tell  him  that  they  were 
all  infidels.  Many  who  live  in  the  habitual 
neglect  or  breach  of  the  precepts  of  scripture, 
would  still  be  thought  Christians,  though  they 
have  little,  but  the  avowal  of  the  name,  to  dis- 
tinguish them  from  the  most  determined  infi- 
dels. And  it  is  to  be  feared,  that  such  Chris- 
tians constitute  a  very  great  majority  of  the 
people  of  England. 

(3.)  The  contempt  of  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
will,  I  fear,  be  found  a  national  sin,  with  the 


MOTIVES  TO  HUMILIATION  AND  PRAISE. 


437 


exception  of  the  comparatively  few  who  cor- 
dially embrace  it.  I  have  already  explained 
in  what  sense  I  understand  the  word  Gospel. 
When  the  doctrines  of ourestablished  church, 
which  in  the  main  are  conformable  to  the 
confessions  and  standards  of  all  the  protestant 
churches  in  Europe,  are  faithfully  preached, 
and  especially  when  first  introduced  into  a 
parish,  they  usually  cause  a  general  alarm, 
they  excite  a  general  opposition.  The  gos- 
pel is  sliunned  and  dreaded  like  a  pestilence, 
and  the  strongest  exertions  are  made  to  pre- 
vent its  entrance,  or  to  expel  it,  if  possible. 
The  ministers  who  preach  it  faithfully  are 
stigmatized  and  misrepresented.  We  learn 
from  Suetonius,  Tacitus,  and  Pliny,  that 
the  name  Christian  was  once  so  extremely 
odious,  that  whoever  dared  to  own  it  was 
suspected  as  capable  or  guilty  of  the  worst 
crimes,  though  no  proof  could  be  brought  of 
his  having  committed  any.  The  word  Me- 
thodist has  a  degree  of  the  like  effect  in  our 
day.  It  is  not  now,  as  when  first  imposed, 
the  name  of  a  particular  sect  or  body  of  peo- 
ple, but  is  applied  to  all  who  preach  and  ap- 
prove the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  if  they  are 
not  Dissenters.  And  it  operates  with  a  kind 
of  magical  force  ;  the  very  sound  of  the  word 
is  sufficient  to  fill  the  minds  of  many  people 
with  prejudices  against  the  truth.  Neither 
learning,  piety,  an  exemplary  conduct,  nor  a 
regular  compliance  with  the  rules  of  the  ru- 
bric, can  always,  or  often,  secure  a  minister 
from  contempt,  if  the  giddy  world  think  pro- 
per to  call  liim  a  Methodist.  The  people 
prefer  those  who  will  prophesy  smooth  things, 
(Is.  XXX.  10 ;)  and  in  most  places  they  have 
their  wish.  Candour  itself  cannot  deny,  that 
there  are  in  many  parishes  of  this  kingdom 
official  shepherds,  who  have  neither  will  nor 
skill  to  teach  or  watch  over  their  flocks;  and 
multitudes  of  people  who,  for  want  of  proper 
instruction,  have  little  more  knowledge  of 
Christianity  than  the  Indians  in  America. 
Some  of  us  have  reason  to  be  thankful  to 
God  and  to  our  superiors  in  church  and  state, 
that  we  are  not  discountenanced  or  molested 
m  the  exercise  of  our  ministry.  But  our 
path  is  not  the  ordinary  road  to  approbation 
or  preferment.  There  are  not  many  evan- 
gelical clergymen  who  have  benefices,  and 
these  have  been  chiefly  bestowed  by  private 
patronage.* 

(4.)  Because  of  swearing,  the  land  mourn- 
eth,  Jer.  xxiii.  10.  This  generally  prevail- 
ing enormity  has  two  branches — First,  Cus- 
tomary profane  swearing,  blasphemy,  and 
execration,  in  common  discourse.    We  can 


*  Upon  the  dpath  of  the  late  Mr.  Romaine,  Rector  of 
St.  Andrew,  VVardrnbn,  and  St.  Ann's,  Blackfriars,  the 
inhabitants  united  in  a  pi  titinn  to  the  Lonl  Chancellor, 
in  favour  of  his  Curate,  whom  they  wished  to  succeed 
him  in  the  living :  and  the  Lord  Cliancellor  wa.s  pleased 
to  grant  their  request.  I  meDlion  this  exception  with 
pleasure;  because  I  think  it  is  much  to  the  honour  both 
of  Ilia  Lordship,  and  of  the  parishioners. 


seldom  walk  the  length  of  a  street,  without 
having  our  ears  pained,  and  our  hearts  wound- 
ed, by  the  bitter  imprecations  which  thought- 
less creatures  utter  against  themselves,  or 
each  other.  It  might  be  expected  that  this 
horrid  wickedness  would  be  confined  to  the 
lowest  and  most  abandoned  of  the  common 
people.  But  it  is  far  otherwise.  Gentlemen 
and  noblemen  make  a  point  of  distinguishing 
themselves  from  the  vulgar  by  their  houses, 
their  dress,  their  tables,  and  their  equipage; 
but  many  of  them  in  their  language  take  a 
strange  pleasure  in  degrading  themselves  to 
a  level  with  the  vilest  of  tiie  species ;  so  that, 
were  it  not  for  their  exterior,  we  might  be 
led  to  think  that  they  had  spent  their  whole 
lives  among  stable-grooms  and  postilions; 
and  thus  by  their  own  proficiency  and  exam- 
ple they  harden  and  confirm  in  their  wicked- 
ness those  whom  they  imitate. 

The  insult  offered  to  the  majesty  and  holi- 
ness of  God  by  common  swearing,  contributes 
greatly  to  take  off  a  sense  of  the  heinous  sin 
of  perjury,  or  false  swearing ;  an  appeal  to 
the  God  of  truth  in  confirmation  of  a  lie. 
This  is  the  other  branch  of  that  swearing  for 
which  the  land  ought  to  mourn,  and,  sooner 
or  later,  must  mourn.  Perjury  is  emphati- 
cally one  of  our  national  sins.  "The  multi- 
plicity of  oaths,  which  are  interwoven  into 
almost  every  branch  of  public  business,  in- 
volves thousands  in  the  habitual  guilt  of  per- 
jury. Many  of  them,  it  is  true,  do  not  ne- 
cessarily lead  to  sin,  because  honest  and 
conscientious  men  may  and  do  strictly  ob- 
serve them ;  but  it  is  to  be  feared,  a  greater 
number  deliberately  and  customarily  violate 
these  solemn  obligations,  and  take  them  as 
often  as  imposed,  without  hesitation,  and 
without  any  desire  of  complying  with  them. 
Not  a  few  of  these  oaths  arc  either  so  word- 
ed or  so  circumstanced,  that  it  is  morally  im- 
possible to  fulfil  them ;  and  if  a  person  was 
even  to  attempt  it,  he  would  be  thought  a 
busy-body  or  a  fool ;  yet  they  must  be  tender- 
ed, and  must  be  taken  as  a  matter  of  form, 
when  nothing  more  is  expected  or  purposed 
on  either  side.  The  number  of  church- 
wardens and  constables  who  are  annually 
sworn  is  very  great;  and  as  these  offices  are 
chiefly  held  by  rotation,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
years  they  take  in  a  considerable  part  of  the 
middling  people  in  the  kingdom.  How  many 
or  how  few  of  them  act  up  to  the  letter  and 
the  spirit  of  the  oaths  they  have  taken,  will 
be  known  in  the  day  when  the  secrets  of  all 
hearts  shall  be  revealed.  But  it  is  now  evi- 
dent, that  while  many,  like  sheep,  tread  with- 
out thought  in  the  path  of  custom,  content  to 
forswear  themselves  because  others  have  done 
so  before  them ;  and  some  are  hardy  enough 
to  trifle  with  God  and  man  for  profit:  the 
laws  which  enjoin  and  multiply  oaths,  do 
thereby  furnish  and  multiply  temptations  to 
the  sin  of  perjury.    The  frequency  of  oaths, 


436 


MOTIVES  TO  HUrHILlATION  AND  PRAISE 


the  irreverent  manner  in  which  they  are  of- 
ten administered,  and  the  impunity  with 
which  they  are  broken,  have  greatly  contri- 
buted to  weaken  the  sense  of  every  moral 
obligation,  and  to  spread  a  dissolute  and 
darmg  spirit  throughout  the  land."* 

(r).)  Oppression  is  a  national  sin,  if  the 
grievance  be  publicly  known,  and  no  consti- 
tutional measures  adopted  for  prevention  or 
relief.  Charges  of  this  nature  have  been 
brought  against  the  exercise  of  our  power, 
both  in  the  east  and  in  the  west.  I  pretend 
not  to  say  how  far  they  are  founded  in  truth, 
or  exaggerated.  I  confine  myself  to  a  single 
instance,  of  which  my  own  experience  war- 
rants me  to  speak.  I  have  more  than  once 
confessed  with  shame  in  this  pulpit,  the  con- 
cern I  had  too  long  in  the  African  slave- 
trade.  This  trade,  marked  as  it  is  with  the 
epithet  infamous  by  a  vote  of  the  House  of 
Commons,  is  still  carried  on,  and  under  the 
sanction  of  the  legislature.  Though  the  re- 
peated attempts  to  procure  the  abolition  of 
this  trade  have  not  succeeded,  they  have 
doubtless  contributed  to  meliorate  the  condi- 
tion of  the  blacks  who  are  in  a  state  of  slavery 
in  our  West-India  islands.  The  mode  of 
their  transportation  thither  from  the  African 
coast  seems  to  be  less  tormenting  and  fatal 
than  formerly.  How  far  this  trade  may  have 
been  affected  by  the  present  war  I  know  not. 
When  I  was  engaged  in  it,  we  generally 
supposed,  for  an  accurate  calculation  was  not 
practicable,  that  there  were  not  less  than  a 
hundred  thousand  persons,  men,  women,  and 
children,  brought  off  the  coast,  by  the  Euro- 
pean vessels  of  all  nations,  and  that  an  equal 
number  lost  their  lives  annually,  by  the  wars 
and  other  calamities  occasioned  by  the  traffic, 
either  on  shore,  without  reaching  the  ship, 
or  on  shipboard  before  they  reached  the  places 
of  sale.  It  was  also  supposed  that  more  than 
one  half,  perhaps  three  fifths  of  the  trade  was 
in  the  hands  of  the  English.  If  the  trade  is 
at  present  carried  on  to  the  same  extent,  and 
nearly  in  the  same  manner,  while  we  are 
delaying  from  year  to  year  to  put  a  stop  to 
our  part  of  it,  the  blood  of  many  thousands  of 
our  helpless,  much-injured  fellow-creatures, 
IS  crying  against  us.  The  pitiable  state  of 
the  survivors  who  are  torn  from  their  nearest 
relatives,  connections,  and  their  native  land, 
must  be  taken  into  the  account. — Enough  of 
this  horrid  scene.  I  fear  the  African  trade 
is  a  national  sin,  for  the  enormities  which  ac- 
company it  are  now  generally  known ;  and 
though  perhaps  the  greater  part  of  the  na- 
tion would  be  pleased  if  it  were  suppressed, 
yet  as  it  does  not  immediately  affect  their 
own  interest,  they  are  passive.  The  shop- 
tax,  a  few  years  since,  touched  them  in  a 
more  sensible  and  tender  part,  and  there- 


*  See  Sermon  on  the  guilt  and  danger  of  sucln  nation 
as  lhi:s,  p.  3J3. 


fore  petitions  and  remonstrances  were  pre- 
sented and  repeated,  till  the  tax  was  repealed. 
Can  we  wonder  that  the  calamities  of  the 
present  war  begin  to  be  felt  at  home,  when 
we  ourselves  wilfully  and  deliberately  in- 
flict much  greater  calamities  upon  the  na- 
tive Africans,  who  never  ofl'ended  usl  That 
is  an  awful  word,  "Woe  unto  thee  that 
sp^l^^st,  and  thou  wast  not  spoiled ;  when 
thou  shalt  cease  to  spoil,  thou  shalt  be  spoil- 
ed," Isa.  xxxiii.  1. 

(6.)  A  proud  boasting  spirit,  and  a  vain 
confidence  in  our  strength  and  resources,  ia 
a  prominent  part  of  our  national  character. 
Though  infidelity,  irreligion,  contempt  both 
of  the  law  and  gospel  of  God,  profaneness, 
perjury,  and  oppression,  expose  us  to  his  ven- 
geance,— though  the  judgments  of  God  are 
abroad  in  the  earth,  and  have  fallen  heavily 
on  a  great  part  of  Europe, — and  though  his 
hand  is  evidently  lifted  up  against  us,  yet 
few  will  see  and  acknowledge  it,  Isa.  xxvi. 
11.  Instead  of  such  a  general  spirit  of  hu- 
miliation as  was  awakened  in  Nineveh  by 
the  preaching  of  Jonah,  so  well  becoming 
our  sins  and  our  situation,  we  still  boast  in 
our  fleets  and  armies.  Especially  the  Wood- 
en Walls  of  Old  England  are  spoken  of  as 
impregnable,  and  we  still  suppose  ourselves 
to  be  sovereign  lords  of  the  sea.  Some  late 
providential  dispensations  were  well  suited 
to  show  us,  not  only  the  sin  but  the  folly  of 
this  spirit :  but  the  impression,  if  any,  was 
transient ;  it  soon  wore  off.  The  praise 
justly  due  to  our  admirals,  officers,  and  sea- 
men was  readily  offered ;  but  unless  the  King 
had  called  us,  as  on  this  day,  to  unite  with 
him  in  ascribing  our  success  to  the  Lord  of 
Hosts,  who  alone  giveth  the  victory,  even  the 
verbal  ofiering  of  praise  to  God  would  have 
been  confined  to  a  few.  And  still  we  boast. 
This  arroffant  spirit,  and  especially  at  such 
a  time  as  this,  is  no  small  aggravation  of  all 
our  other  sins. 

I  could  proceed  to  further  particulars,  but 
my  spirits  are  depressed,  and  I  hope  the 
hearts  of  my  hearers  are  duly  affected  by 
what  I  have  already  said.  Is  there  any  re- 
lief! Have  we  any  ground  to  hope  that  the 
Lord  will  yet  say  of  such  a  nation  as  this, 
"  How  shall  I  give  thee  up?"  I  turn  with 
pleasure  to  this  more  comfortable  branch  ot 
my  subject. 

II.  Yes,  though  we  have  many  causes  for 
trembling,  we  are  not  without  causes  for  a 
humble  joy,  and  thankfulness. 

1.  I  hope  the  occasion  of  our  present  as- 
sembling is  a  token  for  good.  We  are  met 
in  consequence  of  a  royal  proclamation,  to 
join  in  spirit  with  our  King,  who,  perhaps 
while  I  am  speaking,  may  be  entering  St. 
Paul's  Cathedral,  attended  by  the  royal  fa^ 
mily,  both  houses  of  parliament,  and  many 
of  the  nobility  and  principal  persons  of  the 
court.    He  goes  to  make  the  most  public  and 


MOTIVES  TO  HUMILIATION  AND  PRAISE. 


439 


colemn  acknowledg-ment  of  his  dependence 
on  tlie  providence  and  power  of  Almighty 
God,  and  to  ascribe  to  him  to  whom  it  most 
justly  belongs,  praise  and  thanksgiving  for 
the  many  interpositions  he  has  favoured  us 
with  as  a  people,  in  this  season  of  danger  and 
distress;  particularly,  for  the  three  signal, 
critical,  and  decisive  victories  which  he  gave 
us  in  succession,  over  the  French,  Spanish, 
and  Dutch  fleets.  We  remember  with  what 
universal  joy  the  King's  former  appearance 
at  St.  Paul's, after  his  recovery  from  his  ill- 
ness, was  entertained  by  his  loyal  subjects ; 
and  though  the  introduction  of  French  prin- 
ciples and  French  politics,  since  that  period, 
has  not  been  without  mischievous  effects,  we 
trust  that  the  joy  upon  this  occasion  will  at 
least  be  general.* 

Though  I  cannot  suppose  that  every  per- 
son in  the  procession,  or  among  the  many 
thousands  spectators,  felt  the  same  sentiments 
of  gratitude  to  God,  which  induced  the  King 
to  appoint  a  day  of  thanksgiving — yet  I  con- 
sider it  as  a  public  and  national  act ;  and  in 
this  view,  contrasted  with  the  atheistical 
rage  and  blasphemies  of  the  French  Direc- 
tory and  coimcils,  who  insult  and  defy,  not 
these  kingdoms  only,  but  the  God  whom  we 
worship,  I  indulge  a  hope,  that,  unworthy  as 
we  are  of  his  mercy,  the  Lord  will  put  a 
hook  and  a  bridle  in  the  mouths  of  th^se  mo- 
dern Rabshakehs,  and  will  not  give  us  up  as 
a  prey  to  their  merciless  rapacity  and  re- 
venge. 

2.  When  the  French  formed  the  design  of 
invading  Ireland,  they  tiiought  themselves 
sure  of  success.  They  probably  would  have 
found  encouragement  in  one  part  of  that 
kingdom,  if  they  could  have  reached  it ;  and 
therefore  they  spoke  like  Pharaoh,  who  said, 
I  will  pursue,  I  will  overtake,  I  will  divide 
the  spoil, — and  they  were  disconcerted  al- 
most in  the  same  manner.  The  Lord  blew 
witii  his  wind,  and  scattered  them.  Some 
of  their  stoutest  ships,  and  many  of  their 
men,  sunk  as  lead  in  the  mighty  waters, 
Exod.  XV.  9,  10.  And  the  Lord  God  did  it 
himself.  We  had  a  strong  fleet  to  watch 
and  oppose  them.  But  they  were  not  per- 
mitted to  come  near,  or  even  to  see  one  of 
their  ships.  Nor  had  our  boasted  naval  force 
the  opportunity  of  firing  a  single  gun  in  our 
defence. 

•i.  The  suppression  of  the  mutiny,  which 
like  an  infectious  disorder  pervaded  all  our 
fleets,  was  so  sudden,  so  unexpected,  and  at 
the  time  when  it  was  risen  to  such  an  alarm- 


*  I  was  not  mistaken  in  my  expectation.  The  order 
and  renularity  with  which  the  procession  was  conduct- 
ed, XlK  peaceful  hehaviour  of  the  immense  multitude  of 
spectators,  the  serenity  and  mildness  of  the  weatlier,  so 
unusual  with  us  in  the  depth  of  winter,  the  almost  to- 
tal exemption  froiri  what  are  commonly  called  accidents, 
and  the  quietne.'is  with  which  tiie  evening  closed,  I  con- 
sider collectively,  as  warranting  a  hopt;  that  the  Lord 
was  pleased  to  smile  upon  the  day,  ami  upon  the  design. 


ing  height  that  all  resistance  seemed  vain, 
that  it  can  only  be  ascribed  to  the  mercy  and 
power  of  God.  Then,  if  ever,  was  the  time, 
when  the  proud  and  the  boasters  trembled. — 
And  while  we  were  thus  exposed  and  de- 
fenceless in  every  quarter,  the  providence  of 
God  laid  an  embargo  upon  the  fleets  of  our 
enemies,  so  that  they  could  not  attempt  any 
thing  against  us.  It  is  further  to  be  observ- 
ed, that  the  mutiny  at  the  Nore,  which  was 
the  most  formidable,  as  the  ships  had  the  full 
command  of  the  river,  so  that  nothing  could 
pass  or  repass  to  or  from  London  ;  this  threat- 
ening disaster,  which  painted  terror  and  dis- 
may in  the  countenance  of  almost  every  per- 
son we  met  in  the  streets,  in  the  event  led  to 
that  re-establishment  of  our  marine  disci- 
pline, without  which  the  strength  of  our  in- 
vincible navy  would  have  been  but  like  a 
rope  of  sand.  Well  may  we  say,  What  has 
Grod  wrought ! 

4.  In  the  close  of  the  year  1795,  we  felt  a 
scarcity,  and  feared  a  famine.  Opportunity 
was  presented  and  greedily  seized  by  mono- 
polizers to  raise  the  corn  to  such  an  enormous 
price,  that  had  it  not  been  for  great  and  libe- 
ral exertions,  the  poor  in  many  places,  per- 
haps in  every  place,  must  have  been  abso- 
lutely destitute  of  broad.  What  must  the 
consequences  have  been  if  God  had  visited 
us  with  a  scanty  or  a  wet  harvest  the  follow- 
ing year  7  For  our  resource  from  foreign 
supplies  was  cut  off  in  many  parts,  and  ren- 
dered very  precarious  in  the  rest  by  the  war. 
But  he  is  a  hearer  of  prayer.  In  1796,  the 
earth  brought  forth  by  handfuls.  Gen.  xli.  47. 
Such  an  abundant  harvest,  and  such  a  re- 
markable fine  season  for  gathering  in  the  pre- 
cious fruits  of  the  earth,  have  been  seldom 
known. 

5.  Our  sins  have  involved  us  in  a  calami- 
tous war  ;  and  though  our  sufferings  are  not 
to  be  compared  with  those  of  the  countries 
on  the  continent  where  the  war  has  raged,  it 
has  brought  upon  us  much  real  distress. 
Many  widows  and  orphans  are  bemoaning  the 
effects.  The  decline  of  some  manufactures, 
the  increased  taxes,  the  advanced  price  of 
most  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  are  severely 
felt  by  the  industrious  poor,  and  by  many  fa- 
milies in  the  middling  and  lower  classes  of 
society.  It  is  well  known  that  there  is  a 
number  of  persons  who  unhappily  employ 
their  abilities  and  influence,  to  aggravate  the 
sense  of  these  difficulties,  to  inflame  the 
minds  of  the  sufferers,  to  work  upon  their 
passions,  to  alienate  them  from  the  govern- 
ment, and  to  make  them  long,  if  possible,  for 
such  liberty  and  equality  as  has  already  re- 
duced France  to  the  most  pitiable  state  of 
anarchy  and  misery.  That  such  attempts 
have  not  succeeded,  that  we  are  still  pre- 
served, not  only  from  foreign  invasion  but 
from  internal  commotions,  I  ascribe  to  the 
power  of  the  great  God  over  the  hearts  of 


440 


MOTIVES  TO  HUMILIATION  AND  PRAISE. 


the  children  of  men  ;  and  I  consider  it  as  a 
farther  ground  of  hope  that  he  will  not  give 
OS  up. 

III.  Why  would  he  not  give  up  degenerate 
Israel,  when  strict  justice  demanded  their 
destruction!  Two  reasons  are  assigned  in 
my  text  for  his  forbearance,  which  are  well 
suited  to  encourage  the  prayers  and  hopes 
of  those  amongst  ourselves  who  love  and 
fear  him. 

1.  I  am  God,  and  not  man. — If  we  had 
offended  men,  or  angels,  as  we  have  offended 
our  Creator  and  Redeemer,  and  they  had 
permission  and  power  to  pimish  us,  our  case 
would  be  utterly  desperate.  Only  he  who 
made  us,  is  able  to  bear  with  us.  All  the 
attributes  (as  we  speak)  of  the  infinite  God, 
must  of  course  be  equally  infinite.  As  is  his 
majesty,  so  is  his  mercy,  Ecclesiasticus  ii.  18. 
What  is  the  puny  power  of  man,  compared 
with  that  almighty  power  which  formed  and 
upholds  the  immense  universe !  The  dis- 
proportion is  greater  than  that  between  a 
single  drop  of  water  and  the  boundless  ocean. 
Thus  his  thoughts  are  higher  than  ours,  as 
the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth.  Who 
can  set  bounds  to  the  exercise  of  patience  1 
When  sentence  was  denounced  against  Nine- 
veh, they  humbled  themselves  before  him, 
and  he  suspended  the  execution.  There  is 
at  least  a  poradventure  incur  favour,  "  Who 
can  tell  if  God  will  turn  away  from  his  fierce 
anger  that  we  perish  not  V  He  has  said, 
"At  what  time  I  shall  speak  concerning  a 
nation,  or  a  kingdom,  to  pluck  up,  to  pull 
down,  or  to  destroy ;  if  that  nation  turn  from 
their  evil,  I  will  repent  of  the  evil  that  I 
thought  to  do  unto  them,"  Jer.  xviii.  7,  8. 
We  do  not  suppose  that  all  the  inhabitants 
of  Nineveh  were  savingly  converted  ;  but 
they  humbled  themselves  with  one  consent, 
they  cried  for  mercy,  and  they  were  spared. 
We  do  not  expect  a  national  conversion,  and 
I  fear  we  have  little  prospect  of  a  national 
humiliation.  But, 

2.  I  am  the  Holy  One  in  the  midst  of  thee, 
— Next  to  the  consideration  of  his  infinite 
mercy,  this  is  our  strongest  ground  for  con- 
solation. The  Holy  One  is  still  in  the  midst 
of  us  !  Degenerate  and  wicked  as  we  are, 
God  has  a  people,  a  remnant  amongst  us.  I 
have  spoken  of  these  already.  Their  num- 
ber is  small  if  compared  with  the  bulk  of  the 
nation ;  but  if  they  could  be  collected  to- 
gether, they  would  form  a  considerable  body 
(I  trust  it  is  an  increasing  body,)  who,  though 
distinguished  by  different  names,  and  dis- 
persed far  and  wide  into  different  parts  of 
the  land,  are  united,  by  a  faith  of  divine 
operation,  to  one  head,  and  in  one  common 
interest  and  design. — They  belong  to  that 
kingdom  which  is  not  of  this  world,  and 
which  (unlike  all  other  kingdoms)  cannot  be 
shaken.  But  their  principles  lead  them  to 
seek  the  welfare  of  the  communities  in 


which  they  live.  These  are,  under  God, 
df  CKs  et  tutamen,  the  glory  and  the  defence 
of  Great  Britain.  They  are  lights  shining 
in  a  dark  place.  They  are  believers,  and 
their  faith  workcth  by  love.  But  as  they 
follow  the  example  of  their  Lord  and  Master, 
the  world  knows  not  them,  because  it  knows 
not  him.  Here  and  there,  individuals,  by 
an  unblameable  consistent  conduct,  in  a  course 
of  years,  if  they  cannot  change  the  hearts  of 
gainsayers,  are  enabled  to  stop  their  mouths, 
and  put  their  ignorance  to  silence  by  well- 
doing, 1  Pet.  ii.  15.  But  many  persons  de- 
spise them  in  the  gross,  and  affect  to  deem 
them  (perhaps  in  defiance  to  the  checks  of 
their  own  consciences,)  either  hypocrites  or 
visionaries,  credulous  fools,  or  designing 
knaves.  But  their  record  is  on  high.  They 
have  access  to  God,  and  communion  with 
him,  by  the  Son  of  his  love.  They  have  the 
spirit  of  prayer,  and  their  prayers  are  heard. 
The  ship  in  which  Paul  sailed  to  Italy,  was 
preserved  from  sinking,  though  apparently 
in  the  utmost  danger,  because  the  apostle 
was  on  board  hei".  Not  only  was  this  ser- 
vant of  God  as  safe  in  a  storm  at  sea  as  if 
he  had  been  on  shore,  but  for  his  sake  the 
Lord  preserved  the  lives  of  all  who  were  in 
the  vessel.  The  state  ship  of  this  nation  is 
now  in  jeopardy,  she  is  brought  into  deep 
waters?  tossed  with  tempests,  and  her  rovv'ers 
(Ezek.  xxvii.  26,)  are  almost  at  their  wits 
end;  but  there  is  a  precious  dcposilum  on 
board.  A  people  dear  to  the  Lord  are  em- 
barked in  the  same  bottom  with  the  rest, 
and  we  hope  their  prayers  will  prevail  lor 
the  safety  of  the  whole.  The  French,  who 
know  little  of  Christianity  but  as  they  have 
seen  it  through  the  corrupt  medium  of  po- 
pery, having  triumphed  over  and  melted 
down  the  golden  and  silver  images  of  their 
tutelary  saints,  promise  themselves  an  easy 
victory  over  us.  They  know  not  that  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel  is  in  the  midst  of  us,  and 
that  there  are  a  people  here  who  are  under 
his  special  protection.  They  know  not  that 
like  Sennacherib,  their  success  is  wholly 
owing  to  their  being  instruments  of  his  will, 
like  saws  or  hammers  in  the  hand  of  the 
workman  ;  and  that  when  they  have  accom- 
plished his  purpose,  he  can  and  he  will  say 
to  them,  Hitherto  thou  shalt  come,  and  no 
farther.  They  have  succeeded  beyond  their 
own  expectations,  far  and  wide  upon  the 
continent :  but  all  tiieir  attempts  and  de- 
signs against  our  favoured  land  have  hitherto 
been  rendered  abortive.  We  hope  they  will 
prove  so. 

At  all  events,  it  shall  be  well  with  the 
righteous,  Isa.  iii.  12.  Rejoice,  believers,  in 
the  Lord.  You  may  be  assured  upon  the 
warrant  of  his  faithful  promise,  either  that 
he  will  preserve  you  from  the  evils  which 
our  sins  give  us  such  cause  to  apprehend ; 
or  if  he  should  appoint  you  to  share  in  a 


MOTIVES  TO  HUMILIATION  AND  PRAISE. 


441 


common  calamity,  he  will  make  yourstreng'th 
equal  to  your  clay,  and  will  prepare  your 
shoes  of  iron  and  brass,  (Deut.  xxxiii.  26,) 
when  any  part  of  the  road,  on  which  you 
travel  throug-h  this  wilderness  towards  your 
heavenly  homo,  siiall  prove  very  ditRcult  and 
rug-jred.  Pray  for  <jrace  to  sit  loose  to  tlie 
World,  and  you  will  have  nothingr  to  fear. 
The  first  christians  rejoiced  in  the  spoiling' 
of  their  n'oods ;  and  so  shall  you,  if  the  Lord 
calls  you  to  the  trial.  You  have  the  same 
Saviour  tosupport  you;  and  you  likewise  have 
treasures,  (Heb.  x.  34,)  far  better  and  more 
enduring,  out  of  the  reach  of  violence.  The 
Lord  teaches  us  to  consider  even  the  loss  of 
life  as  comparatively  of  small  importance, 
when  he  says.  Fear  not  them  that  can  kill 
the  body,  but  can  do  no  more.  They  cannot 
do  that  without  his  permission.  The  very 
hairs  of  your  head  are  numbered,  Luke  xii. 
4;  Matt.  x.  39.  And  most  of  those  who 
have  suffered  death  for  him  who  died  upon 
the  cross  for  them,  have  thought  the  honour 
of  dying;  in  his  cause  more  to  be  valued  than 
a  thousand  lives. 

My  feelings  are  painful  for  you  who  live 
without  God  in  the  world.  1  do  not  wonder 
if  your  hearts  tremble  like  the  leaves  of  a 
tree  when  agitated  by  a  mighty  wind,  Is. 
vii.  2.  You  know  not  what  may  come  upon 
you,  but  you  forebode  the  worst :  and  should 
It  prove  so,  you  have  no  resource,  no  hiding 
place,  no  Almighty  Friend  to  whom  you  may 


with  confidence  apply  for  help  in  time  of 
trouble.  Death,  at  least,  is  inevitable ;  and 
will  you  dare  to  die  (yet  die  you  must)  if 
your  hearts  be  unhumbled,  and  your  sins 
unpardoned?  We  preach  to  you  a  gracious, 
powerful  Saviour,  who  invites  you  to  seek 
him,  and  has  said,  "Him  that  cometh  to  me, 
I  will  in  nowise  cast  out."  Seek  him  then 
to-day — whilst  it  is  called  to-day.  Now  is 
the  accepted  time,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation. 
To-morrow  is  not  your  own. 

But  let  believers  rejoice  and  be  glad.  The 
Lord  reigns — your  Lord  reigns,  Ps.  xcvii.  1. 
He  who  loved  you,  and  gave  himself  for  you, 
fwssesses  and  exercises  all  power  in  heaven 
and  earth,  Matt,  xxviii.  18.  Though  clouds 
and  darkness  are  about  his  throne,  and  his 
paths  are  untraceable  by  us,  we  are  sure 
that  he  is  carrying  on  his  great  designs,  for 
the  glory  of  his  great  name,  and  for  the  ex- 
tension and  establishment  of  his  church  in  a 
way  worthy  of  himsSW — worthy  of  infinite 
wisdom  and  goodness.  Make  his  name  your 
strong  tower  (Prov.  xviii.  10,)  of  refuge. 
Hold  out  faith  and  patience.  Yet  a  little 
while,  and  we  hope  to  meet,  "  where  the 
wicked  cease  from  troubling,  and  where  the 
weary  are  at  rest,"  Job  iii.  17.  And  to  hear 
those  welcome  words,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of 
my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for 
you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,"  Matt 
xxv.  34. 


Vol.  IL 


TRACTS. 


APOLOGIA; 

OR, 

FOUR  LETTERS  TO  A  MINISTER  OF  AN  INDEPENDENT  CHURCH, 
BY  A  MINISTER  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND. 

 duid  me  alta  silentia  cogis 

Rumpere  1   ViRo. 

Let  us  therefore  follow  after  the  things  which  make  for  peace,  and  things  wherewith  one  may  edify  another. 
For  in  Jesus  Chiist,  neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision,  but  faith  which  worketh  by 
love.  Rom.  xiv.  19.   Gal.  v.  6. 


LETTER  L 

My  Dear  Friend  and  Brother, — You 
have  more  than  once  gently  called  upon  me 
for  the  reasons  which  induced  me  to  exercise 
my  ministry  as  a  Clergyman  of  the  Church 
of  England,  rather  than  among  the  Dissent- 
ers, where  my  first  religious  connections 
were  formed,  and  with  many  of  whom  I  still 
maintain  a  cordial  friendship.  Hitherto  I 
have  usually  waved  the  subject,  and  content- 
ed myself  with  assuring  you  in  general  terms, 
that  as  the  preference  I  gave  to  the  establish- 
ment was  the  result  of  serious,  and,  I  trust. 
Impartial  inquiry ;  so  I  had  never  seen  rea- 
son to  repent  of  it,  no  not  for  a  minute,  since 
the  day  of  my  ordination.  I  now  purpose  to 
give  you  a  more  particular  answer.  And  as 
you  are  not  the  only  person  who  has  express- 
ed a  friendly  surprise  at  my  choice,  I  shall 
communicate  my  reasons  from  the  press,  that 
all  my  friends  who  have  been  at  a  loss  to  ac- 
count for  my  conduct,  may  have  such  satis- 
faction as  it  is  in  my  power  to  give  them.  I 
shall,  however,  keep  you  particularly  in  my 
eye  while  I  write,  that  a  just  sense  of  the  can- 
dour and  affection  with  which  you  have 
always  treated  me,  may  regulate  my  pen, 
and  preserve  me  (if  possible)  from  that  harsh 
and  angry  spirit,  into  which  writers  upon 
controversial  points  are  too  often  betrayed. 

I  confess,  that  as  in  this  business  my  con- 
science is  clear  in  the  sight  of  him  to  whom 
alone  I  am  properly  accountable ;  I  could 
wish  still  to  continue  silent,  and  submit  to 


be  a  little  misunderstood  by  some  persons 
whose  good  opinion  I  prize,  rather  than  trou- 
ble the  public  with  what  more  immediately 
relates  to  myself  But  something  upon  this 
subject  seems  expedient  in  the  present  day ; 
not  so  much  by  way  of  apology  for  one  or  a 
few  individuals,  as  with  a  view  of  obviating 
prejudices,  and  preventing,  or  at  least  abat- 
ing, the  unhappy  effects  of  a  party-spirit. 

There  was  a  time  when  the  Non-conform- 
ists groaned  under  the  iron  rod  of  oppression, 
and  were  exposed  to  fines,  penalties,  and  im- 
prisonment, as  well  as  to  cruel  mockings, 
and  the  lawless  rage  of  a  rabble,  for  wor- 
shipping God  according  to  the  light  of  their 
consciences.  Yet  I  apprehend  their  non-con- 
formity was  rather  the  occasional  and  ostensi- 
ble, than  the  real  cause  of  the  hard  treatment 
they  met  with.  The  greater  part  of  the  Non- 
conformist ministers  of  that  day  were  the 
light  and  glory  of  the  land. — They  were 
men  full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  pene- 
trated with  a  deep  sense  of  the  Redeemer's 
glory  and  love,  and  of  the  worth  of  souls. 
Their  ministrations  were  accompanied  with 
unction  and  power,  and  they  were  instru- 
mental in  turning  many  sinners  from  the 
evil  of  their  ways.  It  is  no  wonder  that  the 
world  hated  such  men;  that  snares  were 
spread  for  their  feet,  their  liberty  abridged, 
and  that  many  said.  Away  with  them,  they 
are  not  worthy  to  live  !  It  is  probable  that 
if  these  servants  of  the  Most  High  could 
have  enjoyed  that  freedom  for  their  persons 
and  assemblies,  which,  in  answer  to  their 
442 


LET.  r.] 


APOLOGIA. 


443 


prayers,  is  now  possessed  by  those  vvlio  bear 
the  same  name,  thoy  would  liavc  been  well 
Batisfied  that  the  Established  Church  should 
liavc  rctnaiiied  in  peaceful  possession  of  its 
own  order  and  ritual.  And  several  among 
thcin,  not  the  lowest  in  repute  for  wisdom 
and  piety,  continued  long  to  worship  occa- 
sidtially  in  the  Parish  Churches,  after  they 
had  been  ejected  from  them  as  preachers. 
But  things  were  studiously  carried  against 
them  with  a  high  hand.  The  exaction  of 
ro-ordination,  and  tlie  little  time  allowed  for 
sn'iscribing  the  book  of  Common  Prayer, 
which  many  of  the  ministers  had  not  been 
•jMo  to  procure  when  the  law  called  for  their 
assent  to  it,  were  two  circumstances  which 
greatly  contributed  to  swell  the  Bartholo- 
mew-list. It  was  well  known  to  some  of  the 
leaders  in  that  unhappy  business,  that  there 
were  among  the  Non-contbrmists  wise  and 
imiderate  men,  who  were  not  disposed  to 
quit  their  parochial  cures,  unless  they  were 
constrained  by  the  harshest  and  most  violent 
measures ;  such  therefore  were  the  measures 
they  adopted. 

It  is  our  mercy  to  live  in  more  quiet  times. 
We  are  on  all  sides  freed  from  restraints  in 
religious  concern.s;  and  every  person  is  at 
liberty  to  profess,  preach,  wor.ship,  or  print  as 
he  thinks  proper.  But  it  is  still  to  be  lamented 
that  they  who  are  united  upon  the  same 
foundations,  and  agree  in  the  same  important 
leading  principles,  should  lay  so  much  stress 
upon  their  circumstantial  differences  in  sen- 
timent, as  to  prevent  the  exercise  of  mutual 
love  and  forbearance,  and  that,  instead  of  la- 
bouring in  concert  within  their  respective 
departments  to  promote  the  common  cause, 
they  should  he  at  leisure  to  ve.x  and  worry 
each  other  with  needless  disputation  and  un- 
charitable censure.  I  hope,  amongst  us,  the 
lIiL'h-Church  principles  which  formerly  pro- 
duced unjustifiable  and  oppressive  effects, 
are  now  generally  e.xploded.  But  may  we 
not  lay  a  claim  in  our  turn,  to  that  modera- 
tion, candour,  and  tenderness,  from  our  dis- 
eenting  brethren,  which  we  cheerfully  exer- 
cise towards  them  !  But  as  we  (I  think)  are 
no  longer  the  aggressors,  so  they  seem  no 
longer  content  to  stand  upon  the  defensive. 
We  wish  to  join  them  with  lieart  and  hand 
in  supporting  and  spreading  the  great  truths 
of  the  gospel;  and  such  as  you,  my  friend,  ap- 
prove our  aims,  and  rejoice  with  us,  if  God  is 
pleased  to  give  us  success.  But  there  are 
those  among  you,  whose  persons  and  general 
conduct  we  respect,  from  whom  v,-e  do  not 
find  equal  returns  of  good-will,  because  we 
cannot  join  with  them  in  the  support  of  a 
palladium  which  bears  the  name  of  the  Dis- 
senting Intrre.st.  I  know  not  whether  this 
phrase  was  in  use  a  hundred  years  ago;  but 
were  I  to  meet  with  it  as  referring  to  that 
period,  I  should  understand  by  it  little  more 
or  less  than  the  interest  of  the  lledeemer's 


kingdom.  At  present,  when  T  consider  the 
various  names,  views,  and  sentiments,  which 
obtain  among  those  who  form  this  aggregate, 
styled  the  Dissenting  Interest,  I  am  at  a  losa 
what  sense  to  put  upon  the  term.  May  I 
not  .say  without  offence,  that  it  is,  at  least,  a 
very  heterogeneous  body  !  May  I  not  hope, 
without  presumption,  that  though  you  and  I 
are  not  agreed  on  the  subject  of  Church  Go- 
vernment, yet  I  am  related  to  you  by  a  much 
nearer  and  stronger  tie  than  that  which  binds 
you  to  the  Dissenting  Interest?  I  confess 
that  so  far  as  it  is  the  interest  of  those  who 
depreciate  the  person  and  blood  of  the  fc-'a- 
viour,  and  deny  the  agency  and  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  or  the  total  depravity  of  fall- 
en man,  so  far  I  cannot  (in  a  religious  view) 
be  a  friend  to  it.  On  the  other  hand,  so  far 
as  it  regards  those  who  love,  avow,  and 
preach  the  doctrines,  experience,  and  prac- 
tice, which  both  you  and  I  include  in  our 
idea  of  the  Gospel,  so  far  I  can  truly  say, 
though  not  a  Dissenter  myself,  the  Dissent- 
ing Interest  is  dear  to  my  heart,  and  has  a 
share  in  my  daily  prayers.  And  in  this  I  am 
persuaded  I  speak  the  sentiments  of  many 
both  ministers  and  laymen  in  the  Establish- 
ment. We  are  sorry,  therefore  (at  least  I  am 
sorry,)  though  not  angry,  when  books  are 
written,  or  declarations*  (perhaps  in  the 
most  solemn  occasions  of  worship)  unseason- 
ably made,  which  seem  not  so  much  designed 
to  confirm  Dissenters  in  their  own  principles, 
as  to  place  those  who  cannot  accede  to  them 
in  an  unfavourable  light;  the  ministers  espe- 
cially, who,  according  to  some  representa- 
tions, must  be  supposed  to  be  almost  destitute 
of  common  sense,  or  else  of  common  honesty. 

Wlien  I  write  a  letter,  especially  to  a 
friend,  I  think  myself  released  from  that  at- 
tention to  method  which  I  might  observe  if 
I  were  composing  a  treatise.  As  my  heart 
dictate.s,  my  pen  moves.  I  therefore  hope 
you  will  bear  with  me  if  I  do  not  come  di- 
rectly to  what  I  proposed ;  which  was,  to 
give  you  some  account  of  the  motives  of  my 
own  conduct.  It  may  not  be  improper  to 
premise  a  few  preliminary  observations.  I 
shall  not  weary  you  by  attempting  to  justify 
every  tiling  that  obtains  in  our  way,  nor  call 
your  attention  to  all  the  minutia;  which 
might  furnish  subject  for  debate  to  those 
who  know  not  how  to  employ  their  time 
better.  It  would  be  mere  trifling  to  dispute 
for  or  against  a  surplice  or  a  band,  a  gown  or 
a  cloak,  or  to  inquire  whether  it  be  the  size, 
or  the  shape,  which  renders  some  of  these 
habiliments  more  or  less  suitable  for  a  minis- 
ter, than  the  others.  But  perhaps  a  few 
strictures  upon  establishments  and  liturgies 
may  not  be  wholly  impertinent  to  my  design. 

That  national  religious  establishments  un- 
der the  New  Testament  dispensation  are 


*Soinc  of  these  letters  were  written  in  the  year  1777. 


444 


APOLOGIA. 


[let.  I. 


neither  of  express  divine  appointment,  nor 
formed  in  all  points  upon  a  scriptural  plan,  I 
readily  admit.    Whether  upon  this  account 
they  cannot  be  submitted  to  without  violating- 
the  obedience  we  owe  to  the  Lord  Jesus  as 
head  and  lawgiver  of  his  church,  I  shall  con- 
sider hereafter.    At  present  permit  me  only 
to  hope  (for  my  own  sake,)  that  such  submis- 
sion is  not  absolutely  sinful ;  and  in  that  view 
to  offer  a  word  in  favour  of  their  expedience. 
I  plead  not  for  this  or  that  establishment,  or 
the  administration  of  one  preferably  to  ano- 
ther ;  but  chiefly  for  that  circumstance  which 
I  suppose  is  common  to  them  all :  I  mean,  the 
parcelling  out  a  country,  the  government  of 
which  is  professedly  Christian,  and  certain 
districts,  analogous  to  what  we  call  parishes, 
and  fixing  in  each  of  those  districts,  a  person 
with  a  ministerial  character,  who  by  his  office 
is  engaged  to  promote  the  good  of  souls 
within  the  limits  of  his  own  boundary.  I 
think  the  number  of  parishes  in  England  and 
Wales  is  computed  to  be  not  much  fewer 
than  ten  thousand.    The  number  of  dissent- 
ing churches  and  congregations  in  England 
and  Wales  (if  those  whom  I  have  consulted 
as  the  most  competent  judges  are  not  mis- 
taken,) will  not  be  found  greatly  to  exceed 
one  thousand.    In  how  many,  or  in  how  few 
of  these  the  old  Puritan  Gospel  (if  I  may  so 
call  it)  is  preached  or  prized,  I  deem  you  a 
better  judge  than  myself    It  is  certain,  that 
the  number  of  Dissenting  ministers  who  are 
very  willing  it  should  be  publicly  known  that 
they  differ  widely  from  the  sentiments  of 
their  forefathers,  is  not  small.    However,  we 
will  take  them  all  into  the  estimate.  Now, 
let  us  for  a  moment  suppose  the  establishment 
with  all  its  provisions  removed  and  annihi- 
lated.   In  this  case,  some  of  the  Dissenting 
ministers  might  indeed  change  their  situa- 
tions, and  fix  in  places  where  they  might 
hope  for  more  extensive  influence ;  but  as 
none  of  them  could  be  in  two  places  at  once, 
about  nine-tenths  of  the  kingdom  would  be 
deprived,  at  a  stroke,  of  the  very  form  of 
public  religion,  and  reduced  in  a  short  time 
(for  any  relief  the  Dissenting  interest  could 
aflord)  to  a  state  little  better  than  heathen- 
ism.   That  there  is  any  regard  paid  to  the 
Lord's  day  through  the  g-reater  part  of  tije 
land,  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  publicly 
read  to  thousands  who  probably  would  other- 
wise know  no  more  of  the  Bible  than  they  do 
of  the  Koran,  are  good  efl^ects  of  the  national 
establishment,  which  I  think  can  hardly  be 
denied,  even  by  those  who  are  most  dis- 
pleased with  it.    For  this  reason,  if  I  could 
not  conform  to  the  establishment  myself,  I 
think  I  should  speak  respectfully  of  it,  and 
bless  God  for  it.    Some  established  form  of 
religious  profession,  with  a  full  and  free 
toleration  for  all  who  think  they  can  serve 
God  more  acceptably  upon  a  different  plan, 
appears  to  me  the  most  desirable  and  pro- 


mising constitution,  for  prercrvingthe  rights 
of  conscience,  and  for  promoting  the  welfare 
of  souls.  I  believe,  therefore,  that  the  church 
of  England,  as  by  law  established  (tor  it 
claims  no  higher  title,)  though  it  be  not  a 
perfect  institution,  and  notwithstanding  its 
real  or  supposed  defects,  and  the  faults  of 
individuals  within  its  community,  has  been 
upon  the  whole,  and  will  be,  a  blessing  to  the 
nation  ;  and  that  its  preservation  is  an  effect 
of  the  wise  and  gracious  providence  of  the 
great  Head  of  the  Church  universal. 

From  the  expediency  of  parochial  order,  I 
would  farther  deduce  the  expediency  of  a 
rubric  and  liturgy.  For  I  cannot  conceive 
an  established  church,  without  including,  in 
my  idea,  some  determinate  rule  or  line  re- 
specting doctrine  and  worship,  by  which  it  is 
discriminated  from  other  churches  which  are 
not  so  established.  As  to  our  liturgy,  I  am 
far  from  thinking  it  incapable  of  amendment; 
though,  when  I  consider  the  temper  and  spi- 
rit of  the  present  times,  I  dare  not  wish  that 
the  improvement  of  it  should  be  attempted, 
lest  the  intended  remedy  might  prove  worse 
than  the  disease.  As  I  am  not  called  to  de- 
fend it,  I  shall  only  say,  what  I  believe  will 
be  allowed  by  many  candid  persons  on  your 
side,  that  the  general  strain  of  it  is  scriptural, 
evangelical,  and  experimental.-  It  recognizes 
with  precision  the  one  great  object  of  wor- 
ship, in  his  personal  distinctions,  and  gloriou. 
attributes  :  the  honours  and  offices  of  the  Re- 
deemer, the  power  and  agency  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  evil  of  sin,  the  depravity  of  man, 
and  all  the  distinguishing  doctrines  of  the 
gospel.  As  to  the  composition,  I  question  if 
any  thing  in  the  English  language,  (our  ver- 
sion of  the  Bible  excepted,)  is  worthy  of  be- 
ing compared  with  it,  for  simplicity,  perspi- 
cuity, energy,  and  comprehensive  fulness  of 
expression.  But  I  suppose  the  objection  does 
not  lie  so  much  against  our  liturgy  in  parti- 
cular, as  in  general  against  the  use  of  litur- 
gies of  any  kind.  And  for  aught  I  know,  if 
the  compilers  of  our  liturgy  could  have  ex- 
pected, that  all  the  parishes  in  the  kingdom, 
and  from  age  to  age,  would  be  supplied  with 
ministers  competently  acquainted  with  the 
mysteries  of  the  gospel,  and  possessed  of  the 
spirit  of  grace  and  supplication,  they  might 
have  left  them  under  less  restraint  in  con- 
ducting public  worship.  I  believe  many  of 
the  Dissenters  take  it  for  granted,  that  a  con- 
siderable part  of  our  clergy  are  not  only 
unable  to  pray  in  public  to  the  edification  of 
their  hearers  without  a  form,  but  are  un- 
fit for  the  ministerial  office  in  every  view. 
Should  this  be  true,  it  is  a  truth  which  I 
hope  would  excite  lamentation  rather  than 
ridicule  or  invective,  in  all  who  profess  a  re- 
gard to  the  glory  of  God,  or  love  to  the  soula 
of  men.  But  upon  this  supposition  I  should 
think  an  evangelical  liturgy  a  great  blessing; 
as  it  must  secure  the  people,  (that  is  the  bulk 


LET.  I.  J 


APOLOGIA. 


445 


of  tlie  nation,)  from  being  exposed  to  the 
same  uncertainty  and  disappointment  from 
the  roading-desli,  as  they  are  liable  to  from 
the  pulpit.  For  they  wlio  cannot,  or  do  not 
preach  tiie  gospel,  are  not  like  to  pray  agree- 
ably to  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  if  that  part  of 
the  public  service  was  likewise  left  to  their 
own  nianagerrient.  Or  sliall  we  say,  it  is  an 
advantage  to  some  dissenting  congregations, 
that  their  ministers,  not  being  confined  to  a 
form  of  sound  words,  there  is  little  more  of 
Christ  or  of  grace  to  be  found  in  their  prayers 
than  in  their  sermons]  Is  it  not  too  hastily 
taken  for  granted  by  many,  that  God  cannot 
he  worshipped  in  spirit  and  in  truth  by  those 
who  use  a  tbrm  of  prayer !  or  that  he  will  not 
atlbrd  them  who  so  approach  him  any  testi- 
mony of  his  acceptance  !  If  the  words  of  a 
form  suit  and  express  the  desires  and  feelings 
of  my  mind,  the  prayer  is  as  much  my  own, 
as  if  I  had  conceived  it  upon  the  spot.  On 
the  other  hand,  if  I  have  the  greatest  readi- 
ness and  fluency  in  diversifying  expressions, 
Eo  that  my  prayer  should  always  appear  un- 
studied and  new,  yet  if  my  spirit,  or  the  spi- 
rits of  those  who  join  with  me,  be  not  en- 
gaged in  it,  thou2"h  I  may  admire  my  own 
;  performance,  and  be  applauded  by  others,  it 
is  no  better  than  a  mere  lifeless  form,  in  the 
sight  of  him  who  searcheth  the  heart.  Not 
to  say  that  many  who  profess  to  pray  e.xtem- 
pore,  that  is,  without  either  a  printed  or  a 
written  form,  go  so  nmch  in  a  beaten  path, 
that  they  who  hear  them,  frequently  can  tell 
with  tolerable  certainty,  how  they  will  begin, 
when  they  are  about  the  middle,  and  when 
they  are  drawing  towards  the  close  of  their 
prayer. 

It  is  said,  that  a  prescribed  form  precludes 
the  exercise  of  a  gift  in  prayer,  which  is 
true;  but  then,  as  I  hinted  before,  it  in  some 
good  measure  supplies  tiie  want  of  such  a 
gift ;  and  blessed  be  the  Lord,  there  are  many 
living  witnesses  who  can  declare  to  his  praise, 
that  a  form  does  not  restrain,  much  less  pre- 
clude the  exercise  of  grace.  They  know  and 
are  sure  that  their  Lord  and  master  owns 
and  comforts  them  in  what  their  brethren 
hastily  condemn  them  for.  It  is  well  for  us 
that  he  seeth  not  as  man  seeth,  and  is  no 
more  a  respecter  of  parties  than  of  persons. 

It  cannot  be  denied,  that  the  Lord  himself 
appointed  forms  of  prayer  and  praise  to  be 
used  in  the  Old  Testament  church.  When 
the  ark  set  forward,  and  when  it  rested, 
Moses  addressed  the  Lord,  not  according  to 
the  varied  emotions  of  his  own  spirit,  but 
statedly  in  the  same  determinate  expressions, 
I  Numb.  X.  3.5,  36.    So  likewise  in  the  solemn 
■  benediction  which  the  high  priest  was  to 
pronounce  upon  the  people.  Numb.  vi.  23, 27. 
I  Again,  at  the  presenting  of  the  first  fruits, 
though  the  heart  of  the  offerer  might  be  fill- 
ed with  gratitude,  he  was  not  to  express  it 
in  his  own  way,  but  the  Lord  himself  pre- 1 


scribed  the  form  of  his  acknowledgment,  con- 
fession, and  prayer,  Deut.  xxvi.  12 — l.').  But 
it  may  be  said,  these  were  enjoined  under 
the  Levitical  institution,  which  is  now  abro- 
gated, and  that  we  live  under  a  dispensation 
of  greater  light  and  liberty.  I  wish  however, 
with  all  our  light  and  liberty,  we  could  more 
fully  come  up  to  the  spirit  of  some  of  the  de- 
votional parts  of  the  Old  Testament,  which 
were  recorded  for  our  instruction,  and  most 
certainly  are  not  abrogated.  The  book  of 
Psalms  especially,  contains  a  rich  variety  of 
patterns  for  prayer,  if  we  may  not  call  them 
forms,  adapted  to  all  the  various  exercises  of 
tlie  life  of  faith.  And  if,  when  I  read  or  re- 
peat such  Psalms  as  the  (i3d,  84th,  or  86th,  I 
could  feel,  in  the  manner  I  wish,  the  force  of 
every  expression,  I  should  think  I  prayed  to 
good  purpose,  though  I  were  not  to  intermin- 
gle a  single  word  of  my  own.  So  likewise 
with  respect  to  that  summary  which  our 
Lord  condescended  to  teach  his  disciples; 
though  I  believe  it  had  a  peculiar  reference 
to  the  state  in  which  they  were  before  his 
passion,  and  while  he  was  still  with  them; 
yet  agreeable  to  the  fulness  of  his  wisdom,  it 
is  so  comprehensive,  that  I  apprehend  every 
part  of  a  believer's  intercourse  with  God  in 
prayer,  may  be  reduced,  without  forcing,  to 
one  or  the  other  of  the  heads  of  this  prayer. 
And  I  should  esteem  it  a  golden  hour  indeed, 
one  of  the  happiest  seasons  I  ever  enjoyed  in 
prayer,  if  I  could  repeat  it  with  a  just  im- 
pression of  the  meaning  of  every  clause.  But 
alas !  such  arc  the  effects  of  our  unhappy  dif- 
ferences, or  rather  of  a  wrongness  of  spirit  in 
maintaining  them,  and  so  prone  are  we  to 
think  we  cannot  be  too  unlike  those  whom 
we  are  not  pleased  with,  that  even  the  words 
which  our  Lord  himself  has  taught  us,  are 
depreciated  and  disused  by  many,  I  fear,  up- 
on no  better  ground  than  because  they  are  re- 
tained in  the  usage  of  the  Church  of  England. 
Though,  besides  giving  us  a  pattern  to  pray 
after  that  manner,  he  has  at  least  permitted 
us  to  use  it  as  a  form,  directing  us,  when  we 
pray,  to  say,  "  Our  Father,  which  art  in  hea- 
ven," &c.  If  scriptural  warrant  be  required, 
I  think  we  have  one  more  clear  and  express 
for  the  use  of  this  prayer,  than  can  be  found 
for  some  things  upon  which  no  small  stress 
is  laid  by  our  Dissenting  brethren. 

Some  persons  might  possibly  allege,  that 
if  the  use  of  scriptural  forms  of  prayer  were 
admitted,  it  would  plead  nothing  in  favour  of 
such  forms  as  are  of  human  composition. 
But  as  I  believe  the  more  judicious  part  of 
the  Dissenters  would  not  make  this  distinc- 
tion, a  few  words  may  suffice  for  an  answer. 
Most  of  us,  when  we  preach,  profess  to  preach 
the  word  of  God,  and  I  think  we  are  suffi- 
ciently authorised  to  use  the  expression,  so 
far  as  our  sermons  are  explanatory  of  scrip- 
tural truths,  and  agreeable  to  them.  For 
though  the  system  of  truth  contained  in  the 


« 


446 


APOLOGIA. 


[Lnr.  ir. 


holy  scriptures  has  a  peculiar  authority,  as 
the  fountain  from  whence  we  are  to  derive 
our  public  discourses,  and  the  standard  by 
which  they  are  to  be  tried  ;  yet  truth,  as  to 
its  nature,  does  not  admit  of  degrees,  but  all 
propositions,  if  they  be  true,  must  be  equally 
true,  and  every  conclusion  which  is  rightly 
inferred  from  scriptural  premises,  must  be, 
in  whatever  words  it  is  expressed,  (if  they 
are  precise  and  clear,)  as  true  as  the  premises 
from  which  it  is  drawn.  If  I  give  a  just  de- 
finition or  explication  of  a  doctrine  t)f  the  Bi- 
ble in  my  own  words,  the  truth  or  importance 
of  that  doctrine  is  not  affected  or  weakened 
by  the  vehicle  in  which  I  convey  it ;  nor 
would  a  hearer  have  a  right  to  withhold  his 
attention  or  assent,  from  a  pretence,  that 
though  the  proposition  itself  was  true,  he 
was  not  concerned  in  it,  because  I  had  not 
expressed  it  in  scriptural  phrases.  It  is  only 
upon  this  ground  that  the  propriety  and  au- 
thority of  preaching  can  be  maintained  ;  and 
the  like  reasoning  may  be  applied  to  prayer. 
A  prayer  is  scriptural,  if  conformable  to  the 
promises,  patterns,  and  truths  of  scripture, 
though  it  should  not  contain  one  phrase  taken 
totidem  verbis  from  the  Bible. 

May  I  not  here  appeal  to  the  practice  of 
the  Dissenters  themselves]  I  suppose  Dr. 
Watts'  Hymns,  and  his  imitation  of  David's 
Psalms,  especially  the  latter,  are  used,  by  a 
large  majority  of  Dissenting  congregations, 
in  their  public  worship.  Many  of  these  pieces 
sre  devotional,  that  is,  they  are  in  the  strain 
of  prayer,  or  praise.  They  are,  therefore, 
forms  of  prayer  or  praise ;  and  when  the  first 
line  is  given  out,  it  is  probable  that  several 
persons  in  the  assembly  know  beforehand 
every  word  they  are  to  sing.  In  some  con- 
gregations the  psalm  or  hymn  is  delivered 
line  by  line,  and  in  most,  the  bulk  of  the  peo- 
ple are  provided  with  books.  Now  it  appears 
to  me,  that  when  a  worshipper  who  attends 
to  what  is  going  forward,  and  is  not  content 
with  a  mere  lip-service,  joins  in  singing 
verses,  which  express  the  desires  and  peti- 
tions of  his  heart  to  the  Lord,  he  prays  ;  and 
if  he  uses  verses  with  which  he  was  before 
acquainted,  he  prays  by  a  form  ;  he  does  the 
very  thing  for  which  we  are  condemned  ; 
unless  it  can  be  proved  that  the  fault  and 
evil  which  is  essential  to  a  form  in  prose,  is 
entirely  removed  if  the  substance  of  the  ob- 
noxious form  be  expressed  in  metre  or  rhyme. 

Crito  freely  will  rehearse 
Forms  of  prayer  and  praise  in  verse  : 
Why  should  Ctito  tlieii  suppose 
Forms  are  sinful  wlien  in  prose? 
Must  my  form  be  deemed  a  crime 
Merely  for  the  want  of  rhyme  ? 

I  have  heard  of  a  minister  who  used  to 
compose  hymns  in  the  pulpit.  It  was  his  cus- 
tom to  give  out  one  line,  and  by  the  time  the 
congregation  had  sung  the  first,  he  had  a  se- 
C9nd  ready  for  them,  and  so  on,  so  long  as  he 


thought  proper  to  sing.  These  were  not 
forms,  they  were  composed  pro  re  nata.  Be- 
fore he  had  finished  a  second  stanza,  the 
former  (as  to  the  verse  and  cadence)  was  in  a 
manner  forgotten ;  and  the  same  hymn  was 
never  heard  twice.  I  know  not  what  these 
unpremeditated  pieces  were  in  point  of  com- 
position; but  were  I  persuaded  .of  the  unlaw- 
fulness of  forms  of  prayer,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  approved  of  the  practice  of  singing  in 
public  worship ;  I  should  extremely  covet  the 
talent  of  extempore  hymn-making,  as  one  of 
the  most  necessary  gifts  a  minister  could  pos- 
sess in  order  to  maintain  a  consistency  in  his 
whole  service. 

I  here  close  what  I  intended  by  way  of  in- 
troduction. In  my  subsequent  letters,  I  pur- 
pose to  acquaint  you  more  directly  with  the 
reasons  which  determined  my  own  choice, 
and  which  still  satisfy  me,  that  in  receiving 
Episcopal  ordination,  and  exercising  my 
ministry  in  the  established  church,  I  have 
not  acted  wrong.  At  present,  I  shall  relieve 
your  attention,  by  subscribing  myself 

Your  affectionate  friend  and  brother. 


LETTER  II. 

My  Dear  Friend  and  Brother, — A3 
such  I  address  you ;  as  such,  notwithstand- 
ing our  different  views  of  church-govern- 
ment, you  acknowledge  me.  -  You  have  con- 
firmed your  love  to  me  by  many  repeated 
proofs  ;  and  it  is  the  desire  of  my  heart  that 
nothing  may  take  place  on  either  side  to 
weaken  the  exercise  of  that  friendship,  which 
having  the  faith  and  hope  of  the  gospel  for 
its  basis,  is  calculated  to  subsist  and  flourish 
in  a  better  world.  With  this  thought  upon 
my  mind,  it  is  impossible  that  I  should  write 
a  single  line  with  an  intention  of  grieving  or 
offending  you ;  and  I  am  persuaded,  the  same 
consideration  on  your  part  will  dispose  you 
to  a  candid  perusal  of  what  I  offer.  I  had 
rather  be  silent  than  plead  even  for  truth  in 
an  angry,  contentious  spirit.  For  every  year 
of  my  life  strengthens  my  conviction  of  the 
importance  of  that  divine  aphorism,  "The 
wrath  of  man  worketh  not  the  righteousness 
of  God." 

How  far  what  I  have  suggested  in  favour 
of  establishments  and  liturgies  may  appear 
conclusive  to  you,  I  know  not.  I  depend 
much  upon  your  candour ;  but  I  make  allow- 
ances for  the  unavoidable  influence  of  educa- 
tion, connection,  and  habit,  both  in  you  and 
in  myself.  We  generally  ascribe  the  dissent 
of  those  who  differ  from  us,  in  part  at  least, 
to  prejudices  of  this  kind  ;  but  as  it  is  very 
natural  to  think  favourably  of  ourselves,  we 
almost  take  it  for  granted  that  we  have  either 
escaped  or  outgrown  every  bias.  Though 
some  of  the  principles  we  maintain  have  been 


tET.  n  ] 


APOLOGIA. 


447 


instilled  into  us  from  our  childiiood,  and  we 
have  been  confirmed  in  what  we  say  is  right, 
hy  the  instruction,  advice,  and  example  of 
friends,  exactly  aa  others  have  been  confirm- 
ed in  what  we  call  wrong ;  yet  that  positive- 
ness,  which  in  tiiem  is  tlic  effect  of  ignorant 
prejudice,  is  in  us  a  very  different  thing;  a 
just  attachment  to  truth,  and  the  result  of 
impartial  examination  and  full  conviction. 
For  my  own  part,  I  dare  not  say  that  I  am 
free  from  all  bias  and  prepossession,  but  I  de- 
sire and  endeavour  to  guard  against  their  in- 
fluence. 

But  though  I  have  ventured  to  defend  the 
propriety  of  a  national  establishment,  and  up- 
on that  ground,  the  expediency  of  a  liturgy, 
I  need  not  tell  you  that  I  had  no  hand  in 
forming  either  the  one  or  the  other.  By  the 
allotment  of  Divine  Providence,  I  was  born 
in  a  nation  where  these  things  had  taken 
place  long  before  I  came  into  the  world. 
Therefore,  when  the  Lord  gave  me  a  desire 
to  preach  his  gospel,  and  it  became  necessary 
to  determine  under  what  character  I  should 
exercise  my  ministry ;  the  question  before 
me  was  not,  What  form  of  church-govern- 
ment I  might  propose  as  the  most  scriptural, 
if  all  parties  amongst  us  were  willing  to  re- 
fer themselves  to  my  decision  !  But  my  in- 
quiry was  rather  directed  to  this  point.  What 
would  be  my  path  of  duty,  rebus  sic  statitibus, 
living,  as  I  did,  in  the  island  of  Great  Britain, 
and  in  that  part  of  it  named  England  1  At  first, 
indeed,  I  saw  but  little  room  for  deliberation. 
For,  about  six  years  after  I  was  awakened  to 
some  concern  for  my  soul,  my  situation  in 
life  had  secluded  me  equally  from  every  reli- 
gious party.  During  this  period,  in  which  I 
walked  alone,  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  show 
me  the  way  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  to 
lead  me  to  study  and  prize  his  holy  word. 
By  his  blessing,  I  made  some  advances  in 
knowledge,  though  slowly,  under  such  dis- 
couragements and  disadvantages,  as  they, 
who  from  the  beginning  of  their  inquiries, 
are  favoured  with  public  ordinances,  and  the 
help  of  Christian  conference,  can  have  no 
proper  conception  of  At  length  I  became 
acquainted  with  some  of  his  people,  and  had 
frequent  opportunities  of  hearing  the  gospel. 
My  first  connections  of  this  sort  were  chiefly 
with  Dissenters,  and  brought  me,  as  it  were, 
into  a  new  world.  For,  till  then,  I  had  hard- 
ly an  idea  of  the  different  names  and  modes 
by  which  professing  Christians  were  distin- 
guished and  subdivided,  nor  of  the  animosity 
with  which  their  various  disputes  were  car- 
ried on.  But  as  I  received  benefit  and  plea- 
sure from  my  intercourse  with  my  new 
friends,  it  is  no  wonder  that  while  my  heart 
was  warm,  and  my  experience  and  judgment 
unformed,  I  should  enter  with  readiness  into 
all  their  views.  Thus,  together  with  the  real 
advantages  I  obtained  among  tiiem,  I  imbibed 
at  the  same  time  a  strong  prejudice  against 


the  established  church,  and  hastily  concluded, 
that  though  I  might  occasionally  communi- 
cate with  it  as  a  private  person,  it  would  be 
impossible  to  officiate  in  it  as  a  minister  with- 
out violating  my  conscience.  Accordingly, 
my  first  overtures  were  to  the  Dissenters ; 
and  had  not  the  Providence  of  God  remarka- 
bly interposed  to  prevent  it,  I  should  probably 
have  been  a  brother  with  you  in  every  sense. 
But  my  designs  were  overruled.  A  variety  of 
doors  by  which  I  sought  entrance  (for  I  did 
not  give  up  upon  the  first  disappohitment) 
were  successively  shut  against  me.  These 
repeated  delays  afforded  me  more  time  to 
think  and  judge  for  myself ;  and  the  more  I 
considered  the  point,  the  more  my  scruples 
against  conformity  gave  way.  Reasons  in- 
creased upon  me,  which  not  only  satisfied  me 
that  I  might  conform  without  sin,  but  that 
the  preference  (as  to  my  own  concern)  was 
plainly  on  that  side.  Accordingly,  in  the 
Lord's  due  time,  after  several  years  waiting 
to  know  his  will,  I  sought  and  obtained  Epis- 
copal ordination.  And  I  seriously  assure 
you,  that  though  I  took  this  step  with  a  firm 
persuasion  that  it  was  right,  I  did  not  at  that 
time  see  so  many  reasons  to  justify  my 
choice,  nor  perhaps  any  one  reason  in  so 
strong  a  light,  as  I  have  since.  Far  from 
having  regretted  this  interesting  part  of  my 
conduct  for  a  single  hour,  I  have  been  more 
satisfied  with  it  from  year  to  year.  You  will 
please,  therefore,  to  accept  what  I  am  about 
to  ofler,  not  merely  as  an  account  of  the  mo- 
tives which  influenced  me  twenty  years  ago, 
but  rather  as  the  considerations  which  at  this 
minute  call  upon  me  to  be  heartily  thankful 
to  the  Lord,  for  leading  me  by  a  way  which  I 
knew  not,  to  labour  in  that  part  of  his  vine- 
yard, which  experience  has  proved  to  be 
most  suitable  for  maintaining  my  personal 
peace  and  comfort,  and  (I  verily  believe  like- 
wise) for  promoting  my  usefulness  as  a 
minister. 

Some  of  our  Dissenting  brethren,  who  I 
hope  are  willing  to  think  as  well  of  the  awa- 
kened clergy  as  they  can,  kindly  allow  us  to 
be  well-meaninrf  people ;  they  believe  we  de- 
sire to  be  useful,  and  think  it  not  impossible 
but  that  in  some  instances  we  may  be  so :  but 
they  pity  us  either  for  not  having  more  light 
or  for  not  having  courage  to  follow  that  light, 
which  they  suppose  must  force  itself  upon  us, 
if  we  did  not  wilfully  shut  it  out.  From 
what  they  hear  of  us  they  are  staggered. 
They  are  loth  to  deny  that  the  Lord  is  with 
us  at  all :  but  then,  if  the  Lord  be  with  us  in- 
deed, why  are  we  thus  !  It  is  almost  unac- 
countable to  them  upon  this  supposition  how 
we  can  remain  where  we  are.  They  are  ex- 
pecting from  day  to  day,  that  if  we  are  en- 
lightened, as  we  profess,  and  honest  men,  as 
they  wish  to  find  us,  we  shall  surely  come 
out  from  Babylon,  renounce  our  slavery  and 
will-worship,  and  openly  attach  ourselves  to 


443 


APOLOGIA. 


[let.  n. 


the  Dissenting  Interest.  Could  we  do  this, 
and  persuade  our  people  to  follow  us,  they 
would  probably  no  longer  doubt  wiiether  the 
Lord  had  wrought  by  our  ministry,  or  not. 

I  could  wish  you  not  to  think  of  me  while 
you  read  the  paragraph  I  am  now  beginning. 
You  know  many  of  our  ministers,  and  you 
know  that  there  are  amongst  them  men  of 
sound  sense,  solid  judgment,  and  extensive 
reading:  Men  whom  the  Lord  has  been 
pleased  to  favour  with  an  eminency  in  gifts 
and  spiritual  knowledge;  in  a*  word,  able 
ministers  of  the  New  Testament ;  Men,  who 
though  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  they  lie  low 
in  the  dust,  conscious  of  inherent  defilement, 
and  that  their  best  services  need  forgiveness ; 
yet  with  regard  to  their  fellow-creatures, 
can  in  the  integrity  of  their  hearts  appeal  to 
all  around  them,  that  their  conversation  is 
not  unbecoming  the  gospel  u  liich  they  preach. 
Some  of  these  men,  at  least,  have  carefully 
studied  the  subject  matter  of  debate  between 
us  and  the  Dissenters,  have  read  the  books, 
and  considered  the  arguments,  which  are  sup- 
posed sufficient  to  convert  and  reform  us ; 
but  after  all  their  endeavours  to  obtain  in- 
formation, though  they  agree  with  the  evan- 
gelical Dissenters  in  their  views  of  the  gos- 
pel (which  yet  they  received  not  from  them, 
but  from  the  holy  scriptures)  they  are  still 
constrained  todilier  on  the  question  of  church 
form  and  order.  Now  why  should  this  be 
imputed  to  their  ignorance  and  blindness! 
Does  it  require  a  sharper  eye  to  perceive  the 
precise  delineation  of  a  go.spel-church  in  the 
New  Testament,  if  it  be  really  there,  than 
to  apprehend  and  embrace  what  the  scripture 
teaches  concerning  the  person  and  characters 
of  the  Redeemer,  the  way  of  a  sinner's  ac- 
ceptance, or  the  nature  of  the  life  of  faith  1 
These  things,  we  are  assured  by  the  apostle, 
the  natural  man,  however  qualified,  cannot 
discern.  Surely  the  external  form  of  a  gos- 
pel-church cannot  be  equally  mysterious  with 
these  doctrines ;  especially  as  it  is  professedly 
seen  with  the  glance  of  an  eye,  by  some  persons 
who  declare  themselves  enemies  to  mysteries 
of  any  kind.  Or  why  should  their  not  ac- 
cedinsr  to  you  be  imputed  to  interested  mo- 
tives I  There  are  with  us  men  whose  in- 
tegrity and  ingenuousness  are  in  every  other 
respect  unimpeachable ;  and  it  is  hard,  that 
without  sufficient  evidence,  they  should  be 
charged  with  prevarication  in  a  business 
which  concerns  the  honour  of  their  Saviour, 
and  the  uprightness  of  their  consciences  in 
his  sight.  Besides,  what  can  be  the  power- 
ful motives  for  such  hypocrisy  !  Do  they  by 
remaining  in  the  establishment  avoid  the  of- 
fence of  the  cross,  and  find  a  shelter  from  that 
opprobrium  and  opposition  which  must  be 
their  lot  if  they  had  the  fortitude  to  unite 
with  the  Dissenters  ?  Here  at  least,  how- 
ever, we  may  be  mistaken.  I  apprehend  the 
Lord  has  assigned  to  us  the  post  of  honour ; 


and  that  in  the  treatment  we  meet  with  from 
an  unbelieving  world,  our  lot  ratlier  resem- 
bles that  of  the  Dissenters  of  the  last  century 
than  of  the  present.  It  is  true,  we  are  no 
more  exposed  to  fines  and  imprisonment  than 
you  are ;  but  if  it  be  an  honour  to  .suffer 
shame  for  his  name's  sake,  I  think  we  have 
the  pre-eminence.  As  to  money-matters,  I 
could  name  several  of  our  clergy  who  are  not 
60  plentifiilly  provided  for  in  the  establish- 
ment, but  that  if  they  were  to  leave  us,  and 
to  go  over  to  your  side,  it  is  very  probable 
the  manner  in  which  converts  of  such  cha- 
racters and  abilities  would  be  received 
amongst  you,  might  prove  considerably  to 
their  emolument.  Nor  can  it  upon  better 
grounds  be  ascribed  to  obstinate  prejudice 
and  incurable  bigotry,  that  your  arguments 
do  not  prevail.  For  it  is  well  known,  that 
many  of  our  ministers  show  a  cordial  and  li- 
beral spirit  to  the  Dissenters,  receive  them 
gladly  into  their  houses,  attend  occasionally 
upon  their  preaching,  recommend  and  en- 
courage applications  for  the  support  of  their 
ministers,  or  places  of  worship,  and  are  ready 
to  concur  with  them  in  every  plan  for  useful- 
ness. And  I  believe  this  disposition  would 
be  more  general,  had  not  experience  shown 
that  the  candour  of  some  clergymen  in  these 
respects,  has  been  too  often  improperly  re- 
quited by  ungenerous  attempts  to  prejudice 
and  perplex  our  people,  and  to  weaken  our 
hands. 

Yet  one  or  another,  or  all  these  charges 
must  be  insinuated  against  us,  rather  than 
fallible  men  will  suppose  themselves  any 
thing  less  than  infallible,  even  in  points  of  a 
circumstantial  nature ;  and  though  others 
whom  they  have  no  reason  to  think  inferior 
to  themselves  either  in  judgment  or  inte- 
grity, are  compelled  to  differ  from  them. 

If  not  so  frequent,  would  not  this  be  strange? 
That  'tis  so  frequent — this  is  stranger  still! 

Be  assured,  dear  sir,  that  in  thus  apologiz- 
ing for  my  brethren,  I  write  not  only  witliout 
their  desire,  but  without  their  knowledge. 
I  think  I  have  now  finished  all  my  pream- 
bles, and  I  proceed  immediately  to  acquaint 
you  with  my  reasons  for  conforming  to  the 
Established  Church,  and  continuing  in  it. 

My  first,  and  principal  reason  is,  The  re- 
gard I  owe  to  the  honour  and  authority  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  Head  and  Law- 
giver of  his  Church.  I  do  not  mean  that 
this  consideration  obliges  me  absolutely  tc 
prefer  the  form  of  the  church  of  England  to 
any  other  form,  but  only  that  it  will  not  per- 
mit me  to  join  with  those  who  make  dissent- 
ing from  it  necessary  in  point  of  con.science. 

I  cannot  suppose  that  any  true  christian  in 
our  land  of  liglit  and  libertj-,  will  hesitate  a 
moment  to  acknowledge  that  Christ  is  the 
one  infallible,  authoritative  legislator  and 
governor  of  his  church;  that  he  is  the  Lord, 


ICT.  11.3 


APOLOGIA. 


449 


and  the  only  Lord  of  conscience,  and  that 
nothinrr  inconsistent  with  his  revealed  will 
should  bo  practised,  nothing  that  he  has  en- 
joined be  omitted,  by  those  who  profess  alle- 
giance to  him.  But  however  g'enernlly  ac- 
knowledg'ed  these  principles  are,  I  believe 
the  inisconstriiction  and  misapplication  of 
them  have  contributed  more  to  divide  the 
people  of  God,  and  to  alienate  their  affections 
from  each  other,  than  any  other  cause  that 
can  be  assig'nod.  It  seems  reasonable  to  ex- 
pect that  they  whose  hopes  are  built  upon 
the  same  foundation,  who  are  led  by  the  same 
spirit,  who  are  opposed  by  the  same  enemies, 
and  interested  in  the  same  promises,  would 
look  upon  each  other  with  mutual  compla- 
cence, would  love  as  brethren,  would  bear 
each  other's  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  their  Mas- 
ter's law,  and  copy  his  example.  But  alas! 
a  mistaken  zeal  for  his  honour  fills  them  on 
all  sides  with  animosity  ag'ainst  their  fellow 
disciples,  splits  them  into  a  thousand  parties, 
gives  rise  to  fierce  and  endless  contentions, 
and  makes  them  so  earnest  for  and  against 
their  respective  peculiarities,  that  tiie  love, 
which  is  the  disriminating  characteristic  of 
his  religion,  is  scarcely  to  be  found  amongst 
them  in  such  a  degree  of  exercise,  as  to 
satisfy  even  candid  observers,  whether  they 
bear  his  mark  or  not. 

The  visible  church  of  Christ  comprises  all 
who  call  themselves  by  his  name,  and  who 
profess  to  receive  his  gospel  as  a  divine  re- 
velation. It  is  a  floor  on  which  the  grain 
and  the  chdff  are  promiscuously  mingled  ;  a 
field  in  which  the  wheat  and  the  tares  grow 
togetiier;  a  net  inclosing  a  multitude  of  fishes 
both  good  and  bad.  But  the  visible  churcii 
of  Clirist,  taken  in  this  large  extent,  is  not 
the  proper  subject  of  his  government,  as  he 
is  the  King  of  saints.  For  his  kingdom  is  a 
spiritual  kingdom,  which  none  can  under- 
stand, and  his  rule  is  a  spiritual  rule,  which 
none  can  receive  or  obey,  until  born  from 
above,  and  made  new  creatures  by  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  If  these  regenerated 
persons,  who,  it  is  to  be  feared,  are  seldom 
the  largest  number  in  any  denomination,  be 
considered  as  detached  from  tiie  visible 
church,  the  remainder  is  a  mere  caput  innr- 
tiiiim,  dilferenced  from  the  world  whicii  lies 
in  wickedness,  in  nothing  but  a  name,  and 
in  tlio  privilege  of  having  the  oracles  of  God 
committed  to  it.  But  nominal  christians, 
though  they  have,  or  may  have  in  their  hands 
tlie  scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make  sin- 
ners wise  unto  salvation,  are  no  less  distant 
and  alienated  from  the  life  of  God  (until  he 
is  pleased  to  reveal  his  power  in  their  hearts) 
than  Mahomedans  or  Heathens.  And  with 
respect  to  these,  the  honour  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ  is  but  little  concerned  with  the 
different  ways  in  which  they  may  think  pro- 
per to  constitute  themselves  into  national  or 
particular  churches,  and  please  themselves 


with  a  lifeless  form  of  worship,  while  their 
hearts  are  in  a  state  of  enmity  to  his  grace. 
Admitting  that  a  plan  of  a  gospel-church  was 
described  with  the  same  precision  in  the 
New  Testament,  as  the  institutions  of  the 
Levitical  worship  in  the  Old,  and  punctually 
complied  with  to  the  minutest  circumstance, 
though  the  worshippers  might  applaud  and 
admire  their  own  exactness,  and  censurA 
and  despise  all  who  differed  a  hair's  breadth 
from  them,  yet  if  they  did  not  serve  God  in 
spirit  and  in  truth,  tiieir  boasted  church-order 
would  avail  them  nothing.  All  that  related 
to  tlie  worship  of  God  under  the  law,  was 
confessedly  of  divine  appointment;  and  the 
people  in  the  time  of  the  prophets  were  not 
so  much  charged  with  neglecting  the  pre- 
scribed forms,  as  with  resting  in  them. 
When  this  evil  became  general,  and  they 
tliought  to  compensate  for  their  want  of  spirit- 
uality, by  their  feasts,  fasts,  and  sacrifices, 
the  Lord  expresses  himself  as  displeased 
with  his  own  institutions,  Isa.  i.  11 — 15. 
Ixvi.  .'?,.4.  Jer.  vii.  8—14,  22,  23.  They 
could  plead  his  prescription  for  their  observ- 
ances ;  but  in  vain  they  trusted  to  the  tem- 
ple, and  said,  "  The  temple  of  the  Lord,  the 
temple  of  the  Lord  are  we,"  when  the  Lord 
of  the  temple  was  departed  from  them.  And 
certainly  he  will  be  no  more  pleased  with 
a  form  without  the  heart  now,  than  he  was 
then. 

I  must,  therefore,  confine  my  inquiry  to  the 
church  of  Christ  in  a  more  limited  and"  proper 
sense,  as  expressiveof  his  mystical  body,  com- 
posed of  all  who  by  faith  are  united  to  him 
as  their  foundation  and  root,  of  all  to  whom 
he  is  the  head  of  vital  influence,  who  have 
fellowship  with  him  in  his  death,  and  are 
partakers  of  llie  power  of  his  resurrection. 
These  are  infill ibly  known  only  to  himself. 
They  are  scattered  far  and  wide,  separated 
from  each  otiirr  by  seas  and  mountains;  thev 
are  a  peo])le  of  many  nations  and  languages 
But  wherever  their  lot  is  cast,  th<>y  hear  his 
voice,  are  under  his  gracious  eye,  and  the 
life  which  they  live  in  the  flesh  is  by  faith 
in  his  name.  They  have  not  all  equal  de- 
grees of  light  or  measures  of  grace,  nor  are 
they  all  favoured  with  equal  advantages  for 
knowing  or  enjoying  the  full  extent  of  the 
liberty  of  the  gospel.  But  they  are  all  ac- 
cepted in  the  Beloved,  and  approved  of  God. 
They  are  spiritual  worsliippers,  joint  par- 
takers of  grace,  and  will  hereafter  appear 
together  at  their  Saviour's  rigiit  hand  in 
glory. 

At  present  they  are  in  an  imperfect  state. 
Though  created  anew  in  Christ  Jesus,  they 
are  not  freed  from  a  principle  of  indwelling' 
sin.  Their  knowledge  is  clouded  by  much 
remaining  ignorance,  and  their  zeal,  though 
right  in  its  aim.  is  often  warped  and  mis- 
guided by  the  corrupt  influence  of  self  For 
they  still  have  many  corruptions,  and  they 


450 


APOLOGIA. 


[let.  II, 


live  in  a  world  wliicli  furnishes  frequent  oc- 
casions of  exciting;  them;  and  Satan,  their 
subtle  and  powerful  enemy,  is  always  upon 
his  watch  to  mislead  and  ensnare  them. 
They  are  born,  educated,  and  called  under  a 
great  variety  of  circumstances.  Habits  of 
life,  local  customs,  early  connections,  and 
even  bodily  constitution,  have  more  or  less 
jpfifluence  in  forming  their  characters,  and  in 
giving  a  tincture  and  turn  to  their  manner 
of  thinking.  So  that  though,  in  whatever 
is  essential  to  their  peace  and  holiness,  they 
are  all  led  by  the  same  Spirit,  and  mind  the 
B^Tie  things;  in  others  of  a  secondary  nature, 
their  sentiments  may,  and  often  do  differ,  as 
much  as  the  features  of  their  faces.  A  uni- 
formity of  judgment  among  them  is  not  to  be 
expected  while  the  wisest  are  defective  in 
knowledge,  the  best  are  defiled  with  sin,  and 
while  the  weaknesses  of  human  nature  which 
are  common  to  them  all,  are  so  differently 
affected  by  a  thousand  impressions  which  are 
from  their  various  situations.  They  might, 
however,  maintain  a  unity  of  spirit,  and  live 
in  the  exercise  of  mutual  love ;  were  it  not 
that  every  party,  and  almost  every  indi- 
vidual, unhappily  conceives  that  they  are 
bound  in  conscience  to  prescribe  their  own 
line  of  conduct  as  a  standard  to  which  all 
their  brethren  ought  to  conform.  They  are 
comparatively  but  few  who  consider  this  re- 
quisition to  be  as  unnecessary,  unreasonable, 
and  impracticable,  as  it  would  be  to  insist,  or 
expect  that  every  man's  shoes  should  be  ex- 
actly of  one  size. 

Thus,  though  all  agree  in  asserting  the 
authority  and  right  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  as 
King  and  Head  of  his  Church,  the  various 
apprehensions  they  frame  of  the  rule  to 
which  he  requires  them  to  conform,  and  their 
pertinacious  attachment  to  their  own  exposi- 
tions of  it,  separate  them  almost  as  much 
from  each  other,  as  if  they  were  not  united 
to  him  by  a  principle  of  living  faith.  Their 
little  differences  form  them  into  so  many  se- 
parate interests ;  and  the  heat  with  which 
they  defend  their  own  plans,  and  oppose  all 
who  cannot  agree  with  them  in  a  tittle,  makes 
them  forget  that  they  are  children  in  the 
eame  family,  and  servants  of  the  same  mas- 
ter. And  while  they  vex  and  worry  each 
oth*er  with  disputations  and  censures,  the 
world  wonders  and  laughs  at  them  all.  The 
spirit  of  love  is  restrained,  offences  are  mul- 
tiplied, and  Satan  is  gratified  by  beholding 
the  extensive  effects  of  his  pernicious  and 
long  practised  maxim.  Divide  et  impera. 

1  am  far  from  supposing  that  all  the  va- 
rious modes  of  church-government  under 
which  spiritual  worshippers  are  cast,  are 
equally  agreeable  to  the  spirit  and  genius  of 
the  gospel,  or  equally  suited  to  the  purposes 
of  edification.  Perhaps  there  is  no  consider- 
able body  of  people  who  profess  themselves 
Christians,  however  erroneous  in  their  plans 


of  doctrine  or  worship,  among  whom  the  Sa- 
viour has  not  some  hidden  ones,  known  to 
himself,  though  lost  to  human  observation  in 
the  crowd  of  pretenders  which  surround 
them.  The  power  of  his  grace  can  break 
through  all  disadvantages,  and  make  a  few 
individuals  wiser  than  their  teachers,  by  re- 
vealing his  truth  to  their  heart,  sooner  or 
later,  so  far  as  is  necessary  to  salvation.  But 
it  must  be  owned,  that  some  communities 
which  bear  the  name  of  Christian  have  depart- 
ed so  very  far  from  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel, 
that  if  we  reason  d  priori,  we  are  ready  to 
conclude  it  as  almost  impossible  for  a  convert- 
ed person  to  continue  a  single  day  in  such  a 
communion.  But  hypotheses  cannot  be  main- 
tained against  plain  facts.  Thus  the  Church 
of  Rome,  not  merely  by  adopting  an  unmean- 
ing burdensome  train  of  ceremonies,  but  by 
her  doctrines  of  Papal  infallibility,  invocation 
of  saints  and  angels,  purgatory,  absolution, 
the  mass,  and  others  of  the  like  stamp,  is  be- 
come'so  exceedingly  adulterated,  that  pos- 
sibly some  persons  who  may  read  these 
letters  will  form  an  unfavourable  opinion  of 
me,  for  declaring  that  I  have  not  the  least 
doubt  but  the  Lord  Jesus  has  had,  from  age 
to  age,  a  succession  of  chosen  and  faithful 
witnesses  within  the  pale  of  that  corrupt 
church.  Yet  I  should  hope  that  they,  who, 
having  themselves  tasted  that  the  Lord  is 
gracious,  know  the  language  of  a  heart  under 
the  influence  of  his  Spirit,  would,  in  defiance 
of  Protestant  prejudices,  be  of  my  mind,  if 
they  had  opportunity  of  perusing  the  writings 
of  some  Papists.  If  such  persons  as  Fene- 
lon,  Pascal,  Quesnal.  and  Nicole,  (to  men- 
tion no  more,)  were  not  true  christians, 
where  shall  we  find  any  that  deserve  the 
name  1  In  the  writings  of  these  great  men, 
notwithstanding  incidental  errors,  I  meet 
with  such  strains  of  experimental  godliness, 
such  deep  knowledge  of  the  workings  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  of  the  heart  of  man,  and 
such  masterly  explications  of  many  important 
passages  of  scripture,  as  might  do  honour  to 
the  most  enlightened  Protestant.  And  yet 
these  men  lived  and  died  in  the  Popish  com- 
munion ;  and,  to  their  latest  hours,  (for  any 
thing  that  appears  to  the  contrary,)  thought 
they  could  not  separate  from  it  without  sin. 
And,  though  I  have  not  equal  means  of  in- 
formation, I  can  as  little  doubt  that  the 
Lord  has  a  people  likewise  in  the  Greek 
Church,  which,  as  to  its  external  frame,  seems 
to  be  little  less  unscriptural  than  the  Church 
of  Rome  itself 

However,  I  desire  to  be  thankful  that  I  am 
not  a  Papist.  I  am  at  least  one  step  nearer 
to  the  true  and  acceptable  worship  of  God. 
For  I  believe  the  most  rigid  of  our  Dissent- 
ing brethren  will  allow,  that  the  Church  of 
England,  if  almost,  yet  is  not  altogether  so 
depraved  and  corrupt  in  its  constitution  as 
the  church  of  Rome.  1  am  now  in  my  track 


LBT.  m,] 


APOLOGIA. 


451 


and  sliall  trouble  you  with  fewer  digressions 
in  the  sequel.  My  next  point  will  be  to  ex- 
amine the  different  claims  of  Protestant 
churches  to  the  honour  they  all  assume,  that 
their  respective  institutions  are  most  con- 
formable to  the  rules  the  apostles  have  laid 
down  on  the  subject  of  church-government, 
and  express  the  greatest  regard  to  the  autho- 
rity of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  undoubted 
Head  and  Lawgiver  of  his  Church.  And  to 
avoid  as  much  as  I  can,  encumbering  what  I 
write  in  an  epistolary  way  to  a  friend,  with 
the  stiffness  of  argumentation,  I  shall  con- 
tent myself  with  giving  you  a  simple  account 
of  what  occurred  to  me  upon  this  liead,  when 
I  made  the  inquiry  for  my  own  direction. 
But  it  is  time  to  conclude  this  letter  by  as- 
suring you  that  I  am. 

Your  adectioaate  friend. 


LETTER  IIL 

My  Dear  Friend  and  Brother, — If  the 
authority  of  men  truly  respectable  for  learn- 
ing, judgment,  and  grace,  were  sufficient  to 
determine  the  question.  Which  of  the  va- 
rious forms  of  church-government  now  ob- 
taining among  Christians  is  most  agreeable 
to  the  letter  and  spirit  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment!  a  modest  inquirer,  who  wishes  for  the 
sanction  of  those  whom  he  esteems  wiser 
and  better  than  himself,  would  probably, 
without  hesitation,  join  himself  to  that  party 
to  which  he  might  be  first  led  to  apply  for 
direction.  For  whatever  difference  there 
may  be  in  the  merit  of  their  several  claims 
for  pre-eminence,  the  claim  itself  is  made 
with  an  equal  degree  of  confidence  by  them 
all.  At  a  time  when  I  was  very  sensible  of 
my  own  incompetency  to  decide  this  point 
for  myself,  I  received  (as  I  hope)  much  bene- 
fit from  the  writings  of  Bishop  Hall,  Rey- 
nolds, Davenant,  Mr.  Hooker,  and  other  di- 
vines of  the  Church  of  England.  I  perceived 
they  were  persons  of  strong  sense,  extensive 
literature,  sound  in  the  faith ;  and  from  such 
accounts  of  their  lives  as  I  could  collect,  I 
judged  they  had  been  zealous  and  diligent  in 
their  calling.s,  and  burning  and  shining  lights 
in  the  world.  I  could  not  perceive  that  any 
of  them  were  dissatisfied  with  the  Establish- 
ed Church  in  which  they  lived  and  died  ;  and 
some  of  them  I  found  were  very  strenuous 
in  its  defence,  not  only  pleading  that  it  was 
lawful  to  maintain  communion  with  it,  but 
offering  many  arguments  to  prove  that  it  was 
even  sinful  to  separate  from  it,  and  that  it 
was  the  only  resemblance  of  the  primitive 
apostolical  church.  I  ovm  to  you  that  I 
thought  some  of  their  assertions  upon  this 
head  were  too  strong,  and  some  of  their 
arguments  not  fully  conclusive.  Yet  I  was 
a  little  staggered,  and  it  gave  me  pain  to  be 
forced  to  differ  in  any  point  from  men  whom 


I  believed. to  have  been  full  of  faith  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  However,  some  general 
idea  I  possessed  of  the  liberty  of  the  gospel, 
a  conviction  that  the  Lord  had  a  people  and 
a  work  in  other  countries  where  the  form  of 
the  Church  of  England  could  not  take  place, 
and  the  previous  attachment  I  had  to  the  Dis- 
senters, with  whom,  as  I  have  said,  I  was 
first  acquainted,  prevented  me  from  becoming 
what  is  called  a  High-Church  man.  But  aa 
for  these  reasons  I  could  not  give  the  Church 
of  England  an  exclusive  preference,  or  think 
myself  authorized  to  brand  those  who  dis- 
sented from  it  with  the  hard  names  of  schis- 
matics and  fanatics,  so  on  the  other  hand,  I 
could  not  go  into  the  opposite  extreme,  or 
suppose  that  a  church  in  which  the  Lord  em- 
ployed and  owned  such  valuable  men,  and 
had  a  numerous  spiritual  people,  w-as  no  bet- 
ter than  a  Babylon,  from  whence  all  who 
loved  his  name  and  salvation,  were  in  duty 
and  con.science  bound  to  withdraw. 

Many  books  likewise  came  in  my  way 
written  by  divines  of  the  Church  of  Scot- 
land. In  the  writings  of  Durham,  Fleming, 
Halyburton,  and  others,  I  found  proofs  that 
they  were  not  inferior  in  light,  holiness,  and 
a  sound  spiritual  judgment,  to  the  most 
eminent  luminaries  of  our  own  Church.  In 
what  concerned  the  lite  and  power  of  reli- 
gion, I  could  perceive  no  considerable  differ- 
ence between  them.  As  they  were  all  taught 
by  the  same  Spirit,  so  they  were  all  teachers 
of  the  same  truths.  But  in  their  sentiments 
upon  church-government  they  differed  very 
widely.  Wherein  they  agreed,  I  could  fully 
agree  with  them.  Wherein  they  differed,  I 
was  left  in  the  uncertainty  of  a  traveller, 
who,  inquiring  his  way  of  two  persons,  is 
told  by  one  to  turn  to  the  right,  and  by  the 
other  directly  opposite,  to  the  left.  My 
Engli.sh  guides  would  persuade  me  that  the 
form  of  the  church  from  the  apostles'  days 
was  Episcopal.  My  Scotch  guides  were  ra- 
ther more  positive  that  our  prelacy  was  al- 
most equally  with  the  papacy,  a  branch  and 
a  mark  of  Antichrist.  If  I  compared  the  suf- 
ficiency of  each  to  decide  for  me,  I  knew  not 
which  to  prefer.  On  both  sides  were  men 
of  wisdom  and  grace,  and  who  I  believed 
would  not  wilfully  mislead  me;  on  both  sides 
they  confessed  themselves  in  general  to  be, 
like  myself",  fallible,  and  liable  to  mistake. 
Only  in  this  one  point  both  sides  appeared 
confident,  that  they  could  not  be  mistaken, 
and  yet  their  opinions  were  not  only  diverse, 
but  contradictory. 

The  suspense  in  which  I  was  held  by 
these  incompatible  claimants,  sent  me  more 
readily  and  attentively  to  renew  my  inquiries 
amongst  my  former  friends  of  your  denomi- 
nation. By  these  I  was  instructed,  that  I 
need  not  trouble  myself  with  weighing  and 
comparing  the  arguments  which  the  English 
and  Scotch  Churches  had  to  offer  in  favour 


452 


APOLOGIA. 


[let.  III. 


of  their  respective  constitutions,  for  they 
were  both  equally  destitute  of  any  founda- 
tion in  truth  or  scripture :  That  I  had  only 
to  read  the  New  Testament  for  myself,  and 
it  must  appear  very  plain,  that  the  Lord 
Christ  had  not  left  a  concern  of  this  import- 
ance undetermined,  but  had  directed  his 
apostles  to  leave  in  their  writings  a  pattern, 
according  to  which  it  was  his  pleasure  all 
his  churches  in  future  ages  should  be  formed : 
That  the  first  churches  were  Congregational 
or  Independent,  and  that  every  other  plan 
was  unscriptural,  and  a  presumptuous  devia- 
tion from  the  declared  will  of  the  Lord.  As 
I  had  been  a  debtor  to  some  of  their  writers 
likewise,  and  was  personally  acquainted  with 
several  of  their  ministers,  their  representa- 
tion had  so  much  weight  "with  me  as  to  in- 
crease my  embarrassment. 

My  difficulties  grew  upon  me,  when  I 
found,  by  consulting  diiferent  Independent 
writers  who  had  professedly  treated  this  sub- 
ject, that  though  they  were  of  one  mind  in 
asserting  that  a  plain  and  satisfactory  pattern 
for  this  Congregational  order  might  be  easily 
collected  and  stated  from  a  perusal  of  the 
New  Testament ;  yet  when  they  came  to 
delineate  and  describe  it  according  to  their 
own  idea,  they  were  far  from  being  agreed 
among  themselves  as  to  the  nature  and  num- 
ber of  the  officers,  powers,  and  acts  which  are 
requisite  to  the  constitution  and  administra- 
tion of  a  regularly  organized  gospel-church. 
I  formerly  employed  much  time  and  attention 
in  this  disquisition ;  but  not  having  for  many 
years  past  reviewed  a  controversy  which  I 
think  rather  dry  and  uninteresting,  I  cannot 
from  memory  enter  into  a  detail  of  particu- 
lars. Nor  is  it  needful.  Of  the  fact,  I  think 
I  may  be  confident,  that  there  is  not  such  an 
agreement  amongst  them  as  mi?ht  be  ex- 
pected, if  the  plan  from  which  they  all  pro- 
fess to  copy  was  clearly  and  e.xpressly  re- 
vealed in  the  New  Testament  as  obligatory 
upon  all  christians.  Here  I  was  at  a  loss 
again ;  for,  if  I  could  have  admitted  their 
principle.  That  every  circumstance  of  wor- 
ship and  government  in  a  church  ought  to 
have  the  warrant  of  a  precept  or  a  precedent 
from  the  scripture,  still  I  needed  help  to  di- 
gest and  put  together  the  several  regulations 
which  were  dispersed  in  so  many  different 
parts  of  the  Gospels  and  Epistles;  for  1 
found  myself  unable  to  frame  the  detached 
materials  into  one  orderly  structure  by  my 
own  skill.  But  when  they  who  professed  to 
have  the  light  which  I  wanted  were  them- 
selves divided  upon  the  point,  I  was  preclud- 
ed from  the  hope  of  any  certain  assistance  ; 
for  as  to  probabilities  and  conjectures,  I  might 
as  well  depend  upon  my  own,  as  upon  those 
of  another. 

Nor  was  this  the  whole  of  my  difficulty, 
I  was  honestly  advised  to  read  and  examine 
for  myself.  I  did  so ;  and  it  appeared  to  me, 


by  comparing  what  I  read  with  what  I  saw, 
that  the  Independents  could  not,  at  least  did 
not,  keep  closely  to  their  own  principles.  I 
thought  I  met  with  usages  in  the  churches 
planted  by  the  apostles  which  did  not  obtain 
in  any  of  the  Congregational  churches  I  was 
acquainted  with ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  I 
noticed  some  usages  among  these  of  which  I 
could  find  no  traces  in  the  inspired  account 
we  have  of  the  primitive  churches.  Permit 
me,  by  way  of  specimen,  to  mention  one  in- 
stance in  each  kind.  If  it  was  necessary  I 
could  mention  several,  but  I  wish  not  to  be 
tedious. 

The  apostle  Paul  addresses  the  Corinthians 
as  a  church  of  Christ;  and  we  have  from  him 
a  larger  and  more  particular  account  of  the 
practices  of  their  church  than  of  any  other. 
Inchap.  xiv.  of  his  first  epistle,  after  censuring 
and  correcting  some  improprieties  which  had 
obtained  in  their  public  assemblies,  he  gives 
them  this  direction :  "  Let  the  prophets  speak 
two  or  three,  and  let  the  other  judge.  If  any 
thing  be  revealed  to  another  that  sitteth  by, 
let  the  first  hold  his  peace.  For  ye  may  all 
prophesy  one  by  one,  that  all  may  learn,  and 
all  may  be  comforted."  The  general  practice 
of  the  Congregational  churches  in  our  time, 
seems  not  to  comply  with  this  apostolic  in- 
junction. I  think,  my  friend,  in  your  assem- 
blies, especially  in  your  solemn  stated  wor- 
ship on  the  Lord's  day,  there  is  seldom  more 
than  one  speaker.  The  same  minister  who 
preaches,  usually  begins  and  ends  the  service. 
Should  it  be  pleaded  that  the  apostle  speaks 
of  prophesying,  and  evidently  supposes  that 
the  church  of  Corinth  was  favoured  with  ex- 
traordinary gifts  and  revelations  which  are 
now  ceased,  and  that  therefore  the  rule  can- 
not in  that  respect  extend  to  us,  I  have  two 
answers  to  make. 

In  the  first  place,  though  we  do  not  expect 
extraordinary  rev€lations,  we  have  encour- 
agement to  hope  for  the  presence  of  our  Sa- 
viour, and  the  gracious  influencesof  his  Spirit, 
when  we  meet  in  his  name,  sufficient  to  en- 
able us  to  speak  to  his  praise,  and  to  the  edifi- 
cation and  comfort  of  our  brethren,  if  not  in 
foreign  tongues,  at  least  in  our  own.  And  it 
is  probable  that  you  have  more  than  once  been 
a  hearer  in  a  public  assembly,  when  your 
heart  has  been  so  warmed  and  impressed  with 
the  truths  of  the  gospel,  that  you  would  not 
have  been  unwilling  to  have  ascended  the 
pulpit  yourself,  either  to  confirm  or  correct 
what  you  had  been  hearing,  or  to  indulge  the 
liberty  you  found  in  your  mind  upon  some 
other  important  subject.  Perhaps  something 
was  then  revealed  to  you,  which  might  have 
been  very  suitable  to  the  occasion,  and  to  the 
state  of  the  congregation.  Why  did  you  not 
then  declare  it  1  Why  did  you  neglect  to  stir 
up  the  gift  of  God  that  was  in  you  1  Would 
it  have  been  contrary  to  the  custom  of  your 
churches'?    But  would  you  not,  upon  your 


urr.  III.] 


APOLOGIA. 


453 


principles,  have  been  justified  by  the  custom 
of  a  New-Testament  church,  and  the  injunc- 
tion of  an  apostle ! 

But,  secondly,  and  chiefly,  I  answer,  if  it  be 
admitted,  that  because  the  primitive  churches 
had  extraordinary  gifts,  there  are  some  things 
in  their  practice  which  are  not  proper  for  our 
imitation,*  who  have  not  the  same  gifts ; 
then  I  quite  give  up  the  hope  of  being  able  to 
determine  the  exact  and  invariable  form  of 
a  church,  by  such  lights  as  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  and  their  Epistles  afford  me;  unless 
some  man  or  set  of  men  be  qualified  and  com- 
missioned to  draw  the  line  for  me,  and  to  show 
me  distinctly  how  far,  and  in  what  instances, 
the  state  of  the  first  christians  is  limited  from 
being  a  pattern  to  us,  by  the  extraordinary 
dispensations  of  that  age ;  and  how  far,  and 
in  what  cases,  their  pattern  is  binding  upon 
us  still,  notwithstanding  those  dispensations 
have  long  since  ceased.  To  be  directed  to 
study  these  churches  as  a  model,  and  to  be 
told  at  the  same  time,  that  some  parts  of  their 
practice  were  not  designed  for  the  imitation 
of  future  ages,  without  distinctly  specifying 
which  were,  and  which  wore  not,  is  rather  the 
way  to  perplex  and  bewilder  an  inquirer,  than 
to  help  him  to  information.  Upon  this  ground, 
though  I  might  refuse  to  trust  the  assumed 
infallibility  of  the  Pope,  I  must  feel  the  need 
of  an  infallible  visible  guide  to  reside  some- 
where  in  the  church  ;  for  without  such  assist- 
ance I  could  not  take  a  single  step  with  cer- 
tainty, but  must  be  liable  to  stumble  at  the 
very  threshold  of  my  inquiry. 

I  think  it  is  the  usual  practice  in  your 
churches,  to  require  from  all  persons  who 
wish  to  be  admitted  into  your  communion,  an 
account,  either  verbal  or  written,  of  what  is 
called  their  experience  ;  in  which,  not  only  a 
declaration  of  their  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
their  purpose,  by  grace,  to  devote  themselves 
to  him,  is  expected,  but  likewise  a  recital  of 
the  steps  by  which  they  were  led  to  a  know- 
ledge and  profession  of  the  gospel.  I  select 
this  as  one  instance  in  which  I  conceive  you 
have  neither  precept  nor  precedent  in  the 
scripture  for  your  warrant.  A  profession  of 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  acceptance 
of  him,  and  submission  to  him  in  his  offices 
and  characters,  supported  by  the  evidence  of 
a  gospel-conversation,  should,  I  apprehend, 
be  deemed  sufficient  to  entitle  a  person  to 
church-membership  ;  and  especially  by  those 
who  so  loudly  insist  upon  the  evil  of  super- 
adding any  regulations  to  those  which  are  al- 
ready provided  by  our  Lord  and  his  apostles. 
The  authority  which  makes  it  a  pre-requisite 
for  admission,  that  a  person  shall  relate  how 
and  when  he  was  awakened,  what  exercises 
of  mind  he  has  passed  through,  and  other  par- 


ticulars of  a  like  nature,  appears  to  me  to  be 
as  merely  human,  as  the  authority  which  pre- 
scribes the  canons  of  an  established  church. 
If  the  practice  be  defensible,  it  must  be  on 
the  plea  of  expediency.  It  is  not  my  present 
business  to  inquire  how  far  it  may  be  expedi- 
ent for  young  converts,  for  young  persons, 
especially  for  young  women,  to  be  compelled 
to  speak  before  a  public  assembly  ;  or  if  that 
be  dispensed  with  for  the  sake  of  other  inter- 
fering expediencies,  how  far  it  is  expedient 
to  trust  to  a  written  experience  :  otherwise  I 
could  say  a  good  deal  upon  this  head.  Bui 
it  is  sufficient  for  my  purpose,  if  no  shadow 
of  this  practice  can  be  found  in  the  New-Tes- 
tament. On  the  contrary,  I  read,  that  when 
Saul,  after  he  escaped  from  Damascus,  essay- 
ed to  join  himself  to  the  disciples,  it  was  Bar- 
nabas and  not  Saul*  himself,  who  informed 
them  both  of  his  conversion,  and  of  the  extra- 
ordinary manner  in  which  it  was  effected, 
subjoining  a  testimony  of  his  conduct  from 
the  time  that  he  professed  a  change.  But  if 
expediency  may  warrant  a  measure  in  your 
churches  not  expressly  commanded,  why  not 
likewise  in  ours  1  Be  it  either  right  or  wrong 
in  one  case,  it  must  be  so  in  both.  And 
therefore  my  remark  on  this  particular  will  at 
least  have  the  force  of  argumentum  ad  homi- 
nenu 

I  am  afraid  I  shall  weary  you  by  only  giv- 
ing a  brief  account  of  the  long  and  intricate 
road  which  I  travelled,  to  discover,  if  I  could, 
the  best  constituted  church.  But  I  must  en- 
treaf  your  patience  a  little  longer,  till  I  bring 
you  to  the  end  of  my  journey.  It  may  be  ne- 
cessary to  inform  some  of  my  readers,  though 
not  you,  that  a  considerable  part  of  the  con- 
gregational churches  differ  from  the  rest,  with 
respect  to  the  mode  and  subjects  of  baptism. 
At  the  time  when  my  thoughts  were  most  en- 
gaged about  church-order,  Hived  in  intimate 
habits  of  friendship  with  several  Baptists,  who 
were  very  willing  to  assist  me  in  settling 
my  judgment.  These,  though  they  would 
have  been  pleased  to  see  me  yield  to  the  ar- 
guments of  their  Pedobaptist  brethren,  would 
not  be  satisfied  that  I  should  stop  where  they 
stopped.  They  urged  scripture  precepts  and 
precedents  to  lead  me  farther  ;  and  said,  that 
none  of  the  Congregational  churches  but  their 
own  were  agreeable  to  the  mind  of  Christ. 
They  told  me,  that  though  I  should  acknow- 
ledge and  embrace  the  Congregational  order, 
which  undoubtedly  was  the  only  one  counte- 
nanced by  scripture,  still  1  could  not  be  right 
till  I  had  renounced  what  I  called  the  bap- 
tism I  had  received  in  my  infancy,  and  sub- 
mitted (as  they  termed  it)  to  baptism  by  im- 
mersion, to  which  I  was  bound  not  only  by 
the  practice  of  the  primitive  church,  but  by 
the  example  of  our  Lord  himself,  who  when  he 


*  See  Neale's  History  of  the  Puritans.  Vol.  1.  p.  379 
Sd  edit. 


*  See  Dr.  Guyse  on  Acts  ix.  27. 


454 


APOLOGIA. 


[let.  hi. 


was  baptized,  said  for  onr  instruction,  "Thus 
it  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all  righteousness." 

I  own,  Sir,  that  if  I  had  seen  it  my  duty  to 
accede  to  the  church-order  of  the  Indepen- 
dents, I  know  not  but  their  principles  would 
have  led  me  from  them  again,  to  join  with  the 
Baptists.  How  they,  who,  maintaining  infant- 
baptism,  press  scripture  precedent  so  strongly 
upon  me,  answer  the  Baptists,  who  in  this 
point  press  it  as  strongly  upon  themselves,  is 
not  my  concern.  I  did  not  stand  upon  the 
same  ground,  and  therefore  the  arguments 
of  the  Baptist  did  not  much  affect  me.  I 
thought  the  example  of  our  Lord  pleaded  as 
much  for  circumcision  as  for  baptism.  I  ques- 
tion whether  I,  a  poor  sinner,  had  any  call  to 
imitate  him  in  those  things  which  it  became 
him  as  our  Surety  to  perform,  in  order  to  ful- 
fil all  righteousness.  It  appeared  tome  that 
John's  baptism  and  the  christian  baptism  were 
different;  and  though  the  Baptists  assured 
me  that  they  were  the  same,  I  was  not  con- 
vinced. I  thought  they  were  plainly  distin- 
guished in  Acts  xix.  2—5.  And  I  was  griev- 
ed by  the  attempts  of  some  wise  and  good  men 
to  wrest  a  sense  from  that  passage,  so  contrary 
to  its  plain  and  obvious  meaning,  merely  to 
support  a  favourite  scheme.  And  as  the 
form  of  christian  baptism  is  laid  down  in 
express  words,  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  I  must 
continue  to  tliink  it  different  from  the  bap- 
tism of  John,  till  I  can  have  sufficient  proof 
that  John  baptized  our  Saviour  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

I  found  likewise  that  the  Baptists,  though 
unanimous  against  us,  and  even  against  those 
who  in  every  point  but  one  agree  with  them, 
were  divided  among  themselves.  Some  of 
them,  while  they  practise  what  they  think  a 
duty,  do  not  so  peremptorily  prescribe  it  to 
others,  as  to  make  it  an  indispensible  term  of 
communion  ;  but  they  will  receive  a  person 
as  a  church-member  whom  they  judge  to  be 
sound  in  the  faith,  and  of  a  good  conversation, 
though  they  consider  him,  in  strictness  of 
speech,  as  unbaptized.  But  others  are  much 
hurt  by  this  concession,  and  bear  testimony 
against  it  as  unscriptural  and  wrong.  Their 
views  are  so  strict  that  if  they  certainly  knew 
that  a  person  who  wished  to  communicate 
with  them  was  the  most  eminent  christian  in 
the  land,  unless  he  \va.s  likewise  baptized  in 
their  manner,  they  could  not,  they  durst  not 
admit  him  to  the  Lord's  table,  to  eat  of  that 
bread  and  to  drink  of  that  cup  which  is  by  his 
command  and  appointment,  the  privilege  and 
portion  of  all  believers.  This  difference  of 
judgment  between  them  has  been  thought  so 
important,  that  the  reasons  for  and  against, 
and  their  mutual  censures  of  each  other,  have 
been  laid  before  the  public,  by  good  men  on 
each  side  of  the  question. 

Now,  my  dear  friend,  ujx)n  this  state  of  the 
case,  what  could  I  do  1    I  had  reviewed  and 


compared  the  sentiments  of  a  number  of  re- 
spectable writers  and  ministers  of  different 
names.  In  essentials  I  agreed  with  them  all, 
and  in  circumstantials  I  differed  no  more  from 
any  of  them,  then  they  differed  among  them- 
selves. They  all  confessed  they  were  fallible, 
yet  they  all  decided  with  an  air  of  infallibility ; 
for  they  all  in  their  turns  expected  me  to 
unite  with  them,  if  I  had  any  regard  to  the 
authority  and  honour  of  the  Lord  Jesus  aa 
Head  of  the  church.  But  the  very  consi- 
deration they  proposed  restrained  me  from 
uniting  with  any  of  them.  For  I  cannot 
think  that  I  should  honour  the  headship  and 
kingly  office  of  Christ,  by  acknowledging  him 
as  the  Head  of  a  party  and  subdivision  of  his 
people  to  the  exclusion  of  the  rest.  Every 
party  uses  fair  sounding  words  of  liberty ;  but 
when  an  explanation  is  made,  it  amounts  to 
little  more  than  this — that  they  will  give  me 
liberty  to  think  as  they  think,  and  to  act  aa 
they  act;  which  to  me,  who  claim  the  same 
right  of  thinking  for  myself  and  of  acting  ac- 
cording to  the  dictates  of  my  own  conscience, 
is  no  liberty  at  all.  I  therefore  came  to  such 
conclusions  as  these — that  I  would  love  them 
all — that  I  would  hold  a  friendly  intercourse 
with  them  all,  so  far  as  they  should  providen- 
tially come  in  my  way ;  but  that  I  would 
stand  fast  in  the  liberty  with  which  Christ  had 
made  me  free,  and  call  none  of  them  master 
— in  fine,  that  if  others  sought  to  honour  him 
by  laying  a  great  stress  on  matters  of  doubtful 
disputation,  my  way  of  honouring  him  should 
be  by  endeavouring  to  show  that  his  kingdom 
is  not  of  this  world,  nor  consists  in  meats  and 
drinks,  in  pleading  for  forms  and  parties,  but 
in  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost;  and  that  neither  circumcision  is  any 
thing,  nor  uncircumcision,  buta  new  creature, 
and  the  faith  which  worketh  by  love.  There 
was  a  time  when  I  could  have  joined  with 
the  Dissenters,  if  the  providence  of  God  had 
opened  my  way  to  them  ;  hut  farther  experi- 
ence and  observation  have  so  far  altered 
my  judgment,  that  had  I  my  choice  to  make 
again,  it  seems  to  me,  that  I  could  no  more 
officiate  as  a  minister  among  any  people  who 
insist  upon  other  terms  of  communion  than 
those  which  our  Lord  has  appointed,  faith  and 
holiness,  than  I  could  subscribe  to  the  dogmas 
of  the  Council  of  Trent.  My  regard  to  his 
honour  will  not  allow  me  to  exclude  any 
whom  I  believe  he  has  been  pleased  to  receive. 
Thus  much  for  the  first  reason  of  my  confor- 
mity. Yet  in  justice  to  the  non-conformists 
I  must  add,  that  if  I  wish  to  avail  myself  of 
the  sanction  of  great  names,  I  could  mention 
some  among  them,  who,  if  they  were  now 
living,  I  am  persuaded  would  not  blame  me 
for  conforming,  though  they  could  not  in 
conscience  do  it  themselves.  Particularly  I 
judge  thus  (from  many  of  his  writings)  of  the 
truly  great  Mr.  Howe,  whose  praise  is  in  all 
the  churches.     I  am  sincerely  yours,  tSic 


LET.  IV.] 


APOLOGIA. 


455 


LETTER  IV. 

My  Dear  Friend  and  Brother, — I  have 
given  you  the  chief  reason  why  I  am  not  a 
Dissenter;  and  it  appears  to  nne  a  sufficient 
one,  though  I  could  assign  no  other.  I 
have,  however,  two  or  three  more  to  offer 
you,  but  I  hope  to  comprise  them  all  within 
the  compass  of  this  letter.  For  indeed  I  be- 
gin to  be  weary  of  a  subject  which  is  not  quite 
suitable  to  my  taste  and  inclination.  But  it 
seems  not  unseasonable,  and  1  hope  may  not 
be  unuseful  to  show  you  that  the  preference 
I  have  given  to  the  Church  of  England,  is 
not  the  effect  either  of  inconsideration  or 
prejudice. 

My  second  reason  for  not  being  a  Dissen- 
ter is.  Because  I  highly  value  the  right  of 
private  judgment,  ami  my  liberty  as  a  man 
and  as  a  Christian.  Here  again  I  think  we 
are  agreed  in  principle.  You  rejoice  in  the 
name  of  a  Protestant  Dissenter,  as  setting  you 
free  from  the  shackles  and  impositions  of  men; 
and  proba  bly  think  of  me  and  my  brethren  in 
the  Establishment,  with  a  degree  of  friendly 
pity ;  taking  it  for  granted,  that  the  engage- 
ments we  are  under  hold  us  in  a  painful  state 
of  subjection  and  bondage,  from  which  you 
charitably  wish  to  see  us  released. 

We  are  obliged  to  persons  of  your  candid 
disposition  for  your  sympathy  and  good 
wishes;  and  we  repay  you  in  kind.  As  we 
cannot  think  exactly  alike,  this  seems  the  best 
method  we  can  take.  Harsh  censures  and 
angry  disputations  would  be  unbecoming  our 
profe.^siou,  and  hurtful  to  our  spirits;  but  it 
can  do  us  no  harm  to  pity  and  pray  for  each 
other.  Perhaps  you  are  ready  to  say,  "You 
would  surely  pity  me  if  you  knew  all  my  in- 
ward and  outward  trials ;  but  you  need  not 
pity  me  for  being  a  Dissenter,  because  I  ac- 
count it  my  great  privilege."  1  may  say  the 
same,  with  the  alteration  of  one  word.  If 
you  know  the  evils  which  I  feel  within,  and 
the  snares  and  difficulties  which  beset  me 
from  without,  you  would  pity  me  indeed. 
But  that  I  exercise  my  ministry  in  the  Church 
of  England,  appears  tome,  as  things  stand, 
to  be  rather  a  subj'xt  for  congratulation  than 
compassion.  I  cannot  become  a  Dissenter 
till  I  am  weary  of  my  liberty.  If  you  please 
we  will  compare  notes  upon  this  head. 

Let  nie  first  speak  of  the  restraints  we  are 
under.  I  am  bound,  by  my  subscription,  to 
the  forms  and  rubric  of  the  Common  Prayer; 
but  my  subscription  was  really  ex  animo.  I 
approve  the  service,  and  therefore  it  is  no 
burden  to  me  to  use  it.  1  do  not  consider  it 
as  faultless,  nor  can  I  subscribe  to  any  book 
of  human  composition  in  the  same  absolute 
manner  as  I  would  to  the  Bible.  But  by  as- 
senting to  our  church-ritual  I  give  up  less  of 
my  own  private  judgment  for  the  sake  of 
peace,  than  I  should  by  espousing  the  rules 


and  practices  of  any  Dissenting  churches  I  am 
acquainted  with.  Again,  having  accepted  a  de- 
signation to  the  cure  of  souls,  my  public  minis- 
try is  thereby  confined  to  parish  churches, 
and  I  cannot,  consistently  with  what  I 
conceive  to  be  the  import  of  my  voluntary 
engagements,  preach  at  random,  and  in  all 
places  without  reserve.  But  this  is  no  re- 
straint upon  my  conscience.  While  I  have 
the  example  of  our  Lord  and  his  apostles  in 
my  view,  I  cannot  doubt  the  lawfulness  of 
preaching  on  mountains  or  plains,  in  market- 
places, or  on  the  sea-shore.  But  things  in 
themselves  lavvful  are  not  always,  nor  to  all 
persons  expedient.  I  approve  of  parochial 
order.  I  interfere  not  with  the  conduct  of 
others;  but  believe  it  is,  upon  the  whole, 
best  for  me  to  confine  myself  to  the  duties  of 
my  own  charge,  and  to  such  opportunities  of 
preaching  in  parochial  pulpits  as  may  occa- 
sionally offer.  Between  the  one  and  the 
other  I  have  sufficient  employment.  And 
though  the  Bishop  who  ordained  me  laid  me 
under  no  restrictions,  I  would  not  have  ap- 
plied to  him  for  ordination,  if  I  had  not  been 
previously  determined  to  submit  to  his  au- 
thority and  to  the  rules  of  the  church.  I 
thought,  and  still  think  it  my  duty  to  preserve 
a  consistency  of  character ;  lor  I  was  not 
ordained  to  be  an  apostle  or  evangelist,  to 
spread  the  gospel  throughout  a  kingdom,  but 
to  take  care  of  the  particular  flock  committed 
to  my  charge.  But  1  need  not  enlarge  upon 
this  point,  as  I  think  the  Dissenters  do  not  in 
general  by  their  practice  countenance  what 
we  call  irregularity,  but  are  almost  as  seldom 
seen  preaching  in  the  fields,  or  by  the  way- 
sides, as  the  most  regular  of  our  clergy ; 
though  they  cannot  plead  our  reasons  for  not 
doing  it,  and  are  certainly  not  restrained 
either  by  the  precepts  or  precedents  of  the 
New  Testament. 

Nor  am  I  under  any  disagreeable  constraint 
from  my  superiors  in  the  church.  The  Arch- 
deacon in  his  district,  and  the  Bishop  in  his 
diocese, hold  their  respective  visitations;  the 
former  annually,  the  latter  once  in  three 
years.  At  these  visitations  the  clergy  (espe- 
cially in  the  country)  are  expected  to  attend. 
On  these  occasions  we  answer  to  our  names, 
hear  a  sermon  or  a  charge,  and  usually  dine 
together.  There  is  nothing  painful  to  me  in 
paying  these  tokens  of  respect  to  my  acknow- 
ledged superiors,  and  receiving  marks  of 
civility  from  them.  At  all  other  times,  while 
we  keep  within  the  limits  which  I  have  al- 
ready told  you,  I  subscribed  and  consented 
to  ex  animo,  we  scarcely  know,  at  least  we 
do  not  feel  that  we  have  any  superiors.  So 
far  as  I  am  concerned,  I  have  reason  to  ac- 
knowledge that  the  administration  of  our 
church-ffovernment  is  gentle  and  liberal.  I 
have  from  the  first  preached  my  sentiments 
with  the  greatest  freedom.  I  always  acted  in 
the  parishes  which  I  have  served,  according 


456 


APOLOGIA. 


[let.  it. 


to  my  own  jiidg-ment :  and  I  have  done  sonie  ■  to  respect.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  "  Obey 
thing's  which  have  not  the  sanction  of  general  j  them  that  have  ?ule  over  ycii."  Tiieir  office 
custom,  but  I  never  met  with  the  smallest :  is  that  of  a  steward,  who  is  neither  to  lord  it 
check,  interference,  or  mark  of  displeasure  over  the  household,  nor  to  be  entirely  under 


from  any  of  my  superiors  in  the  church,  to 
tliis  hour.  Such  are  my  restraints,  and  such 
is  my  liberty.  I  am  bound  by  no  regulations 
but  what  I  myself  approve  ;  and  within  these 
boundaries  I  do  as  I  please,  no  man  forbidding 
or  controlling  me. 

Indeed  I  have  often  thought  that  I  have  as 
good  a  right  to  the  name  of  Independent  as 
yourself.  Neither  you  nor  I  would  assume 
It  to  the  prejudice  of  our  dependence  upon 
our  Lord  and  Saviour ;  and,  with  respect  to 
the  influence  of  men,  perhaps  we  have  the 
advantage  of  you.  I  think  we  are  more  de- 
pendent of  our  brethren,  and  more  indepen- 
dent of  our  people. 

Though  according  to  your  plan  every  par- 
ticular church  is  called  independent,  as  pos- 
sessing and  e.xercising  every  kind  of  church 
power  within  itself,  and  not  subjeet  to  the 
control  of  any  other  Christian  society  ;  yet, 
considering  you  as  a  body,  or  (according  to 
the  modern  phrase)  an  interest,  there  is  a 
kind  of  union  and  association  among  your 
ministers,  which  has  a  greater  effect  than 
some  people  are  aware  of,  and  which  I  ap- 
prehend may  in  some  instances  be  rather 
unfriendly  to  the  liberty  you  so  highly  prize. 
Some  of  your  ministers,  from  their  situation 
or  connection  have  more  influence  than 
others.  They  have  opportunities  of  assist- 
ing poorer  ministers,  and  are,  I  suppose,  in 
many  case.s  the  judges  whether  they  shall 
be  assisted  or  not,  and  bow  far.  They  who 
best  know  human  nature,  are  best  qualified 
to  judge  how  far  the  professed  independence 
of  your  churches  may  be  abated  by  this  in- 
fluence of  connection ;  and  whether  the 
weight  of  a  board  of  ministers  may  not  be 
occasionally  felt  by  those  who  pity  us  for 
being  subordinate  to  a  bench  of  Bishops.  I 
own,  I  have  upon  some  occasions  been  led  to 
compare  your  ministers  to  a  company  of  sol- 
diers in  their  exercise,  where  every  one 
must  move  in  a  prescribed  line,  keep  the 
same  pace,  and  make  the  like  motions  with 
the  rest,  on  pain  of  being  treated  as  refractory. 
Ministers  in  the  establishment  know  nothing 
of  these  restraints.  We  are  connected  in 
love,  but  not  upon  system.  We  profess  the 
same  leading  principles  and  aims,  but  each 
one  acts  singly  and  individually  for  himself. 

I  think  we  are  likewise  more  indef)endent 
of  our  people.  The  constitution  of  your 
churches,  which  you  suppose  the  only  one 
agreeable  to  the  scripture,  appears  to  me 
faulty,  in  giving  a  greater  power  to  the  peo- 
ple than  the  scripture  authorizes.  There  is 
loubtless  a  sense  in  which  ministers  are  not 
only  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  but,  for  his 
sake,  the  servants  of  the  churches;  but  it  is 
a  service  which  implies  rule,  and  is  entitled 


subjection  to  it,  but  to  svjperintend  and  pro- 
vide for  the  family.    Scriptural  regulations 
are  wisely  and  graciously  adapted  to  our 
state  of  infirmity  ;  but  I  think  the  power 
which  the  people  with  you  claim, and  attempt 
to  exercise,  is  not  so.  Many  of  them,  though 
truly  gracious  persons,  may,  notwithstand- 
ing, from  their  situation  in  life,  their  want  of 
education,  and  the  narrowness  oflheir  views, 
be  very  incapable  of  government;  yet  when 
a  number  of  sucli  are  associated  according  to 
your  plan,  under  the  honourable  title  of  a 
Church  of  Christ,  they  acquire  a  great  im- 
portance. Almost  every  individual  conceives 
himself  qualified  to  judge  and  to  guide  the 
minister;  to  sift  and  scrutinize  his  expres- 
sions, and  to  tell  him  how  and  what  be  ought 
to  preach.  But  the  poorer  part  of  your  flocks 
are  not  always  the  most  troublesome.  The 
rich  can  contribute  most  to  the  minister's 
support,  who  is  often  entirely  dependent  up- 
on his  people  for  a  maintenance  ;  their  riches 
likewise  give  them  some  additional  weight 
and  influence  in  the  church  ;  and  the  ofiicers, 
wliora  you  call  the  Deacxins,  are  usually  cho- 
sen from  among  the  more  wealthy.    But  it 
is  not  always  found  that  the  most  wenlthy 
church  members  arc  the  most  eminent,  either 
for  grace  or  wisdom.    We  may  be  rather 
sure  that  riches,  if  the  possessors  are  not 
proportionably  humble  and  spiritual,  have  a 
direct  tendency  to  nourish  the  worms  of  self^ 
conceit  and  self-will.    Such  persons  expect 
to  be  consulted,  and  that  their  judgment 
shall  be  followed.    The  preaching  must  be 
suited  to  their  taste  and  sentiment ;  and  if 
any  tiling  is  eitlier  enforced  or  censured 
which  bears  hard  upon  their  conduct,  they 
think  tliemselves  ill-treated.     Although  a 
faithful  minister,  in  his  better  hours,  disdains 
the  thought  of  complying  with  the  caprice  of 
his  hearers,  or  conniving  at  their  faults,  yet 
human  nature  is  weak,  and  it  must  be  al- 
lowed, that  in  such  circumstances,  he  stands 
in  a  state  of  temptation.    And  if  he  has 
grace  to  maintain  his  integrity,  yet  it  ia 
painful  and  difficult  to  be  obliged  frequently 
to  displease  those  on  whom  we  depend,  and 
who  in  some  other  respects  may  be  our  best 
friends  and  benefactors.     I  can  truly  say, 
that  my  heart  has  been  grieved  for  the  oppo- 
sition, neglect,  and  unkindness,  which  some 
valuable  men  among  you  have  to  my  know- 
ledge met  with,  from  those  who  ought  to 
have  esteemed  them  very  highly  for  their 
work's  sake.    The  efiects  of  this  supreme 
power  lodged  in  the  people,  and  of  the  un- 
sanctified  spirit  in  which  it  has  been  exer- 
cised, have  been  often  visible  in  thedivisions 
and  subdivisions  which  have  crumbled  large 
societies  into  separate  handfuls,  if  I  may  so 


LET.  IV.] 


APOLOGIA. 


457 


speak.  And  to  this  lam  afraid,  rather  than 
to  tlie  spread  of  a  work  of  g'race,  may  be  as- 
cribed, in  many  instances,  the  great  increase 
of  the  number  of  your  churches  of  late  years. 
Now,  in  the  Establishment,  we  know  but 
little  of  tliese  difficulties :  we  are  not  so 
much  at  the  mercy  of  our  hearers  for  our 
subsistence ;  and  though  we  probably  preach 
to  some  who  are  wiser  and  better,  as  well  as 
richer  than  ourselves,  we  have  no  hearers 
who  assume  a  right  to  direct  us,  or  whom 
we  should  stand  in  fear  of,  if  they  did.  For 
my  own  part,  I  wish  to  have  a  spirit  willing 
to  profit  by  a  iiiut,  even  from  a  child,  and  to 
pay  attention  to  the  advice  of  any  person 
who  speaks  to  me  in  love,  and  in  a  right 
temper.  But  humble  loving  christians  are 
more  disposed  to  find  fault  with  themselves 
than  witii  their  minister,  and  to  receive  in- 
struction than  to  offer  it.  But  should  a  con- 
formist to  the  world,  or  a  zealot  for  a  party, 
expect  me  to  accommodate  my  preaching  to 
his  practice,  or  to  his  Shibboleth,  I  could  give 
him  an  answer  without  being  afraid  of  con- 
sequences. 

I  may  add,  that  I  apprehend  we  have  more 
liberty  with  respect  to  our  pulpits.  At  least 
I  remember  to  have  heard  sermons  from  some 
of  your  pulpits,  the  strain  of  which  has  been 
so  very  different  from  the  professed  senti- 
ments of  the  proper  pastor  of  the  church,  that 
I  have  thought  to  myself,  How  came  this  mi- 
nister to  preach  in  this  place  1  Upon  inquiry 
I  have  found  at  one  time,  that  the  gentleman 
belonged  to  the  connexion  ;  at  another,  that 
he  was  asked  to  preach  at  the  desire  of  a 
principal' person  in  the  church  or  congrega- 
tion, who  it  seems  approved  him,  though  I 
was  persuaded  the  pastor  did  not. 

I  esteem  it  likewise  a  branch  of  my  chris- 
tian liberty,  that  I  can  hear  whom  I  please, 
and  form  what  acquaintance  1  please,  among 
the  various  denominations  of  Christians,  with- 
out being  called  to  account  for  it.  I  hope 
the  Dissenters  are  likewise  growing  more 
into  this  liberty.  However,  as  I  know  some 
among  your  people  who  would  willingly  hear 
us  occasionally,  were  they  not  afraid  of  their 
ministers;  so  I  know  some  of  your  ministers 
who  would  be  willing  to  hear  us,  but  do  not, 
because  they  are  afraid  of  their  people. 

Thus  much  (tliougli  more  might  be  said) 
by  way  of  comparing  our  advantages  in  point 
of  liberty.  I  am  well  pleased  with  my  lot ; 
if  you  are  equally  pleased  with  yours,  I  am 
glad  of  it.  I  write  only  on  the  defensive,  I 
neither  expect  nor  wish  to  alter  your  views. 
Enjoy  your  liberty  ;  only  allow  me  to  enjoy 
and  be  thankful  for  mine. 

I  have  now  acquainted  you  with  my  two 
principal  reasons  (or  not  being  a  Dissenter. 
The  first  concerned  my  conscience.  For 
though  my  regard  to  the  authority  of  the 
great  Lord  and  Lawgiver  of  the  church  did 
not  directly  oblige  me  to  unite  with  tiie  Es- 
VoL.  IL  3  M 


tablishment,  it  discouraged  me  from  uniting 
with  any  of  the  parties,  who  pretended  an 
exclusive  right  from  him  to  enforce  their  own 
particular  church-forms.  When  conscience 
did  not  interfere,  my  second  reason  though 
rather  of  a  prudential  kind,  was  of  consider- 
able weight  with  me.  I  loved  liberty,  and 
therefore  gave  a  preference  to  the  Church  of 
England,  believing  I  might  in  that  situation 
exercise  my  ministry  with  the  most  freedom. 
I  have  made  the  experiment,  and  have  no 
reason  to  repent  of  it.  These  points  being 
cleared,  my  way  was  open  to  attend  to  ano- 
ther consideration  which  had  a  farther  in- 
fluence in  determining  my  mind.  This,  I 
am  about  to  offer  to  you  as  a  third  reason  for 
my  being  where  I  am — The  prohabililtj  of 
greater  usefulness.  This  probability,  as  to 
myself,  and  to  others  who  can  conform  with 
a  good  conscience,  seemed  to  lie  on  the  sidft 
of  the  Establishment  upon  several  accounts. 

L  Great  multitudes  in  this  Christian  na- 
tion (so  called)  are  grossly  ignorant  of  the 
first  principles  of  religion,  inattentive  to  the 
worth  and  welfare  of  their  souls,  and  la- 
mentably destitute  of  the  proper  means  of 
instruction.  I  hoped  for  opportunities  in  the 
Establishment  of  preaching  to  many  who 
could  not  hear  the  Dissenters.  The  children 
of  God,  known  to  himself,  are  scattered 
abroad  far  and  wide.  And  as  faith  more 
usually  comes  by  hearing,  I  admire  his  con- 
descension and  goodness  in  permitting  his 
ministers  to  think  differently  on  some  exter- 
nal points,  that  they  may  with  an  upright 
heart  serve  him  in  the  different  departments 
of  his  vineyard.  They  who  are  Dissenters 
upon  principle,  would  act  against  their  judg- 
ments and  consciences,  were  they  to  conform 
for  the  sake  of  usefulness.  I  am  well  con- 
tent that  they  should  remain  as  they  are. 
But  it  has  proved  a  mercy  to  thousands,  that 
all  who  are  called  and  qualified  to  preach  the 
gospel,  are  not  like-minded  in  this  respect. 

2.  The  spirit  of  bigotry  and  prejudice  is 
too  prevalent  on  all  sides.  As  there  are  Dis- 
senters who  would  think  it  sinful  to  be  seen 
within  the  walls  of  a  church,  so  there  are 
other  persons  who  place  a  principal  part  of 
their  religion  in  an  ignorant  attachment  to 
our  forms,  and  could  not  easily  be  prevailed 
upon  to  enter  within  the  doors  of  a  meeting- 
house. But  their  prepossession  in  favour  of 
our  churches  gives  the  minister  who  can  con- 
scientiously meet  them  there  a  great  advan- 
tage ad  hominem,  by  confirming  the  truths 
of  the  gospel  (which  when  first  declared  are 
generally  disliked  and  opposed)  from  the 
tenor  of  our  liturgy  and  Articles,  to  which 
they  profess  some  regard.  A  large  part  of 
our  auditories,  especially  in  places  where  the 
gospel  is  considered  as  a  novelty,  consists  of 
persons  of  this  description.  But  the  Lord 
has  been  pleased  in  very  many  instances  to 
honour  our  service  amongst  them  with  hia 


453 


APOLOGIA. 


[let.  IV. 


blessing.  By  the  power  of  his  spirit  the 
truth  is  made  manifest  to  their  hearts,  they 
are  turned  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from 
the  bondage  of  sin,  to  serve  the  living  God. 
Then  their  former  prejudices  subside ;  inso- 
much that  many,  who  once  despised  and 
hated  the  Dissenters,  have  been  afterwards 
persuaded  to  join  with  tliem.  The  Dissent- 
ing interest  would  probably  have  been  much 
weaker  than  it  is  at  present,  if  it  had  not 
been  strengthened  by  the  accession  of  many 
church-members,  and  more  than  a  few  of 
your  teachers  and  pastors,  who  had  no  incli- 
nation to  hear  your  ministers,  until  they  were 
first  awakened  under  ours.  The  words  of 
our  Lord  may  in  this  sense  be  applied  to 
many  of  your  churches :  "  Other  men  la- 
boured, and  ye  have  entered  into  the  fruits 
of  their  labours."  The  aim  of  my  ministry, 
I  trust,  is  not  to  promote  the  interests  of  a 
party,  but  to  win  souls  to  Christ.  We  have, 
however,  the  comfort  to  find,  that  a  number 
are  not  only  called,  but  edified  and  establish- 
ed by  the  blessing  of  God  on  our  preaching ; 
and  that  many  of  the  most  judicious  and  spi- 
ritual of  our  people,  are  proof  against  the  in- 
sinuations which  prevail  on  some  to  forsake 
the  Church  of  England  in  hopes  of  enjoying 
a  purer  and  more  acceptable  worship  among 
the  Dissenters.  As  to  those  who  do  leave 
us,  if  they  are  truly  benefited,  if  they  really 
grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our 
Lord,  in  humility,  meekness,  benevolence, 
and  deadness  to  the  world,  move  among  you, 
than  they  would  have  done  amongst  us,  I  can 
sincerely  rejoice.  But  I  think  your  brethren 
have  no  just  reason  to  bn  either  displeased  or 
sorry,  that  God  has  raised  up  ministers  to 
preach  to  thousands  to  whom  they  would 
aever  have  liad  access. 

3.  I  saw  likewise,  that  the  Lord  had  been 
pleased  of  late  years  to  return  by  the  power 
of  his  Spirit  to  the  Church  of  England,  which 
I  believe  many  Dissenters  thought  he  had  so 
utterly  forsaken  that  he  would  return  no 
more.  This  leads  me  to  a  tender  point,  and 
I  wish  to  touch  upon  it  with  great  tenderness. 
We  have  none  of  us  any  thing  to  boast  of 
Our  warmest  exertions  in  the  service  of  such 
a  Master  are  far  too  cold  ;  and  our  greatest 
success  falls  very  short  of  what  we  ought  to 
pray  for.  We  preach  no  other  gospel  than 
you  do.  We  love  and  respect  many  of  your 
ministers  for  their  knowledge,  piety,  and  ex- 
emplary convensation.  But  I  believe  you 
will  allow,  that  the  general  state  of  your 
churches  at  present,  is  not  so  lively  and  flour- 
ishin"'  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  the  old  non- 
conformists. I  believe  the  best  of  your  peo- 
ple were  long  ago  sensible  of  a  decline,  that 
they  sincerely  lamented  it,  and  earnestly 
prayed  for  a  revival.  Their  prayers  were  at 
length  answered,  but  not  in  the  way  they  ex- 
pected. A  great  and  spreading  revival  of 
religion  took  place,  but  the  instruments  were 


not  Dissenters.  At  the  time  when  I  was  or 
dained,  there  was  a  considerable  number  of 
regular  parochial  mini.^ters  who  preached  the 
doctrines  of  the  Reformation.  The  number 
has  been  greatly  increased  since,  and  is  still 
increasing.  I  could  not  but  judge,  that  the 
Lord's  presence  with  his  word  in  awakening 
sinners,  and  in  applying  it  with  power  to  the 
heart,  was  more  evident  and  striking  on  this 
side,  than  on  yours.  Not  because  we  are 
better  than  you  ;  but  because  the  work  with 
us  is  rather  new,  whereas  amongst  you  it  ia 
of  an  older  date.  The  history  of  the  Church 
of  God  and  of  human  nature  in  past  ages, 
teaches  us  to  expect  tliat  revivals  of  religion 
will  seldom  stand  long  at  their  primitive 
height,  but  will  gradually  subside  and  degen- 
erate, till  things  return  in  a  course  of  time 
nearly  to  their  former  state  ;  though  a  name, 
perhaps  first  imposed  as  a  stigma  by  the 
world,  and  a  form  which  owed  all  its  value  to 
the  spirit  that  once  enlivened  it,  may  still 
remain.  I  wish  I  could  affirm  that  none  who 
were  otherwise  competent  judges  of  a  revi- 
val, have  been  prevented  by  their  preposses- 
sions from  rejoicing  in  what  God  has  wrought 
among  us.  But  I  fear  it  has  been  othervi'ise, 
and  that  a  spirit  of  prejudice  and  party  dis- 
covered itself  upon  the  occasion,  which 
proved  hurtful  to  some  good  men.  When  I 
think  of  the  abilities  and  characters  of  some 
Dissenting  ministers,  I  cannot  but  ascribe 
the  little  visible  success  they  meet  with,  in 
some  measure,  to  their  unwillingness  to  ac- 
knowledge a  work  of  God  in  wliich  they 
themselves  were  not  employed.  Their  ex- 
ceptions were  not  wholly  groundless :  A 
lively  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good 
of  souls,  in  persons  whose  judgments  were 
not  fully  ripened  by  observation  and  expe- 
rience, did  not  secure  them  from  incidental 
mistakes  and  blemishes.  These  were  easily 
seen  and  eagerly  noticed.  A  desire  of  being 
free  from  the  least  suspicion  of  giving  coun- 
tenance to  the  unguarded,  though  well  meant 
sallies  of  active  spirits,  seems  to  have  led 
some  of  your  ministers  into  a  contrary  e."?- 
tremo ;  and  their  public  discourses,  thouc'h 
solid  and  judicious  compositions,  lost  that 
animation  in  delivery,  which  is  in  some  de- 
gree necessary  to  engajje  attention,  and  to 
keep  up  an  auditory.  Thus,  while  preachers 
much  inferior  to  them  for  learning  and  gene- 
ral knowledge  in  divinity  have  had  crowded 
assemblies,  the  pleasure  with  which  I  have 
heard  some  of  your  most  eminent  ministers, 
has  been  often  abated  by  observing  that  the 
number  of  the  hearers  has  been  much  smaller 
than  the  number  of  pews  in  the  place.  I 
must  therefore  confess  that  one  consideration 
which  deterred  me  from  joining  the  Dissen- 
ters was,  a  fear  lest  the  love  of  peace,  and  a 
temper  rather  compliant,  might  insensibly 
betray  me  into  an  over  cautious  spirit,  damp 
my  zeal,  or  divert  it  into  a  wrong  channel, 


LET.  IV.] 


APOLOGIA. 


459 


and  thereby  prevent  the  success  at  which  I 
aimed.  1  rather  chose  to  unite  with  those 
people  whom  I  thought  the  most  likely  to 
maintain  and  encourag^e  what  little  fervour  I 
possessed ;  and  where  I  saw  the  most  evident 
tokens  of  a  power  from  on  high  accompany- 
ing the  public  ministrations.  And  as  I  had 
my  reasons  likewise  for  not  being  an  Itine- 
rant, a  regular  and  stated  charge  in  the  Es- 
tablished church  engaged  my  preference. 

My  fourth  reason  (the  last  I  think  it  ne- 
cessary to  mention)  being  rather  a  point  of 
experience,  must  depend  chiefly  upon  my 
own  testimony,  and  therefore  I  need  not  en- 
large mucli  upon  it.  Superadded,  however, 
to  those  which  I  have  already  stated,  it  great- 
ly contributed  to  give  full  satisfaction  to  my 
mind :  I  mean,  the  proofs  I  had,  that  the 
Lord,  by  the  openings  and  leadings  of  his 
providence,  pointed  out  to  me  the  situatfon 
in  which  I  was  to  serve  him.  The  first  ex- 
plicit notice  I  gave  of  my  desire  to  enter  the 
ministry,  was  to  an  intimate  friend  in  your 
denomination,  nearly  six  years  before  I  was 
ordained.  In  the  course  of  this  interval  I 
made,  and  I  received  a  variety  of  applica- 
tions and  proposals;  but  every  thing  failed, 
and  every  door  by  which  I  sought  admission 
remained  shut  against  me.  I  have  already 
observed,  that  this  state  of  suspense  gave 
me  leisure  to  examine  the  subject  of  church 
government  more  closely,  and  that  the  re- 
sult of  my  disquisitions  was  the  gradual,  and 
at  length  the  complete  removal  of  the  diffi- 
culties and  exceptions  I  had  at  first  hastily 
imbibed  against  the  Establishment.  At  length 
the  Lord's  time  came;  then  obstacles  appa- 
rently unsurmountable  suddenly  and  unex- 
pectedly disappeared.  Then  I  learnt  the 
reason  of  former  disappointments.  My  way 
had  been  mercifully  hedged  up  with  thorns, 
to  prevent  me  taking  a  wrong  course,  and  to 
keep  mc  waiting  until  the  place  and  service 
of  his  own  appointment  were  prepared  and 
ready  for  me.  The  coincidence  of  many  cir- 
cumstances which  I  cannot  explain  to  ano- 
ther, gave  me  a  very  comfortable  sense  of 
the  Lord's  guidance.  I  received  ordination 
in  the  Church  of  England  with  a  ^x>)eJ5o«.», 
with  wind  and  tide  (if  I  may  so  speak)  in 
my  favour,  with  the  most  pleasing  disposition 
of  outward  events,  and  the  most  assured  per- 
suasion in  my  own  mind,  that  I  was  follow- 
ing the  call,  and  doing  the  will  of  God ;  of 
which  I  had  at  that  time  little  more  doubt 
than  if  an  angel  had  been  sent  from  hea- 
ven to  tell  me  so.  Nor  have  I  hesitated 
upon  the  point  a  single  hour  from  that  day  to 
this. 

I  think  you  will  not  be  sorry  to  find  that 
I  am  drawing  towards  a  close.  Indeed  I 
should  be  ashamed  to  have  written  so  much 


merely  on  my  own  account.  I  began  this 
ideal  correspondence  with  you  about  seven 
years  ago.  More  than  the  one  half  of  it  was 
then  written  in  a  few  weeks ;  but  1  felt  a 
reluctance  to  proceed,  because  it  seemed  to 
be  so  much  my  own  affair;  but  I  have  fre- 
quently thought  since,  that  something  upon 
the  subject,  written  in  a  moderate  and  friend- 
ly spirit  (which  it  has  been  my  prayer  and 
endeavour  to  preserve)  might,  by  the  Lord's 
blessing,  be  a  mean  of  promotmg  candour 
and  benevolence  among  those,  who,  whatever 
else  they  differ  in,  have  one  Lord,  one  faith, 
one  hope.  A  desire  of  being  instrumental 
in  so  good  a  work,  has  at  length  prevailed  on 
me,  to  revise  what  I  had  begun,  to  add  what 
I  thought  farther  necessary  for  completing  my 
design,  and  to  send  it  abroad.  I  cannot  give 
you  particular  reasons  why  I  have  not  done 
it  sooner,  or  why  I  do  it  now.  Our  times, 
plans,  and  purposes  are  under  a  superior 
guidance  and  direction,  which  it  is  our  duty 
and  our  privilege  always  to  acknowledge, 
though  we  cannot  always  distinctly  discern 
it.  I  shall  be  happy  if  the  event  shall  prove 
that  I  have  been  led  to  choose  the  fittest  time 
and  to  offer  a  word  in  season.  They  who 
love  and  preach  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
sincerity,  whatever  name  they  bear  among 
men,  and  whatever  body  of  people  they  are 
united  to,  are  engaged  in  one  common  cause; 
they  are  opposed  by  the  same  enemies;  their 
severest  conflicts  and  their  sweetest  comforts 
are  derived  from  the  same  sources;  and  they 
will  ere  long  meet  in  the  same  kingdom  of 
glory,  and  join  in  the  same  songs  of  eternal 
praise,  to  him  who  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  to  him  who  redeemed  us  to  God  by  his 
blood.  How  desirable  then  is  it,  that  while 
we  live  here,  we  should  be  at  peace  amongst 
ourselves,  and  live  in  the  spirit  of  that  love 
(the  only  infallible  mark  of  our  being  truly 
the  servants  of  Christ)  which  seeketh  not 
its  own,  is  not  easily  provoked,  tliinketh  no 
evil,  but  beareth,  hopelh  and  believeth  all 
things. 

As  what  I  write  to  you  is  to  appear  in 
print,  I  think  it  proper  to  add,  for  my  own 
sake,  that  my  whole  intention  will  be  fulfilled 
by  the  publication.  I  do  not  mean  to  enter 
into  controversy;  and  therefore  if  these  let- 
ters, contrary  to  my  wish,  should  raise  me 
an  opponent,  and  give  occasion  to  an  answer, 
I  shall  not  think  myself  bound  to  reply,  un- 
less I  could  be  convicted  of  such  a  wilful  mis- 
representation, as  would  render  it  my  duty 
to  ask  pardon  of  God,  and  of  the  Public. 

I  commend  you  and  yours  to  the  blessing 
of  our  IjOrd,  and  remain, 

Your  affectionate  friend. 

March  1,  1784. 


A  PLAN 


=1 

OF 


ACADEMICAL  PREPARATION  FOR  THE  MINISTRY, 


IN  A 


LETTER  TO  A  FRIEND. 


Quin  et  piorum  mentibus  mysteria, 

Contempla  pravis,  impie  sapientibug 

Occulta,  Doiuinus  luce  proferet  sua, 

Et  sacrosancti  foederis  scientiam 

Docebit.   BncH.  Ps.  XXT. 

The  wisdom  that  is  from  above,  is  first  pure,  then  peaceable. 

James  iii.  17. 


Dear  Sir, — I  arn  not  the  son  of  a  prophet, 
nor  was  I  bred  up  among-  the  prophets.  I  am 
quite  a  stranjjer  to  what  passes  within  tlie 
walls  of  colleiies  and  academies.  I  was  as 
one  born  out  of  due  time,  and  led,  under  the 
secret  guidance  of  the  Lord,  by  very  unusual 
steps,  to  preach  the  faith  which  1  once  la- 
boured to  destroy.  Since  you  know  all  this, 
how  could  you  think  of  applyinor  to  me  for 
the  plan  of  an  academical  institution  ]  Yet 
I  confess  the  desig-n  you  mentioned  to  me,  in 
which  some  of  your  friends  have  thoughts  of 
engaging,  is  so  important  in  my  view,  that  I 
am  willing  to  come  as  near  to  your  wishes  as 
I  can.  I  must  not  pretend  to  dictate  a  plan 
for  the  business  which  is  now  in  contempla- 
tion. But  if  you  will  allow  me  to  indulge  a 
sort  of  reverie,  and  suppose  myself  a  person 
of  some  consequence  in  Utopia,  where  I 
could  have  the  modelling  of  every  thing  to 
my  own  mind ;  and  that  I  was  about  to  form 
an  academy  there,  for  the  sole  purpose  of 
educating  young  men  for  the  ministry  of  the 
gospel — in  this  way  I  am  willing  to  offer  you 
my  thoughts  upon  the  subject  with  great 
simplicity  and  freedom.  And  if  any  of  the 
regulations  of  my  imaginary  academy  should 
be  judged  applicable  to  your  design,  you  and 
your  friends  will  be  heartily  welcome  to  them. 

I  should  then,  snpposilis  supponendis,  in 
the  first  place,  lay  down  two  or  three  im- 
portant maxims,  which  I  would  hope  never  to 
lose  sight  of  in  the  conduct  of  the  affair :  ex- 

fecting  tiiat,  if  I  should  begin  without  them, 
must  stumble  at  the  very  threshold ;  and 


that  whenever  I  should  neglect  them  after- 
wards, all  my  care  and  labour  and  expense 
would  be  from  that  time  thrown  away. 

My  first  maxim  is.  That  none  but  he  who 
made  the  world  can  make  a  minister  of  the 
gospel.  If  a  young  man  has  capacity,  cul- 
ture and  application  may  make  him  a  scholar, 
a  philosopher,  or  an  orator.  But  a  true 
minister  must  have  certain  principles,  mo- 
tives, feelings,  and  aims  which  no  industry 
or  endeavours  of  men  can  either  acquire  or 
communicate.  They  must  be  given  from 
above,  or  they  cannot  be  received. 

I  adopt  as  a  second  maxim.  That  the  holy 
scriptures  are  both  comprehensively  and  e.x- 
clusively  the  grand  treasury  of  all  thatknow- 
ledg-e  which  is  requisite  and  sufficient,  to 
make  the  minister,  the  man  of  God,  thorough- 
ly furnished  for  every  branch  of  his  office. 
If  indeed  no  other  studies  were  of  subordi- 
nate importance,  in  order  to  a  right  under- 
standing of  the  scriptures,  and  especially  to 
those  who  are  not  only  to  know  for  them- 
selves, but  are  appointed  to  teach  others  also; 
then  academical  instruction  would  be  need- 
less, and  I  might  supply  my  young  men  with 
every  thing  at  once,  by  putting  the  Bible  in- 
to their  hands,  and  directing  them  to  read  it 
continually  with  attention  and  prayer.  But 
my  meaning  is,  that  though  there  is  such 
a  concatenation  in  knowledge,  that  every 
branch  of  science  may,  by  a  judicious  appli- 
cation, be  rendered  subservient  to  a  minis- 
ter's great  design ;  yet  no  attainments  in 
philology,  philosophy,  or  in  any  or  all  the 


A  PLAN  OF  ACADEMICAL  PREPARATION,  &c. 


401 


particulars  which  constitute  the  ag'gregate 
of  wliat  we  call  Learnin"',  can  in  the  least 
contribute  to  form  a  minister  of  the  gospel, 
any  farther  than  lie  is  taught  of  God  to  refer 
them  to,  and  to  regulate  them  by  the  scrip- 
tures as  a  standard.  On  the  contrary,  the 
more  a  man  is  furnished  with  this  kind  of  ap- 
paratus, unless  the  leading  truths  of  scripture 
reign  and  flourish  in  his  heart,  he  will  be  but 
the  more  qualified  to  perplex  himself,  and  to 
mislead  his  hearers. 

My  third  maxim  is  an  inference  from  the 
two  former :  That  the  true  gospel-minister 
who  possesses  these  secondary  advantages, 
though  he  may  know  the  same  things,  and 
acquire  his  knowledge  by  the  like  methods, 
as  other  scholars  do,  yet  he  must  know  and 
possess  them  in  a  manner  peculiar  to  himself 
Ilis  criticisms,  if  he  be  a  critic,  will  discover 
something  which  the  greatest  skill  in  gram- 
matical niceties  cannot  of  itself  reach.  If  he 
be  an  orator,  he  will  not  speak  in  the  artifi- 
cial self-applauding  language  of  man's  wis- 
dom, but  in  simplicity  and  with  authority; 
like  one  who  feels  the  ground  he  stands  upon, 
and  knows  to  whom  he  belongs,  and  whom 
he  serves.  If  he  mentions  a  passage  of  his- 
tory, it  will  not  be  to  show  his  reading,  but 
to  illustrate  or  prove  his  point ;  and  it  will  be 
evident  from  his  manner  of  speaking,  that 
though  he  may  have  taken  the  facts  from 
Tacitus  or  Robertson,  his  knowledge  of  the 
springs  of  human  action,  and  of  the  superin- 
tendency  of  a  divine  providence,  is  derived 
from  the  word  of  God.  And  so  of  other  in- 
stances. 

In  a  word,  if  a  young  man  was  to  consult 
me  how  he  might  be  wise  and  learned  in  the 
usual  sense  of  the  words,  I  might  advise  him 
to  repair  to  Oxford  or  Cambridge,  or  to  twenty 
other  places  which  I  could  name.  But  if  I 
thought  him  really  desirous  of  becoming  wise 
to  win  souls,  I  would  invite  him  to  my  new 
college  in  Utopia. 

From  these  general  observations  I  proceed 
more  directly  to  my  subject.  You  are  then 
to  suppose  that  I  have  taken  my  determina- 
tion, and  counted  the  cost,  and  am  now  sit- 
ting down  to  contrive  my  plan.  As  a  little 
attention  to  method  may  not  be  amiss,  I  shall 
endeavour  to  range  my  thoughts  under  four 
principal  heads,  concerning, 

1.  The  Place. 

2.  The  Tutor. 

3.  The  Pupils. 

4.  The  Course  of  Kducation. 

I.  And  first,  (as  preachers  sometimes  say,) 
of  the  first.  If  the  metropolis  of  Utopia 
should  be  any  thing  like  ours,  there  are  ob- 
vious reasons  to  forbid  my  fixing  upon  a  spot 
very  near  it.  I  think  not  nearer  than  a  mo- 
derate 'ay's  journey.  Nor  would  I  wish  it 
muc'  her  distant.  Occasional  visits  to  a 
gre'  vhere  there  are  many  considera- 

ble and  Christians,  should  not  be 


rendered  impracticable ;  as  they  might  fur- 
nish my  young  men  with  opportunities  of 
forming  connections  and  making  observations 
that  might  contribute  to  their  usefulness  in 
future  life.  B\it  procul  ab  urhe  wiW  be  my 
maxim.  I  should  not  only  fear  lest  they 
should  be  contaminated  by  the  vices  which 
too  generally  prevail  where  men  live  in  a 
throng:  if  they  escaped  these,  I  should  still 
have  apprehensions,  lest  the  notice  that  might 
be  taken  of  them,  and  the  respect  shown 
them  by  well-meaning  friends,  should  imper- 
ceptibly seduce  them  into  a  spirit  of  self-im- 
portance, give  them  a  turn  for  dress  and 
company,  and  spoil  that  simplicity  and  de- 
pendence, without  which  I  could  have  little 
hope  of  their  success.  I  would  wish  it  may 
be  their  grand  aim  to  please  the  Lord,  and 
under  him  and  for  his  sake  to  please  their 
tutor.  They  have  as  yet  no  business  with 
other  people.  Their  tutor  must  be  to  them 
instar  omnium.  Him  they  must  love,  re- 
verence, and  obey,  and  accurately  watch  his 
looks,  and  every  intimation  of  his  will.  But 
to  secure  this  point,  or  even  to  have  a  rea- 
sonable prospect  of  attaining  it,  methinks  it 
seems  necessary  to  say,  procitl,  procul  ab 
nrbe  juvenes !  But  the  difference  between 
a  rural  and  a  town  situation  is  so  striking  at 
first  view,  that  I  suppose  it  quite  needless  to 
say  more  upon  this  head.  I  therefore  proceed, 
II.  To  the  choice  of  my  Tutor. — Whoever 
he  may  be,  when  I  have  found  him,  and  fixed 
him,  I  will  take  the  liberty  to  tell  him,  that 
he  is  called  to  the  most  honourable  and  im- 
portant office  that  man,  in  the  present  state 
of  things,  is  capable  of  The  skilful  and 
faithful  tutor  is  not  only  useful  to  his  pupils 
considered  as  individuals,  but  he  is  remotely 
the  instrument  of  all  the  blessings  and  bene- 
fits which  the  I^rd  is  pleased  to  communi- 
cate by  their  ministry,  in  the  course  of  their 
stated  and  occasional  labours  to  the  end  of 
life.  On  the  other  hand,  the  errors  and  pre- 
judices of  an  incompetent  tutor,  adopted  and 
perpetuated  by  his  di-sciples,  may  produce  a 
long  progression  of  evil  consequences,  which 
may  continue  to  operate  and  multiply  when 
he  and  they  are  dead  and  forgotten.  For  if 
the  streams  which  are  to  spread  far  and  wide 
throughout  a  land  are  poisoned  in  the  very 
source,  who  can  foresee  how  far  the  mischief 
may  be  diffused.  Unless,  therefore,  I  can 
procure  a  proper  tutor,  I  must  give  up  my 
design.  It  is  better  the  youth  should  remain 
untaught,  than  that  they  should  be  taught  to 
do  wrong. 

And  I  seem  not  easily  satisfied  on  this 
head.  My  idea  of  the  person  to  whom  1 
could  cheerfully  entrust  the  care  of  my  aca- 
demy, is  not  of  an  ordinary  size.  He  seems 
to  be  one, 

 QrUalem  nequeo  raonstrare,  ac  sentio  tantum. 

However,  since  we  are  upon  Utopian 


462 


A  PLAN  OF  ACADEMICAL  PREPARATION 


ground,  where  wc  may  imagine  as  largely 
as  we  please,  I  will  attempt  to  delineate  him. 
And  were  I  to  recommend  a  tutor  to  your 
friends,  it  should  be  the  man  who  I  thought 
came  the  nearest  to  the  character  I  am  about 
to  describe. 

For  his  first  essential  indispensable  qualifi- 
cation, I  require  a  mind  deeply  penetrated 
with  a  sense  of  the  grace,  glory,  and  efficacy 
of  the  gospel.  However  learned  and  able  in 
other  respects,  he  shall  not  have  a  single  pu- 
pil from  me,  unless  I  have  reason  to  believe, 
that  his  heart  is  attached  to  the  person  of 
the  Redeemer  as  God-man:  that  as  a  sinner 
his  whole  dependence  is  upon  the  Redeemer's 
work  of  love,  his  obedience  unto  death,  his 
intercession  and  mediatorial  fulness.  His 
sentiments  must  be  clear  and  explicit  respect- 
ing the  depravity  of  human  nature,  and  the 
necessity  and  reality  of  the  agency  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  to  quicken,  enlighten,  sanctify, 
and  seal  those  who,  under  his  influence,  are 
led  to  Jesus  for  salvation.  With  respect  to 
the  different  schemes  or  systems  of  Divinity 
which  obtain  amongst  those  who  are  united 
in  the  acknowledgment  of  the  above  funda- 
mental truths,  I  should  look  for  my  tutor 
amongst  those  who  are  called  Calvinists  ;  but 
he  must  not  be  of  a  curious,  metaphysical, 
disputatious  turn,  a  mere  system-monger  or 
party-zealot.  I  seek  for  one  who,  having 
been  himself  taught  the  deep  things  of  God 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  a  gradual  experimental 
manner;  while  he  is  charmed  with  the  beau- 
tiful harmony  and  coincidence  of  all  the  doc- 
trines of  grace,  is  at  the  same  time  aware  of 
the  mysterious  depths  of  the  divine  counsels, 
and  the  impossibility  of  their  being  fully 
comprehended  by  our  feeble  understandings. 
Such  a  man  will  be  patient  and  temperate  in 
explaining  the  peculiarities  of  the  gospel  to 
his  pupils,  and  will  wisely  adapt  himself  to 
their  several  states,  attainments,  and  capaci- 
ties. After  the  example  of  the  Great  Teacher, 
he  will  consider  what  they  can  bear,  and  aim 
to  lead  them  forward  step  by  step,  in  such  a 
manner,  that  the  sentiments  he  instils  into 
them  may  be  their  own,  and  not  taken  up 
merely  upon  the  authority  of  his  ipse  dixit. 
He  will  propose  the  scripture  to  them  as  a 
consistent  whole ;  and  guard  them  against 
the  extremes  into  which  controversial  writers 
have  forced  themselves  and  each  other,  in 
support  of  a  favourite  hypothesis,  so  as,  under 
pretence  of  honouring  some  parts  of  the  word 
of  God,  to  overlook,  if  not  to  contradict,  what 
is  taught  with  equal  clearness  in  other  parts. 

I  wish  my  pupils  to  be  well  versed  in  use- 
ful learning,  and  therefore  my  tutor  must  be 
a  learned  man.  He  must  not  only  be  able 
to  teach  them  whatever  is  needful  for  them 
to  learn,  but  should  be  possessed  of  such  a 
fund,  as  that  the  most  forward  and  most  pro- 
mising among  them  may  feel  he  has  a  decided 
superiority  over  them  in  every  part  of  their 


studies.  Besides  an  accurate  skill  in  the 
school  classics,  he  should  be  well  acquainted 
with  books  at  large,  and  possessed  of  a  gene- 
ral knowledge  of  the  stale  of  literature  and 
religion,  and  the  memorable  events  of  histo- 
ry in  the  successive  ages  of  mankind.  Par- 
ticularly, he  should  be  well  versed  in  Eccle- 
siastical learning :  for  though  it  be  true,  that 
the  bulk  of  it  is  little  worth  knowing  for  its 
own  sake,  yet  a  man  of  genius  and  wisdom 
will  draw  from  the  whole  mass  a  variety  of 
observations  suited  to  assist  young  minds 
in  forming  a  right  judgment  of  human  na- 
ture, of  true  religion,  of  its  counterfeits,  and 
of  the  abuses  to  which  the  name  of  religion 
is  capable  of  being  perverted.  And  he  will 
likewise  be  able  to  select  for  their  use,  such 
authors  and  subjects  as  deserve  their  notice, 
from  the  surrounding  rubbish  in  which  they' 
are  almost  buried. 

My  tutor  should  likewise  be  competently 
acquainted  with  the  lighter  accomplishments, 
which  are  usually  understood  by  the  term 
Belles  Leltres,  and  a  proper  judge  of  them 
with  respect  both  to  their  intrinsic  and  their 
relative  value.  Their  intrinsic  value  to 
creatures  who  are  posting  to  eternity,  is  not 
great;  and  a  wise  man  if  he  has  not  been 
tinctured  with  them  in  early  life,  will  seldom 
think  it  worth  his  while  to  attend  much  to 
them  afterward.s.  Yet  in  such  an  age  as 
ours,  it  is  some  disadvantage  to  a  man  in 
public  life,  if  he  is  quite  a  stranger  to  them. 
To  a  tutor  they  are  in  a  manner  necessary. 
It  is  farther  desirable  that  he  should  have  a 
lively  imagination,  under  the  direction  of  a 
sound  judgment  and  a  correct  and  cultivated 
taste.  Otherwise,  how  can  he  assist  and 
form  the  taste  and  judgment  of  his  pupils, 
or  direct  or  criticise  their  compositions  ! 

Natural  Philosophy  is  not  only  a  noble 
science,  but  one  which  offers  the  most  inter- 
esting and  profitable  relaxations  from  the 
weight  of  severer  studies.  If  the  tutor  be 
not  possessed  of  this,  he  will  lose  a  thousand 
opportunities  of  pointing  out  to  his  pupils  the 
signatures  of  wisdom,  power,  and  goodness, 
which  the  wonder-working  God  has  impress- 
ed upon  every  part  of  the  visible  creation. 
But  at  the  same  time,  he  should  know  where 
to  stop,  and  what  bound  to  set  to  their  in- 
quiries. It  is  not  necessary  that  either  he  or 
they  should  be  numbered  amongst  the  first 
astronomers  or  virtuosi  of  the  age.  A  life 
devoted  to  the  service  of  God  and  souls,  will 
not  afford  leisure  for  this  diminutive  kind  of 
pre-eminence.  A  general  knowledge  will 
suffice  even  in  the  tutor.  And  when  he  lec- 
tures upon  these  subjects,  he  will  caution 
them  against  spending  too  much  time  and 
thought  upon  those  branches  of  philosophy 
which  have  but  a  very  remote  tendency  to 
qualify  them  for  preaching  the  gospel.  They 
are  sent  into  the  world  and  into  the  academy, 
not  to  collect  shells,  and  fossils,  and  butter- 


FOR  THE 

flies,  or  to  surprise  each  other  with  feats  of 
electricity,  but  to  win  souls  for  Christ. 

Perhaps  I  have  said  cnoug'h  of  iny  tutor's 
knowledg-e,  and  may  now  consider  him  with 
regard  to  his  spirit,  his  methods  of  communi- 
cating what  he  linows  to  his  pupils,  and  his 
manner  of  living  with  them  as  a  father  with 
his  children. 

He  must  be  didacticos,  apt  to  teach.  A 
man  may  know  much,  yet  not  have  a  facility 
of  imparting  his  ideas.  It  is  a  talent  and  a 
gift  of  God,  and  therefore  will  always  be 
found  in  some  good  degree  in  the  person  who 
is  called  of  God  to  tlie  tutor's  office. 

He  will  consider  himself  as  a  teacher,  not 
only  in  the  lecture-room,  but  in  all  places, 
and  at  all  times,  whether  sitting  in  the  house, 
or  walking  by  the  way,  if  any  of  liis  pupils 
are  with  him.  And  he  will  love  to  have 
them  always  about  him,  so  far  as  their  stu- 
dies and  his  own  necessary  avocations  will 
admit. 

Two  things  he  will  aim  to  secure  from 
them,  reverence  and  affection.  Without 
maintaining  a  steady  authority,  he  can  do 
nothing;  and  unless  they  love  him,  every 
thing  will  go  on  heavily.  But  if  the  pupils 
are  properly  chosen,  such  a  man  as  I  have 
described  will  be  both  loved  and  feared. 
His  spiritual  and  exemplary  deportment,  his 
wisdom  and  abilities,  will  command  their 
respect.  His  condescension  and  gentleness, 
his  tenderness  for  their  personal  concerns, 
liis  assiduity  in  promoting  their  comfort,  and 
doing  them  every  friendly  office  in  his  power, 
will  engage  their  love.  These  happy  effects 
will  be  farther  promoted  by  their  frequent  mu- 
tual intercourse  in  prayer,  by  his  expository 
lectures,  and  by  his  public  ministry,  if  he  be 
a  preacher.  Having  his  eye  unto  the  Lord, 
and  his  heart  in  his  work,  a  blessing  from  on 
high  shall  descend  upon  him  and  upon  his 
house. 

As  human  nature  is  the  same  in  all  places, 
it  is  probable  that  the  christians  in  Utopia 
may  be  divided  among  themselves  with  re- 
Bpect  to  rituals  and  modes  of  worship,  in  some 
such  manner  as  we  see  and  feel  amongst  us. 
Now  here,  as  in  every  thing  else,  I  would 
have  my  tutor  a  sort  of  phcenix,  a  man  of  a 
generous  enlarged  spirit,  a  real  friend  of  that 
liberty  wherewith  Jesus  has  made  his  people 
free  from  the  shackles  and  impositionsof  men. 
One  who  uniformly  judges  and  acts  upon  that 
grand  principle  of  tlie  NewTestament,.which 
is  likewise  a  plain  and  obvious  maxim  of  com- 
mon sense;  I  mean,  that  the  Lord  of  all,  the 
Head  of  the  church,  is  the  alone  Lord  and 
Judge  of  conscience.  I  suppose  my  tutor 
has  already  taken  his  side,  that  be  is  either 
in  the  Establishment  (if  there  be  one  in  Uto- 
pia) or  of  course  a  Dissenter  from  it.  And, 
really,  as  to  my  scheme,  I  am  indifferent 
which  side  he  has  taken;  we  shall  not  have 


MINISTRY.  468 

a  minute's  debate  about  it,  provided  he  acts 
consistently  with  the  principles  wiiich  I  have 
assigned  him.  But  as  I  myself,  living  in 
England,  am  of  the  Established  Church,  that 
you  may  not  suspect  me  of  partiality,  I  will 
suppose,  and  am  ready  to  take  it  for  granted, 
that  he  will  be  found  to  be  a  Utopian  Dis- 
senter. 

On  this  supposition,  my  imagination  takes 
a  flight,  hastens  into  the  midst  of  things,  and 
anticipates  as  present  what  is  yet  future. 
Methihks  I  see  the  tutor  indulging  his  scho- 
lars (as  at  proper  seasons  he  often  will)  with 
an  hour  of  free  conversation;  and  from  some 
question  proposed  to  him  concerning  the  com- 
parative excellence  or  authority  of  different 
forms  of  church  government,  taking  occa- 
sion to  open  his  mind  to  them,  something  in 
the  following  manner : 

"  My  dear  children,  you  may  have  observ- 
ed, that,  when  in  the  course  of  our  lectures, 
I  have  been  led  to  touch  upon  this  subject,  it 
has  not  been  my  custom  to  speak  in  a  dog- 
matical style.  I  have  sometimes  intimated 
to  you,  that  though  every  part  of  the  Levi- 
tical  worship  was  of  positive  divine  institu- 
tion, yet  when  the  people  rested  and  trusted 
in  their  external  forms,  the  Lord  speaks  as 
abhorring  his  own  appointments.  I  have  told 
you,  upon  the  apostle's  authority,  that  the 
kingdom  of  God  consists  not  in  meats  and 
drinks,  in  names  artd  forms,  but  in  righteous- 
ness, peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Amidst  the  many  divisions  and  subdivisions 
which  obtain  in  the  visible  Church,  there  are 
in  reality  but  two  sorts  of  people,  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  and  the  children  of  the  world. 
The  former  sort,  though  partakers  in  one 
life  and  in  one  hope,  yet  living  in  successive 
ages,  in  various  countries,  under  very  differ- 
ent modes  of  government,  education,  and 
customs,  it  seems  morally  impossible  that 
they  should  all  agree,  as  by  instinct,  in  one 
common  mode  of  social  worship.  It  is  in- 
deed said,  that  there  is  a  plan  prescribed  in 
the  New  Testament  to  which  all  ought  to 
conform  as  nearly  as  possible.  All  parties 
say  this  in  favour  of  their  own  plans;  and 
men  eminent  for  wi.sdom  and  holiness  are  to 
be  found  among  the  advocates  for  each.  But 
is  it  not  strange,  that  if  the  Lord  has  appoint- 
ed such  a  standard,  the  wisest  and  best  of 
his  people  sliould  differ  so  widely  in  their 
views  of  it,  and  deviate  so  far  from  each 
other  when  they  attempt  to  reduce  it  to  prac- 
tice ]  Let  others  dispute,  but  as  for  you  my 
children,  and  me,  let  us  rather  adore  the  wis- 
dom and  goodness  of  our  Lord.  He  who 
knew  the  heart  of  man,  the  almost  invincible 
power  of  local  prejudices,  and  what  innu- 
merable circumstances  in  different  periods 
and  places  would  render  it  impracticable  for 
his  people  to  tread  exactly  in  the  same  line, 
has  provided  accordingly.    The  rules  and 


464 


A  PLAN  OF  ACADEMICAL  PREPARATION 


lights  he  has  afforded  us  respecting'  the  out- 
ward administration  of  his  Church,  are  re- 
corded with  such  a  latitude,  that  his  true 
worshippers  may  conscientiously  hope  they 
are  acceptable  to  him,  though  the  plans  which 
they  believe  to  be  consistent  with  his  reveal- 
ed will,  are  far  from  corresponding  with  each 
other.  It  is  sufficient  that  the  apostolical  ca- 
nons, Let  all  things  be  done  decently  and  in 
order,  to  edification  and  in  charity,  are  uni- 
versally binding;  and  were  these  on  all 
sides  attended  to,  smaller  differences  would 
be  very  supportable. 

"  I  have  often  pointed  out  to  you  the  won- 
derful analogy  which  the  Lord  has  establish- 
ed in  many  instances,  between  his  works  in 
the  outward  creation,  and  in  his  kingdom  of 
grace.  Perhaps  the  variety  observable  in 
the  former  may  be  one  instance  of  this  kind. 
When  you  see  every  vegetable  arrayed  in 
green  exactly  of  the  same  shade,  or  all  tu- 
lips variegated  in  the  same  manner,  as  if 
painted  from  one  common  pattern,  then,  and 
not  before,  e.xpect  to  find  true  believers 
agreed  in  their  views  and  practice  respect- 
ing the  modes  of  religion. 

"  Study  therefore  the  scriptures,  my  chil- 
dren, with  humble  prayer,  that  the  Lord  may 
give  you  such  views  of  these  concerns,  as 
may  fit  you  for  the  stations  and  services  to 
which  his  providence  may  lead  you.  See 
with  your  own  eyes,  and  judge  for  yourselves. 
This  is  your  right.  One  is  your  master,  even 
Christ,  and  you  need  not,  you  ought  not  to 
call  any  man  master  upon  earth.  But  be 
content  with  this.  Do  not  arrogate  to  your- 
selves the  power  of  judging  for  others.  Be 
willing  that  they  should  see  with  their  own 
eyes  likewise.  The  Papists,  upon  the  ground 
of  the  assumed  inftllibility  of  their  church, 
are  at  least  consistent  with  themselves  in 
condemning  all  who  differ  from  them.  Pro- 
testants confess  themselves  fallible,  yet  speak 
the  same  peremptory  language. 

"  As  to  myself,  if  I  had  thought  it  prefer- 
able upon  the  whole  to  be  a  minister  in  our 
Established  Church,  I  might  probably  have 
been  one ;  but  1  trust  I  am  where  the  Lord 
would  have  me  to  be,  and  I  am  satisfied.  My 
desire  for  you  is  to  see  you  able  ministers  of 
the  New  Testament.  As  to  the  part  of  the 
vineyard  in  which  you  are  to  labour,  wait 
simply  upon  the  Lord,  and  he  in  good  time 
will  point  it  out  to  you.  If  scripture  and 
conscience  lead  you  to  prefer  the  Dissenting 
line,  I  shall  say.  It  is  well — provided  you 
embrace  it  with  a  liberal  spirit,  and  have  a 
better  warrant  for  your  choice  than  merely 
the  example  of  your  tutor.  Should  you  de- 
termine otherwise,  I  shall  still  say.  It  is  well 
— provided  I  see  you  disinterested,  humble, 
and  faithful.  Your  being  educated  under  my 
roof  is  a  circumstance  not  likely  to  facilitate 
your  admission  into  the  Establishment;  but 
if  the  Lord  in  his  providence  should  open  to 


any  of  you  a  door  on  that  side,  and  incline 
you  to  enter,  I  shall  not  dissuade  you  from  it, 
as  though  I  thought  it  sinful.  I  shall  only 
wish  you  to  attend  to  that  advice  which  can- 
not mislead  you  : — "  Trust  in  the  Lord  with 
all  thine  heart,  and  lean  not  to  thine  own  un- 
derstanding ;  in  all  thy  ways  acknowledge 
him,  and  he  shall  direct  thy  path." 

Thus  far  my  tutor. — Or,  since  I  am  in  a 
supposing  humour,  if  you  will  give  me  leave 
to  make  one  supposition  more,  that  it  is  pos- 
sible there  may  be  Methodists  and  Itinerants 
in  Utopia,  as  we  have  in  England  ;  he  would 
then  perhaps  continue  his  discourse  a  little 
longer  as  follows : 

"Though  the  pastoral  care  of  a  single 
congregation  is  the  service  which  the  Lord 
has  allotted  me,  and  I  have  not  seen  it  my 
duty  to  engage  in  any  thing  which  might 
lead  me  long  or  far  from  the  people  to  whom 
I  am  related,  I  am  no  enemy  to  itinerant 
preaching.  My  Lord  and  Saviour  himself, 
his  apostles  and  first  servants  were  all  Itine- 
rants; and  I  believe  that  houses  and  ships, 
hills  and  plains,  the  side  of  a  river,  or  the 
sea-shore,  are  all  fit  places  for  preaching  the 
gospel,  and  sufficiently  authorized  as  such  by 
the  highest  precedents.  I  cannot  therefore 
censure,  much  less  condemn,  a  practice  which 
the  scripture  warrants,  and  to  which  I  doubt 
not  the  Lord  has  given  abundant  testimony 
in  our  own  times,  by  making  the  word  thus 
dispensed  effectual  to  the  conversion  and  con- 
solation of  many  souls.  I  believe  indeed,  that 
some  persons  not  duly  acquainted  with  their 
own  hearts,  nor  with  what  is  requisite  to 
constitute  a  preacher,  have  too  hastily  sup- 
posed themselves  called  to  preach  the  gospel; 
when  the  event  has  proved  that  the  Lord  had 
neither  called  them  to  his  service  nor  fur- 
nished them  for  it.  And  I  think,  if  it  should 
generally  be  allowed  that  young  men  are 
proper  judges  in  their  own  cause,  and  have  a 
right  to  commence  preachers  when  or  where 
or  how  they  please,  without  the  advice  or  ap- 
probation of  ministers  more  experienced  than 
themselves,  many  inconveniences  may  and 
must  follow.  I  could  wii^h  every  young  man 
to  be  so  impressed  with  the  force  of  the  apos- 
tle's question,  "  Who  is  sufficient  for  these 
things!"  that  he  should  rather  need  invita- 
tion and  encouragement  to  preach,  than  be 
disposed  to  run  hastily  into  the  work,  as  the 
horse  rusheth  into  the  battle.  But  I  must  not 
expect  every  thing  will  be  managed  accord- 
ing to  my  wish.  I  have  mourned  over  the 
miscarriages  of  some  Itinerant  preachers,  but 
I  have  been  much  comforted  by  the  good 
conduct  and  success  of  others.  It  is  neither 
my  business  nor  my  intention  to  persuade 
you  to  this  course  ;  but  if,  when  you  are  pro- 
perly instructed  and  qualified  forthe  ministrj', 
I  should  see  any  of  you  disposed  to  go  forth 
in  the  Itinerant  way,  should  I  be  satisfied  of 
your  principles  and  motives,  and  have  reason 


FOR  THE  MINISTRY. 


465 


to  hope  yoTir  zeal  was  tempered  witli  humil- 
ity, I  know  not  tliat  I  durst  refuse  my  con- 
sent. For,  as  I  have  often  told  you,  the  ho- 
nour of  niy  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  the  wel- 
fare of  precious  souls,  are  far  dearer  to  me 
than  the  detached  interests  of  any  party ; 
and  if  Christ  be  faitiifully  and  successfully 
preached,  in  whatever  way,  and  by  whatever 
instruments  ho  is  pleased  to  work,  "  1  do  re- 
joice, yea,  and  will  rejoice." 

I  tiiink  what  I  have  said  of  the  tutor,  and 
what  he  has  just  now  said  for  liimself,  may 
suffice  to  give  you  an  idea  of  the  person  I 
would  choose,  and  that  it  is  now  time  to  con- 
sider, 

III.  The  choice  of  Pupils. — I  would  have 
them  all  resident  with  the  tutor,  and  there- 
fore their  numoer  at  one  time  can  be  but 
small ;  especially  as  I  should  wish  him  to 
undertake  every  branch  of  their  education. 
He  might  have  an  assistant  to  teach  the  ru- 
diments of  the  languages,  a  service  that 
would  otherwise  take  up  much  of  the  time 
which  he  could  better  employ,  but  he  must 
do  all  the  rest  himself  I  suppose  therefore 
that  ten,  or  at  the  most  twelve  pupils  will  be 
a  sufficient  number  to  be  under  his  care  at 
once.  The  man  I  have  described  would  not 
be  mercenary,  but  the  labourer  is  worthy  of 
his  reward.  As  I  shall  find  him  work  enough 
to  take  up  his  whole  time,  his  pay  ought  to 
be  competent  and  liberal ;  and,  as  I  have  sup- 
posed myself  rich  enough  to  execute  my 
plan  in  what  manner  I  please,  I  hope  I  shall 
not  starve  my  tutor,  nor  put  his  economical 
tiilents  on  the  stretch  to  contrive  how  to 
squeeze  and  save  a  pittance  out  of  the  suip 
allotted  for  their  board.  I  would  fi.x  the 
boarding  upon  equitable  and  moderate  terms 
distinct  from  his  salary,  which  should  be 
handsome,  and  always  the  same,  whether  he 
had  one  pupil  with  him,  or  ten,  or  twelve. 
It  would  be  my  part  to  keep  the  number  up; 
but  if  I  neglect  it,  he  should  be  no  loser ; 
nor  ought  he  to  be  dependent  upon  my  ca- 
price or  negligence,  but  lie  should  stand  upon 
an  easy  and  settled  footing,  so  as  to  be  free, 
not  only  from  want,  but  from  an.xious  care, 
that  he  might  be  able  to  attend  to  his  busi- 
ness without  distraction. 

And  now  my  house  is  ready,  where  shall  I 
find  young  men  to  fill  it !  I  must  look  around 
nie,  and  request  my  friends  to  look  out  for 
me.  When  I  have  found  two  I  will  send 
them,  and  the  rest  as  they  offer.  Perhaps  it 
would  be  one  of  the  chief  difficulties  attend- 
ing my  scheme,  to  collect  ten  or  twelve 
youths  worthy  of  such  a  tutor. 

They  must  be  serious.  I  mean  they  must 
have  an  awakened,  experimental  sense  of  the 
truth  and  goodness  of  the  gospel.  This  is  a 
point  not  easily  ascertained,  especially  in 
young  persons.  There  is  often  a  something 
that  resembles  it,  which,  upon  trial,  does  not 
prove  satisfactory.    However,  my  part  will 

Voi,.  II,  3  N 


be  to  look  to  the  Lord  for  guidance,  and  then 
judge  as  well  as  I  can.  I3ut  I  hope  no  per- 
suasion or  recommendation,  no  desire  of 
pleasing  or  obliging  a  friend,  would  prevail 
on  me  to  admit  one  who  I  did  not  verily  be- 
lieve was  a  subject  of  the  grace  of  God.  Who 
vvoukl  undertake  to  teach  a  parrot  algebra  1 
Yet  this  would  be  as  practicable  as  to  make 
those  able  and  faithful  preachers,  whom  the 
Lord  has  not  first  made  Christians. 

They  must  likewise  have  capacity.  It  is 
not  necessary  that  their  abilities  should  be  of 
the  first  rate  (perhaps  but  few  of  such  are 
called;)  but  some  tolerable  measure  of  na- 
tural abilities,  capable  of  being  opened  and 
improved  by  education,  seems  almost  neces- 
sary in  the  person  who  aims  to  be  a  minister 
of  the  gospel.  At  least  it  will  be  necessary 
upon  my  plan ;  for  as  my  tutor  cannot  take 
many,  I  must  give  the  preference  to  such  as 
may  both  do  him  credit  by  their  proficiency 
under  his  care,  and  be  qualified  to  profit 
others  when  they  leave  him. 

Ex  quovis  ligno  Mercurius  non  fit. 

If  the  heart  be  changed  and  sanctified  by 
grace,  a  person  of  the  weakest  natural  un- 
derstanding will  acquire,  under  divine  teach- 
ing, all  that  is  necessary  to  enable  him  to  fill 
up  his  station  in  private  life  with  propriety, 
to  overcome  the  world,  and  to  make  his  own 
calling  and  election  sure.  But  a  preacher 
must  have  gifts  as  well  as  grace,  to  be  able 
to  divide  the  word  of  truth  as  a  workman 
that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed.  And  there- 
fore, though  the  Lord  was  once  pleased  by  a 
dumb  ass  to  rebuke  the  foolishness  of  a  pro- 
phet, I  am  not  forward  to  acknowledge  those 
as  ambassadors  sent  by  him  (however  well- 
meaning  they  may  be)  who  seem  either  to 
have  no  message  to  deliver,  or  no  ability  to 
deliver  it. 

I  would  likewise  be  satisfied,  as  much  as 
possible,  concerning  the  views  and  motives 
which  make  them  desirous  of  devoting  them- 
selves to  the  ministry.  Some  desires  of  this 
kind  are  very  frequently  found  in  young  con- 
verts. When  a  sense  of  eternal  things  is 
new  and  lively  upon  their  minds,  and  they 
look  round  upon  a  world  lying  in  wickedness, 
they  are  much  affected.  The  obligations  they 
feel  to  the  Redeemer,  a  grief  that  he  should 
be  so  little  known,  so  little  loved,  and  a  com- 
passion for  their  fellow  sinners,  whom  they 
see  liable  to  perish  for  lack  of  knowledge, 
make  them  often  long  to  be  employed,  and 
sometimes  constrain  tliem  to  run  before  they 
are  sent.  But  if  they  are  not  really  designed 
by  the  Lord  for  this  service,  either  their  de- 
sires towards  it  gradually  subside,  and  they 
yield  themselves  to  his  appointment  in  other 
paths  of  life ;  or,  if  they  unadvisedly  venture 
upon  it,  they  are  seldom  either  comfortable 
or  useful.  They  soon  feel  themselves  une- 
qual to  the  work;  or,  if  self-conceit  prevents 


46(5 


A  PLAN  OF  ACADEmCAL  PREPARATION 


them  from  feeling  it,  their  hearers  at  least 
are  very  sensible  of  it.  They  often  mistake 
error  foi-  truth.  They  retail  scraps  and  shreds 
of  sentiments  which  they  pick  up  from  others, 
and,  for  want  of  judjjment,  misapply  them. 
Thus  hypocrites  are  encouraged,  and  those 
whom  the  Lord  would  have  comforted  are 
made  sad.  They  think  that  preaching  with 
power  consists  in  vociferation  and  distorted 
attitudes;  and  that  to  utter  everything-  that 
comes  upon  their  minds,  without  end  or  side 
(as  we  say,)  without  any  regard  to  text,  con- 
text, occasion,  or  connection,  is  to  preacli  ex- 
tempore. Too  often  Satan  gains  open  ad- 
vantage over  them  :  they  are  puffed  up  with 
pride,  taken  in  snares,  and  perhaps  fall  into 
such  woeful  miscarriages  as  at  length  ruin 
their  characters,  and  stop  their  mouths.  It 
is  therefore  of  great  importance  to  be  workers 
together  with  the  Lord  in  this  business ;  to 
choose  those  whom  be  chooses,  to  bring  for- 
ward those  whom  he  is  preparing,  and,  if 
possible,  none  but  these.  We  cannot  indeed 
know  tlie  heart ;  but  we  may  be  wary  and 
circumspect  in  judging  by  such  lights  as  we 
can  procure,  and  we  ought  to  be  so.  Per- 
haps, after  all,  we  may  be  mistaken  in  some 
instances  ;  but,  if  we  have  done  our  best,  we 
have  done  well,  and  shall  not  be  blamable 
for  such  consequences  as  we  could  not  possi- 
bly foresee  or  prevent.  If  a  candidate  for 
the  academy  appears  to  be  of  a  self-diffident 
and  himible  spirit,  to  have  some  acquaintance 
with  his  own  heart,  a  tolerable  capacity,  a 
turn  for  application,  and  an  unblamable  cha- 
racter as  to  his  personal  conduct,  I  shall  be 
disposed  to  admit  him.  But  I  would  leave 
the  final  decision  of  his  fitness  to  the  tutor. 
For  which  purpose,  it  may  be  proper  that  he 
Bhould  be  under  the  tutor's  eye,  for  a  limited 
time,  as  a  probationer. 

IV.  The  next  point  I  am  to  consider  is, 
the  Course  of  Study  they  should  pursue. — 
Though  I  am  rather  inclined  to  give  this  up 
absolutely  and  without  reserve  to  the  tutorf- 
who,  if  he  answers  my  description,  must  be 
the  most  proper  person  to  institute  a  plan  for 
himself,  and  would  have  no  need  of  my 
assistance.  But  if  his  humility  and  good 
opinion  of  me  should  lead  him  to  desire  my 
advice,  he  shall  have  it.  I  do  not  mean  as 
to  little  circumstantials,  but  1  would  submit 
to  him  in  a  general  and  miscellaneous  way 
Buch  hints  as  may  occur  to  me  upon  the 
subject.  And  I  submit  them  to  you  before- 
hand. 

A  few  things  may  be  previously  noticed, 
which,  though  they  do  not  properly  belong 
to  their  academical  studies,  are  well  worthy 
of  attention. 

A  minister  is  a  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ,  and, 
as  such,  is  to  expect  and  endure  hardship. 
It  is  well  to  have  this  in  our  eye  in  the  edu- 
cation of  young  men.  They  are  not  called 
to  be  gentlemen,  but  soldiers ;  not  to  live 


delicately,  but  to  prepare  for  hardship.  They 
should  therefore  be  advised  and  accustomed 
to  prefer  a  plain  and  frugal  manner  of  life, 
and  to  avoid  multiplying  tliose  wants  which 
luxury  and  folly  would  prompt  us  to  multiply 
almost  ad  injinitiim.  A  propensity  to  indul- 
gence either  in  the  quantity  or  quality  of 
food,  is  a  meanness  unworthy  of  a  man,  still 
more  unsuitable  to  the  character  of  a  chris- 
tian, and  scandalous  in  a  minister.  I  am  no 
advocate  fjr  a  monkish  austerity,  or  a  scru- 
pulous, superstitious  self-denial,  which  will 
almost  starve  the  body  to  feed  the  pride  of 
the  heart.  It  is,  however,  very  desirable  to 
possess  in  early  life,  a  habit  of  temperance, 
a  mastery  over  appetite,  and  a  resolute  guard 
against  every  thing  that  has  a  tendency  to 
blunt  the  activity  of  the  spirits.  And  youth 
is  the  proper  season  for  gaming  this  mastery, 
which  if  the  golden  opportunity  be  then  lost, 
is  seldom  thoroughly  acquired  aftervi  ards. 

A  propriety  in  dress  should  also  be  consult- 
ed. Neatness  is  commendable ;  but  a  student 
of  divinity  should  keep  at  a  distance  from  the 
air  and  appearance  of  a  fop.  A  finical  dispo- 
sition in  this  article  not  only  occasions  a 
waste  of  time  and  expense,  but  is  a  token  of 
a  trifling  turn  of  mind,  and  exposes  the  fine 
self-admiring  youth,  to  the  contempt  or  pity 
of  the  wise  and  good. 

Farther,  a  habit  of  rising  early  should  be 
resolutely  formed.  It  redeems  much  time, 
and  chiefly  of  those  hours  which  are  most 
favourable  to  study  or  devotion.  It  likewise 
cuts  off  the  temptation  to  sitting  up  late,  a 
hurtful  and  preposterous  custom,  which  many 
students  unwarily  give  unto,  and  which  they 
cannot  so  easily  break,  when  the  bad  effects 
of  it  upon  their  health  convince  them  too  late 
of  their  imprudence. 

I^et  them  be  guarded  against  the  snares 
attending  a  large  acquaintance,  and  unneces- 
sary visiting.  The  tutor  will  doubtless  main- 
tain authority  and  ga^d  discipline  in  his 
house,  and  not  suffer  any  of  his  pupils  to  be 
absent  from  family  worship,  nor  abroad  after 
a  fixed  hour,  without  his  express  permission, 
which  should  not  be  given  but  for  solid  and 
just  reasons.  And  he  cannot  be  too  careful, 
both  by  advice  and  vigilance,  to  prevent  them 
from  forming  any  female  connections  while 
under  his  roof,  hovv'ever  honourable  the  views 
or  deserving  the  person  may  be.  Love  and 
courtship  are  by  no  means  favourable  to 
study,  nor  indeed  to  devotion,  at  a  time  when 
their  present  engagements,  and  the  uncer- 
tainty of  their  prospects  in  future  life,  render 
a  settlement  by  marriage  improper,  if  not 
impracticable. 

JIuch  study  is  a  weariness  to  the  flesh, 
and  the  body  and  the  mind  are  so  nearly  con- 
nected, that  what  affects  the  one  will  have 
an  influence  upon  the  other.  Relaxation  and 
exercise  are  therefore  necessary  at  proper 
seasons,  for  those  who  wish  to  preserve. 


FOR  THE 

cheerfulness  and  strcng-th  for  service,  and 
not  to  become  old  and  disabled,  through  low- 
ness  of  spirits,  infirmities,  and  pains,  before 
old  age  actually  overtakes  them.  Riding'  is 
a  manly,  unexceptionable  exercise,  where  it 
can  be  conveniently  practised.  But  walking- 
is,  I  suppose,  equally  healthful,  and  requires 
neilher  expense  nor  preparation.  That  the 
students  may  have  an  object  in  view  when 
they  go  from  home,  the  tutor  will  probably 
point  out  to  them  some  of  the  Lord's  poor, 
who  live  at  convenient  distances,  whom  they 
may  visit,  and  comfort  with  their  sympathy, 
advice,  and  prayers,  as  well  as  administer  to 
the  relief  of  their  necessities,  according  to 
their  ability.  Thus  while  they  are  consult- 
ing their  own  health,  they  may  at  the  same 
time  imitate  Him,  who  went  about  doing 
good.  And  in  such  visits  they  may  meet 
with  many  liints  from  poor  believers,  concern- 
ing the  Lord's  wisdom  and  faithfulness  in  his 
dealings  with  them,  and  of  the  power  of  true 
religion,  to  confirm  what  they  read  upon 
these  subjects,  and  probably  some  hints  which 
their  books  will  not  supply  them  with. — 
Farther,  if,  when  they  are  abroad  togetiier, 
they  will  attempt  such  conversation  as  warm- 
ed the  hearts  of  the  disciples  when  walking 
to  Eminaus,  and  if,  when  alone,  tl^ey  adopt 
the  pattern  of  Isaac,  who  went  out  into  the 
fields  to  meditate,  then  all  the  time  they  can 
thus  employ  may  be  set  down  to  the  account 
of  their  studies ;  for  few  of  their  hours  can  be 
more  profitably  improved. 

But  what,  and  how,  are  they  to  study? 
The  answer  to  this  question  depends  upon 
another :  What  is  the  object  of  their  studies  ! 
It  is  to  make  them  not  merely  scholars,  but 
ministers,  thoroughly  furnished  for  their  of- 
fice. The  particulars  I  aim  at  in  placing 
them  with  my  tutor  are  such  as  follow  : 

1.  An  orderly,  connected,  and  comprehen- 
sive knowledge  of  the  common  places  and 
topics  of  divinitj'',  considered  as  a  whole  :  a 
system  of  truth,  of  which  the  holy  scriptures 
is  the  sole  fountain,  treasury,  and  standard. 

2.  A  competent  acquaintance  with  sacred 
literature,  by  which  I  mean  such  writings, 
ancient  and  modern,  as  are  helpful  to  explain 
or  elucidate  difliculties  in  scripture,  arising 
from  the  phraseology,  from  allusion  to  cus- 
toms and  events  not  generally  known,  and 
from  similar  causes,  and  which  therefore 
cannot  be  well  understood  without  such  as- 
sistance. 

;3.  Such  a  general  knowledge  of  pliiloso- 
pliy,  iiistoiy,  and  otlier  branches  of  polite 
literature,  as  may  increase  the  stock  of  their 
ideas,  afford  them  just  conceptions  of  the 
state  of  things  around  them,  furnish  them 
with  a  fund  for  variety,  enlargement,  and 
illustration,  that  they  may  be  able  to  enliven 
and  diversify  their  discourses,  which,  without 
such  a  fund,  will  be  soon  apt  to  run  in  a 
boaten  track,  and  to  contain  little  mare  than 


MNISTRY.  467  ' 

a  repetition  of  the  same  leading  thoughts, 
without  originality  or  spirit. 

4.  An  ability  to  methodize,  combine,  dis- 
tinguish, and  distribute  the  ideas  thus  col- 
lected by  study,  so  as  readily  to  know  what 
is  properly  adapted  to  the  several  subjects  to 
be  treated  of,  and  to  the  several  parts  of  the 
same  subject.  When  the  pupils  are  thus  far 
accomplished,  then  I  shall  hope, 

5.  That  they  will  in  good  time  be  able  to 
preach  extempore.  1  do  not  mean  without 
forethought  or  plan,  but  without  a  book,  and 
without  the  excessive  labour  of  committing 
their  discourses  to  memory.  This  ability  of 
speakmg  to  an  auditory  in  a  pertinent  and 
collected  manner,  with  freedom  and  deco- 
rum, v;ith  fidelity  and  tenderness,  looking  at 
them  instead  of  looking  at  a  paper,  gives  a 
preacher  a  considerable  advantage,  and  has 
a  peculiar  tendency  to  command  and  engage 
the  attention.  It  likewise  saves  much  time, 
which  mightbe  usefully  employed  in  visiling- 
his  people.  It  is  undoubtedly  a  gift  of  God, 
but  like  many  other  gifts,  to  be  sought,  not 
only  by  prayer,  but  in  the  use  of  means. 
The  first  essays  will  ordinarily  be  weak  and 
imperfect ;  but  the  facility  increases,  till  at 
length  a  habit  is  formed,  by  diligence  and 
perseverance.  I  should  not  think  my  acade- 
my complete,  unless  my  tutor  was  attentive 
to  form  his  pupils  to  the  character  of  public 
speakers. 

General  rules  admit  of  exceptions.  I  have 
myself  known  persons,  who,  with  plain  sense, 
true  humility,  and  a  spirit  devoted  to  the 
Lon',  and  dependent  upon  him,  have,  with 
little  or  no  assistance  from  men,  proved  solid, 
exemplary,  and  useful  ministers.  Such  in- 
stances convince  me,  that  however  expedient 
learning  may  be,  it  is  not  indispensibly  ne- 
cessary for  a  minister,  especially  for  one 
who  is  to  labour  in  a  retired  situation,  and 
amongst  plain  unlettered  hearers.  I  vi'ould 
not  therefore  preclude  my  tutor  from  all  op- 
portunity of  being  useful  to  persons  of  this 
description,  who  would  be  glad  of  such  helps 
from  him  as  they  might  receive  in  their 
mother  tongue,  when  the  time  of  life,  or 
particular  circumstances  might  render  the 
study  of  languages  and  science  inconvenient. 
And,  in  general,  as  the  capacities,  disposi- 
tions, and  prospects  of  a  number  of  pupils 
would  of  course  be  different,  I  should  leave 
it  to  his  discretion  to  conduct  them  to  the 
same  grand  ends  of  service,  by  such  difior- 
ence  of  inf  thod  as  he  should  judge  most 
suitable  to  each  ;  so  as  not  to  discourage  or 
over-burden  the  truly  deserving,  nor  to  per- 
mit (if  it  can  be  prevented)  the  more  studious 
and  successful,  to  set  too  high  a  value  upon 
their  superior  accomplishments.  For  alter 
all  it  must  be  owned,  and  ought  to  be  re- 
membered, tiiat  grace  and  divine  wisdom 
are  of  unspeakably  greater  importance,  than 
scholastic  attainments  without  them.  W« 


46S 


A  PLAN  OF  ACADEMICAL  PREPARATION 


are  sure,  that  though  a  man  had  the  know- 
ledfTo  of  all  mysteries,  t!ie  gifts  of  tongrues 
and  miracles,  and  the  powers  of  an  ang^el,  if 
lie  has  not  likewise  humility,  spirituality, 
and  love,  he  is  in  the  siyht  of  God  but  as 
sounding  brass  or  a  noisy  rymbal.  He  may 
answer  the  purpose  of  a  church  bell  to  call  a 
congregation  together,  but  has  little  prospect 
of  doing  them  good  when  they  are  assem- 
bled. 

But  to  return  to  my  professed  students,  and. 
First,  As  to  the  study  of  Theology. — How 
far  it  may  be  expedient  to  adopt  some  system 
or  body  of  Divinity  as  a  text  or  ground 
whereon  to  proceed,  I  am  not  quite  deter- 
mined ;  and  which  of  tiiese  learned  sum- 
maries is  the  best,  I  shall  not  attempt  to 
decide  till  I  have  read  them  all.  My  tutor 
will  have  more  of  this  knowledge ;  I  shall 
therefore  refer  the  choice,  if  it  be  necessary 
to  clioose  one,  to  him.  Calvin,  Turretine, 
Witsius,  and  Ridgely,  are  those  with  which 
I  have  formerly  been  most  acquainted.  But 
indeed,  of  these,  at  present,  I  can  remember 
little  more  tlian  that  I  have  read  them,  or  the 
greatest  part  of  them.  I  recollect  just  enough 
to  say,  that  though  I  approve  and  admire 
them  all,  I  have  at  the  same  time  my  par- 
ticular objections  to  them  all,  as  to  this  use  of 
them.  The  Bible  is  my  body  of  Divinity ;  and 
were  I  a  tutor  myself,  I  believe  I  should  prefer 
the  epistles  of  St.  Paul  as  a  summary,  to  any 
human  systems  I  have  seen,  especially  his 
epistles  to  the  Romans,  Galatians,  the  He- 
brews, and  Timothy.  There  are  few  unin- 
spired writings,  however  excellent  in  the 
main,  but  bear  some  marks  of  the  infirmities, 
attachments,  and  prepossessions,  which  in  a 
greater  or  less  degree  are  inseparable  from 
the  present  state  of  human  nature.  I  would 
have  my  pupils  draw  their  knowledge  as  im- 
mediate from  the  fountain  head  as  possible. 
I  care  not  how  extensive  and  various  their 
reading  of  good  authors  may  be  under  the 
tutor's  eye:  the  more  so  the  better.  He  will 
improve  the  differences  they  will  find  among 
learned  and  spiritual  men,  into  an  argument 
to  engage  them  to  study  the  scripture  more 
closely,  and  to  bring  every  debated  senti- 
ment to  be  tried  and  finally  determined  by 
that  unerring  standard.  He  will  teach  them 
to  collect  the  detached  portions  of  truth 
wherever  they  meet  with  them  ;  to  borrow 
from  all,  but  to  give  themselves  up  implicitly 
to  the  dictates  of  none.  For  I  know  no 
author  who  is  worthy  the  honour  of  being 
followed  absolutely  and  without  reserve. 

I  am  told,  (for  I  know  nothing  of  acade- 
mies but  from  hearsay,)  that  it  is  customary 
for  pupils  to  write  after  the  tutor,  who  reads 
his  lecture.  If  I  should  adopt  this  custom,  I 
would  not  confine  m.yself  to  it.  Such  writ- 
ten lectures,  if  well  executed,  must  be  good 
patterns  to  form  the  students  to  closeness  in 
method  and  style.    But  I  should  likewise 


wish  the  tutor  to  give  them  unpremeditated 
lectures.  Great  masters  of  music  (it  is  said) 
frequently  feel  an  impetus  in  extempore  play- 
ing, which  enables  them  to  execute  ofi'hand 
such  strains  as  they  wish  to  repeat,  but  can- 
not; their  taste  assuring  them,  that  they  are 
superior  in  kind  to  what  they  can  ordinarily 
attain  when  they  study  and  conipo.se  by  rule. 
Thus  a  tutor  who  thoroughly  understands  his 
subject,  and  speaks  from  the  fulness  of  his 
heart,  will,  now  and  then  at  least,  feel  a  hap- 
py moment,  when  he  will  seem  to  possess 
new  powers.  His  thoughts  and  expressions 
at  such  a  time  will  have  a  peculiar  precision 
and  force,  and  will  possibly  illuminate  and 
atiect  his  hearers  more  than  liis  regular  and 
written  lectures.  When  he  has  done  speak- 
ing, let  the  pupils  retire  and  commit  to  wri- 
ting what  they  can  recollect  of  such  dis- 
courses, keeping  to  his  method,  but  using 
their  own  expressions.  These  exercises 
would  engage  their  attention,  employ  their 
invention  and  ingenuity,  accustom  them  to 
consider  the  same  subjects  in  different  lights, 
and  contribute  to  make  the  knowledge  they 
derive  from  him,  more  their  own,  than  by  be- 
ing always  confined  to  transcribe,  line  by  line, 
what  was  read  to  them. 

I  would  not  have  the  pupils  put  upon  the 
needless  and  hurtful  attempt  of  proving  first 
principles.  May  not  a  man  read  lectures 
upon  optics  without  previously  proving  the 
existence  of  the  sun  1  My  tutor  will  not 
coldly  lay  before  his  students  the  arguments 
pro  and  con,  and  then  leave  them  to  decide 
as  evidence  to  them  appears,  whether  there 
be  a  God,  or  whether  the  scriptures  be  of  di- 
vine inspiration  or  not.  So  likewise  with 
respect  to  the  different  sentiments  on  the 
primary  points  of  scripture,  as  whether  the 
Saviour  be  man  or  angel,  or  God  manifest  in 
the  flesh ;  or,  concerning  the  different  ac- 
ceptations of  the  words  Depravity,  Guilt, 
Faith,  Grace,  Atonement,  and  the  like — he 
will  speak  with  a  becoming  confidence  and 
certainty  on  which  side  the  truth  lies.  He 
will  indeed  furnish  them  with  solid  confuta- 
tions of  error  from  scripture  and  experience ; 
but  he  will  take  care  to  let  them  know  that 
these  things  are  already  settled  ;  and  proposed 
to  them,  not  as  candidates  for  their  good 
opinion,  but  as  truths  which  demand  and  de- 
serve their  attention.  My  tutor  will  not  dog- 
matize, and  expect  them  to  adopt  his  opinions 
without  any  better  reason  than  i)ecause  they 
are  his.  He  will  endeavour  to  throw  every 
light  he  is  master  of  upon  the  subject,  but  at 
the  same  time  he  will  speak  as  a  teacher, 
not  as  an  inquirer ;  as  one  who  speaks  that 
which  he  has  known,  and  testifies  that  which 
he  has  seen. — He  will  not  attempt  to  fill 
their  head  with  a  detail  of  all  the  cavils 
which  pride  and  sophistry  have  started 
against  the  truths  of  God ;  nor  so  flatter  his 
pupils,  as  to  suppose  them  competent,  judges 


FOR  THE  MINISTRY. 


469 


vrhen  they  have  weiglied  and  compared  the 
several  argumentations.  But  he  will  rather 
warn  them  of  their  natural  bias  to  the  erro- 
neous side,  and  guard  them  against  the  arts 
of  those,  who  with  fair  words  and  fine 
speeches  beguile  the  unprincipled  and  un- 
wary. A  tutor  is  a  guide,  and  if  worthy  of 
his  office,  must  be  able  to  say,  without  hesi- 
tation :  "This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it." 
Should  he  be  seduced,  by  the  specious  sounds 
of  candour  and  freedom  of  inquiry,  to  take 
the  opposite  metliod,  and  think  it  his  duty  to 
puzzle  his  scholars  with  all  the  waking 
dreams,  objections,  and  evasions  by  which 
men  reputed  wise  have  opposed  the  simpli- 
city of  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints, 
I  should  fear  they  v.'ould  be  more  likely  to 
turn  out  sceptics  than  ministers  of  thegospel. 

Nor  should  he,  with  my  consent,  lay  down 
a  scheme  of  what  is  commonly  called  Natural 
Religion,  as  a  substratum  whereon  to  build  a 
Religion  of  Divine  Revelation.  It  is  needful 
that  he  should  give  his  pupils  a  just  idea  of 
the  religion  of  fallen  nature;  but  he  will  re- 
mind them  that  the  few  valuable  sentiments 
occasionally  found  in  the  writings  of  the  hea- 
then philosophers  and  moralists  were  not 
their  own.  They  are  all  repn.'sented  as 
having  travelled  for  their  knowledge,  and  all 
in  the  same  route,  into  Phcenicia  or  Egypt, 
into  the  neighbourhood  of  the  only  people 
who  at  that  time  were  favoured  with  the 
oracles  of  God  :  and  may,  therefore,  be  justly 
supposed  to  have  derived  the  detached  parti- 
cles of  truth  they  acquired,  from  that  people, 
either  by  immediate  converse  with  them,  or 
from  their  inspired  books ;  especially  from 
the  time  they  were  translated  into  the  Greek 
language.  He  will  point  out  to  them  the 
strong  probability  that  Epictetus  and  the  later 
philosophers  were  equally  or  more  indebted 
to  the  Christians  and  the  New  Testament. 
With  respect  to  the  sceptical  moralists  and 
reasoners  of  modern  times,  the  proof  wil'  be 
still  clearer  and  stronger,  that  their  best  no- 
tions are  borrowed  from  the  religion  they  at- 
tempt to  depreciate.  My  tutor,  in  order  to 
satisfy  them  how  far  the  powers  of  unassist- 
ed fallen  nature  can  proceed  in  the  investi- 
gation of  religious  and  moral  truths,  will  set 
before  them  the  progress  which  has  actually 
been  made  in  this  way  by  the  negroes  in 
Africa  or  the  American  Indians.  With  such 
a  picture  of  natural  religion  in  their  view,  I 
should  hope  they  would  be  led  most  cordially 
to  praise  God  for  the  inestimable  gift  of  his 
Holy  Word,  without  the  help  of  which  the 
boasted  light  of  nature  is  darkness  that  may 
be  felt. 

In  my  academy  I  would  have  no  formal 
disputations  upon  points  of  divinity.  If  it  be 
necessary  to  sharpen  or  exercise  their  wits 
by  disputing,  to  which  under  proper  regula- 
tions I  sliould  not  object,  there  are  topics  in 
abundance  at  hand.    Let  them  dispute,  if 


they  please,  for  or  against  the  motion  of  the 
earth.  Let  them  determine  whether  Ca;sar 
or  Pompey  was  the  better  man  ;  or,  in  what 
respects  Cato,  who  chose  to  die  rather  than 
venture  to  look  CiEsar  in  the  face,  discovered 
more  fortitude  or  true  greatness  of  mind, 
than  the  slave  who  elopes  from  his  master 
for  fear  of  the  lash.  Let  them  contend  whe- 
ther learning  has  upon  tlie  whole  been  pro- 
ductive of  most  good,  or  of  most  mischief,  to 
mankind.  My  tutor  can  supply  them  with  a 
thousand  questions  of  this  kind.  But  to  set 
a  young  man  to  put  his  ingenuity  to  the 
stretch,  either  to  maintain  a  gross  error,  or 
to  oppose  a  known  and  important  truth,  is, 
in  my  view  not  only  dangerous,  but  little  less 
than  a  species  of  profaneness.  What  must 
the  holy  angels,  who  with  humble  admiration 
contemplate  the  wisdom  and  glory  of  God 
displayed  in  the  gospel,  what  must  they  think 
of  the  arrogance  of  sinful  worms,  who  pre- 
sume so  far  to  trifle  with  the  doctrines  and 
mysteries  he  has  revealed,  as  to  degrade 
them  into  subjects  for  school  exercise  and 
logical  prize-fighting  !  Can  it  be  possible  to 
maintain  a  spirit  of  reverence  and  depend- 
ence amidst  the  noise  of  such  malapert  dis- 
cussions? And  if  the  youth  to  whom  the 
wrong  side  of  the  question  is  committed, 
should  by  superior  addres?  nonplus  and  si- 
lence his  antagonist ;  my  heart  would  be  in 
pain  for  him,  lest  he  should  from  that  moment 
be  prejudiced  against  the  truth  which  he  had 
insulted  with  success;  and  think  it  really  in- 
defensible, because  the  other  was  not  able  to 
defend  it. 

Having  been  so  long  on  the  first  article,  I 
must  endeavour  to  be  more  brief  on  those 
which  follow. 

Secondly,  By  sacred  literature  I  chiefly 
mean  Philology,  Criticism,  and  Antiquities, 
so  far  as  they  are  employed  in  the  illustration 
of  scripture.  In  these  studies,  if  tliere  be  a 
proper  application  in  the  pupils,  little  more 
will  be  needful  on  the  tutor's  part,  than  to 
put  suitable  books  into  their  hands,  to  superin- 
tend their  progress,  and  to  obviate  difRcidties 
they  may  meet  with.  I  would  wish  them  not 
only  to  read  the  scriptures  in  the  Hebrew 
and  Greek  originals,  but  to  he  tolerable  mas- 
ters of  tiie  construction  in  both  languages. 
This  attainment  is  certainly  not  necessary  to 
a  minister;  but  they  who  apply  themselves 
to  the  study  of  divinity  in  early  life,  will  have 
time  enough  to  acquire  it,  and  the  ac(iuisition 
will  be  well  worth  their  labour.  If  not  ne- 
cessary, it  will  be  found  very  expedient  and 
useful,  and  when  the  difficulties  of  tlie  first 
entrance  and  rudiments  are  surmounted,  will 
be  very  pleasant.  The  tutor  will  then  enliven 
their  study  and  facilitate  tlieir  advance,  by 
reading  a  chapter  with  them  in  each  Testa- 
ment daily  or  freipiently,  intermingling  cri- 
tical or  expository  strictures  as  he  goes  along. 
And  he  will  probably  furnish  those  students 


470 


A  PLAN  OF  ACADEMICAL  PREPARATION 


who  have  taste,  with  Dr.  Lowth's  Prcelec- 
tiones  de  Poi'si  Hebraa,  which  will  enable 
them  to  judu-e  of  the  style  and  idiom  of  the 
Hebrew  Bible,  and  particularly  of  the  style 
and  beauties  of  the  Hebrew  poetry.  Black- 
wall's  Sacred  Classics  may  be  added  for  the 
Greek. 

Since  the  learned  have  of  late  years  con- 
descended to  lay  open  the  way  to  the  Hebrew 
and  Greek  Scriptures,  by  publishing-  Lexi- 
cons, Grammars,  and  other  helps  in  the  Eno-- 
lish  tongue,  the  knowledge  of  the  Latin  is 
less  needful  to  a  Bible' student  than  it  was 
formerly.  But  as  there  are  many  valuable 
books  in  Latin,  and  not  yet  translated,  I  must 
wish  our  pupils  so  far  acquainted  with  the 
Latin  language  as  to  ba  able  to  read  good 
authors  in  it.  But  as  they  are  not  to  preach 
in  Latin,  an  accurate  skill  is  hardly  worth 
attempting,  unless  they  have  had  a  classical 
school  education  before  they  come  to  the  aca- 
demy. The  mind  is  ii;capable  of  too  many 
acquisitions :  life  is  short,  and  more  impor- 
tant business  awaits  them,  in  subserviency  to 
which  every  thing  else  must  be  conducted. 

Books  of  criticism  and  on  scripture-anti- 
quities are  at  hand  in  plenty.  It  will  be  im- 
possible to  read  them  all.  The  selection  be- 
longs not  to  me,  but  to  the  tutor.  The  Syn- 
opsis Crilicorum,  Godwin  and  Jennings,  will 
perhaps  be  of  the  number  he  will  choose.  A 
good  Ecclesiastical  History  seems  to  be  still 
a  desideratum.  A  mass  of  materials,  so  far 
as  it  goes,  is  already  prepared  in  the  Magde- 
burg Centuriators,  which  affords  a  striking 
monu.Tient  of  tlie  compiler's  patience  :  but  it 
would  likewise  require  some  patience  in  the 
reader  v/ho  should  undertake  to  go  through 
it.  Mosheiin  is  perhaps  the  best  book  we 
liave  upon  the  subject,  if  the  reader  knows  so 
much  of  himself  and  of  the  work  of  grace,  as 
to  prevent  him  from  being  misled  by  him, 
when  treating  on  subjects  which  he  does  not 
appear  to  have  rightly  understood.  But  as  to 
facts,  I  believe  he  is  in  general  worthy  of 
credit.  Bingham's  Antiquities  may  deserve 
inspection,  if  it  be  only  to  show  how  soon  and 
how  generally  the  beautiful  simplicity  of  the 
gospel  Vv'as  corrupted  by  those  who  professed 
it.  Dupin  and  Dr.  Cave's  Hisloria  Literaria 
Scriptorum  Ecclesiaslicoriun  are  still  more 
valuable ;  but  the  characters  of  the  writers, 
and  their  strong  prepossessions  in  favour  of  an- 
tiquity, should  be  known  and  allowed  for. 

Tliirdly,  Much  time  cannot  be  allowed  in 
our  academy  for  the  pursuit  of  polite  litera- 
ture. But  an  entrance  may  be  made,  and  a 
relish  for  it  acquired,  under  the  direction  and 
restraint  of  the  tutor,  which  may  provide  the 
students  with  a  profitable  amusement  for  lei- 
sure hours  in  future  life;  for  in  this  know- 
ledge they  may  advance  from  year  to  year. 
A  psrusal  of  such  books  as  Rollin  on  the 
Belles  Lettres,  Bossuet's  Universal  History, 
Derham  and  Ray  on  the  Creation,  and  a  few 


of  our  best  poets,  may  suffice  while  they  are 
students.  Other  books  will  occasionally  come 
in  their  way  ;  for  the  tutor  should  have  a 
well-chosen  library  for  the  accommodation  of 
his  pupils;  but  he  will  guard  them  against 
spending  too  much  time  in  this  lino  of  read- 
ing. For  though  it  has  its  subordinate  ad- 
vantages, it  may,  if  too  much  indulged,  divert 
them  from  the  main  point.  And  they  should 
be  taught  to  refer  every  thing  they  read  to 
the  principles  of  scripture,  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  heart  of  man,  and  the  works,  the  ways, 
the  wisdom,  and  providence  of  God,  other- 
wise reading  will  only  tend  to  make  them 
wise  in  their  own  conceit.  I  make  short 
work  with  this  article,  and  hasten  to  con- 
sider. 

Fourthly,  What  may  be  helpful  (by  the 
divine  blessing)  to  enable  the  pupils  to  com- 
municate the  fruits  of  their  knowledge  to 
advantage  in  the  public  ministry,  that  they 
may  appear  workmen  that  need  not  be 
ashamed.  For  this,  as  I  have  formerly  inti- 
mated, their  chief  and  immediate  dependence 
must  be  on  the  Lord.  He  alone  can  give 
them  a  mouth  and  wisdom  for  his  service; 
and  without  the  unction  Irom  on  high,  the 
study  of  divinity  and  every  thing  relative  to 
it,  will  be  but  like  learning  the  art  of  navi- 
gation on  shore,  which  is  very  different  from 
the  knowledge  necessary  to  the  mariner, 
who  is  actually  called  to  traverse  tl)e  ocean. 
But  dependence  upon  the  Lord  should  be 
no  discouragement  to  the  use  of  means. 

I  would  have  my  studoits  good  logicians. 
The  logic  of  the  schools  is  in  a  great  measure 
a  cramp,  forced,  and  formal  aii'air,  and  may 
possibly  have  matle  almost  as  many  pedants 
and  sophists  as  good  reasoners.  But  Dr. 
Watts  has  furnished  ns  with  a  system  of 
logic  in  a  more  intelligible  and  amiable  form, 
and  divested  it  of  the  solenm  impertinejices 
with  which  it  was  encumbered.  As  the  rules 
of  grammar  are  themselves  drawn  from  the 
language  they  are  designed  to  regulate,  so 
good  logic  is  no  more  than  the  result  of  ob- 
servations upon  the  powers  of  the  human 
mind:  and  tiius  we  see,  that  n)any  people  of 
plain  sense  are  passable  logicians,  though 
they  never  saw  a  book  upon  tlie  subject,  and 
perhaps  do  not  understand  the  meaning  of 
the  term.  But  they  may  be  much  assisted 
in  the  habits  of  thinking,  judging,  and  reason- 
ing, and  in  disposing  their  thoughts  in  an 
advantageous  method,  by  rules  judiciously 
formed  and  arranged.  In  this  view  I  judge 
Dr.  Watts's  logic,  with  his  subsequent  treatise 
on  the  Improvement  of  the  Mind,  to  be  very 
valuable.  And,  tog(;ther  with  the  more 
scientific  part  of  the  subject,  he  will  provide 
my  pupils  with  a  great  variety  of  hints  for 
their  conduct,  and  for  distinguishing  the 
principles  and  conduct  of  others.  These 
books  should  be  frequently  read,  and  closely 
studied,  and  will  allcrd  the  tutor  an  extcD- 


FOR  TIIE  MINISTRY. 


471 


rive  scope  for  their  instruction.  Unless  a 
man  can  conceive  and  ilefine  his  subject 
clearly,  distinguish  and  enumerate  the  seve- 
ral parts,  and  knows  how  to  cast  them  into  a 
convenient  order  and  dependence,  he  can»ot 
be  a  masterly  preacher.  And  though  a  good 
understanding  may  supersede  the  necessity 
of  logical  rules,  it  will  likewise  derive  ad- 
vantage from  them. 

I  have  not  so  much  to  say  in  favor  of  ano- 
ther branch  of  artificial  assistance,  though 
much  stress  has  been  sometimes  laid  upon  it. 
^Ve  must  not,  however,  quite  omit  it :  for  an 
academic  will  be  expected  to  know,  that  the 
learned  have  thought  proper  to  give  Greek 
names  to  certain  forms  and  figures  of  speech, 
in  the  use  of  which  tlie  common  people,  with- 
out being  aware  of  their  skill  in  rhetoric, 
are  little  less  expert  than  the  learned  t!iem- 
selves.  When  he  can  repeat  these  hard 
names,  with  their  etymologies  and  significa- 
tions, rhetoric  can  do  but  little  more  for  him. 
The  rules  it  pro  esses  to  leach  are  in  general 
needless  to  those  wlio  have  genius,  and  use- 
less to  those  who  have  none.  If  a  youth  has 
not  a  turn  for  eloquence,  stuffing  his  head 
with  tlie  names  of  tropes  and  figures  will  not 
give  it  him.  To  know  the  names  of  tools  in 
an  artificer's  shop  is  one  thing,  but  to  have 
skill  to  use  them  as  a  workman  is  something 
very  different.  Here  the  tutor  will  use  his 
discretion  ;  for  if  any  of  his  pupils  are  not 
likely  to  be  orators,  he  v.  ill  take  care  that,  if 
he  can  prevent  it,  they  shall  not  be  pedants, 
or  value  themselves  on  retailing  a  list  of 
technical  terms,  of  which  they  know  neither 
the  use  nor  the  application.  At  the  best, 
too  mucli  attention  to  artificial  rules  will 
make  but  an  artificial  orator,  and  rather 
qualify  the  student  to  set  off  himself  than  his 
subject.  The  grand  characteristic  of  the 
gospel  orator  is  simplicity.  Many  years 
have  passed  since  I  read  Fenelon's  treatise 
on  Pulpit  Eloquence;  but  I  hope  my  tutor 
will  put  it  into  the  hands  of  his  pupils.  It 
remains  to  inquire, 

Fifthly,  How  the  pupils  are  to  be  assisted 
and  directed,  that  they  may  be  able  to  preach 
extempore :  An  ability  which  I  suppose  to  be 
ordinarily  attainable  by  all  who  are  called  of 
God  to  preach  tlie  gospel,  if  they  will  dili- 
gently apply  themselves  to  attain  it,  in  the 
use  of  proper  means.  I  do  not  expect  they 
will  succeed  in  this  way  to  my  wish,  without 
prayer,  study,  effort,  and  practice.  For  as  I 
have  already  hinted,  I  mean  something  more 
by  it  than  speaking  at  random. 

A  well-known  observation  of  Lord  Bacon 
is  much  to  my  present  purjwse.  It  is  to  this 
efiecl:  That  reading  makes  a  full  man,  writ- 
ing an  exact  man,  and  speaking  a  ready 
man.  The  ap;>roved  extempore  preacher 
must  have  a  fund  of  knowledge  collected 
from  various  reading :  and  it  would  not  be 
i.Tiproper  to  read  some  books,  with  the  imme- 


diate design  of  comparing  his  style  and 
manner  with  approved  models.  It  might  be 
wished,  that  the  best  divines  were  always 
the  best  writers ;  but  the  style  of  many  of 
them  is  quamt,  involved,  and  obscure.  Some 
books  that  are  well  written  have  little  else 
to  recommend  tliern,  yet  may  be  useful  lor 
this  purpose ;  and  the  periodical  writings  of 
Addison  and  Johnson  abound  with  judicious 
observations  on  men  and  manners,  besides 
beuig  specimens  of  easy  and  elegant  compo- 
sition. Among  writers  in  diviiiily  I  would 
recommend  Dr.  Watts  and  Dr.  Witlierspoon 
as  good  models.  By  perusing  such  authors 
with  attention,  I  hope  the  pupils  will  acquire 
a  taste  for  good  writing,  and  be  judges  of  a 
good  style.  Perspicuity,  closeness,  energy 
and  ease,  are  the  chief  properties  of  such  a 
style.  On  the  contrary,  a  style  that  is  either 
obscure,  redundant,  heavy,  or  affected,  can- 
not be  a  good  one.  But  I  cannot  advise  them 
to  copy  tiie  late  Mr.  Ilervey.  His  dress, 
tiiough  it  fits  him,  and  he  does  not  look  amiss 
in  it,  is  ratiier  too  gaudy  and  ornamented  for 
a  divine.  He  had  a  fine  imaguiation,  8,n 
elegant  taste,  and  siiows  much  precision  and 
judgment  in  his  clioice  of  words :  but  though 
his  luxuriant  manner  of  writing  has  many 
of  the  excellencies  both  of  good  poetry  and 
good  prose,  it  is  in  reality  neither  tl;e  one  nor 
the  otiier.  An  injudicious  imitation  of  him 
has  spoiled  some  persons  for  writers,  who,  if 
they  could  have  been  content  v.'ith  the  plain 
and  natural  mode  of  expression,  might  have 
succeeded  tolerably  well. 

The  pupil  likewise  must  write  as  well  as 
read,  and  he  should  write  frequently.  Let 
him  fill  one  common-place  book  alter  ano- 
ther, with  extracts  from  good  authors  ;  this 
method,  while  it  tends  to  fix  the  passages  or 
their  import  in  his  mind,  will  also  lead  him 
to  make  such  observations  respecting  the 
order,  and  construction,  and  force  of  words, 
as  will  not  so  readily  occur  to  his  notice  by 
reading  only.  Then  let  liim  try  his  own 
liand,  and  accustom  himself  to  write  his 
thoughts,  sometimes  in  notes  and  observations 
on  the  books  he  reads,  sometimes  in  the  form 
of  essays  or  sermons.  He  will  do  well  lilce- 
wise  to  cultivate  a  correspondence  with  a 
few  select  friends ;  for  epistolary  writing 
seems  nearest  to  that  easiness  of  manner 
which  a  public  speaker  should  aim  at. 

I  would  not  have  his  first  attempt  to  speak 
publicly  be  in  the  preaching  way,  or  even 
upon  spiritual  subjects.  It  might  probably 
abate  the  reverence  due  to  divine  truth,  to 
employ  it  in  efforts  of  ingenuity.  Suppose 
the  tutor  siioiiki  read  to  them  a  passage  of 
history,  and  require  them  to  repeat  the  rela- 
tion to  him  the  next  day,  in  their  own  man- 
ner. He  would  then  remark  to  them  if  tliey 
had  omitted  any  essential  part,  or  used  im- 
proper expressions.  Or  they  might  be  put 
upon  making  speeches  or  declamations  on 


472 


A  PLAN  OF  ACADEMICAL  PREPARATION,  Sic. 


such  occasions  or  incidents  as  he  should  pro- 
pose. B}'  degrees  such  of  them  as  are  judged 
to  be  truly  spiritual  and  humble,  might  beg-in 
to  speak  upon  a  text  of  scripture,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  tutor  and  pupils;  and  I  should 
liope  this  miglit,  in  due  time,  become  a  part 
of  the  morning  or  evening  devotions  in  the 
family.  But  let  them  be  especially  cautioned 
not  to  trifle  with  holy  things,  nor  profane  the 
great  subjects  of  scripture,  by  making  them 
mere  exhibitions  and  trials  of  skill. 

Thus  by  combining  much  reading  and 
Writing  with  their  attempts  to  speak,  and  all 
under  the  direction  of  a  judicious  tutor,  I 
shall  have  a  cheerful  hope  that  the  pupils 
will  gradually  attain  a  readiness  and  pro- 
priety of  speech ;  and  when  actually  sent 
out  to  preach,  will  approve  themselves  scribes 
v/eW  instructed  in  the  mysteries  of  the  king- 
dom, qualified  to  bring  forth  from  the  trea- 
sury of  their  knowledge  and  experience, 
things  new  and  old  for  the  edification  of  their 
hearers. 

And  now  I  may  draw  to-^pards  a  close. 
There  are  some  branches  of  science,  or  what 
is  so  called,  on  which  I  lay  but  little  stress. 
I  have  no  great  opinion  of  metaphysical  stu- 
dies. For  pneumatology  and  ethics  I  would 
confine  my  pupils  to  the  Bible.  The  re- 
searches of  wise  men  in  this  way,  which 
liave  not  been  governed  by  the  word  of  God, 
have  produced  little  but  uncertainty,  futility, 
or  filsehood.  My  tutor  will,  I  hope,  think 
it  sufficient  to  show  the  pupils  how  success- 
fully these  wise  and  learned  reasoners  re- 
ciprocally refute  each  other's  hypotheses. 
And  if  he  informs  them  more  in  detail  of  the 
extravagances  which  have  been  started  con- 
cerning the  nature  and  foundation  of  moral 
virtue ;  or  of  the  dreams  of  philosophers, 
some  of  whom  would  exclude  matter;  and 
others  would  exclude  mind  out  of  the  uni- 
verse ;  lie  will  inform  them  likewise,  that  he 
does  not  thereby  mean  properly  to  add  to 
their  stock  of  knowledge,  (for  we  should  in 
reality  have  been  full  as  wise  if  these  sub- 
tilties  had  never  been  heard  of,)  but  only  to 
guard  them  against  being  led  into  the  mazes 
of  error  and  folly,  by  depending  too  much  on 
the  reveries  of  philosophers. 

After  this  delineation  of  my  plan,  it  will 
be  needless  to  inform  you,  that  I  do  not  pro- 
pose my  academy  to  be  a  spiritual  hot-bed,  in 
which  the  pupils  shall  be  raised,  and  ripened 
into  teachers,  almost  immediately  upon  their 
admission.  I  have  allowed  for  a  few  except- 
ed cases ;  but  in  general  it  is  my  design,  that 
their  education  shall  be  compreiiensive  and 
exact.    I  would  have  them  learn  before  they 


undertake  to  teach;  and  their  snfficiency  to 
be  evidenced  by  a  better  testimonial  than 
their  own  good  opinion  of  themselves.  A 
scribe  well  instructed,  a  workman  that  need- 
eth  not  to  be  ashamed,  an  able  minister  of  the 
New  Testament,  are  scriptural  expressions, 
intimating  what  ought  to  be  the  qualifications 
of  those  who  undertake  the  office  of  a  preacher 
or  pastor.  The  apostle  expressly  forbids  a 
novice  to  be  employed  in  these  services. 
And  though  in  the  present  day  this  caution 
is  very  much  disregarded  by  persons  who  un- 
doubtedly mean  well ;  yet  I  believe  the  ne- 
glect of  scriptural  rules  (which  are  not  arbi- 
trary, but  founded  in  a  perfect  knowledge  of 
human  nature)  will  always  produce  great  in- 
conveniences. I  shall  think  a  young  man  of 
tolerable  abilities  makes  a  very  good  im])rove- 
ment  of  his  time,  if  the  tutor  finds  him  fit  for 
actual  service,  after  three  or  four  years  close 
attention  to  his  studies. 

But  what  have  I  donel — in  compliance 
with  your  request,  I  have  been  led  to  give 
such  an  undisguised  view  of  my  sentiments 
on  this  interesting  subject,  that  though  I  feel 
myself  a  cordial  friend  to  all  sides  and  par- 
ties who  hold  the  Head,  and  agree  in  the 
grand  principles  of  our  common  faith  ;  I  fear, 
lest  some  of  every  party  will  be  displeased 
with  me.  I  rely  on  your  friendship  and  your 
knowledge  of  me  to  bear  witness  for  me,  that 
I  would  not  willingly  offend  or  grieve  a  sin- 
gle person.  And  you  can  likewise  testify, 
that  I  did  not  set  myself  to  work — that  I  was 
much  surprised  when  you  proposed  it  tome; 
and  that  you  have  reason  to  believe  my  re- 
gard for  you,  and  for  the  design  you  informed 
me  ofi  wore  the  only  motives  of  my  ven- 
turing upon  the  task  you  assigned  me. 

I  have  by  no  means  exhausted  the  subject, 
though  I  hope  I  have  not  omitted  any  tiling 
that  very  materially  relates  to  it.  If  I  was 
really  in  Utopia,  and  to  carry  my  plan  into 
execution,  other  regulations  would  probably 
occur,  which  have  at  present  escaped  me. 

 res,  EPtas,  iisus, 

Semper  aliquid  appnrtent  novi. 

What  I  have  written  I  submit  to  the  can- 
dour of  you  and  your  friends :  adding  my 
prayers,  that  the  great  Head  of  the  church, 
the  fountain  of  grace,  and  author  of  salvation, 
may  direct  your  deliberations,  and  bless  you 
with  wisdom,  unanimity,  and  success,  in 
whatever  you  may  attempt  for  the  honour  of 
his  name,  and  the  good  of  souls. 

I  am,  dear  sir. 

Your  sincere  friend  and  servant, 
OMICRON. 

May  14,  1782. 


A  MONUMENT 

TO 

THE  PRAISE  OF  THE  LORD'S  GOODNESS, 

AND  TO  THE  MEMORY  OF 

MISS  ELIZA  CUNNINGHAM, 

THE  LAST  SURVIVING  CHILD  OF  ME.  JAMES  CUNNINGHAM,  OF  PITTARTHIE,  FIFESHIRB. 


Jesus  amor  meus  est ;  si  rideat,  omnia  rideit. 
O  Death,  vvliere  is  thy  sting  ?   1  Cor.  xv.  S5. 


PREFACE. 

When  the  following  narrative  was  drawn  up,  ^the  writer  was  aware  tliat  his 
feelings  rendered  him  incompetent  to  judge,  how  much  of  a  relation,  every  part 
of  which  was  interesting  to  himself,  might  be  fit  to  offer  to  the  Public.  Many 
little  circumstances  which  the  indulgence  of  a  friend  could  bear  with,  might  to 
strangers  appear  trivial  and  impertinent.  He  therefore  wrote  only  for  his 
friends;  and  printed  no  more  copies  than  he  thought  would  be  sufficient  to  dii- 
tribute  witliin  tlie  circle  of  his  personal  acquaintance.  But  as  the  paper  has 
been  much  inquired  after,  and  many  of  his  friends  have  expressed  their  wish, 
that  it  might  be  more  extensively  circulated,  he  has  at  length  yielded  to  their 
judgment. 

It  is  to  be  lamented,  that  in  this  enlightened  age,  so  signalized  by  the  prevalence 
of  a  spirit  of  investigation,  Religion  should,  by  many,  be  thought  the  only  sub- 
ject unworthy  of  a  serious  inquiry;  and  that,  while  in  every  branch  of  science 
they  studiously  endeavour  to  trace  every  fact  to  its  proper  and  adequate  cause, 
and  arc  cautious  of  aduiitting  any  theory  which  cannot  stand  the  test  of  ex])cri- 
ment,  they  treat  the  use  of  the  term  experimental,  when  applied  to  Religi«n, 
Avith  contempt.  Yet  there  are  many  things  connected  with  this  subject,  in 
which,  whether  we  are  willing  or  unwilling,  we  are,  and  must  be  nearly  interested. 
Death,  for  instance,  is  inevitable.  And  if  there  be  an  hereafter,  (and  it  is  im- 
possible to  prove  that  there  is  not,)  the  consequences  of  death  must  be  important. 
Many  persons  die,  as  they  live,  thoughtless  and  careless  what  consequences  may 
await  them.  Others,  whose  characters  and  conduct  do  not  appear  to  have  been 
worse  than  those  of  the  former,  cannot  die  so.  They  have  dark  and  painful  fore- 
bodings, and  leave  this  world  with  reluctance  and  terror.  And  there  are  others, 
Avho,  though  conscious  that  they  are  sinners,  and  sure  that  they  are  about  to  enter 
upon  an  unchangeable  and  endless  state  of  existence,  possess  peace,  composure, 
and  joy.  These  declare  that  they  owe  this  happy  state  of  mind  to  their  dependence 
upon  Jesus  the  Saviour,  on  whose  blood  and  mediation  they  have  built  their  hopes. 
And  who  can  possibly  disj)rove  their  words!  Such  an  instance  is  now  in  the 
Reader's  hands.  The  fact  is  indubitable.  A  child  under  the  age  of  fifteen  did 
thus  rejoice  in  the  midst  of  pains  and  agonies,  to  the  admiration  of  all  who  be- 
Vol.  II.  3  0  473 


474 


A  MONUMENT,  &c. 


held  her.  She  was  willing  to  leave  all  her  friends  v/hom  she  dearly  loved,  and 
by  whom  she  was  tenderly  beloved ;  for  slie  knew  in  Vv'hom  she  believed,  and  that 
when  she  should  be  absent  from  the  body,  she  would  be  present  with  the  Lord. 
With  this  assurance,  she  triumphed  in  the  prospect  of  glory,  and  smiled  upon  the 
approach  of  death. 

It  may  be  presumed,  that  whoever  seriously  considers  this  case,  will  not  be  able 
to  satisfy  himself,  by  ascribing  such  remarkable  effects,  in  so  young  a  subject,  to 
the  power  of  habit,  example,  or  system.  If  he  does  not  account  for  them  upon 
the  principles  of  the  gospel,  he  will  be  unable  to  assign  any  proportionable  cause. 
And  it  is  to  be  feared,  that  if  he  is  not  affected  by  a  testimony  so  simple  and  so 
striking,  neither  would  he  be  persuaded  though  one  should  rise  from  the  dead. 

HoxTON,  Nov.  17,  1785. 


A  MONUMENT,  &c. 


As  I  write  not  for  the  eye  of  the  public,  but 
chiefly  to  put  a  testimony  of  the  Lord's  good- 
ness into  the  hands  of  my  dear  friends  who 
have  kindly  afforded  us  their  sympathy  and 
prayers  on  the  late  occasion  ;  I  do  not  mean 
either  to  restrain  the  emotions  of  my  heart, 
or  to  apologize  for  them.  I  shall  write  simply 
and  freely,  as  I  might  speak  to  a  person,  to 
whose  intimacy  and  tenderness  I  can  fidly 
entrust  myself,  and  who  I  know  will  bear 
with  all  my  weaknesses.  * 

In  May,  1782,  iny  sister  Cunningham  was 
at  Edinburgh,  chiefly  on  the  account  of  her 
elilest  daughter,  then  in  the  fourteenth  year 
ofiier  age,  who  was  very  ill  of  a  consumption. 
She  had  already  buried  an  only  son,  at  the 
age  of  twelve  ;  and  while  all  a  mother's  care 
and  feelings  were  engaged  by  the  rapid  de- 
cline of  a  second  amiable  child,  she  was 
une.xpectedly  and  suddenly  bereaved  of  an 
affectionate  and  excellent  husband.  Her 
trials  were  great,  but  the  Lord  had  prepared 
her  for  them.  She  was  a  believer.  Her 
faith  was  strong,  her  graces  active,  and  her 
conduct  exemplary.  She  walked  with  God, 
and  he  supported  her.  And  though  she  was 
a  tender  and  sympathizing  friend,  she  had  a 
happy  firmness  of  temper,  so  that  her  charac- 
ter as  a  christian,  and  the  propriety  of  her 
behaviour  in  every  branch  of  relative  life, 
appeared  with  peculiar  advantage  in  the 
season  of  affliction.  She  returned  to  An- 
struther  a  widow,  with  her  sick  child,  who 
languished  till  October,  and  then  died. 

Though  my  sister  had  many  valuable  and 
pleasing  connections  in  Scotland,  yet  her 
strongest  tie  being  broken,  she  readily  ac- 
cepted ray  invitation  to  come  and  live  with 
us.  She  was  not  only  dear  to  me  as  Mrs. 
Newton's  sister,  but  we  had  lived  long  in  the 
habits  of  intimate  friendship.  I  knew  her 
worth,  and  she  was  partial  to  me.  She  had 
yet  one  child  remaining,  her  dear  Eliza. 
We  already  had  a  dear  orphan  niece,  whom 
we  had,  about  seven  years  before,  adopted  for 


our  own  daughter.  My  active  fond  imagi- 
nation anticipated  the  time  of  her  arrival, 
and  drew  a  pleasing  picture  of  the  addition 
the  company  of  such  a  sister,  such  a  friend, 
would  make  to  the  happiness  of  our  family. 
The  children  likewise — there  was  no  great 
disparity  between  them  either  in  years  or  sta- 
ture. From  what  I  had  heard  of  Eliza,  I  was 
prepared  to  love  her  before  I  saw  her;  though 
she  came  afterwards  into  my  hands  like  a 
heap  of  untold  gold,  whicli,  when  counted 
over,  proves  to  be  a  larger  sum  than  wag 
expected.  My  fancy  paired  and  united  these 
children;  I  hoped  that  the  friendiship between 
us  and  my  sister  would  be  perpetuated  in 
them.  I  seemed  to  see  them  like  twin 
sisters,  of  one  heart  and  mind,  habited 
nearly  alike,  always  together,  always  with 
us. — Such  was  my  plan — but  the  Lord's  plan 
was  very  difl^erent,  and  therefore  mine  failed. 
It  is  happy  for  us,  poor  short-sighted  crea- 
tures, unable  as  we  are  to  foresee  the  conse- 
quences of  our  own  wishes,  that  if  we  know 
and  trust  him,  he  often  is  pleased  to  put  a 
merciful  negative  upon  our  purposes;  and 
condescends  to  choose  better  for  us  than  we 
can  for  ourselves.  What  might  have  been 
the  issue  of  my  plan,  could  it  have  taken 
place,  I  know  not;  but  I  can  now  praise  and 
adore  him  for  the  gracious  issue  of  his.  I 
praise  his  name,  that  I  can  cheerfully  comply 
with  his  word,  which  says,  "Be  still,  and 
know  that  I  am  God."  I  not  oidy  can  bow 
(as  it  becomes  a  creature  and  a  sinner  to  do) 
to  his  sovereignty  ;  but  I  adnure  his  wisdom 
and  goodness,  and  can  say  from  my  heart, 
"He  has  done  all  things  well." 

J\Iy  sister  had  settled  her  afi:urs  previous 
to  her  removal,  and  notliing  remained  but  to 
take  leave  of  her  friends,  of  whom  she  had 
many,  not  only  in  Anstruthcr,  but  in  difler- 
ent  parts  of  the  county.  In  February,  1783, 
I  received  a  letter  from  her,  which,  before  I 
opened  it,  I  expected  was  to  inform  me  that  she 
was  upon  the  road  in  her  v/ay  to  London. 


A  MONUMENT,  &c. 


475 


But  the  information  was,  tliat  in  a  little 
journey  she  had  made  to  bid  a  friend  farewell, 
she  had  caug-ht  a  violent  cold,  which  broug'ht 
on  a  fever  and  a  cougli,  with  other  symptoms, 
which,  though  she  described  them  as  gently 
as  possible,  that  we  mio^ht  not  be  alarmed, 
obliged  me  to  give  up  instantly  the  pleasing 
hope  of  seeing  her.  Succeeding  letters  con- 
firmed my  apprehensions;  her  malady  in- 
creased, and  she  was  soon  confined  to  her 
bed.  Eliza  was  at  school  at  Musselburgh. 
Till  then  she  had  enjoyed  a  perfect  state  of 
health ;  but  while  her  dear  mother  \va.s 
rapidly  declining,  she  likewise  caught  a 
great  cold,  and  her  life  likewise  was  soon 
thought  to  1)3  in  danger.  On  this  occasion, 
that  fortitude  and  resolution  which  so  strongly 
marked  my  sister's  character,  was  remark- 
ably displayed.  She  knew  that  her  own 
race  was  almost  finished ;  she  earnestly  de- 
sired that  Eliza  might  live  or  die  with  us. 
And  the  physicians  advised  a  speedy  removal 
into  the  south.  Accordingly,  to  save  time, 
and  to  save  Eliza  from  the  impressions  which 
the  -sight  of  a  dying  parent  might  probably 
make  upon  her  spirits,  and  possibly  appre- 
hensive that  the  interview  might  make  too 
great  an  impression  upon  her  own  ;  she  sent 
this  her  only  beloved  child  from  Edinburgh 
directly  to  London,  without  letting  her  come 
home  to  take  a  last  leave  of  her.  She  con- 
tented herself  with  committing  and  bequeath- 
ing her  child  to  our  care  and  love  in  a  letter, 
which  I  believe  was  the  last  she  was  able 
to  write. 

Thus  powerfully  recommended  by  the  pa- 
thetic charge  of  a  dying  mother,  the  dearest 
friend  we  had  upon  earth,  and  by  that  plea 
fijr  compassion  whicli  her  illness  might  have 
strongly  urged  even  upon  strangers,  we  re- 
ceived our  dear  Eliza  as  a  trust,  and  as  a 
treasure,  on  the  ISth  of  March.  My  sister 
lived  long  enough  to  have  the  comfort  of 
knowing,  not  only  that  she  was  safely  arrived, 
but  was  perfectly  pleased  with  her  new  situ- 
ation. She  was  now  freed  from  all  earthly 
cares.  She  suffered  much  in  tlie  remaining 
part  of  her  illness,  but  she  knew  whom  she 
believed  ;  she  possessed  a  peace  past  under- 
standing, and  a  hope  full  of  glory.  She  en- 
tered into  the  joy  of  her  Lord  on  the  lOtli  of 
Jlay,  1783,  respected  and  regretted  by  all 
who  knew  her. 

I  soon  perceived  that  the  Lord  had  sent  me 
a  treasure  indeed.  Eliza's  person  was  agree- 
able. There  v.'as  an  ease  and  elegance  in 
her  whole  address,  and  a  gracefulness  in  her 
movements,  till  long  illness  and  great  weak- 
ness bowed  her  down.  Her  disposition  was 
lively,  lier  genius  quick  and  inventive,  and 
if  she  had  enjoyed  health,  she  probably  would 
have  excelled  in  every  thing  she  attempted 
tliat  required  ingenuity.  Her  understanding, 
particularly  her  judgment,  and  her  sense  of 
propriety,  was  far  above  her  years.  Tiiore 


was  something  in  her  appearance  which 
usually  procured  her  favour  at  first  sight. 
She  was  honoured  by  the  notice  of  several 
persons  of  distinction,  which,  though  I  thank- 
fully attribute  in  part  to  their  kindness  to 
me,  I  believe  was  a  good  deal  owing  to  some- 
thing rather  uncommon  in  her.  But  her 
principal  endearing  qualities,  which  could  be 
only  fully  known  to  us  who  lived  vvith  her, 
were  the  sweetness  of  her  temper,  and  a 
heart  formed  for  the  e.xercise  of  affection, 
gratitude,  and  friendship.  Whether,  when 
at  school,  she  might  have  heard  sorrowful 
tales  from  children,  who  having  lost  their 
parents,  met  with  a  great  difierence,  in  point 
of  tenderness,  when  they  came  under  the 
direction  of  uncles  and  aunts,  and  miglit 
think  that  all  uncles  and  aunts  were  alike,  I 
know  not ;  but  I  have  understood  since  from 
herself,  that  she  did  not  come  to  us  with  any 
highly  raised  expectations  of  the  treatment 
she  vvas  to  meet  with.  But  as  she  found  (the 
Lord  in  mercy  to  her  and  to  us  having  opened 
our  hearts  to  receive  her)  that  it  was  hardly 
possible  for  her  own  parents  to  have  treated 
her  uiore  tenderly,  and  that  it  was  from  that 
time  the  business  and  the  pleasure  of  our  lives, 
to  study  how  to  oblige  her,  and  how  to  alle- 
viate the  afflictions  which  we  were  unable  to 
remove;  so  we  likewise  quickly  found,  that 
the  seeds  of  our  kindne.ss  could  hardly  be 
sown  in  a  more  promising  and  fruitful  soil. 
I  know  not  that  either  her  aunt  or  I  ever  saw 
a  cloud  upon  her  countenance  during  the 
time  she  was  with  us.  It  ia  true  we  did  not. 
we  could  not  unnecessarily  cross  her;  but  if 
we  thought  it  expedient  to  over-rule  any 
proposal  she  made,  she  acquiesced  with  a 
sweet  smile ;  and  we  were  certain  that  wc 
should  never  hear  of  that  proposal  again. 
Her  delicacy  however  was  quicker  than  our 
observation ;  and  she  would  sometimes  say, 
when  we  could  not  perceive  the  least  reason 
for  it,  "  I  am  afraid  I  answered  you  peevishly; 
indeed  I  did  not  intend  it ;  if  I  did  I  ask  your 
pardon ;  I  should  be  very  ungrateful,  if  I 
thought  any  pleasure  equal  to  that  of  en- 
deavouring to  please  you."  It  is  no  wonder 
that  we  dearly  loved  such  a  child  ! 

Wonderful  is  the  frame  of  the  human 
heart. — Tlie  Lord  claims  and  deserves  it  all ; 
yet  there  is  still  room  for  all  the  charities  of 
relative  life,  and  scope  for  their  full  play ; 
and  they  are  capable  of  yielding  the  sincerest 
pleasures  this  world  can  afford,  if  held  in 
subordination  to  what  is  supremely  due  to 
him.  The  marriage  relation,  when  cemented 
by  a  divine  blessing,  is  truly  a  union  of 
hearts,  and  the  love  resulting  from  it  will 
admit  of  no  competition  in  the  Same  kind. 
Children  have  the  next  claim ;  and  whether 
there  be  one,  or  two,  or  many,  each  one 
seems  to  be  the  object  of  the  whole  of  the 
parent's  love.  Perhaps  my  friends  who  have 
children,  may  think  that  "l  who  never  hr/J 


478 


A  MONUMENT.  &c. 


any,  can  only  talk  by  guess  upon  this  subject. 
I  presume  not  to  dispute  the  point  with  them. 
But  when  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  put  my  dear 
Betsey  under  my  care,  I  seemed  to  acquire 
a  new  set  of  feelings,  if  not  exactly  those  of 
a  parent,  yet,  as  I  conceive,  not  altogether 
unlike  them.  And  I  long  thought  it  was  not 
possible  for  me  to  love  any  child  as  I  did  her. 
But  when  Eliza  came,  .she,  without  being 
her  rival,  quickly  participated  with  her  in 
the  same  affection.  I  found  I  had  room 
enough  for  them  both,  without  prejudice  to 
either.  I  loved  the  one  very  dearly,  and  the 
other  no  less  than  before  ;  if  it  were  possible 
still  more,  when  I  saw  that  she  entered  into 
my  views,  received  and  behaved  to  her  cousin 
with  great  affection,  and  ascribed  many  little 
indulgences  and  attentions,  which  were 
shown  her,  to  their  proper  ground,  the  con- 
sideration of  her  ill  state  of  health,  and  not 
to  any  preference  that  could  operate  to  her 
disadvantage.  For  the  Lord  was  pleased  to 
answer  my  prayers  in  this  respect  so  gra- 
ciously, that  I  could  not  perceive  that  any 
jealousy  or  suspicion  took  place  between  them 
on  cither  side,  from  first  to  last. 

The  hectic  fever,  cough,  and  sweats,  which 
Eliza  brought  with  her  from  Scotland,  were 
subdued  in  the  course  of  the  summer,  and 
there  appeared  no  reason  to  appreliend  that 
she  would  be  taken  off  very  suddenly.  But 
still  there  was  a  worm  preying  upon  the  root 
of  this  pretty  ijourd.  She  had  seldom  any 
severe  pain  till  within  the  last  fortnight  of 
her  life,  and  usually  slept  well ;  but  when 
awake  she  was  always  ill.  I  believe  she 
knew  not  a  single  hour  of  perfect  ease ;  and 
they  who  intimately  knew  her  state,  could 
not  but  wonder  to  see  her  so  placid,  cheerful, 
attentive  when  in  company,  as  she  generally 
was.  Many  a  time  when  the  tears  have 
silently  stolen  down  her  cheeks,  if  she  saw 
that  her  aunt  or  I  observed  her,  she  would 
wipe  them  away,  come  to  us  with  a  smile 
and  a  kiss,  and  say,  "  Do  not  be  uneasy,  I 
am  not  very  ill,  I  can  bear  it,  I  shall  be  better 
presently,"  or  to  that  effect. 

Her  case  was  thought  beyond  the  reach  of 
medicine,  and  for  a  time  no  medicine  was 
used.  She  had  air  and  exercise,  as  the 
weather  and  circumstances  would  permit. 
For  the  rest,  she  amused  herself  as  well  as 
she  could,  with  her  guitar  or  harpsichord, 
with  her  needle,  and  with  reading.  She  had 
a  part  likewise,  when  able,  in  such  visits  as 
we  paid  or  received.  And  our  visits  were 
generally  regulated  by  a  regard  to  what  she 
could  bear.  Her  aunt  especially,  seldom 
went  abroad,  but  at  such  times,  and  to  such 
places,  a^  we  thought  agreeable  and  con- 
venient to  her.  For  we  could  perceive  that 
she  loved  home  best,  and  best  of  all  when  we 
were  at  home  with  her. 

In  April,  1784,  we  put  her  under  the  care 
of  my  dear  friend  Dr.  Benamor.    To  the 


blessing  of  the  Lord  on  his  skill  and  endea- 
vours, I  ascribe  the  pleasure  of  having  her 
continued  with  us  so  long;  nor  can  I  suffi- 
ciently express  my  gratitude  for  his  assiduous 
unwearied  attention,  nor  for  his  great  tender- 
ness. She  is  now  gone,  and  can  no  more 
repeat  what  she  has  often  spoken,  of  the 
great  comfort  it  was  to  her  to  have  so  affec- 
tionate and  sympathizing  a  physician  ;  but 
while  I  live,  I  hope  it  will  always  be  my 
pleasure  to  acknowledge  our  great  obliga- 
tions to  him  on  her  account.  I  should  be 
ungrateful,  likewise,  were  I  to  omit  mention- 
ing the  kindness  of  Dr.  Allen,  of  Dulwich, 
who  attended  her  daily  during  her  last  stay 
at  Southampton.  He  was  so  obliging,  like- 
wise, as  to  visit  her,  and  to  meet  Dr.  Bena- 
mor upon  her  case,  after  her  return  to  Lon- 
don. Their  joint  prescriptions  were  carefully 
followed.  But  what  can  the  most  efficacious 
medicines,  or  the  best  physicians,  avail  to 
prolong  life,  when  the  hour  approaches,  in 
which  the  prayer  of  the  great  Intercessor 
must  be  accomplished,  "Father,  I  will  that 
they  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  may  be  with 
me  where  I  am,  to  behold  my  glory."  This 
was  the  proper  cause  of  my  dear  Eliza's 
death.  The  Lord  sent  this  child  to  me  to  be 
brought  up  for  him ;  he  owned  my  poor  en- 
deavours; and  wlien  her  education  was  com- 
pleted, and  she  was  ripened  for  heaven,  ho 
took  her  home  to  himself  He  has  riclib' 
paid  me  my  wages,  in  the  employment  itscltj 
and  in  the  happy  issue. 

Dr.  Benamor  advising  a  trial  of  the  salt 
water,  we  passed  the  month  of  August,  1784, 
with  her,  partly  at  Mr.  Walter  Taylor's,  at 
Southampton,  and  partly  at  Charles  Etty's, 
Esq.  of  Priestlands,  near  Lymington.  While 
she  was  with  these  kind  and  generous  friends, 
she  had  every  accommodation  and  assistance 
that  could  be  thought  of  or  wished  for.  And 
the  bathing  was  evidently  useful,  so  far  as  to 
give  some  additional  strength  to  her  very 
weak  and  relaxed  frame,  which  assisted  her 
in  going  more  comfortably  through  the  last 
winter.  We  were  therefore  encouraged  and 
advised  to  repeat  our  visit  to  Southampton 
this  autumn.  But  the  success  was  not  the 
same.  Her  feet  and  legs  had  already  begun 
to  swell,  and  the  evening  before  she  set  out 
she  caught  cold,  which  brought  on  a  return 
of  the  fever  and  cough :  and  though  Dr. 
Allen  was  successful  in  removing  these 
symptoms  in  about  a  fortnight,  and  she 
bathed  a  few  times,  she  could  not  persevere. 
However  the  advantages  of  situation,  air,  and 
exercise,  being  much  greater  than  she  could 
have  in  London,  and  as  we  were  with  friends 
whom  she,  as  well  as  we  dearly  loved,  she 
continued  at  Southampton  six  weeks.  But 
she  was  unable  to  proceed  to  Mr.  Etty's,  who 
was  very  desirous  of  repeating  his  former 
kindness.  The  Lord  strengthened  her  to 
perform  her  journey  home  without  incon- 


A  MONUMENT,  &c. 


477 


vcnicncc.  She  returned  the  IGtli  of  Septem- 
ber; tlien  she  entered  our  door  for  the  last 
time,  for  she  went  out  no  more,  till  she  was 
carried  out  to  be  put  into  the  hearse. 

1  have  thus  got  together,  in  one  view,  a 
brief  account  of  what  relates  to  her  illness, 
till  withiji  the  last  three  weeks  of  her  pil- 
irrimaiie.  I  now  come  to  what  is  much  more 
important  and  interesting.  Her  excellent 
parents  had  conscientiously  endeavoured  to 
bring  her  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition 
of  the  Lord,  and  the  principles  of  religion  had 
been  instilled  into  her  from  her  infancy. — 
Their  labours  were  thus  far  attended  with 
success,  that  no  child  could  be  more  obedient 
or  obliging,  or  more  remote  from  evil  habits, 
or  evil  tempers;  but  I  could  not  perceive, 
when  she  first  came  to  us,  that  she  had  any 
heart-affecting  sense  of  divine  things.  But 
being  under  my  roof,  she  of  course,  when  her 
health  would  permit,  attended  on  my  minis- 
try, and  was  usually  present  when  I  prayed 
and  e-xpounded  the  scriptures,  morning  and 
evening,  in  the  family.  Friends  and  minis- 
ters were  likevi'ise  frequently  with  us,  whose 
character  and  conversation  were  well  suited 
to  engage  her  notice,  and  to  help  her  to  form 
a  right  idea  of  the  christian  principles  and 
temper.  Knowing  that  she  was  of  a  thinking 
turn,  I  left  her  to  make  her  own  reflections 
upon  what  she  saw  and  heard,  committing 
her  to  the  Lord,  from  whom  I  had  received 
her,  and  entreating  him  to  be  her  effectual 
teacher.  When  I  did  attempt  to  talk  with 
her  uy)on  the  concerns  of  her  soul,  she  could 
give  me  no  answer  but  with  tears.  But  I 
soon  had  great  encouragement  to  hope  that 
the  Lord  had  both  enlightened  her  under- 
standing, and  had  drawn  the  desires  of  her 
lieart  to  him-self  Great  was  her  delight  in 
the  ordinances,  exemplary  her  attention 
under  the  preaching.  To  be  debarred  from 
going  to  hear  at  our  stated  times,  was  a  trial, 
which,  though  she  patiently  bore,  seemed  to 
affect  her  more  than  any  other ;  and  she  did 
not  greatly  care  what  she  endured  in  the 
rest  of  the  week,  provided  she  was  well 
enough  to  attend  the  public  worship.  The 
judicious  observations  she  occasionally  made 
upon  what  had  passed  in  conversation,  upon 
incidents,  books,  and  sermons,  indicated  a 
sound  scriptural  judgment,  and  a  spiritual 
taste. — And  my  hope  was  confirmed  by  her 
whole  deportment,  which  was  becoming  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  So  that  had  she  died  sud- 
denly, on  any  day  within  about  a  year  and  a 
half  past,  I  should  have  had  no  doubt  that  she 
had  passed  from  death  unto  life.  But  I  could 
seldom  prevail  with  her  to  speak  of  herself ; 
if  she  did,  it  was  with  the  greatest  diffidence 
and  caution. 

Soon  after  her  return  from  Southampton, 
she  became  acquainted  with  acute  pain,  to 
whicii  she  had  till  then  been  much  a  stranger. 
Her  gentle  spirit,  which  had  borne  up  under 


a  long  and  languisliing  illness,  was  not  so 
capable  of  supporting  pain.  It  did  not  occa- 
sion any  improper  temper  or  language,  but  it 
wore  her  away  apace.  Friday,  the  30th  of 
September,  she  was  down  stairs  for  the  last 
time,  and  then  she  was  brought  down  and 
carried  up  in  arms. 

It  now  became  very  desirable  to  hear  from 
herself  a  more  explicit  account  of  the  hope 
that  was  in  her ;  especially  as  upon  some 
symptoms  of  an  approaching  mortification, 
she  appeared  to  be  a  little  alarmed,  and  of 
course  not  thoroughly  reconciled  to  the 
thoughts  of  death.  Her  aunt  waited  for  the 
first  convenient  opportunity  of  intimating  to 
her  the  probability  that  the  time  of  her  de- 
parture was  at  hand.  The  next  morning 
(Saturday  the  1st  of  October)  presented  one. 
She  found  herself  remarkably  better,  her 
pains  were  almost  gone,  her  spirits  revived, 
and  the  favourable  change  was  visible  in  her 
countenance.  Her  aunt  began  to  break  the 
subject  to  her  by  saying,  "  My  dear,  were 
you  not  extremely  ill  last  night !"  She  said, 
"Indeed  I  was."  "Had  you  not  been  re- 
lieved I  think  you  could  not  have  continued 
long."  "  I  believe  I  could  not."  "  My  dear,  I 
have  been  very  anxiously  concerned  for  your 
life."  "  But  I  hope,  my  dear  aunt,  you  are 
not  so  now."  She  then  opened  her  mind 
and  spoke  freely.  I  cannot  repeat  the  whole: 
the  substance  was  to  this  effect.  "  My  views 
of  things  have  been  for  some  time  very  dif- 
ferent from  what  they  were  when  I  came  to 
you.  I  have  seen  and  felt  the  vanity  of 
childhood  and  youth."  Her  aunt  said,  "I 
believe  you  have  long  made  conscience  of 
secret  prayer."  She  answered,  "  Yes,  I 
have  long  and  earnestly  sought  the  Lord 
with  reference  to  the  change  which  is  now 
approaching.  I  have  not  yet  that  full  assur- 
ance which  is  so  desirable,  but  I  have  a  hope, 
I  trust  a  good  hope,  and  I  believe  the  Lord 
will  give  me  whatever  he  sees  necessary  for 
me,  before  he  takes  me  from  hence.  I  have 
prayed  to  him  to  fit  me  for  himself,  and 
then,  whether  sooner  or  later,  it  signifies  but 
little."  Here  was  a  comfortable  point  gained. 
We  were  satisfied  that  she  had  given  up  all 
expectations  of  living,  and  could  speak  of 
her  departure  without  being  distressed. 

It  will  not  be  expected  that  a  child  at  her 
age  should  speak  systematically.  Nor  had 
she  learnt  her  religion  from  a  system  or  form 
of  words,  however  sound.  The  Lord  himself 
was  her  teacher.  But  from  what  little  she 
had  at  different  times  said  to  me,  I  was  well 
satisfied  that  she  had  received  a  true  con- 
viction of  the  evil  of  sin,  and  of  her  own 
state  by  nature  as  a  sinner.  When  she  spoke 
of  the  Lord,  shemeant  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Great  Shepherd,  who  gathers  such  lamba 
in  his  arm,  and  carries  them  in  his  bosom. 
She  believed  him  to  be  God  and  man  in  one 
person ;  and  that  hope,  of  which  she  shall 


473 


A  MONUMENT,  &c. 


never  be  ashamed,  was  fbiinded  on  his  atone- 
ment, grace  and  power.  As  I  do  not  intend 
to  put  words  into  her  month,  which  she 
never  spoke,  I  mention  this,  lest  any  person 
should  be  disappointed  at  not  finding  a  cer- 
tain phraseology,  which  they  may  have  been 
accustomed  to. 

Her  apparent  revival  was  of  short  duration. 
In  the  evening  of  tlie  same  day,  she  began  to 
complain  of  a  sore  throat,  which  became 
worse,  and  before  Sunday  noon  threatened 
an  absolute  suffocation.  When  Dr.  Benamor, 
who  the  day  before  had  almost  entertained 
hopes  of  her  recovery,  found  her  so  suddenly 
and  greatly  altered,  he  could  not,  at  the  mo- 
ment, prevent  some  signs  of  his  concern  from 
appearing  in  his  countenance.  She  quickly 
perceived  it,  and  desired  he  would  plainly 
tell  her  his  sentiments.  When  he  had  re- 
covered himself  he  said,  "  You  are  not  so 
well  as  when  I  saw  you  on  Saturday."  She 
answered,  "  that  she  trusted  all  would  be 
well  soon."  He  replied,  "  that  whether  she 
lived  or  died,  it  would  be  well,  and  to  the 
glory  of  God."  He  told  me  that  he  had 
much  pleasing  conversation  with  her  that 
morning,  some  particulars  of  which  he  had 
commiti;ed  to  writing,  but  he  lost  the  paper. 
— From  that  time  she  may  be  said  to  have 
been  dying,  as  wo  expected  her  departure 
from  one  hour  to  another. 

On  Monday,  the  3d,  she  was  almost  free 
from  any  complaint  in  her  throat,  but  there 
was  again  an  appearance  of  a  mortification 
in  her  legs,  which  was  again  repelled  by  the 
means  which  Dr.  Benamor  prescribed.  I 
recollect  but  little  of  the  incidents  of  this 
day.  In  general  she  was  in  great  pain, 
sometimes  in  agonies,  unable  to  remain  many 
minutes  in  the  same  position.  But  her  mind 
was  peaceful ;  slie  possessed  a  spirit  of  re- 
collection and  prayer:  and  her  chief  atten- 
tion to  earthly  things  seemed  confined  to  the 
concern  she  saw  in  those  who  were  around 
lier.  That  she  might  not  increase  their 
feelings  for  her,  she  strove  to  conceal  the 
sense  of  her  own  sufferings.  It  pleased  the 
Lord  wonderfully  to  support  my  dear  Mrs. 
Newton,  and  she  had  a  tolerable  night's  rest, 
though  I  did  not  expect  the  child  v.-ould  live 
till  morning.  On  Tuesday  the  4th,  about 
nine  in  the  morning,  we  all  thought  her 
dying,  and  waited  near  two  hours  by  her  bed 
side  for  her  last  breath.  She  was  much 
convulsed  and  in  great  agonies.  I  said,  "My 
dear,  you  are  going  to  heaven,  and  I  hope  by 
the  grace  of  God,  we  in  due  time  shall  follow 
yon."  iShe  could  not  speak,  but  let  us  know 
that  she  attended  to  what  I  said  by  a  gentle 
nod  of  her  head,  and  a  sweet  smile.  I  re- 
peated to  her  many  passages  of  scripture,  and 
verses  of  hymns,  to  each  of  which  she  made 
the  same  kind  of  answer.  Though  silent, 
her  looks  were  more  expressive  than  words. 
Towards  eleven  o'clock,  a  great  puantity  of 


coagulated  phlegm,  which  she  had  not  tho 
strength  to  bring  up,  made  her  rattle  violent- 
ly in  the  tln-oat,  which  we  considered  as  a 
sign  that  death  was  at  hajid :  and  as  she 
seemed  unwilling  to  take  something  that 
was  offered  her,  we  were  loth  to  disturb  her 
in  her  last  moments  (as  we  supposed)  by 
pressing  her.  I  think  she  must  have  died  in  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  had  not  Dr.  Benamor  just 
then  come  into  the  room.  He  felt  her  pulse, 
and  observed  that  she  was  not  near  death  by 
her  pulse,  and  desired  something  might  be 
given  her.  Sise  was  perfectly  sensible, 
though  still  unable  to  speak,  but  expressed 
Iter  unwillingness  to  take  any  thing,  by  very 
strong  efibrts.  However  .she  yielded  to  en- 
treaty, and  a  tea-spoonful  or  two  of  some 
liquid  soon  cleared  the  passage,  and  she 
revived.  Her  pain  however  was  extreme, 
and  her  disappointment  great.  I  never  saw 
her  so  near  impatient  as  upon  this  occasion: 
as  soon  as  she  could  speak  she  cried,  "  Oh 
cruel,  cruel,  to  recall  me,  when  I  was  so 
happy  and  so  near  gone !  I  wish  you  had  not 
come  ;  I  long  to  go  home."  But  in  a  few 
minutes  she  grew  composed,  assented  to 
what  the  Doctor  said,  of  her  duty  to  wait  the 
Lord's  time;  and  from  that  hour,  thougii  her 
desires  to  depart  and  to  bo  with  her  Saviour, 
were  stronger  and  stronger,  she  cheerllilly 
took  wliatever  was  offered  her,  and  frequently 
asked  for  something  of  her  own  accord. — 
How  often,  if  we  were  to  have  our  choice, 
should  we  counteract  our  own  prayers !  I 
had  entreated  the  Lord  to  prolong  her  life, 
till  she  could  leave  an  indisputable  testimony 
behind  her,  for  our  comfort.  Yet  when 
saw  her  agony,  and  heard  her  say,  "  Oh 
how  cruel  to  stop  me  !"  I  was  for  a  moment 
almost  of  her  mind,  and  could  hardly  l)elp 
wisliing  that  the  Doctor  had  delayed  his  visit 
a  little  longer.  But  if  she  had  died  then,  we 
should  have  been  deprived  of  what  we  saw 
and  heard  the  two  following  days,  the  re 
membrance  of  which  is  now  much  more  pre 
cious  to  me  than  silver  or  gold. 

When  the  Doctor  came  on  Wednesday 
she  entreated  him  to  tell  her  how  long  he 
tiioiight  she  might  live;  he  said,  "  Are  you 
in  earnest,  my  dear  !"  She  answered,  "  In 
deed  I  am."  At  that  time  there  were  great 
appearances  that  a  mortification  was  actually 
begun.  He  therefore  told  her,  he  thought  it 
possible  she  might  hold  out  till  eight  in  tho 
evening,  but  did  not  expect  she  could  suivive 
midnight  at  farthest.  On  hearing  him  say 
so,  low  as  she  was,  her  eyes  secniJ'd  to 
sparkle  witli  their  former  vivar  ity,  and  fixing 
them  on  him  with  an  air  of  ineffable  .-iitis- 
faction,  she  said,  "  Oh  that  is  good  news 
indeed  I"  And  she  repeated  it  as  such  to  a 
person  who  came  soon  afler  into  the  room, 
and  said  with  lively  emotions  of  joy,  The 
Doctor  tells  me  I  shall  stay  here  but  a  few 
hours  more."    In  the  afternoon  she  noticed 


A  MONUMENT,  &c. 


479 


and  counted  the  clock,  I  believe,  every  time 
it  sfruck,  and  when  it  struck  seven,  she  said, 
"  Another  hour,  and  then."  But  it  pleased 
tlie  Lord  to  spare  her  to  us  another  day. 

She  suffered  much  in  the  course  of  Wed- 
nesday night,  but  was  quite  resig^ned  and 
patient.  Our  kind  servants,  who  from  their 
love  to  her  and  to  us,  watched  her  night  and 
clay  with  a  solicitude  and  tenderness  wliich 
wealth  is  too  poor  to  purchase,  were  tiie  only 
witnesses  of  the  affectionate  and  grateful 
manner  in  which  she  repeatedly  thanked 
them  for  their  service  and  attention  to  her. 
Though  such  an  acknowledgement  was  no 
more  than  their  due,  yet  coming  from  herself, 
and  at  such  a  time,  tliey  highly  valued  it. 
She  added  her  earnest  prayers  that  the  Lord 
would  reward  them.  To  her  prayers  my 
heart  says,  Amen.  May  they  be  comforted 
of  the  Lord  in  their  dying  hours,  as  she  was, 
and  moot  Vv-ith  equal  kindness  from  those 
about  them ! 

I  was  surprised  on  Thursday  morning  to 
find  her  not  only  alive,  but  in  some  respects 
better.  The  tokens  of  mortification  again 
disappeared.  Tliis  was  her  last  day,  and  it 
was  a  memorable  day  to  us.  When  Dr. 
Benamor  asked  her  how  she  was?  She  ans- 
wered, "  Truly  happy,  and  if  this  be  dying, 
it  is  a  pleasant  thing  to  die."  [The  very 
expression  which  a  dear  friend  of  mine  used 
upon  her  death  bed  a  few  years  ago.]  She 
said  to  me  about  ten  o'clock,  "  My  dear 
uncle,  I  would  not  change  conditions  with 
any  person  upon  earth.  Oh  how  gracious  is 
the  Lord  to  me  !  Oh  what  a  change  is  be- 
fore me  !"  She  was  several  times  asked,  if 
ehe  could  wish  to  live,  provided  the  Lord 
should  restore  her  to  perfect  health ;  her 
answer  was,  "  Not  for  all  the  world,"  and 
sometimes,  "Not  for  a  thousand  worlds."* 
"  Do  not  weep  for  me,  my  dear  aunt ;  but 
rather  rejoice  and  praise  on  my  account.  I 
shall  now  have  the  advantage  of  my  dear 
Miss  Patty  Barham  (for  whom  she  had  a  very 
tender  aSection,  and  who  had  been  long  in  a 
languishing  state,)  for  I  shall  go  before  her." 
Wo  asked  her  if  she  would  chuse  a  text  for 
iier  ov/n  funeral  sermon?  She  readily  men- 
tioned, "  Whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chastcn- 
eth.  That," said  she, "has been  my  experience ; 
my  afflictions  have  been  many,  but  not  one 
too  many  ;  nor  has  the  greatest  of  them  been 
too  great;  I  prai.se  him  for  them  all."  But 
after  a  pause  she  said,  "  Stay,  I  think  there 
is  another  text  which  may  "do  better;  let  it 
be.  Ble.sscd  are  the  dead  that  die  in  the  Lord. 
That  is  my  experience  now."  She  likewise 
chose  a  hymn  to  be  sung  after  the  sermon. 
Olney  Hymns,  book  IL  hymn  72. 

But  I  must  check  myself,  and  set  down 
but  a  small  part  of  the  gracious  words  which 

*  The  last  time  sha  was  asked  this  question,  she  said 
(as  I  have  since  been  informed,)  "  I  desire  to  have  no 
choice." 


the  Lord  enabled  her  to  speak  in  the  course 
of  the  day,  though  she  was  frequently  in- 
terrupted by  pains  and  agonies.  She  had 
sometiiing  to  say  either  in  the  way  of  ad- 
monition or  consolation,  as  she  thought  most 
suitable,  to  every  one  whom  she  saw.  To 
her  most  constant  attendant  she  said,  "  Be 
sure  you  continue  to  call  upon  the  Lord ;  and 
if  you  think  he  does  not  hear  you  now,  he 
will  at  last,  as  he  has  heard  me."  She  spoke 
a  great  deal  to  an  intimate  friend,  who  was 
with  her  every  day,  which  I  hope  she  will 
long  remember,  as  the  testimony  of  her  dying 
Eliza.  Amongst  other  things,  she  said,  "  See 
how  comfortable  the  Lord  can  make  a  dying 
bed  I  Do  you  think  that  you  shall  have  such 
an  assurance  when  you  come  to  die !"  Being 
answered,  "  I  hope  so,  my  dear,"  she  replied, 
"But  do  you  earnestly  and  with  all  your 
heart  pray  to  the  Lord  for  it !  If  you  seek 
him,  you  shall  surely  find  him."  She  then 
prayed  affectionately  and  fervently  for  her 
friend,  afterwards  for  her  cousin,  and  then  for 
another  of  our  family  who  was  present.  Her 
prayer  was  not  long,  but  her  every  word  was 
weighty,  and  her  manner  very  affecting — the 
purport  was,  that  they  might  all  be  laught 
and  comforted  by  the  Lord.  About  five  in 
the  afternoon  she  desired  me  to  pray  v.ith 
her  once  more.  Surely  I  then  prayed  from 
my  heart.  When  I  had  finished,  slie  said. 
Amen.  I  said,  "  My  dear  child,  have  I  ex- 
pressed your  meaning  !"  she  answered,  "  Oh 
yes  !"  and  then  added,  "  I  am  ready  to  say, 
Why  are  his  chariot  wheels  so  long  in  com- 
ing !  But  I  hope  he  will  enable  me  to  v.-ait 
his  hour  with  patience."  These  were  the 
last  words  I  heard  her  speak. 

Mrs.  Newton's  heart  was  much,  perhaps 
too  much,  attached  to  this  dear  child;  which 
is  not  to  be  vi'ondered  at,  considering  what  a 
child  she  was,  and  how  long  and  how  much 
she  had  suffered.  But  the  Lord  graciously 
supported  her  in  this  trying  season.  Indeed 
there  was  much  more  cause  for  joy  than  for 
grief:  yet  the  pain  of  separation  will  be  felt. 
Eliza  well  knew  her  feelings,  and  a  concern 
for  lier  was,  I  believe,  the  last  anxiety  that 
remained  with  her.  She  said  to  those  about 
her,  "  Try  to  per-suade  my  aunt  to  leave  the 
room;  I  think  I  shall  soon  go  to  sleep,  I 
shall  not  remain  with  you  till  the  morning." 
Her  aunt,  however,  was  the  last  person  who 
heard  her  speak,  and  was  sitting  by  her  bed 
when  she  went  away.  A  little  past  si.x, 
hearing  that  a  relation  who  dearly  loved  her, 
and  wag  beloved  by  her,  and  who  had  come 
daily  from  Westminster  to  see  her,  was  be- 
low stairs,  she  saiil,  "  Raise  me  up,  that  I 
may  speak  to  him  once  more."  Her  aunt 
said,  "  My  dear,  you  are  nearly  exhausted.  I 
think  you  had  better  not  attempt  it."  She 
smiled,  and  said,  "  It  is  very  well,  I  will 
not."  She  was  then  within  half  an  hour  of 
her  translation  to  glory,  but  the  love  of  our 


'480 


A  MONUMENT,  &c. 


dear  Lord  had  so  filled  her  with  benevolence, 
that  she  was  ready  to  exert  herself  to  her 
last  breath,  in  hopes  of  saying  something 
that  might  be  useful  to  others  after  she  was 
gone. 

Towards  seven  o'clock,  I  was  walking  in 
the  garden,  and  earnestly  engaged  in  prayer 
for  her,  wlien  a  servant  came  to  me  and  said. 

She  is  gone."  O  Lord,  how  great  is  thy 
power!  how  great  is  thy  goodness  !  A  few 
days  before,  had  it  been  practicable  and  law- 
ful, what  would  I  not  have  given  to  procure 
her  recovery  !  Yet  seldom  in  my  life  have  I 
known  a  more  heart-felt  joy,  than  when  these 
words,  She  is  gone,  sounded  in  my  ears.  I 
ran  up  stairs,  and  our  whole  little  family 
were  soon  around  her  bed. — Though  her 
aunt  and  another  person  were  sitting  with 
their  eyes  fixed  upon  her,  she  was  gone  per- 
haps a  few  minutes  before  she  was  mis,sed. 
She  lay  upon  her  left  side,  with  her  cheek 
gently  reclining  upon  her  hand,  as  if  in  a 
sweet  sleep.  And  I  thought  there  was  a 
smile  upon  her  countenance.  Never  surely 
did  death  appear  in  a  more  beautiful,  inviting 
form !  We  fell  upon  our  knees,  and  I  re- 
turned (I  think  I  may  say)  my  most  unfeign- 
ed tlianks  to  our  God  and  Saviour,  for  his 
abundant  goodness  to  her,  crowned  in  this 
last  instance,  by  giving  her  so  gentle  a  dis- 
mission. Yes,  T  am  satisfied.  I  am  comfort- 
ed. And  if  one  of  the  many  involuntary  tears 
I  have  shed,  could  have  recalled  her  to  life, 
to  health,  to  an  assemblage  of  all  that  this 
world  could  contribute  to  her  happiness,  I 
would  liave  laboured  hard  to  suppress  it. 
Now  my  largest  desires  for  her  are  accom- 
plished. The  days  of  her  mourning  are 
ended.  She  is  landed  on  that  peaceful  shore, 
where  the  storms  of  trouble  never  blow. — 
She  is  for  ever  out  of  the  reach  of  sorrow, 
sin,  temptation,  and  snares.  Now  she  is 
before  tlie  throne !  she  sees  Him  whom  not 
having  seen  she  loved ;  she  drinks  of  the 
rivers  of  pleasure  which  are  at  his  right  hand, 
and  shall  thirst  no  more. 

She  was  born  at  St.  Margaret's,  Rochester, 
February  6,  1771.  Her  parents  settled  at 
Anstruther,  in  Fife,  in  1773.    She  returned 

to  us  March  15,  1783.    She  breathed 

her  spirit  into  her  Redeemer's  hands  a  little 
,  before  seven  in  the  evening,  on  October  6, 
1785,  aged  fourteen  years  and  eight  months. 

I  shall  be  glad  if  this  little  narrative  may 


prove  an  encouragement  to  my  friends  who 
have  children.  May  we  not  conceive  the 
Lord  saying  to  us,  as  Pharaoh's  daughter  said 
to  the  mother  of  Moses,  "Take  this  child, 
and  bring  it  up  for  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee 
thy  wages'!"  How  solemn  the  trust!  How 
important  and  difficult  tlie  discharge  of  it! 
but  how  rich  the  reward  if  our  endeavours 
are  crowned  with  success !  And  we  have 
every  thing  to  hope  from  his  power  and 
goodness,  if,  in  dependence  upon  his  blessing, 
we  can  fully  and  diligently  aim  at  fulfilling 
his  will.  Happy  thoy  who  will  say  at  the 
last  day,  "  Behold,  here  am  I,  and  the  children 
which  thou  hast  given  me." 

The  children  of  my  friends  will  likewise 
see  my  narrative.  May  it  convince  them 
that  it  is  practicable,  and  good,  to  seek  the 
Lord  betimes !  My  dear  Eliza's  state  of 
languor  prevented  her  from  associating  with 
young  people  of  her  own  age,  so  frequently 
and  freely  as  she  might  otherwise  have  done. 
But  these  papers  will  come  into  the  hands  of 
some  such,  whom  she  knew  and  whom  she 
loved.  To  them,  I  particularly  commend  and 
dedicate  this  relation.  O  my  dear  young 
friends,  had  you  seen  with  what  dignity  of 
spirit  she  filled  up  the  last  scene  of  her  life, 
you  must  have  been  afl^ected  by  it !  Let  not 
the  liveliness  of  your  spirits,  and  the  gaiety 
of  the  prospect  around  you,  prevent  you  from 
considering,  that  to  you  likewise,  days  will 
certainly  come  (unless  you  are  suddenly 
snatched  out  of  life)  when  }'ou  will  say  and 
feel,  that  the  world,  and  all  in  it,  can  afford 
you  no  pleasure.  But  there  is  a  Saviour,  and 
a  mifjhty  One,  always  near,  always  gracious 
to  those  who  seek  Him.  May  you,  like  her, 
be  enabled  to  choose  Him,  as  the  Guide  of 
your  youth,  and  the  Lord  of  your  hearts. 
Then  like  her,  you  will  find  support  and 
comfort  under  affliction,  wisdom  to  direct 
your  conduct,  a  good  hope  in  death,  and  by 
death  a  happy  translation  to  everlasting 
life. 

I  have  only  to  add  my  prayers,  that  a 
blessing  from  on  high  may  descend  upon  the 
persons  and  families  of  all  my  friends,  and 
upon  all  into  whose  hands  this  paper  may 
providentially  come. 

JOHN  NEWTON." 

Charleses  Square,  Iloxton, 
Oct.  13,  1785. 


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the  spiritual  interests  of  his  fellow  men." — Albany  Daily  Advertiser. 

IV. 

GATHERED  FRAGMENTS.    Fourth  edition ;  12  mo.    2  steel  engravings. 

CoNTAJNiNfi.— The  M'Ellen  Family.— The  Paralytic— The  Withered  Branch  Revived— The 
Baptism.— Little  Ann.— The  Jleeting  of  the  Travellers.— Mary  Maywood.— A  Family  in  Eterwity 
— One  whose  Record  is  on  High,  &c.,  &c. 

V 

GLEANINGS  BY  THE  WAY  ;  or  Travels  in  the  Country.    1  vol.  12mD 
f2) 


CARTER'S  PUBLICATIONS, 


MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  NISBET,  D.D.,  late  President  of  Dick- 
enson College,  Carlisle.  By  Samuel  Miller,  D.D.,  Profes.sor  in  the  Theological 
Seminary,  Princeton,  New  Jersey.    1  vol.  12mo.,  with  Portrait. 

"  We  have  been  much  gratified  at  the  appearance  of  this  work.  It  forms  a  most  valuable  addition 
to  the  Presbyterian  Bioi;raphy  of  our  country.  Dr.  Nisbet,  distinguished  alike  by  his  own  personal 
acquirements  in  literature,  and  his  devotion  to  the  cause  of  sound  learning,  was  deserving  of  a  last- 
inu-  remembrance  ;  and  yet  few  had  the  opportunity  of  knowing  much  of  his  true  character  and  ser- 
vices, until  the  appearaiice  of  this  interesting  memoir.  The  fidelity  and  excellence  with  which  the 
work  is  executed,  may  be  concluded  from  the  name  of  the  biographer." — Presbyterian. 

MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  HENRY  MARTYN,  Chaplain  to  the  Honourable 

East  India  Company.     By  the  Rev.  John  Sargent,  M.  A.    Fourth  American  from 

the  Tenth  London  Edition.    1  vol.  12mo. 

• 

"  Most  biographical  works  have  their  brief  day  of  popularity  and  usefulness,  and  then  give  place 
to  others,  which  in  their  turn,  also  gradually  pass  into  disuse  and  forgetfulness.  Not  so  with  the 
biography  of  Henry  Martyn.  Though  his  life  was  scarcely  protracted  beyond  the  period  of  youth, 
yet  he  lived  much  in  a  little  time,  and  his  name  stands  forth  as  among  the  brightest  stars  of  the 
generation  to  which  he  belongs.  His  wonderful  powers  of  acquiring  knowledge,  united  with  his 
fervent  piety,  and  earnest  zeal,  and  self-sacrilicing  spirit,  in  the  cause  of  his  master,  has  given  his 
character  an  interest  which  will  not  be  likely  to  grow  less  with  the  lapse  of  ages." — Eve.  Journal. 

ESSAYS  ON  EPISCOPACY,  AND  THE  APOLOGY  FOR  APOSTOLIC 
ORDER  REVIEWED,  By  the  late  John  M.  Mason,  D.D.  Edited  by  the  Rev. 
Ebenezer  Mason,  1  vol.  12mo. 

"A  most  timely  republication.  In  the  hands  of  an  intellectual  giant  like  Dr.  Mason,  the  mon- 
strous deformities  of  high  church  episcopacy  and  its  pigmy  advocates  were  crushed  and  held  up  to 
public  contempt,  apparently  without  elfort.  The  sarcasm  with  vphich  the  assumption  of  exclusive 
Christianity  is  treated,  is  perfectly  withering,  and  yet  it  is  dealt  with  so  much  decorum  that  the 
guilty  sufierer  is  left  no  room  to  complain  of  unfairness  or  aggravation.  The  argument  is  strong, 
and,  we  hesitate  not  to  say,  unanswerable.  Whoever  then  wishes  to  see  the  scantiness  of  ground 
on  which  high  churcliisra  is  built,  may  satisfy  himself  by  reading  this  book." — Bnplist  Advomte. 

ESSAYS  ON  THE  CHURCH  OF  GOD.  By  the  late  John  M.  Mason,  D.D. 
Edited  by  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Mason,  1  vol.  12mo. 

"  This  work  is  the  production  of  one  of  the  most  splendid  minds  which  any  age  can  boast.  We 
doLibt  not,  that  it  will  live  through  many  generations,  and  will  convey  to  posterity  one  of  the  most 
luminous  and  scriptural  views  of  the  church  of  God,  with  which  the  church  has  ever  been  favoured." 
— Dnilij  American  Citizen. 

"They  are  learned  and  lively,  sometimes  severe,  and  always  entertaining,  the  reasoning  cogent 
and  simple,  and  the  style  that  of  the  eloquent  man  whose  name  is  still  held  by  many  in  alTectionate 
remembrance." — N.  Y.  Observer. 

THE  INaUIRER  DIRECTED  to  an  Experimental  and  Practical  View  of  the 
Work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.    By  Rev.  Octavius  Winslow.    1  vol.  12mo. 

"This  is  a  delightful  book  ; — modest  and  unpretending,  but  embued  with  the  spirit  of  the  gospel.. 
The  author  commences,  as  he  should  do,  with  a  conclusive  scriptural  proof  of  t  he  divinity  and  per- 
sonality of  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  then  passes  on  to  '  an  experimental  and  practical  view'  of  the  work 
of  the  Spirit  as  a  quickener.  This  subject  he  presents  in  two  divisions;  first,  the  state  of  the  heart, 
the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  evidences  of  his  operations,  belbre  and  in  the  act  of  regeneration ; 
and  second,  the  same  class  of  topics,  in  their  application  to  the  soul  after  conversion.  The  next 
chapter  is  on  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit;  the  believer  a  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  remaining 
subjects  are: — The  Sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  showing  the  nece.ssity  and  nature  of  true  holiness, 
— the  sealing  of  the  .Spirit, — the  Spirit  the  author  of  prayer, — and  the  Spirit  a  comforter, — the  bro- 
ken heart  bound  up.  The  address  is  aflectionate  and  winning,  yet  closely  practical.  It  strongly 
reminds  one  of  the  manner  of  Plavcl  and  Doildriilgc,  and  otiiers  of  the  okicn  time.  The  discriim- 
nations  of  character  are  close  and  happy :  and  the  whole  book  evinces  a  deep  knowleage  of  the 
heart,  and  a  familiar,  practical,  and  divinely  illumined  acquaintance  with  the  Scriptures." — Biblical 
Repertory  ()"•  Prmceloii  Review. 

THE  LIFE,  WALK  AND  TRIUMPH  OF  FAITH.  By  the  Rev.  W.  Ro- 
maine,  A.M.    12mo.  New  edition.  Muslin. 

"  Many  a  good  old  believer  will  have  his  heart  cheered  and  his  soul  comforted  by  the  republica- 
tion of  this  book. — The  truth  drops  from  his  pen  like  manna.  His  conceptions  are  remarkably  clear, 
and  his  style  simple  and  scriptural.  His  own  life  by  faith  enabled  him  to  write  so  well  for  the  edifi- 
cation of  others." — Baptist  Advocate. 

"  Here  are  three  distinct  treatises  on  the  same  general  subject,  to  which  evangelical  Christians  of 
every  denomination,  during  nearly  three-quarters  of  a  century,  have  united  in  awarding  the  highest 

(3) 


CARTER'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


praise.  They  indicate  not  only  a  most  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  Bible,  but  a  rare  Icnowledgc 
of  the  workings  ot'  the  human  heart,  and  are  at  once  full  of  instruction,  admonition  and  consolation. 
The  most  advanced  Christian  cannot  fail  to  read  them  with  profit,  and  the  young  Christian  will  find 
them  among  the  safest  guides  and  best  helps  in  the  religious  lite,  which  are  to  be  found  any  where 
out  of  the  Bible." — Albany  Daily  Adverliscr. 

THE  GRACE  AND  DUTY  OF  BEING  SPIRITUALLY  MINDED,  Declared 
and  Piacticaily  Improved.    By  John  Owen,  D.D.  12mo. 

"  The  name  of  Dr.  Owen  is  peculiarly  welcome  at  all  times,  and  especially  on  such  a  theme.  We 
need  do  nothing  more  than  call  the  attention  to  the  title  page.  Those  who  are  familiar  with  che 
writings  of  this  venerable  Father,  know  that  this  is  among  the  richest  of  his  works." — New  York 
Evangelist. 

MOFFATT'S  SOUTHERN  AFRICA.  Missionary  Labours  and  Scenes  in 
Southern  Africa.  By  Robert  Moffatt,  twenty-three  years  an  Agent  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  in  tliat  continent.    1  vol.  12mo. 

"AVe  have  read  the  whole  of  this  large  volume  with  undiminished  interest,  and  have  found  it  re- 
plete with  missionary  information,  given  in  an  unpretending,  but  strong  and  clear  style.  The 
wretched  state  of  the  heathen  tribes,  among  whom  the  writer  so  long  laboured  as  a  missionary; 
their  deep  degradation  and  ignorance  ;  the  trials  of  faith  and  patience,  of  the  missionary  brethren ; 
and  after  years  of  apparently  useless  labour,  and  when  the  churches  at  home  seemed  ready  to  aban- 
don the  whole  field,  the  displays  of  the  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  his  blessing  upon  the  labours 
of  his  servants,  are  all  recorded  by  an  eye-witness,  who  bore  the  burden  and  heut  of  the  day,  and 
who  lived  to  rejoice  in  seeing  the  triumphs  of  the  Gospel,  among  the  most  ignorant  and  degraded 
of  the  human  family.  The  narrative  is  enriched  also  with  descriptions  of  African  scenery  ;  with  the 
employment,  habits,  and  pursuits  of  the  native  tribes ;  their  dangers  from  lions  and  other  beasts  of 
prey,  and  the  wars  and  massacres  of  the  roving  bands  of  marauders,  in  their  desolating  excursions 
from  place  to  place." — Foreign  Missionary. 

INTERESTING  NARRATIVES  from  the  Sacred  Volume.  Illustrated  and  im- 
proved, by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Belcher. 

CoNTKNTs. — The  Solemn  Inquiry. — First  Murder. — Deluge. — Servant  Expelled. — Affectionate 
Father  Sacrificing  his  Son. — Affecting  Funeral. — Patriarchal  Wedding. — Dutiful  Son. — Affection- 
ate Brother. — Faithful  Steward. — Pious  Prisoner. — Righteous  Governor. — Mistaken  Saint. — Dying 
Patriarch. — Foundling. — Wise  Choice. — Blasphemer  Stoned. — Serpents. — Hypocritical  Prophet. — 
Enemy  Discovered. — Affectionate  Daughter-in-Law. — Happy  Gleaner. 

LIFE  AND  DEATH  OF  REV.  JOSEPH  ALLEINE,  A.B.,  atithor  of  an  "Alarm 
to  the  Unconverted,"  &c.  Written  by  the  Rev.  Richard  Baxter,  his  widow,  Mrs. 
Theodosia  Aileine,  and  other  persons.  To  which  are  added  his  Christian  Lectures, 
lull  of  Spiritual  Instruction,  tending  to  the  promoting  of  the  Power  of  Godliness 
both  in  Persons  and  Families.  With  a  reconunendatory  Preface  by  Alexander 
Duff,  D.D.,  one  of  the  Church  of  Scotland's  Missionaries  to  India.    1  vol.  12mo. 

REMAINS  OF  THE  REV.  RICHARD  CECIL,  M.A.  Late  Rector  of  Bisley, 
and  Vicar  of  Chobbam,  Surrey,  and  Minister  of  St.  John's  Chapel,  Bedford  Row, 
London.  To  which  is  prefixed  a  View  of  his  character.  By  Joseph  Pratt,  B.  D. 
F.A.S.    From  the  eleventh  London  Edition,  1  vol.  12mo. 

"  We  often  meet  with  men  distincruished  for  certain  characteristics  or  acquirements.  One  has  an 
elegant,  classical  mind,  but  is  destitute  of  original  genius  ;  another  with  imposing  abilities,  is  rough 
and  unpolished.  Some  uniting  polish  with  native  superiority  are  destitute  of  the  grace  of  godliness , 
and  others  excelling  in  piety  and  good  works,  unavoidably  offend  a  refined  taste  by  some  vulgarity  of 
tJiought,  expression,  or  action.  But  in  Richard  Cecil  we  see  a  man  combining  the  rich  soil  of  strong 
native  talent  with  a  refinement  of  cultivation  not  surpassed  by  classic  exampje ;  while  in  him  the 
elegant  and  profound  scholar,  and  polished  gentleman  are  only  the  subordinate  characters  of  the 
humble  minded,  devoted,  and  enterprising  follower  of  the  lowly  Jesus." — Baptist  Advocate. 

CHRIST  OUR  LAW.  By  Miss  Caroline  Fry.  Author  of  "The  Listener," 
"  Christ  Our  Example,"  &c.    1  vol.  12mo.    Second  edition. 

"  The  Viook  before  us  consists  of  twelve  chapters,  comprised  within  about  270  pages.  It  exhibits 
Christ  as  our  Law  in  His  Sovereign  Love,  His  Incarnation  and  Substitution,  His  .lustifyina  Right- 
eousness, Our  Responsibility  to  Him,  His  Regenerating  Spirit,  In  Saving  Faith,  The  Obedience  of 
Faith,  Repentance  unto  Life,  His  Sanctifying  Grace,  His  Holy  Ordinances,  and  our  Union  and 
Communion  with  Him.  We  are  speaking  of  no  secondary  class  of  publications  when  we  distin- 
guish this  book  as  the  best  of  all  that  Miss  Fry  has  ever  written.  Her  pen  has  unusual  vigour. 
Her  thoughts  are  strong,  and  by  no  means  enfeebled  in  the  expression.  Her  theology  is  evangel- 
ical and  profound,  entering  into  the  marrow  of  the  gospel,  and  strengthening  the  believing  reader 
lit  the  faith  as  once  delivered  to  the  saints." — Baptist  Advocate. 
(4) 


uahter's  publications. 


CHRISTIAN  CABINET  LIBRARY. 

There  are  noic  twenty-one  volumes  of  this  series,  uniformly  bound  in  cloth,  gilt  backs,  18mo. 

TALES  OF  THE  SCOTTISH  COVENANTERS,  containing  Helen  of  the  Glen, 
The  Persecuted  Family,  and  Ralph  Gemmel.    By  Robert  Pollok,  A.  M. 

"  These  several  tales  by  one  of  the  most  gifted  writers  of  his  day,  here  published  together  in  one 
handsome  volume,  are  so  well  known  that  it  cannot  now  be  necessary  either  to  report  their  exis- 
tence or  to  set  forth  their  claims  to  public  favour.  Suflice  it  to  say,  they  relate  to  one  of  the  most 
interesting  periods  of  Scottish  history,  and  record  scenes  to  which  the  spirit  of  humanity,  and  es- 
pecially the  heart  of  a  Scotchman,  can  never  be  insensible.  While  they  are  full  of  instruction  in 
respect  to  the  past,  they  are  eminently  fitted  to  cherish  the  spirit  of  true  piety  and  especially  to 
awaken  our  gratitude  to  that  gracious  Providence  which  has  surrounded  us  with  better  influence 
and  opened  upon  us  brighter  prospects." — Daily  Advertiser. 

OLD  HUMPHREY'S  ADDRESSES.    By  the  author  of  "  Old  Humphrey's  Obser- 
vations."   3d  edition,  ISmo. 

"They  have  a  style  decidedly  their  own,  quaint,  pithy,  pointed,  sententious,  lively  and  popular; 
but  their  chief  excellence  is  the  constant  and  successful  effort  of  the  author  to  draw  a  moral  from 
every  thing  he  meets." — Neiv  York  Observer. 

OLD  HUMPHREY'S  OBSERVATIONS.    4th  edition.    1  vol.  18mo. 

THOUGHTS  FOR  THE  THOUGHTFUL.   By  Old  Humphrey.   3d  edition. 

"  Here  good  sense  and  good  humor  are  wonderfully  and  most  happily  blended.  The  lessons, 
too,  are  eminently  experimental  and  practical." — Christian  Rcfledor. 

OLD  HUMPHREY'S  WALKS  IN  LONDON,  AND  ITS  NEIGHBOURHOOD. 
Second  Edition. 

"There  is  no  author  of  his  class  whom  we  greet  more  cordially  than  Old  Humphrey.  He  al- 
ways comes  to  us  with  a  smile  upon  his  countenance,  and  we  love  to  yield  ourselves  to  his  intelli- 
gent and  benignant  guidance.  The  present  work  is  full  of  graphic  description,  which  however  is 
always  made  subservient,  not  merely  to  purposes  of  curiosity,  but  to  the  cultivation  of  a  spirit  of 
benevolence  and  devotion, — Albany  Daily  Advertiser. 

HOMELY  HINTS  TO  SABBATH  SCHOOL  TEACHERS.   By  Old  Hum- 
phrey.   Second  Edition. 

"  This  volume  contains  internal  evidence  of  its  paternity.  It  is  the  genuine  offspring  of  Old 
Humphrey.  It  is  replete  with  excellent  thoughts,  with  hints  more  valuable  than  homely,  for 
Sunday  School  Teachers,  and  for  Parents.  We  commend  it  to  their  favor  as  a  work  richly  entitled 
to  an  attentive  perusal.  Those  who  have  read  "Old  Humphrey's  Thoutjhts"  and  "Observations" 
will  need  no  argument  to  persuade  them  to  receive  these  Homely  Hints." — Christian  Observer. 

LUCILL  A,  or  The  Reading  of  the  Bible.    By  Adolphe  Monod.    Second  edition, 

"  We  venture  to  say  that  it  contains  one  of  the  most  acute,  philosophical  and  conclusive  argu- 
ments in  favor  of  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures,  and  of  the  importance  of  their  universal  circu- 
lation, to  be  found  in  any  language.  Part  of  the  book  is  in  the  form  of  dialogue,  and  part  of  it 
in  the  form  of  epistolary  correspondence ;  and  while  the  argument  is  conducted  on  both  sides  with 
great  ability,  the  skeptic  is  finally  confounded,  not  because  he  appears  as  the  weaker  man,  but  be- 
cause he  has  the  weaker  cause." — Albany  Daily  Advertiser. 

MEDITATIONS  AND  ADDRESSES  ON  THE  SUBJECT  OF  PRAYER. 

By  the  Rev.  Hugh  White,  A.  M.    Fourth  American  from  the  tenth  Dublin  edition. 

"  This  is  a  plain,  sensible,  and  practical  treatise,  comprising  meditations  on  the  importance,  nature, 
subject  and  spirit  of  prayer.  The  author  seems  to  be  impressed  with  the  importance  of  his  theme, 
and  communicates  his  thoughts  as  if  he  wished  them  to  benefit.  We  like  the  spirit,  style,  and 
doctrine  of  the  book,  and  can  therefore  recommend  it,  in  hope  it  may  teach  men  to  pray  without 
ceasing,  and  in  an  acceptable  manner." — Presbyterian. 

THE  BELIEVER  ;  a  series  of  Discourses.  By  the  Rev.  Hugh  White,  A.  M.  From 
the  seventh  Dublin  edition. 

"  There  is  a  peculiar  charm  about  all  the  writings  of  this  excellent  man.  His  piety  is  of  a  glow- 
ing temper,  and  his  vivid  imagination,  chastened  by  deep  devotion,  clothes  his  pages  with  attractive 
interest.  We  read  with  emotion,  as  if  the  author  were  talking  to  us  from  the  fulness  of  a  warm 
heart.  The  volume  before  us,  we  are  more  pleased  with  than  with  any  of  the  previous  works 
from  the  same  pen,  and  we  think  that  all  Christians  will  be  delighted  with  it,  and  that  doubting 
Christians  will  be  greatly  profited  by  reading  it.  To  all  who  love  the  Saviour  we  commend  this 
book." — -V.  y.  Observer. 

(5) 


CARTER'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


THE  FAMILY  OF  BETHANY.  By  L.  Bonnet,  with  an  Introductory  Essay,  by 
Rev.  Hugh  White. 

"  This  book  leads  us,  as  with  an  angel's  hand,  through  some  of  the  most  interesting  scenes  in 
the  life  of  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  It  is  full  of  evangelical  truth,  of  glowing  imagery,  of  living, 
breathing  devotion.  In  some  of  its  characteristics,  particularly  in  the  fervour  which  every  where 
pervades  it,  it  bears  the  marks  of  its  French  origin  ;  but  it  is  so  well  translated,  that  it  would  re- 
quire an  attentive  observer  to  perceive  that  it  had  l)een  translated  at  all.  We  recommend  it  for  its 
intellectual,  as  well  as  its  moral  and  spiritual  qualities." — Albany  Argus. 

THE  RETROSPECT,  or  Review  of  Providential  Mercies,  with  Anecdotes  of  Va- 
rious Characters.  By  Aliquis,  formerly  a  Lieutenant  in  the  Royal  Navy,  and  now  a 
Minister  of  the  English  Church.    3d  American  from  the  18th  London  edition. 

"  The  great  popularity  of  this  volume  appears  from  the  large  number  of  editions  through  which 
it  has  passed  in  Great  Britain  in  a  short  number  of  years,  having  now  reached  the  17th  edition, 
and  proofs  of  its  usefulness  have  not  been  wanting.  We  can  assure  our  readers  that  there  are  few 
works  of  the  kind  so  deeply  interesting,  or  so  well  adapted  to  religious  edification.  We  cordially 
recommend  it." — Christ.  Iiilelligcncer. 

THE  MARTYR  LAMB ;  or  Christ  the  Representative  of  his  People  in  all  ages. 
By  F.  W.  Krummacher,  D.D.,  author  of  "  Elijah  the  Tishbite,"  &c.    4th  edition. 

ELIJAH  THE  TISHBITE.    By  F.  W.  Krummacher. 

"  Our  author  is  characterized  by  a  glowing  and  imaginative  style,  which  seems  to  be  the  expres- 
sion of  a  heart  warmed  by  piety,  and  susceptible  of  the  tenderest  emotions.  He  displays  a  happy 
tact  in  developing,  in  the  most  pleasing  manner,  the  circumstances  of  a  scriptural  incident  or  char- 
acter, and  of  deriving  from  it  practical  lessons." — Presbyterian. 

LECTURES  ON  THE  BOOK  OF  ESTHER.  By  the  Rev.  Thomas  McCrie, 
D.D.,  author  of  "Life  of  John  Knox,"  &c. 

A  TREATISE  ON  PRAYER  ;  designed  to  assist  in  the  devout  discharge  of  that 
duty.    By  the  Rev.  Edward  Bickersteth. 

THE  HISTORY  OF  MICHAEL  KEMP,  The  Happy  Farmer's  Lad.  A  Tale  of 
Rustic  Life,  illustrative  of  the  Spiritual  Blessings  and  Temporal  Advantages  of 
Early  Piety.    By  Anne  WoodroofTe.    2d  edition. 

"Thoroughly  and  intensely  have  we  read  this  book,  'because,'  as  Talbot  said  of  Boswell's  Life 
of  Johnson,  '  we  couldn't  help  it.'  We  were  struck  with  the  ingenuous  disposition  and  firm  prin- 
ciples of  Michael,  and  we  wished  to  see  how  they  would  bear  him  through  trying  scenes.  In  other 
words,  our  feelings  became  so  intently  but  agreeably  absorbed,  that  we  not  only  traced  Michael 
through  a  book  of  250  pages,  but  if  there  had  been  one  or  two  more  volumes  we  fear  that  we 
would  have  perused  them.  So  much  for  the  interest  which  the  story  excites  ;  the  other  merits  of 
the  book  are  not  inferior." — Baptist  Advocate. 

COMFORT  IN  AFFLICTION:  A  Series  of  Meditations.  By  the  Rev.  James 
Buchanan,  one  of  the  Ministers  of  the  High  Church,  Edinburgh.  From  the  9th 
Edinburgh  edition. 

"  The  blessed  results  of  affliction  are  treated  with  peculiar  force  of  argument,  and  felicity  of  ex- 
pression— strong  in  scriptural  statements  of  divine  truth,  and  rich  in  scriptural  sources  of  divine 
consolation — in  a  most  valuable  work,  entitled  '  Comfort  in  A  ffliction,' hy  the  Rev.  James  Buchanan, 
— which  I  would  affectionately  recommend  to  e\%ry  Christian  mourner  who  desires  to  drink  freely 
of  the  refreshing  streams  which  the  Fountain  of  all  Comfort — the  Word  of  God,  supplies  ;  for  it  is 
from  this  sacred  source  the  pious  and  talented  author  of  this  excellent  work  derives  '  Comfort  in 
ALffliction,'  which  his  pages  so  eloquently  and  attractively  set  forth. — Bev.  Hugh  White  of  Dubliih 

PERSUASIVES  TO  EARLY  PIETY.   By  the  Rev.  R.  G.  Pike. 

THE  RISE  AND  PROGRESS  OF  RELIGION  IN  THE  SOUL  ;*  illustrated  in 
a  Course  of  Serious  and  Practical  Addresses,  suited  to  persons  of  every  character 
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By  Philip  Doddridge,  D.D. 

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at  once  to  illustrate  and  remedy  some  of  the  principal  evils  connected  with  domestic  education. 
The  work  may  very  properly  occupy  the  attention  both  of  parents  and  children  ;  and  it  will  be  read 
with  pleasure  by  all  who  can  relish  the  simple  and  beautiful  in  thought  and  expression." — Argus. 

THE  LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS  OF  SCOTTISH  LIFE,  by  Professor  Wilson. 

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THE  COMMUNIC.A.NT'S  COMPANION.    By  the  Rev.  Matthew  Henry ;  with  an  Introductory 

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RELIGION  AND  ETERNAL  LIFE ;  or  Irreligion  and  Eternal  Ruin,  the  only  alternative  for 

mankind.    By  J.  G.  Pike,  author  of  "  Persuasives  to  Early  Piety,"  &c. 
THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  NEWTON,  rector  of  St.  Mary  Woolnothj  London.  Written 

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similes of  Biblical  Manuscripts,  2  vols,  imperial  8vo. 

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